Tambo Springs Intermodal Terminal

Tambo Springs Intermodal terminal will extend over an area of approximately 712.550 sqm, where the closely railway part amounts to about 394.500 sqm. The terminal extends parallel to the existing railway line, consisting of two tracks.

The closely railway part includes:

1. Departure/reception siding: departure/reception siding consisting of n. 4 axes, 1200m long useful (axes number 7-8-9-10); one track for the circulation, in the upper side of the terminal which allows access to the various service areas of the terminal (axis number 11); a locomotive parking siding with 3 axes; four turnout tracks and one safety track; tracks connecting to the workshop, refueling and washing; two shunting tracks 1.200m long.
2. Intermodal Terminal: three modules, each consisting of n ° 2 tracks 1200m long useful, for full containers where three transporters operate for the loading / unloading / handling of containers and road-rail exchange; storage areas for empty containers, served by rubber handling units (roads takers), next to the intermodal module.
3. Square for direct loading and unloading with an extension of about 161.900 sqm: the containers are moved with reach stackers.

Therefore, the proposed layout, in final configuration includes:

• 4 tracks for the arrival and departing yard;
• 6 tracks for loading/unloading of the wagons;
• 2 maneuver tracks for the internal maneuvers, moving of the wagons from arrival and departing yard to loading/unloading tracks and, if required, movements of fault wagons;
• other small yard for the storing of fault wagons, locomotives, refilling of diesel shunting locomotive.

The 6 tracks for the loading/unloading of the wagons are clustered in three group of 2 tracks. This to let possible to build the loading/unloading track in three phases according to the individuated time horizons. For each group of tracks 2 gantry cranes are considered.

If, in the future, additional capacity will be required, is possible to install an additional crane for each group reducing the time for the loading/unloading of each train. Moreover, in the proposed layout several utilities have been foreseen and inserted as: shunting locomotive maintenance building; containers and wagons maintenance building; offices; traffic control building; reach stacker maintenance building; custom warehouse; water and fire station; electrical substation. The layout enables the opportunity to operate the terminal container, and in particular the last 2 unloading/loading tracks, in an innovative way. This means that can be possible to let enter the train without the uncoupling of the electrical locomotives and the related maneuvers but directly using the electrical line locomotive of the trains. This way to operate will reduce the maneuvers cost. Then, the innovative operation can be useful for trains that need to be partially loaded/unloaded reducing the maneuvers costs and stopping the line locomotive for a reasonable time.