Train ferry

Train ferries (also railway ferries or Trajektschiffe called ) are for the transport of rail cars designed to Eisenbahnfährverbindungen ships. Depending on the design and use of the ship passengers and passenger cars, freight cars or in part, in addition, motor vehicles are transported. The term railway ferry shall also works as a synonym for the rail ferry or train ferry as such.

History and technical details

Structural development

The railway ferry defined as shipbuilding type on its construction for the transportation of railway wagons rolling on its own wheels and unloaded.

The first used as a rail ferry boat was built in 1833 used by the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway to transport coal wagons on the Forth and Clyde Canal. Three years later, in April 1836, took the Susquehanna the first U.S. railway ferry operating between Havre de Grace and Perryville on the Susquehanna River to River.

The first railway ferry of modern times was the Leviathan, a paddle steamer, which was 1849/50 designed by the engineer Thomas Grainger for a ferry of Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee Railway. The ship began operation between Granton and Burntisland on the Firth of Forth on February 3, 1850. The development of railway ferries occurred since then for a further development of the general shipbuilding, such as the transformation of the shipbuilding material from wood to iron to steel, gradually formed beyond own typical differentiators out.

Even the Leviathan was a Doppelendschiff that was unnecessary turning of the vessel during docking maneuvers. It had each a front and achteres helm and a designed by Thomas Bouch ramp door, which worked with an inclined plane to compensate for the tidal difference. The bridge consisted of a midship between the two Schaufelradkästen mounted walkway with helm. Double-ended later received bridges at both ends of the vessel. The majority of today's railway ferries is designed as a double-ended due to the faster handling rates. In particular, such a railway ferries, which are used on longer connections over the open sea or in extremely rough seas are, however, often built to date than larger Einendfähren with rear ramp. Unlike ferry for motor vehicles Eisenbahneinendfähren have because of the accuracy required to arrive at the ferry berth usually have an additional rear bridge.

The capacity of the train ferry was increased by several developments depending on the traffic and the length of the ferry line to be traversed in the course of time. For one, the ships were larger than those on the other can be built train ferries with one or more rolling decks and each deck with one or more parallel tracks.

The Leviathan had three parallel tracks, smaller ferries, especially for short distances, were built with one or two parallel tracks. Later ferries usually had three or four parallel tracks. The set 1982 in Trelleborg trip was the first ship with five parallel tracks. Today's two- and three- deck ferries often have five parallel tracks with up to 1100 meters in length.

The first train ferries still resembled flat Prähmen on their upper deck wagons were drawn. Later it developed ferries with two decks, which were loaded in appropriate ramps presupposed ( as a port facility or on board). In addition, multi-deck feature ocean-going ferries bow or tailgates for seaworthy closure of the corresponding rolling decks. In 1975 was put into operation with the Railship I the first ship with three rolling decks. In addition, there are also ferries with two roller decks and ramp for loading of the weather deck. As a result of the large increase in car traffic have been since the 1950s, more and more ferries also equipped with car decks.

Drive

A distinction is made between non-powered and self-propelled railroad car ferries.

Driveless Eisenbahnprähme, barges or Trajektkähne found mainly on protected or closed waters. There are even fairly seagoing unpowered rail barges. All have in common that they are moved by tugs or pusher craft. A kind of hybrid form chain or cable driven ferry whose web guide is determined by the chain or rope on which they move between two ferry Ellen.

The majority of train ferries has its own drive. Due to the special requirements in terms of maneuverability, there has been in the development of Eisenbahnfährantriebe some special way. The first self-propelled railroad ferries were side paddle steamers. Unlike conventional steamers of this type was her drive to improve maneuverability when turning and applying frequently from two independently controllable from each other steam engines that worked on each one of the paddle wheels.

The introduction of the diesel engine as the prime mover occurred in the delayed train ferries, as various disadvantages of the diesel engine had to be overcome. This included their low driving torque at low speeds and the need for frequent - associated with loss of time for command transmission - stopping and change in direction to the direction of change in the berthing and departure maneuvers. In addition, a ferry must drive frequently in different - operating speed steps - unfavorable for the diesel engine. Solutions to these problems arose from the use of multi-step transmissions with adapters, the installation of propellers and diesel-electric drive systems.

Maneuvering

Even the early train ferry Leviathan could support their maneuver by oars at the bow and stern, a peculiarity about the feature almost all double-ended to this day. Other introduced in the course of development to improve the maneuverability necessary means are drive systems with multiple independently controllable pitch propellers, the installation of bow and stern thrusters or actuators with Schottel rudder propellers.

Gallery

Mississippi River ferry in 1920

Railway ferry in China with track advance and track bridge

Railway ferry Fürstenberg / Havel