M-250 Super Rail Cargo question

[gavino200]

I recently acquired the M-250. I bought it because I like how it looks. I had no prior knowledge of it. I'm a bit confused about why this train only uses one type of cargo container.

 

Based on wikipedia - 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M250_series

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagawa_Express

 

- It seems that the M-250 was produced solely to be used by Sagawa Express. SE is some kind of giant priority mail and package delivery service like DHL or FedEx. 

 

Is the train never used to haul containers for other companies? Is other (heavier??) freight not suitable for this kind of high speed service? 

[cteno4]

yep its a one trick point to point pony where the containers are swqpped out at each end and it returns. to go fast the distributed motors helped hence the containers in the center of the motor cars and the very interesting look. basically a rapid point to point system. dont know how well it really panned out. if they did biz for others i think they always just used the Sagawa containers. 

 

jeff

[bikkuri bahn]

It was a joint project between JR Freight and Sagawa, so only Sagawa freight is carried.   Apparently there are trucks held in reserve in case rail service is disrupted, and the containers can be hauled by truck the whole distance between Osaka and Tokyo.  In fact the distance between Osaka and Tokyo is such that truck transport is more efficient, so most traffic goes by road anyway.

[kvp]

Sagawa was one of the first users of container trains. Afaik their first Tokyo-Osaka service used EH10 bo-bo+bo-bo locomotives. The current Mc-M-T-...-T-M-Mc consist works just like having two locomotives, one on each end.

 

The service pattern is a quick full load from trucks, then a dash to the other station among passenger traffic and a quick load again. Each truck brings one container and takes one. It's just like the TGV La Poste, but with normal containers instead of hand pushed mail trolleys.

 

Truck traffic is cheaper because the highways are funded by the government. Beside being cheaper, it's also slower and needs more drivers, which could offset the higher costs of the train.

 

Why no other cargo emu-s then? It turns out that fixed rakes are only good when the number of containers are fixed and it's cheaper to use two double unit 8 axle locomotives than a dedicated emu of two double unit 8 axle emu cars. (and then you don't have to load containers on the locomotives)

[inobu]

The answer lies in the engineering requirements needed to run efficiently on the rail system. I think certain criteria must be met to run at certain speeds on certain rails. It goes all the way down to the trucks on the flat rail cars. I believe the containers are linked to that as well. There was a transport protocol called ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) that utilized uniform packet. Because of the uniformity it ran very efficiently. I think the Super Rail uses those same principles that help it to be very efficient in transporting cargo. The 250 run that route at night its all about efficiency.  This is my favorite train. 

 

Inobu