Modern turnout systems determine the pace and flexibility of rail traffic in the high-speed network, in freight traffic or urban transportation. With the products and services of our voestalpine Railway Systems Group, we make significant contributions to this: from route planning to the production of turnouts, signaling technology and digital route monitoring to maintenance software and recycling. Together with rail and route operators, we ensure safe and comfortable travel worldwide.
Our large-scale, flexible and dense rail networks, which bring people from different parts of the world together, are made possible above all by turnout systems. Highest speeds, highest axle loads or increasing train intervals require individual and complex turnout system solutions consisting of turnout blades, stock and frogs. Railroad infrastructure operators are well aware that turnouts are the most critical element in the railroad system, as their malfunctions can cause a large number of costly delay minutes or even train cancellations. That is why we have decided to focus on optimizing precisely this part of the track.
We produce fully assembled turnout systems for trams and subway railroads, for mixed and heavy goods traffic or even for high-speed lines from a single source.
by hand. We deliver them to our European customers just-in-time on inclined wagons directly to the construction site as plug-and-play turnouts including sensors, drive and locking technology.
We do everything we can to ensure that all points in the signal box work smoothly and reliably under all environmental conditions and in years of closely timed use.
Project example High Speed 2, Great Britain
Travel times on the new High Speed 2 line from London to the north-west of England will be drastically reduced. This requires nominal speeds of up to 360 km/h and turnout speeds of up to 230 km/h for the largest turnouts in order to achieve a frequency of 18 trains per hour in each direction. We developed a new turnout geometry for this purpose: it is the largest turnout ever developed in compliance with European standards for acceleration and jerk values.
Turnouts are particularly critical points for rail operators, on which the planned traffic flow and the reliable comfort of rail operations depend in a special way. Why? Because delays and interruptions lead to dissatisfied customers, fines and loss of revenue for operators. After all, rail travelers want to get from A to B on time and in comfort.
And that …
Turnouts must be able to cope with enormous speeds, massive loads or very tight intervals of the trains rolling over them to ensure uninterrupted and scheduled operation. Remote diagnostics and monitoring systems specifically for these critical points in the rail network effectively support infrastructure operators in keeping the lines highly available, safe and efficiently maintainable and increase the economic operation and competitiveness of the line operators.
Smart turnouts are equipped with sensors that transmit condition data in real time, enabling predictive maintenance, greater efficiency and cost savings for rail operators. The aim is to replace and shorten physical inspections on the track and extend their intervals.
This monitoring module can also be used to assess the quality of the wheels passing through. This turns the turnout monitoring system into a mini checkpoint for the trains running over it.
Project example Metro Barcelona, Spain
The latest turnout systems for line 5, Cornellá Center – Vall d’Hebron, are being supplied for the Barcelona Metro.
In combination with the zentrak diagnostic system, our intelligent point machine is a highly effective tool for maintenance teams. When monitoring fixed rail infrastructure, turnouts are particularly important links in the rail network. Speeds of almost 400 km/h and branching speeds of over 200 km/h on high-performance lines place enormous demands on points. Train detection and identification monitors the safe distance between individual trains on the various railroad lines and is therefore an essential function in the field of signaling technology. zentrak offers a module for monitoring track circuits and thus contributes to the safety and reliability of this information. Other zentrak modules detect the reliable power supply of the signaling system as well as level crossings and finally the condition of the turnouts and rails.
Further information on the zentrak monitoring and diagnostics system can be found at voestalpine: Smart rail infrastructure through diagnostics and monitoring.
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 of 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.
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.
