Reliable transport is built long before the locomotive moves
Justinas Kirbutas
Head of Technology Asset Management at LTG Cargo
In the world of logistics, customers rightly expect one thing: that their freight will be transported on time and without any surprises. However, behind every successfully completed shipment lies not only the locomotive, the wagons or the route, but also the consistent work of the Technology Asset Management team in ensuring that our rolling stock is reliable today and ready for tomorrow’s needs.
In recent years, we have faced two major challenges: customers require ever-greater reliability and flexibility, whilst at the same time there is a rapidly growing need to improve operational efficiency. Technology Asset Management is not limited to technical maintenance. It is a strategic endeavour that helps to ensure service quality and create long-term value for customers.
In recent years, LTG Cargo has invested heavily in the renewal and modernisation of its rolling stock fleet. The acquisition of new wagons and electric locomotives, trials of alternative fuels, and digital maintenance solutions enable us to reduce the risk of breakdowns, plan capacity more effectively, and ensure greater stability in transport services.
We place particular emphasis on data-driven asset management. We are increasingly making decisions based on real-time monitoring of locomotive condition and analytics. This enables us to identify problems before they can affect the transport process.
The first two of the 17 electric locomotives, manufactured specifically for LTG Cargo in Valencia, have already taken shape: the first bodies have been welded and painted, and work on installing the internal mechanical and electrical systems is scheduled for September. We will deliver these first two electric locomotives to our customers in 2028 – I am confident that our customers are looking forward to them just as much as we are.
At the same time, we are preparing for a future in which rail will play an increasingly important role in Europe’s decarbonisation goals. Although part of the infrastructure in the region is not yet electrified, we are already looking for solutions to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency across our entire rolling stock fleet – we are currently testing synthetic HVO100 diesel in one mainline and one shunting locomotive. Sustainability and competitiveness are not conflicting goals – on the contrary, given the volatility of fossil fuel prices, they are increasingly becoming inseparable, and the results of the synthetic fuel trials are encouraging.
LTG Cargo operates a fleet of over 6,000 different wagons, and around 3,000 of them are repaired each year at the freight wagon depot in Radviliškis. Around half of these belong to our customers – various companies that have purchased their own wagons for transporting their freight and entrust their maintenance to LTG Cargo’s specialists.
It is true that the number of carriages repaired for customers has fallen in recent years. We have faced challenges due to geopolitical and economic changes: we were not always able to supply customers with spare parts, and repair costs were also becoming increasingly unsatisfactory. The situation calls for solutions, and we have been working hard to find them: we have resolved the issue of spare parts, operational efficiency measures are having a positive impact on prices, and we have also prioritised and strengthened the quality of our repair work.
At LTG Cargo, we apply a ‘problem-solving’ methodology to the management of our technological assets: we are streamlining processes in the repair of traction rolling stock, and will soon be rolling out similar initiatives for the repair of freight wagons and the management of stock. Customers will certainly notice the change, as the aim of these solutions is to create more efficient, value-adding processes.
Returning to the topic of wagon repairs, the modernisation of the Radviliškis freight wagon depot is one of the most important investments in reliability. Upgraded infrastructure, more modern equipment and more efficient repair processes will enable us to carry out wagon maintenance and repairs more quickly and increase the utilisation of our existing capacity. For customers, this means greater reliability of services and better availability of wagons. Investment in the modernisation of the depot translates not only into more efficient repair operations at ‘LTG Cargo’ but also into more stable and predictable freight transport services. It also means that we will be better prepared to carry out repairs on our customers’ rolling stock more efficiently.
That is precisely why we will continue to strive to ensure that LTG Cargo’s technological potential becomes a solid foundation for our customers’ business growth.