Bahnindustrie Award 2026: Timna Gschwandl honored for innovative test track project

27 October 2026 |

A major success for Timna Gschwandl of voestalpine Rail Technology, a subsidiary of voestalpine Railway Systems: the project manager of the test track in Donawitz has been awarded the individual prize at the Bahnindustrie Award 2026. The jury recognized her outstanding achievements in the development and implementation of an innovative test track project that makes an important contribution to the sustainable advancement of railway infrastructure.

More than 80 representatives from business, industry, academia and politics gathered in the Marble Hall of Austria’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism in Vienna to celebrate the achievements of women in the railway industry and their innovative projects. The Bahnindustrie Award was presented for the fourth time.

Elisabeth Zehetner, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism, emphasized the important role women play in the industry’s success:

We are pleased, as the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism, to welcome the railway industry and to honor the outstanding women working in this sector. They are a key success factor behind the industry's achievements and help represent Austria around the world.

Elisabeth Zehetner, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism

An award for a project with a future

With the project “Development and Implementation of a Test Track” in Donawitz, voestalpine Rail Technology has created new opportunities for testing and advancing innovative track systems.

The 54-meter-long test track continuously provides valuable data during each train passage, generating insights into how individual components interact and which forces act upon them. These findings are directly incorporated into the further development of track systems and make an important contribution to optimizing future railway infrastructure. At the same time, the project helps reduce the environmental footprint of railway infrastructure and supports more sustainable mobility solutions.

The jury particularly highlighted the combination of technical excellence, innovative strength and leadership demonstrated throughout the project and recognized its potential to contribute to a more sustainable railway infrastructure.

For Timna Gschwandl, the award is not only personal recognition but also a testament to the collective efforts of the entire project team:

Of course, you always hope that your project will win. We invested a great deal of energy into it, so I’m truly delighted. And the trophy itself is really impressive. I think this award shows that the project is highly valuable, both for the future and for future innovations. I’m personally very happy, but I’m equally pleased for the entire team. It demonstrates that we are moving in the right direction.

Timna Gschwandl, Project Manager Test Track Donawitz - voestalpine Rail Technology

Nadja Jungwirth, Managing Director of voestalpine Rail Technology, was also very pleased about the award:

It was a wonderful evening with many inspiring speakers and powerful messages. Yet in the end, the strongest message is conveyed through the images. I am incredibly proud of the video we submitted, of our winner Timna Gschwandl, who has shown through an outstanding project what she can achieve, what young women can achieve, and what voestalpine can achieve.

Nadja Jungwirth, Managing Director - voestalpine Rail Technology

Winning the Bahnindustrie Award 2026 once again highlights the innovative strength of voestalpine Railway Systems and its commitment to developing forward-looking solutions for sustainable and high-performance railway infrastructure. At the same time, the award sends a strong signal for the visibility of women in technical professions and leadership positions within the railway industry.