High tractive force. With its compact axles, its wheel rims and its special rail tyres, the Unimog is ideally suited to normal or wide-gauge tracks (1,435 – 1,676 mm). On rails it is propelled directly by the wheels, while the rail guide system is there simply to keep it safely on the track at speeds of up 50 km/h (30 mph) without derailing.The Unimog thus makes full use of the high coefficient of friction between the rubber wheels and the steel rails, delivering optimal traction for hauling heavy loads. The closely spaced gear ratios (eight forward, eight reverse), the permanent all-wheel drive and the differential locks convert the engine power into maximum tractive force on the track