GATX Rail Europe has donated a tank railcar in support of the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) in Dresden. The tank railcar will be used for training purposes, allowing volunteer responders to practice realistic emergency scenarios involving railway accidents and hazardous materials.

The Federal Agency for Technical Relief and the Deutsche Bahn Emergency Train in Dresden
The THW is Germany’s federal organization for civil protection and disaster relief, primarily operated by volunteers. With 668 local divisions and over 80,000 volunteers across Germany, it plays a crucial role in emergency response. Since 2012, the Dresden branch has been responsible for operating Deutsche Bahn’s emergency train, which is deployed in railway accidents such as derailments. The specially trained staff are on call 24/7 to safely re-rail vehicles and quickly restore railway lines. The Dresden THW branch has a pool of 68 volunteers for this task, including 13 re-railing supervisors. The emergency train is typically deployed with 7-8 people, covering the area of Saxony and southern Brandenburg.

A GATX Tank Car for Hands-On Training
Providing assistance in railway environments requires extensive expertise, particularly in handling the transportation of hazardous materials. Until now, Dresden lacked a dedicated tank railcar for specific training exercises. GATX Rail Europe’s donation fills this gap: The railcar will be used as a leakage training unit, enabling responders to practice handling tank railcars to improve their safety during real-life emergencies. The training includes sealing leaks and safely re-railing tank railcars.

Given that suitable training tank railcars are rare, and that firefighter and railway training facilities are often in high demand, this new training unit in Dresden is also of interest to other emergency teams. In addition to firefighters and other first responders, THW-operated emergency trains in neighboring regions, such as Zwickau and Frankfurt/Oder, will also benefit from the new training opportunities.

Working Together for Greater Railway Safety
This project was made possible through the commitment of multiple partners. Volunteers from THW Dresden identified the need and were aware that GATX Rail Europe provides tank railcars for such purposes. Because the THW, as a federal agency, could not receive the donation directly, it was transferred to the local support association instead.

However, the donation could only be completed thanks to the voluntary contributions of additional partners. ITL Eisenbahngesellschaft mbH Dresden, a subsidiary of Captrain Deutschland, serves as the registered keeper of the tank car, handling insurance and maintenance management (ECM). GATX partner workshop Franz Kaminski Waggonbau GmbH carried out necessary cleaning and modifications. Finally, METRANS Rail (Deutschland) GmbH transported the tank railcar to Dresden.

With this donation, GATX Rail Europe reaffirms its commitment to safety and education in the railway sector. “We are pleased that our GATX tank railcar will serve such a meaningful purpose in Dresden, contributing to railway safety and receiving strong support from all partners and volunteers involved,” says Roman Mayer, Fleet Manager at GATX Rail Europe.

The new training tank railcar will now be used in Dresden for numerous training sessions and exercises, significantly improving the capabilities of THW responders. This initiative ensures that railway accidents in Dresden and the Southeast region can be handled even more efficiently and safely in the future.