Gävle Marshalling Yard
Region
Gävle, Sweden
Client
Trafikverket
Year
1991
Yard type
Hump yard
Classification tracks
18
Scope
960 retarders
Status
In operation
DECEL's role
Project management of simulations and dimensioning, manufacturing of retarder components, installation supervision
When the Swedish Transport Administration, Trafikverket, built a new marshalling yard in Gävle, it needed a system that could brake freight wagons safely and predictably, year after year. DECEL designed, manufactured and installed 960 retarders while parts of the yard remained in operation. More than 30 years later, wagons are still shunted with the same precision and at a low noise level.
Background: a new yard with high demands
In the early 1990s, Gävle got an entirely new marshalling facility with 18 classification tracks. Trafikverket wanted a yard that could handle large traffic volumes with high availability, where wagons roll at a controlled speed and staff work in a quieter environment than at older yards. The requirements were both operational and environmental.
DECEL was chosen for its experience in speed control of freight wagons and a solution that combines safety, reliability and lower noise.
Supplied and installed
In service since 1991
Delivered on plan, with parts of the yard in operation throughout the installation
Rebuilding without closing
The hardest part of the project was not the technology but the timing. Parts of the yard had to stay in service throughout the installation. Every step had to be planned so that trains could keep being shunted while new retarders were mounted a few tracks away. Had it gone wrong, Gävle would have faced delays and disruptions to freight traffic for a long period.
960 retarders in stages
DECEL managed the simulations and dimensioning, manufactured the retarder components and supervised the installation on site. The work was carried out in stages in close cooperation with the other contractors in the yard project, always with the ongoing operation in mind. Once all 960 retarders were in place, the facility was tested and commissioned.
A facility built to last
The project was delivered as planned, despite the requirement to keep the yard running. The outcome is a marshalling facility where wagons are braked evenly and predictably, with lower noise levels for the people who work there. That the installation is still in service more than three decades later says most of what needs to be said about the quality of the design.
See also Helsingborg Marshalling Yard and Ånge Marshalling Yard, two other Trafikverket facilities supplied by DECEL.
“For us, sustainability is not only about new technology. It is about designing solutions that operate reliably for decades, require minimal maintenance, and help reduce wear and damage to rolling stock and rail infrastructure. By improving operational efficiency and lowering life-cycle costs, we contribute to more sustainable rail yard operations."
