Self-propelled freight cars Intramotev reshape the US rail market
01.10.2025
Intramotev will provide self-powered freight cars to operator Watco, and this contract represents a new frontier of US railway transport because it represents a combination of creativity and energy effectiveness.
This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.
Self-powered freight locomotives Intramotev and Watco Contract
US company Intramotev concluded a contract with shipping operator Watco. The supply of self-powered TugVolt cars will start from the Wood River terminal of transshipment.
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They have traction drives, batteries, and digital control systems. Thus, each of the wagons can run independently without a locomotive. The process of modernization saves money and is also able to offer flexibility during cargo handling.
Watco runs over 45 short-line railways with over 11,000 km of track. The corporation establishes its business within North America and Australia, and adopting innovations aids its improvement of competitiveness.
Auto-hauler freight cars TugVolt: experience and perspective
Intramotev earlier installed TugVolt in Michigan of mining firm Carmeuse Americas. Dump cars with the system have been operational since late 2024. Three of the cars in a six-car consist were equipped with traction modules, and during 2025 moved 250,000 t of limestone over a 2.5 km track.
To fund the project, Intramotev secured funding by August 2024. The financing aided in manufacturing new vehicles, and now the solutions penetrate the general freight market. Thus, the Watco contract validates sector preparedness for sustainable technologies.
Specialists stress that digital control and electric traction are transforming the railway economy. They reduce expenditures and open the way to automation of the entire transport process. So the future gets a realistic solution.
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What are self-powered freight cars TugVolt?
These are basic wagons equipped with traction drives, batteries, and control systems. They can run independently without a locomotive.
Is their usage applicable to other industries?
Yes, they will be appropriate for mining, industrial, and logistics businesses because they will offer flexibility and locomotive reduction.
When will Watco begin using these cars?
The memorandum of understanding was signed during 2025, and the initial operation will commence within the Illinois transshipment terminal.
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