perävaunu

Perävaunu is a non-powered rail vehicle designed to be hauled by a locomotive or driving van. The term comes from Finnish perä meaning “rear” and vaunu meaning “car” or “wagon,” and it refers to a wagon that forms the trailing part of a train. Perävaunut are used to increase train capacity and to carry freight or passengers that do not require propulsion of their own.

In ordinary rail operations, perävaunut are attached to the rear of the locomotive or of a driving unit to provide additional capacity. They are equipped with couplers and with braking systems that work in concert with the train’s brakes. Perävaunut are not self-propelled and rely on the locomotive or driving van for movement.

There are several types of perävaunu. Freight perävaunut include standard wagons of various configurations, such as open wagons, covered wagons, tank wagons, and flat wagons. Passenger trains may use perävaunut as trailer cars in traditional locomotive-hauled services or in push-pull formations. Some perävaunut serve specialized functions, such as brake vans (jarruvaunu) that carry guards and provide braking control on certain train configurations.

History and current use: Trailing wagons have long been part of railway practice, enabling flexible train composition and increased capacity. With the development of multiple-unit trains and self-propelled cars, the number of non-powered trailing cars has declined in high-frequency networks. Nevertheless, perävaunut remain common in freight operations and for certain passenger and maintenance services.

See also: vaunu, jarruvaunu, moottorivaunu.