photo: Rail Cargo Group/Illustrative photo
ÖBB Rail Cargo Group is adding 500 new Eanos-y wagons to its fleet for scrap metal and recycling transport. The wagons are leased from Swiss company MFD Rail, with the full fleet expected to be in service by mid-2027.
According to ÖBB Rail Cargo Group, deliveries began at the start of 2026. By the end of July, 110 of the new wagons were already operating, with further deliveries planned over the coming months. The 500 wagons will be used mainly for light metal scrap and sheared scrap, serving customers in the Austrian and wider European steel and recycling industries.
More Space for Lighter Scrap
RCG and MFD Rail developed the Eanos-y wagons specifically for scrap transport. One of the main changes is the loading volume. Each wagon offers around 95 cubic metres of space, roughly 15% more than conventional models used for this type of traffic, according to ÖBB, which is useful for light and loosely loaded scrap. Such material can fill a wagon before its maximum permitted weight is reached, leaving part of the wagon's payload unused.
The new design allows operators to make better use of the wagon's payload of around 65 tonnes. The four-axle wagons have a loading length of around 15.8 metres and use the G1 loading gauge. RCG says they can operate throughout Europe's standard-gauge network without restrictions on shunting.
The wagon body, doors and fittings have also been reinforced to cope with the conditions typical of scrap traffic. High-strength steel is used extensively in the design to reduce the risk of damage and improve reliability. MFD Rail lists the Eanos 95 m³ with a length over buffers of 17.09 metres, an axle load of 22.5 tonnes and a tare weight of around 25 tonnes.
RCG Replaces Older Wagons
According to RCG, older wagons that require more maintenance will gradually be replaced or supplemented by the new Eanos-y fleet. "Leasing these 500 new wagons contributes to the targeted modernisation of our wagon fleet," said RCG Executive Board Member Bettina Castillo.
RCG expects the larger loading volume and stronger construction to improve wagon availability and reduce the costs associated with maintaining older rolling stock. All 500 wagons will also be fitted with telematics, including GPS. The equipment gives RCG information on the location of individual wagons and can be used for dispatching and planning mobile maintenance.
MFD Rail CSO Wolfram Bahle said the wagon had been developed together with RCG around the requirements of light scrap transport. The two companies have worked together on wagon leasing before. In 2023, RCG signed a framework agreement with MFD Rail covering up to 600 additional container carrier wagons for its MOBILER system. Those wagons were designed specifically for RCG's multimodal operations, including waste transport.
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Scrap Plays a Bigger Role in European Steel
RCG expects the new wagons to be used by scrap processors, recycling companies and customers in the European steel industry. According to ÖBB, demand is supported by changes in European steel production and tighter circular economy requirements.
Steelmakers are increasingly looking to scrap as a raw material as they work to reduce emissions from production. For rail freight companies, this creates demand for wagons that can handle large volumes of relatively light scrap efficiently.
RCG already lists the MFD Rail Eanos-y among the open wagons available to its customers. Its current fleet also includes Eanos wagons supplied by several other leasing companies, including VTG and European Rail Rent.