Daimler Truck shows four Unimog rail vehicles at InnoTrans and hands a new Unimog to Munich
At Berlin's InnoTrans railway technology fair, Daimler Truck is displaying four Unimog vehicles built for rail work and handing over a new Unimog to Munich's city utility and transit operator.
- 4
- 4
- 1,000 metric tons
What Happened
At InnoTrans, the international railway technology trade fair in Berlin, Daimler Truck is showcasing four Unimog vehicles for rail operations together with G. Zwiehoff GmbH and ZAGRO Bahn- und Baumaschinen GmbH. On site, the manufacturer joined Henne Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH, the general Unimog distributor, and Zwiehoff to present a new Unimog to Stadtwerke München (SWM) and Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVG). That vehicle is part of a fleet of four new Unimog units that will be used in the future for the maintenance of Munich's tram network. The announcement was made from Leinfelden-Echterdingen and Berlin.
“With these Unimog, we are gaining four modern vehicles in the near term that can be deployed year-round across a wide range of applications to maintain and clean our rail infrastructure. This marks an important first step in our strategy to make Munich's tram network more resilient.”
The delivered Unimog U 423 is equipped with a Zwiehoff road-rail system, enabling flexible operation both on roads and rails. Its modular design lets it perform a wide range of tram network maintenance tasks throughout the year. Beyond the seasonal equipment, the vehicle can be fitted with a variety of implements for vegetation management, cleaning and maintenance work, with optional attachments including equipment for vegetation control, infrastructure cleaning, vacuum operations and a water tank for fire prevention during rail-grinding operations.
- Aebi Schmidt VPL24 snow plow and Bucher Municipal Yeti W25 spreader
- Flatbed body and Autech rail-grinding trailer with lifting device and hydraulic power generator
Both ZAGRO and Zwiehoff are exhibiting Unimog U 423 rail-road shunting vehicles that can move trailing loads of up to 1,000 metric tons. Daimler Truck attributes the high tractive effort to the torque converter clutch, permanent all-wheel drive and the traction provided by the vehicle's own tires when operating on rails. Its ability to transition quickly between road and rail, combined with versatile mounting and body options as well as mechanical, electrical and hydraulic interfaces, makes the Unimog a flexible solution for shunting operations and for railway infrastructure maintenance and service work.
1,000metric tons
for the Unimog U 423 rail-road shunting vehicles shown by ZAGRO and Zwiehoff at InnoTrans
- ZAGRO stand: a Unimog U 423 rail-road shunting vehicle capable of moving trailing loads of up to 1,000 metric tons.
- ZAGRO stand: a customer vehicle based on the Unimog U 423 with a Palfinger rail-road crane and a MULAG mower attachment for maintenance work along railway lines, with cameras assisting the operator during the rail-on process.
- Zwiehoff stand: a Unimog U 423 rail-road shunting vehicle with the Zwiehoff rail guidance system and a Knorr wagon braking system, also able to move trailing loads of up to 1,000 metric tons.
Why this matters
The handover is the first concrete step of a four-vehicle order that Munich's Stadtwerke and MVG say will make the city's tram network more resilient. The event also shows how Daimler Truck puts the Unimog into rail service through a web of partners — Zwiehoff, ZAGRO and general distributor Henne — rather than acting alone.
Terms in This Story
- InnoTrans
- An international trade fair for railway technology, held in Berlin.
- road-rail system
- Equipment that allows a vehicle to operate both on public roads and on rails.
- shunting
- Moving rail vehicles or wagons short distances, for example within a yard, depot or network.
- trailing load
- The weight of the wagons or vehicles being pulled or pushed by a rail vehicle.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.