New publication: Maintenance data reveals the potential to cut 27 tonnes of CO₂eq while saving €0.4 million annually

Our latest study explores how maintenance data can be used to better understand and reduce both the environmental and economic impact of wheel wear in rail freight operations.

The results show an average wheelset replacement interval of approximately 641 days or 110,000 km. Across the entire fleet, this corresponds to an estimated 632–1,065 wheelset exchanges per year, generating between 119 and 200 tonnes of CO₂eq and annual maintenance costs of approximately €1.9–€3.2 million.

An important finding was that a relatively small group of wagons accounted for a disproportionate share of wheelset replacements. By identifying these high-impact wagons and bringing their replacement rates closer to the fleet average, the study estimates potential annual savings of €0.35–€0.42 million, while reducing emissions by 22–27 tonnes of CO₂eq.

The study demonstrates the value of using existing maintenance and operational data to identify where improvements can have the greatest impact. Rather than applying the same actions across an entire fleet, data-driven analysis can help operators focus maintenance and improvement efforts on the assets that contribute most to costs and emissions.

The findings provide another example of how smarter, data-driven maintenance strategies can support more cost-efficient, reliable and sustainable rail operations.