Turnouts are far more than mechanical junctions—they are high-load, integrated subsystems that play a decisive role in the performance, safety, and maintainability of railway infrastructure. In our latest interview series, five system experts from voestalpine Railway Systems provide insights into the development of customized turnout systems for Mixed Traffic, Metro, Tram, Freight, and High-Speed applications.

Growing demand and extreme conditions characterize freight and heavy transport by rail – hard work for the equipment. In this interview, Brent Duffner, Vice President Turnout Technology at voestalpine Railway Systems Nortrak, provides exciting insights into voestalpine Railway Systems' expertise in turnout systems for heavy-duty applications.

Every day, suburban and underground railways transport hundreds of millions of people safely to their destinations. How do low-noise, low-vibration, and low-maintenance turnout systems contribute to efficient and sustainable urban mobility? Robert Demal, Vice President – Product Management Fixations and System Expert for Metro Systems, voestalpine Railway Systems GmbH, talks about turnout solutions for the present and the future.

With the growing need for mobility, especially in metropolitan areas, turnouts for trams are increasingly in demand. How does voestalpine Railway Systems support operators with its complete systems in meeting current and future challenges? Thomas Christ, Senior Vice President – Head of Business Center Tram at voestalpine Turnout Technology Germany in Gotha, Germany, provides a comprehensive overview.

Mixed traffic places particularly diverse demands on equipment – including turnouts. Sven Rinder, system expert for Mixed Traffic, voestalpine Railway Systems GmbH in Zeltweg, shows how the company optimally combines these versatile, state-of-the-art all-rounders into an overall system.

Thanks to increasing train densities and higher operating speeds of up to 360 km/h, traveling by rail is becoming increasingly attractive, especially in competition with air travel for longer journeys from city center to city center. How does voestalpine Railway Systems use its turnout systems to not only help customers keep up with this high speed, but also stay one step ahead? Burkhard Zillien, Product Manager Competence Center High Speed, provides practical insights.

We are proud to announce a remarkable achievement: three of our innovative products have been recognized with the Progressive Railroading Readers’ Choice Awards 2025. This comes after UNISTAR HR was already honored in 2024, underlining our consistent focus on innovation, performance, and sustainability. 

In an era where mobility demands are increasing and infrastructure faces growing pressure, digitalization is no longer optional — it’s essential. At the forefront of this transformation stands voestalpine Railway Systems, with its innovative platform zentrak, designed to redefine how railway infrastructure is monitored, maintained, and optimized.

zentrak is voestalpine Railway Systems’ answer to the growing demands of modern railway operations: increased efficiency, higher availability, and maximum safety. As a comprehensive digital ecosystem for monitoring, diagnostics, and intelligent asset and maintenance management, zentrak seamlessly connects infrastructure and rolling stock in a unified, high-performance platform. 

Turnouts are far more than mechanical components – they are among the most critical assets in any railway network. They enable operational flexibility, support smooth rerouting, and ensure reliable service on high-density and mixed-traffic lines. At voestalpine Railway Systems, turnouts are engineered as integrated systems: combining mechanical excellence, digital intelligence, and advanced metallurgy to meet the highest demands of modern rail operations while keeping lifecycle costs low.

At the Wheel Rail Interaction Conference 2025 (WRI 2025), held in the United States, Lukas Prettner, Head of R&D Track Systems at voestalpine Rail Technology, presented a groundbreaking project focused on improving the wheel-rail interface in Vienna’s U6 metro line.

Turnouts are not just part of the track – they heavily contribute to flexibility, safety and capacity in railway networks. At voestalpine Railway Systems, turnout systems are developed, manufactured and digitally enhanced to perform as one fully integrated system – customized to operational needs and designed for long-term excellence. 

An integrated view on Innovation, Reliability and digital Intelligence 

In a world where railway infrastructure is under increasing pressure to deliver more capacity, higher reliability, and smarter operations, voestalpine Railway Systems is responding with a comprehensive turnout systems approach that goes far beyond the sum of its parts. 

Following our latest announcement of the world’s first hydrogen-based rail installation at Linz Central Station, we’re taking a moment to look behind the scenes at the historic melt that made this breakthrough possible. Conducted in summer 2025 at voestalpine’s Donawitz site, this pilot project marks a key milestone in the journey toward CO₂-neutral steel production.

As the global leader in complete railway infrastructure systems, we are proud to announce a groundbreaking milestone in sustainable steel production: we have successfully produced and delivered the world’s first hydrogen-based rail. This innovation is part of a comprehensive research project at our Donawitz site and highlights our commitment to climate-friendly mobility solutions.

zentrak is more than just a digital tool – it’s the key to safer, more efficient, and more cost-effective railway infrastructure. The state-of-the-art hardware and software solutions for monitoring, asset management and maintenance management from voestalpine Railway Systems impress with five key USPs that offer real added value: 

zentrak – connecting everything: With the innovative brand zentrak, voestalpine Railway Systems presents a comprehensive solution for the digital future of railway infrastructure. zentrak combines state-of-the-art hardware and software solutions for monitoring as well as asset and maintenance management – making the complex world of rail operations transparent, efficient, and secure. 

Discover how voestalpine Railway Systems evolved from a component manufacturer to a global system provider—delivering integrated railway infrastructure solutions for maximum performance and availability. 

The demands for modern rail fastening systems are constantly increasing: higher load capacity, longer service life, maximum safety and efficient installation and maintenance work are essential. With the G9 Rail Clip, we are setting new standards in the field of rail fastening systems. The fastening clip combines innovation with flexibility and stands out from existing solutions thanks to its unique technical properties.

The SB-type rail fastening system has been a cornerstone of rail infrastructure in Poland for decades, with the SBW3 variant widely recognized for its reliability and durability.