Road/rail Unimog impresses Switzerland’s Vigier Rail AG.
Passenger trains and long freight trains traverse the Swiss rail network at rapid speed countless times a day. Safety, quality and reliability are a top priority here. Swiss company Vigier Rail, as a manufacturer of concrete sleepers for the railway industry, lays the foundation for the public transport lifelines.
Shunting, loading, clearing snow – one Unimog, many tasks.
Product quality, functionality and durability are key requirements for the Swiss market leader. No wonder, then, that Vigier Rail expects the same from its own fleet. “We want vehicles we can trust. Vehicles that can be reliably used on a daily basis, are technically mature and simple to operate,” explains Jürg Wehrli, Deputy Head of Production. “They need to be durable. In addition, we expect the best possible level of service.”
Our new Unimog is doubly efficient thanks to its dual capability.
Jürg Wehrli, Deputy Head of Production, Vigier Rail AG
The Unimog U 423 with road/rail capability from ZAGRO meets all the requirements of the Swiss company. On the one hand, the concrete product manufacturer is impressed with the expected service life of at least 20 years; performance is another promising factor. The all-wheel Unimog manages an impressive 170 kW (231 hp) on road and rail, with which it can move up to 1000 t – without jerking or jolting thanks to a torque converter clutch as standard, as well as the considerably better traction of its rubber tyres on the steel tracks when compared to conventional shunting locomotives. Vigier Rail benefits here, particularly when shunting carriages heavily laden with concrete sleepers on its own track system.
The Unimog as a crane and shunting vehicle
And yet that is far from the only task carried out by the Universal Motorized Working Machine, or Unimog, in the Alpine Republic. With a HMF 810 K2 loading crane installed at the rear, this is the vehicle used when concrete sleepers need to be loaded. “Add to this large-scale snow removal and clean-up operations – thanks to its dual capability, our new Unimog is doubly efficient. It’ll certainly be making the most of its time here,” confirmed Jürg Wehrli. Meeting fire protection standards, this all-rounder from Mercedes-Benz can also be used as a rail vehicle in tunnels.
Shunting vehicle with maximum ease of operation.
In addition to its flexibility, the Unimog also impressed Vigier Rail with its ease of operation. The excellent views from its cab and camera/monitor system provide optimum visibility during any operation and thus contribute toward safety on the company’s grounds. Furthermore, the driver of the Unimog benefits from its spacious, sophisticated interior.
Jürg Wehrli is clearly proud of his new shunting vehicle, in cobalt blue and complete with star: “It fully meets our high expectations. Mercedes-Benz really is well ahead of the competition here.”
