Abstract: The rail vehicle (1) comprises a sub-frame (2) and a wagon body (3) disposed above it. Between the wagon body (3) and the sub-frame (2) a spring stage (4) is provided and between the wagon body (3) and the sub-frame (2) at least one actuator (6) is provided which is arranged to bring the wagon body (3) from a raised travel position into a lowered load/unload position against a restoring force produced by the spring stage (4) to keep it in the load/unload position. The wagon body (3) is raised into a travel position by the restoring force upon deactivation of the actuator (6).

Abstract: The rail car (1) with a substructure (2) and a car body (3) arranged thereon having a main suspension system (4) on a fluid basis is provided with at least one strut (5) supporting the car body (3) against the substructure (2). The pressure prevailing in the strut being correlated to the weight of the car body, and at least one emergency spring (6) supports the car body (3) against the substructure (2) in case of a failure of the main suspension (4). The at least one emergency spring (6) is biased and maintained in normal operation position (FIGS. 1, 2) by a force (F) generated by the pressure (p) prevailing in the strut (5). The emergency spring (6) expands from the normal operation position into an emergency operation position (FIG. 3) in which it resiliently supports the car body (3) in case of a failure of the main suspension system (4).