Freely adapted from the slightly modified song by US musician Bobby McFerrin (the order to "be happy" actually comes from an Indian guru), 25 heavy-duty locomotives were transported to New Jersey these days. By truck via Hamburg – the undertaking would have easily overwhelmed the German rail network.
The Paderborn-based heavy-lift and large-capacity transport specialist, part of Gruber Logistics, was responsible for the transport series, the planning and implementation of which took over three years. The ALP-45DP DualPower rail vehicles come from the Alstom plant in Kassel, Hesse (formerly Bombardier) and are intended for scheduled service in the greater New Jersey-New York area.
Before the first locomotive could be delivered to New Jersey in early 2021, a team had already spent over a year planning and preparing for the project. The locomotives couldn't simply be transported to the port via the German rail network. Their axle load, at 32 tons instead of the permitted maximum of 22.5 tons, was significantly too heavy. Furthermore, the wheel profiles and technical specifications were incompatible with European rail systems.
Holger Dechant, Managing Director of the Universal Transport Group and board member at Gruber Logistics: “Due to the dilapidated infrastructure in Germany, only one route was actually possible – and even here, considerable effort was required to overcome obstacles.” Among other things, a roundabout near Paderborn had to be fitted with its own paved center lane. Furthermore, specialized equipment was used, such as the boiler bridge designed specifically for this transport. This bridge can be lowered to as little as two centimeters above the road surface to allow passage under low bridges along the route.
Photos: F. Horstmöller
For the first leg from Kassel to Hamburg, a total of 360 kilometers, the 90-ton locomotive bodies each required four nights. During the approval process, the route was occasionally adjusted based on traffic conditions. For inclines and declines, an additional second tractor unit was used, which could push and brake from behind.
On the final stretch through the Hanseatic city, the locomotives had to take an additional detour. A bridge leading directly to the departure terminal was too large for the heavy convoy to cross due to its total weight of 230 tons. Therefore, the locomotives were lifted from the truck at another terminal using a floating crane and transported approximately 6 kilometers across the Elbe River to the actual departure terminal. There, they were fitted with their bogies and then loaded onto a RoRo ship, which carried them the 6,000 km to New Jersey.
Universal Transport, headquartered in Paderborn and part of Gruber Logistics from South Tyrol, is one of the leading companies in the heavy haul logistics sector, with 750 employees and a fleet of 350 vehicles. For pre-carriage to seaports, the company utilizes its own network, which possesses the necessary technology and expertise.
Frank Horstmöller
