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.
A turnout system is much more than steel and mechanics. It basically consists of the switch assembly, crossing, rails, point machine(s), locking(s), baseplates, sleepers, and intelligent monitoring technologies. But what truly defines a system turnout is how all these components interact – designed, engineered, and validated as one coherent unit.
Unlike traditional component-based solutions, voestalpine Railway Systems focuses on functional integration. “Right from the beginning, the interaction of all components – fixed and moving – is optimized,” explains one of our experts. This synergy reduces interface-related failures, enhances operational performance, and enables predictive maintenance strategies through digital integration.
From high-speed and heavy-haul freight to urban transport and mixed traffic, turnout systems must adapt to different operational requirements:
Each solution is engineered to ensure safety, robustness, and seamless operability under unique constraints.
Turnouts are among the most critical – and vulnerable – components in railway networks. A failure of a turnout can halt operations. That’s why voestalpine Railway Systems treats turnout performance as a systemic issue.
By embedding monitoring and diagnostics technology (like zentrak) into every vital part of the turnout, operators gain real-time insights into asset health. Intelligent turnouts constantly report on their own condition – from wear in the crossing area to machine function and ballast state.
This enables predictive maintenance: identifying anomalies early, avoiding unplanned downtimes, and improving lifecycle costs. As one of our project leader puts it, “You move from reactive maintenance to proactive planning.”
The total cost of a turnout system doesn’t end with installation. It encompasses inspection intervals, repair needs, operational failures, and data transparency across its entire lifecycle.
With digital twins, integrated materials expertise, and simulation-backed development, voestalpine’s turnout systems offer:
All these contribute to reducing TCO – a key driver for operators working under tight financial and performance constraints.
With decades of experience and a global network of projects, voestalpine Railway Systems leverages a unique combination of metallurgy, engineering, and software to deliver fully integrated solutions. Whether supporting installations on-site or remotely, or assisting in emergency turnout replacements, we act as a true partner to our customers.
The future of turnout design is digital, robust, and sustainable. Current R&D focuses on intelligent systems, circular material use, and digital integration across the entire infrastructure lifecycle. Smart turnouts, equipped with sensors and connected platforms, will be central to this vision.
Railway networks are becoming smarter – and voestalpine Railway Systems is engineering the heart of that transformation.