The transport of several tram vehicles from China to Samsun in Turkey resembled a lesson in modern logistics which involved air, land, and sea transportation. Due to certain problems in using the sea route, the first streetcars arrived in Samsun on an Antonov AN-225 and were then subsequently transported by ship. Moving the 35 t tram from the port and airport to the tram depot was carried out with an 8-axle SCHEUERLE-NICOLAS Superflex. CABA Transport has successfully used the SCHEUERLE-NICOLAS Superflex in Turkey for transporting railway vehicles of all types. However, this is not everything that the versatile all-rounder “Superflex” has to offer.

The construction of railbound vehicles for public transport travel is expensive. This is particularly so when entire fleets are purchased which results in considerable amounts of money being invested. Public transportation providers therefore compare offers very accurately and ensure that the tendering process is done on a global basis. At the same time, the question arises regarding safe and efficient transportation logistics in order to deliver the rail vehicles, as in this case, from China to Turkey. For example, when transferring from a harbour to the installation point in the rail network, special vehicles are usually required for this purpose. However, if there are no railbound vehicles to transport, these remain unused if no other use for the special transport is possible. CABA Transport, therefore, made a conscious effort to become “super-flexible” through the purchase of a SCHEUERLE-NICOLAS Superflex. Then, the SCHEUERLE-NICOLAS Superflex is not only ideally suited for the transport of rail vehicles but it can also accommodate numerous other loads. As a result, expensive downtimes can be avoided or minimized. With a 7m telescoped length, the Superflex features an up to 4 m longer telescopic extension when compared to other manufacturers in spite of the low deadweight.

Even articulated vehicles can be securely loaded and transported on the SCHEUERLE-NICOLAS Superflex with the help of load distributors. The length of the telescopic loading area is easily and simply adapted to match the dimensions of the cargo. If the freely moveable two-axle module is not required, it can be removed without auxiliary means. This is unique in the industry and saves on the use of a crane or forklift. “This clever vehicle solution shows once again that the TII Group, with SCHEUERLE and NICOLAS, confirms its own understanding as an innovative world market leader in the manufacture of heavy-load vehicles. “Once again, we have considered the situation from the perspective of our customers – that makes the difference,” said Mathias Hobusch, project engineer at SCHEUERLE.