Łukasiewicz-PIT Develops Innovative Railway Bogie for Military and Industry

Polish engineers from the Łukasiewicz – Poznański Instytut Technologiczny (PIT) research institute have presented a ready-to-implement solution that could revolutionize heavy cargo logistics on railways. It involves an innovative, three-axle railway bogie of the 37TN type, designed for installation in standard freight wagons. Its key advantage is the ability to safely transport loads significantly exceeding weight standards, which has until now been a major infrastructure challenge. The three-axle construction allows for weight distribution that, in traditional two-axle bogies, could damage tracks or exceed permissible loads. The project is a direct response to needs reported by the defense industry and the civilian sector. As the institute emphasizes, the solution will enable the transport of any tank in NATO's inventory, including American Abrams tanks, whose combat weight exceeds 60 tons. In addition to military equipment, the bogie is also intended for transporting oversized industrial machinery, energy infrastructure components such as energy storage units, and other oversized loads. Work on the project began in 2023, and it is now ready for commercialization. The transport of heavy and oversized loads by rail has a long tradition in Poland, dating back to the industrialization period in the 19th century. However, modern military and industrial machinery, often weighing over 50-60 tons, poses a new challenge for a railway network designed decades ago. The standard axle load on Polish tracks is regulated by technical regulations and is a maximum of 22.5 tons per wheelset. From a technical parameters perspective, the 37TN bogie allows for speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour with a full load and 120 km/h when empty. This is a significant logistical advantage compared to other methods of transporting heavy equipment, which are often slower. The development of this rolling stock is not an isolated undertaking but fits into a broader European security context. It is part of the EU's Military Mobility initiative, whose goal is to significantly improve military mobility across Europe. This initiative is crucial for deterrence and allied defense in the face of a changing security environment on NATO's eastern flank. Mateusz Domagała from Łukasiewicz-PIT, in an interview with the Polish Press Agency, emphasized that the solution was created in response to specific market demand. The institute sees great export potential for its invention, which could become a "sales hit." Implementing the new bogies would not only allow for more efficient movement of military equipment domestically and within the alliance but also serve the growing needs of the civilian heavy industry and energy sectors, for which rail transport is often the only cost-effective solution over long distances.