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Julia’s #FavoriteMoments: Working around the world for safe trains

Julia’s #FavoriteMoments: Working around the world for safe trains

Julia and a colleague, both wearing orange high-visibility clothing, are carrying out maintenance work on a switch on a railway track. One person is attaching a measuring device to the rail, the other is holding a yellow housing part and observing the process. Power lines, trees and a cloudy sky can be seen in the background.
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Julia K. has been part of the Railway Systems Group at the Signaling profit center in Siershahn (Germany) since 2016 and works worldwide as a service technician and trainer for monitoring systems and checkpoints for rolling stock infrastructure. As an apprentice, she became very familiar with the sensor and signaling technology of HBD (Hot Box Detection), HWD (Hot Wheel Detection), CWD (Cold Wheel Detection) and much more, and has constantly expanded her skills. Their contribution to rail safety and performance is to support rail operators in keeping the monitoring systems running smoothly and to train them accordingly. Specifically for detection systems

  • for non-contact temperature measurement,
  • for detecting hot-running wheel bearings and fixed brakes,
  • for measuring wheel forces to detect unevenly distributed loads,
  • for detecting derailments of wheelsets,
  • for testing wheel bearings or for detecting signs of wear on wheels,
  • but also for detecting protruding load or wagon parts.
Julia in orange high-visibility clothing with reflective stripes sits on railway ballast next to a section of track in front of a modern office building.

I help our customers to have a better understanding of our systems, which in turn means that the systems run better

Julia K.
Railway Systems Group, Profitcenter Signaling Siershahn

Between service and training

Julia finds technology super exciting. Her profession and that of her four colleagues are scanner defects, faulty measurements or software bugs, which they track down. Julia connects to customers’ systems via zentrak and checks whether a component needs to be replaced on site or whatever makes sense based on the software information. Communication is usually in English, as customers are spread all over the world. However, she is currently working intensively for the Railway Systems Academy Campus Siershahn. She clarifies with the customers which system is to be trained, coordinates the dates, prepares the necessary documents for the training and conducts the training on site. To coordinate these two jobs well at , she draws on her extensive knowledge of the systems and “a healthy dose of self-confidence,” she says.

For the technicians on site, it's something special to be trained by a technician. So I think in most cases, the 'woman in technology' is a big plus.

Julia K.

Respect each other and be honest

Respectful communication, mutual helpfulness and honesty are particularly important to Julia in her day-to-day work. “If you respect and like each other, it’s much easier to work together and get help,” she says, summing up her attitude. Julia enjoys going to work. She works in a young team that shares her values, in a shared office where a lot can be clarified ‘on the fly’. There’s also plenty of fun, which is important to Julia.

Ask lots of questions, talk to each other a lot. It's better to call than write 20 messages or emails. Asking about personal experiences, doing a bit of nonsense, having a bit of fun together - that helps a lot.

Julia K.

Julias #FavoriteMoments

Her successful completion of her apprenticeship as an electronics technician for devices and systems with us is one of her personal #FavoriteMoments. Another was when she was able to travel to Canada for a service, something she had wanted for a long time in her private life and for which she first had to acquire the skills for another technology. Once there, she was flown by helicopter to the plant in question in the wilderness.

With passion, technical expertise and a keen instinct for people, Julia not only gets our systems up and running – she also ensures that trains are safe on the move worldwide. Her #FavoriteMoments show what is possible when technology meets team spirit and curiosity.

About the campaign

In our new brand and image campaign #FavoriteMoments, we show our contribution to a modern, sustainable life from the perspective of people. We focus on their individual favorite moments and the commitment of our employees that makes such moments possible. The specially composed song “All these moments” accompanies the campaign and musically conveys our values, courage, community and our joy for the future and is authentically accompanied by pictures of our employees.

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Exclusive insights into our new image campaign #FavoriteMoments in our podcast.

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The song of the campaign “All of these moments” by FaMo in full length on Spotify.

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voestalpine AG

Die voestalpine ist ein weltweit führender Stahl- und Technologiekonzern mit kombinierter Werkstoff- und Verarbeitungskompetenz. Die global tätige Unternehmensgruppe verfügt über rund 500 Konzerngesellschaften und -standorte in mehr als 50 Ländern auf allen fünf Kontinenten. Sie notiert seit 1995 an der Wiener Börse. Mit ihren Premium-Produkt- und Systemlösungen zählt sie zu den führenden Partnern der Automobil- und Hausgeräteindustrie sowie der Luftfahrt- und Öl- & Gasindustrie und ist darüber hinaus Weltmarktführer bei Bahninfrastruktursystemen, bei Werkzeugstahl und Spezialprofilen. Die voestalpine bekennt sich zu den globalen Klimazielen und verfolgt mit greentec steel einen klaren Plan zur Dekarbonisierung der Stahlproduktion.