Freight Traffic: Highest Quality for the Toughest Conditions
Growing demand and extreme conditions characterize freight and heavy transport by rail – hard work for the equipment.
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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.
Brent, what does it mean for voestalpine Railway Systems to be a system provider—especially for turnout systems in freight transport?
Brent Duffner, Vice President Turnout Technology at voestalpine said:
"voestalpine Railway Systems stands for much more than just tracks. We offer a complete portfolio of turnouts, ties, rails, and fastenings, as well as turnout drives, signaling systems, and monitoring technologies. Being a system provider allows us to understand and control every aspect of the railway infrastructure for our customers, not only in turnout systems but also in other areas."
How do rail operators benefit specifically from a holistic system approach compared to individual solutions?
voestalpine Railway Systems is a one-stop shop for customers: through a central contact person, our customers have access to our entire range of system solutions and our industry-wide expertise. We seamlessly accompany projects and products from start to finish, realize shorter lead times, and apply the same high quality standards worldwide.
We work together as a team worldwide and are in close contact, applying our technical knowledge across systems to diagnose our customers’ challenges and develop solutions quickly. This ensures that we always offer our customers the best products that function as efficiently and flawlessly as possible.
What stresses do heavy haul operations place on turnout systems—and how do you counter these with robust system solutions?
When transporting goods, enormous forces and stresses act on the vehicles and infrastructure. Axle loads in freight transport in particular are among the highest in the world, placing high demands on equipment and infrastructure. It is therefore crucial to develop products that can withstand these demanding conditions in freight transport. Our system approach with continuous innovation and further development ensures that our products function smoothly, require less effort, and have a longer service life.
How can system integration achieve life cycle cost optimization in heavy-duty transport?
System solutions are designed to save costs and optimize the product life cycle. Our digital solutions are in use around the clock and act as a nervous system that connects our physical products. Digital solutions provide expertise and information for preventive and condition-based measures that can help ensure freight train traffic. They also help customers monitor their maintenance work and prioritize their resources to optimize infrastructure performance. In addition, they play an important role in increasing the safety of rail operations while reducing the need for unplanned and emergency maintenance work for employees.
What trends and developments do you see in the future of turnout systems—especially in the context of system solutions?
The world is becoming increasingly digital, including the railway industry. Various technologies and monitoring systems will play an increasingly important role in the future in establishing economical railway operations that are safe for both people and infrastructure. As a global provider of complete systems, we will comprehensively support our customers in this digital transformation with our innovations and expertise.
How does voestalpine Railway Systems support rail operators in their transformation toward sustainable and digital infrastructure?
Successful products that deliver tangible added value to customers require a continuous process of innovation and change. The most important thing for us is to closely involve our customers in this process as part of the solution. This allows them to communicate their practical requirements for monitoring solutions directly to us, giving us a clear understanding of their needs. We also work closely with our customers in testing and developing products. We believe in an integrated partnership with technical innovators in the railway sector, which ensures that our customers are part of the solution.
About the expert
Brent Duffner is VP Turnout Technology at voestalpine Railway Systems Nortrak in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, and system expert in the heavy haul area. He has been with voestalpine for 21 years and has spent most of his career in the railway industry. Brent Duffner is particularly fascinated by the constant change and continuous innovation in the railway industry.
www.voestalpine.com
