voestalpine Railway Systems supplies high-tech rails for the Koralm Railway

29 November 2021 |

In future ÖBB trains on the new Koralm Railway will roll over voestalpine high-performance rails. voestalpine Railway Systems has recently supplied high-speed turnouts for speeds of up to 230 km/h for this advanced mobility project, together with the accompanying digital signaling technology to monitor the turnouts. Now the global market leader for complete railway systems, based in Donawitz, Styria, is also equipping the Koralm Railway and associated Koralm Tunnel with 120-meter high-quality rails.

Once again, voestalpine expertise is being called on to realize one of the nation’s largest infrastructure projects.

voestalpine Railway Systems’ innovative product mix and years of experience are in huge demand when it comes to implementing complex mobility projects, both regionally and internationally. We are delighted to support the construction of the ÖBB’s new southern route with a complete solution consisting of turnouts, monitoring systems, and now also high-performance rails.

Herbert Eibensteiner, Chairman of the Management Board of voestalpine AG

Ultra-long rails for seamless rail transport

The first rails were delivered back in September, naturally by rail transport. As a first step, 8,000 tons of rails will be laid for the 33-kilometer Koralm Tunnel, as well as various access routes.

As the leading supplier of complete railway solutions, we can provide high-quality components whose long product service live are perfectly in tune with efforts to make railway transport sustainable. The ÖBB is a long-term partner with whom we have also worked intensively to develop digital railways. Consequently, voestalpine products have been used throughout the entire rail network, and now also on the new southern route.

Franz Kainersdorfer, Member of the Management Board of voestalpine AG and Head of the Metal Engineering Division

Production of the ultra-long high-performance rails is undertaken at one of the world’s most advanced rail rolling mills, in Donawitz, Styria, from where the rails are delivered to wherever they are needed within a few hours on a just-in-time basis. At 120 meters in length, not only are the rails exceptionally long, but they also offer excellent track performance. Ongoing developments in rail quality over the past years have succeeded in significantly reducing maintenance costs for customers, and hugely increasing rail service life. With its uniquely comprehensive portfolio including everything from rails and turnouts to the relevant monitoring software, railway specialist voestalpine Railway Systems has been involved in many prominent rail projects around the world. The company is a top supplier for the high-speed rail network in China and has already delivered rails and turnout systems for the world’s longest railway tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland.

Metal Engineering Division

The Railway Systems business unit of the voestalpine Group’s Metal Engineering Division is the global market leader in railway infrastructure systems and signaling technology. Through its Industrial Systems business unit, the division is also the European market leader in high quality wire and a global provider of complete welding solutions. In addition, the division delivers tubulars throughout the world from its plant in Kindberg, Austria. Its customer segments include the railway infrastructure industry, the oil & gas industry as well as the mechanical engineering, automotive, and construction industries. In the business year 2020/21, the Metal Engineering Division generated revenue of around EUR 2.7 billion through its Railway Systems and Industrial Systems business units, of which over 40% was generated outside Europe. With around 13,100 employees worldwide, the division thus generated an operating result (EBITDA) of EUR 230 million.

The voestalpine Group

voestalpine is a globally leading steel and technology group with a unique combination of materials and processing expertise. voestalpine, which operates globally, has around 500 Group companies and locations in more than 50 countries on all five continents. It has been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1995. With its premium products and system solutions, it is a leading partner to the automotive and consumer goods industries as well as the aerospace and oil & gas industries; it is also the world market leader in railway systems, tool steel, and special sections. voestalpine is fully committed to the global climate goals, and its greentec steel program represents a clear plan for decarbonizing the production of steel. In the business year 2020/21, the Group generated revenue of EUR 11.3 billion, with an operating result (EBITDA) of EUR 1.1 billion; it had about 48,700 employees worldwide.