Rail Baltica is one of the most important high-speed rail infrastructure projects in Europe and will create a high-performance north-south connection between Northern and Central Europe. voestalpine Railway Systems has received its largest single order to date, worth approximately 470 million euros, for the supply of high-tech turnouts and digital monitoring systems. This further strengthens voestalpine’s position as a leading global provider of system solutions for railway infrastructure.

InnoTrans is considered THE most important international trade fair for transportation technology and takes place every two years at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. For its 30th anniversary from September 22 to 25, voestalpine Railway Systems will once again be on site, showcasing its latest developments as the world’s leading provider of complete rail infrastructure systems.

What is the actual condition of my track? Where exactly is it located, and when does it require maintenance? In practice, this very transparency is usually lacking. Data is often fragmented and difficult to access, leading to inefficiency. zentrak, the digital platform from voestalpine Railway Systems, transforms traditional railway infrastructure into a smart, connected system. With the help of zentrak, every meter of track continuously provides data, detects damage early on, and helps to plan maintenance effectively. This, in turn, extends the service life of the infrastructure.

voestalpine Railway Systems is proud to be part of the European research project FP3-IAM4Rail as part of the Europe's Rail (EU Rail) initiative. The project is dedicated to developing a new generation of intelligent solutions for integrated asset management in the railway sector. The aim is to use modern technologies to monitor infrastructure and vehicles more efficiently, extend the service life of turnouts and, at the same time, increase safety and availability in the rail network.

In railway signaling, demands for safety, availability, and strong data collection are growing. Today, train detection systems must not only operate reliably, but also be flexible, low-maintenance, and resistant to environmental conditions. One solution that meets these requirements is the axle counting duo consisting of the AXM module and the UniAS wheel sensor. Together, they form the operational heart of the UniAC[2] axle counting system from voestalpine Railway Systems.

Axle counting systems have long been established as a reliable alternative to traditional track circuits. They avoid typical vulnerabilities such as ballast contamination, rust, weather-disruption, and component aging. With UniAC[2] from voestalpine Railway Systems, this proven principle is further refined: by combining it with a plug-and-play solution, a high-performance detection system is created that not only significantly cuts installation time and configuration risk but also enhances maintenance. 

Axle counting is considered as one of the most advanced methods for monitoring track sections and detecting trains. Unlike traditional track circuits, which rely on the electrical conductivity of the rails, axle counting systems use wheel sensors mounted on the track. These sensors detect the axles of passing trains and track entries and exits to determine whether the track is occupied or clear. 

voestalpine Signaling Austria GmbH and voestalpine Signaling Sainerholz GmbH, both subsidiaries of voestalpine Railway Systems GmbH, have been successfully certified to the international industry standard IRIS Certification®. This confirms that the quality management system meets the internationally recognised requirements of the railway industry. 

Increased traffic, higher utilization rates, and the demand for 24/7 availability are putting pressure on operators worldwide. At the same time, expectations regarding efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness are rising. How can this balancing act be managed? Diagnostic and monitoring systems are creating a new foundation for operations. They enable continuous condition monitoring of infrastructure and provide up-to-date, data-driven information for maintenance and planning.

With the zentrak MODULAR DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM (MDS), voestalpine Railway Systems introduces a modular diagnostic system that monitors rolling stock using a variety of sensor types. Depending on the application, infrared, fiber-optic, acoustic, and/or optical sensors are used. This allows, for example, overheated axle bearing housings or overloading to be detected.