State-Of-The-Art Track Maintenance Fleet for Egyptian National Railways
Plasser & Theurer was awarded with a significant contract with Egyptian National Railways (ENR) as part of an international tender.
Contract signing on 9 October 2024. From left to right: Thomas Schöpf (CSO P&T), Mohamed Amer Abdulaziz (Chairman of the Egyptian National Railways), Georg Pöstinger (Austrian Ambassador), Kamel Al-Wazir (Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development, Minister of Transport and Minister of Industry), Johannes Max-Theurer (CEO P&T), Josef H. Posch (Director of Sales P&T), Wagdy Radwan (Deputy Minister of Transport)
This prestigious agreement marks another milestone in the long-standing partnership between Plasser & Theurer and ENR, highlighting the Austrian company's leading role in the track-maintenance technology sector.
The contract signing ceremony took place at the beginning of October and constitutes a highlight in the decades of collaboration between Plasser & Theurer and ENR. Representatives of both parties were present, among them Kamel Al-Wazir, Minister of Industrial Development and Transport in Egypt; Georg Pöstinger, Ambassador of Austria in Cairo; and Johannes Max-Theurer, CEO of Plasser & Theurer.
Long-Term Partnership and Future Prospects
Since the first machine delivery in 1959, when the plain-line tamping machine VKR 01 was delivered, ENR have continued to invest in the latest track maintenance technology. In 1962, there was a significant investment in 24 machines, among them the first ballast cleaning machine RM 62. This large-scale order was a milestone for ENR’s modern track maintenance and consolidated the decades of partnership with Plasser & Theurer. In the following fifty years, 113 track construction machines were delivered, among them plain-line tamping machines, universal tamping machines, ballast profiling machines, ballast cleaning machines, welding machines, track motor vehicles, and track inspection vehicles. These continuous investments have consistently kept ENR’s track maintenance at the cutting edge of technology and have improved the efficiency and safety of the Egyptian railway system.
Scope of Delivery and Technology
In the years to come, Plasser & Theurer will supply ENR with a leading-edge fleet of track maintenance machines, among them:
- 4 plain-line tamping machines, type 09-2X/SD, for the continuous rehabilitation of the track geometry in 1- or 2-sleeper mode, even with irregular sleeper spacing, thanks to the SD technology
- 2 universal tamping machines, type 08-4x4/4S, for the maintenance of turnouts and crossings, with integrated 3-rail lifting and the option of also fixing the diverging rail in place
- 5 ballast profiling machines, type USP 2005, with an integrated sweeping unit and ballast hopper. They can be used bidirectionally to create the required ballast bed profile
- 2 ballast cleaning machines, type RM 80-750, for the efficient cleaning of plain-line tracks and turnouts, with an integrated crossfall and excavation depth control as well as additional trailers
- 1 rail welding machine, type APT 1500 RA, a self-propelled machine for seamless and long-lasting rail fastenings in accordance with the EN 14587 standard
All machines will be delivered with Datamatic 2.0, the comprehensive solution which considerably simplifies operation planning and machine maintenance, making greater efficiency possible.
What This Means for ENR and Plasser & Theurer
With this significant investment, ENR are able to maintain and improve their track infrastructure with state-of-the-art technology, leveraging efficiency potential. This not only improves operational safety, but also increases the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the entire railway system. The new machines play an important role in reducing maintenance costs and increasing the service life of tracks.
For Plasser & Theurer, this means the continuation of a partnership that has lasted for decades. The new contract is proof of ENR’s trust in the quality and reliability of Plasser & Theurer’s products, and it is a sign of the strong and sustainable partnership between Austria and Egypt in the railway sector.
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