A few weeks ago we started working on a new interesting project regarding wagons that transport and deposit ballast.

The planning for this project already began in 2025, since it’s made of a few different steps.

First of all, one of the main activities is to modify the hatches for the unloading of ballast, especially because the old ones could only unload towards the outside. These have been removed and replaced with new custom designed hatches, and a new unloading mobile system was added: this way, it’s now possible to unload both towards the outside and towards the center of the track. In the workshop, we built the hatches, the mobile system and the stop system. Some parts of the wagon frame were also modified to adapt to the new hatches.

The upper opening of the wagon was enlarged, to facilitate the loading operations; previously, difficoulties were found in loading the material, as the opening was too narrow for the machinery.

The wagons were also equipped with a custom electrical lighting system. Since these vehicles ofter work during night hours, we installed some spotlights on the working area, and near the hatches-operating-steps. Specifically, the system is powered by batteries that can guarantee up to 18 hours of autonomy. Each wagon was equipped with a 220 Volt plug-in charger, that can be used to charge the batteries but also to be used with an external generator.