Goods, load securing and telescopic loaders in the preparation
The practical craft behind the freight train specialty
If you choose the freight train specialty in the train preparation qualification, you learn a skill that the passenger train specialty does not require to the same degree: to load, unload and secure cargo on cars. Here the core is the same as elsewhere in the trade — thoroughness and systematicity — but the object of work is the cargo instead of the passengers.
§The telehandler as a work tool
En stor del af håndteringen af gods på og omkring godsvogne foregår med maskiner, blandt andet teleskoplæssere. Maskinen har en udskydelig arm, der gør det muligt at løfte og placere last både højt og langt ind over vognen, hvilket er praktisk, når godsvogne skal fyldes eller tømmes uden at man behøver køre helt tæt på med et almindeligt køretøj. At betjene sådant udstyr sikkert kræver oplæring i maskinens vægtgrænser, rækkevidde og de blinde vinkler, føreren har fra kabinen.
- 01Know the machine's lifting capacity at different arm extensions
- 02Keep an eye on blind spots and colleagues' position during lifting
- 03Distribute the load evenly — uneven distribution can affect the train's handling.
- 04Stop and ask if the load's weight or placement is in doubt
§Why load securing is a trade in itself
Goods that are not properly secured on a railway wagon can shift when the train accelerates, brakes or goes through curves — forces that on a long freight train can be significant. Load securing on railway wagons follows international loading regulations that stipulate how much a load may shift during normal operation and which securing methods — such as lashing, bracing or friction mats — should be used depending on the load's weight, shape and position on the wagon.
| Risk from poor load securing | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Load shifts during braking | Uneven weight distribution can affect train stability |
| Load extends beyond the vehicle's profile | Risk of collision with facilities along the track |
| Løs eller manglende surring | Goods can fall off during driving |
§Wagon axle load sets the limit
Each goods wagon has a maximum load and a maximum axle load, which is determined by the wagon's technical data and the infrastructure it runs on. Complying with this limit is just as important as securing the cargo itself: overloaded cargo — or cargo that is unevenly distributed so some axles are more loaded than others — can damage both the wagon itself and the track it runs on. Therefore, it is a fixed part of preparation to check that the total load stays within the wagon's permitted limits before it is finally secured for transport.
§Different types of goods different solutions
Goods vary enormously — from containers and pallets to loose bulk goods and heavy industrial items — and each type makes its own demands on how it is handled and secured. You therefore do not learn one fixed recipe, but a systematic way of assessing loads: how heavy is it, where is its centre of gravity, and what securing method suits this particular load on this particular vehicle.
§Weighing and registration before reading
Before goods are loaded on a vehicle, their weight must be known and recorded — not guessed. It's the prerequisite for both distributing the load correctly on the vehicle and controlling that the total load stays within the vehicle's allowable limits. A habit of estimating weight 'by eye' has no place in the trade, no matter how experienced you are.
§The core is the same as in passenger train preparation
Although cargo securing and machine operation is extra expertise the passenger train specialty does not require in the same way freight train preparation rests on exactly the same foundation as the rest of the trade: coupling brake inspection and systematic inspection before clearance. The cargo is just one more thing that must be in order before you can say the train is ready.
“A freight car with a perfect brake test and poorly secured cargo is still a train that should not run.”