Plasser & Theurer with spot-on solutions at the 29th iaf
The railway is celebrating its 200th anniversary and experiences a global boom.
www.plassertheurer.com
We will present a wide range of machines, digital products, and services at iaf 2025 that will make the railway even safer, more sustainable, and more economical. Perfect solutions focusing on five subject areas: innovation, sustainability, safety, reliability, and efficiency.
With the railway booming as a sustainable means of transport to achieve the necessary climate targets it has also become apparent that it has to overcome major challenges to satisfy the increased requirements. For the infrastructure sector in particular, this refers to capacity bottlenecks on the lines, combined with shorter track possessions and the increasing skills shortages. These factors require new approaches to be able to continue managing maintenance requirements in an efficient manner.
Establishing trendsetting solutions with consistent innovations
At iaf 2025 we will present several tamping machines, each of which showcases pioneering innovations. One of them is the 09-16/CST Dynamic from JR-West. It demonstrates how the issues of shorter track possessions and increasing staff shortage can be overcome in a sustainable manner. The 09-16/CST Dynamic can tamp, sweep, and stabilize in one pass, thus making optimum use of shorter possessions. Thanks to the obstacle control system (OBCS) that can detect obstacles automatically, the machine can be operated by only one person. This reduces the staff requirement and contributes to reducing the number of persons in danger zones.
Sustainable concepts to make the railway even more climate-friendly
The railway is the trendsetter for climate-friendly transport, but it will have to continue improving its ecological footprint. Sustainable machines and systems that make the entire life cycle of railway tracks more efficient and lower in emissions are a key element to achieve this. In 2015 Plasser & Theurer first introduced the E³ concept to the market, a solution that enables the construction of environmentally-friendly, high-performance machines with new ergonomic and ecological standards.
One of the latest applications of the E³ concept can be found in the Unimat 09-2X 4x4/4S E³ universal tamping machine for Baneservice. It will be shown in the iaf outdoor area and combines the best of two worlds. The Unimat 09-2X 4x4/4S E3 delivers high performance in plain-line tamping and at the same time ensures high flexibility for turnout tamping.
Protecting staff effectively with safe workplaces
We consider the subject of safety from two perspectives: the occupational safety of the staff and the operational safety of the infrastructure. Making sure that as few staff as possible have to work in danger zones is a crucial contributor to occupational safety. How we manage to achieve this, is not only demonstrated by the two tamping machines already mentioned, but also by the new RM 80-750 ballast cleaning machine, which will also be exhibited at iaf. Here, the hydraulic chain locking mechanism for the excavation chain and the transport and fitting aid for the excavating links help to reduce the number of staff working in the danger zone.
Accurate measuring technologies, continuous monitoring, and predictive maintenance strategies are becoming increasingly important for the operational safety of the infrastructure. The aim is to identify critical damage as early as possible, optimize maintenance measures, and avoid unplanned failures. The Plasser InfraSpector Truck provides an example of a road-rail vehicle for the flexible measurement and inspection of urban and regional rail networks. Combining the latest measuring systems with the flexibility of a road-rail vehicle allows for precise condition recording in just one pass.
Reliable machines to ensure full operational capability
Infrastructure construction projects are subject to tight schedules because each delay can cause considerable costs. From an economical point of view, reliable machines that are available to a high degree and deliver high performance are becoming ever more indispensable for operating companies. One option of support are fleet management systems such as Plasser Datamatic, which monitors all machine components and enables the early detection of potential servicing requirements. Since 2020, all Plasser & Theurer machines have been equipped with this IoT Edge device as standard.
To increase the reliability of old machines too, operating companies are starting to focus more and more on retrofits. Here, machines are modernized in a targeted manner, often as part of major refurbishments, and so gain additional service life. A typical project is the Unimat 08-275 of the Estonian company Go Track which was built in 1985. It underwent a major refurbishment by Plasser & Theurer and was equipped with a number of upgrades including SmartALC, electronic measuring recorder, and frequency control for the tamping unit. The official handover of the new “old” machine will take place at iaf.
Keeping the railway effective with efficient solutions
Innovation, sustainability, safety, reliability: in addition to these four subject areas, it is also efficiency that we focus on at Plasser & Theurer. With our machines and services we want to contribute to keeping the railway efficient while using as little time, staff, and few resources as possible.
One last example of machines that will be on show at the forthcoming iaf: the Plasser CompactFlex 2x4. This compact tamping machine can be quickly transported to any worksite by lorry and is equipped with Plasser TampingControl – ForceAutomation. This system increases the efficiency and process safety of the tamping unit significantly and considerably relieves the operating staff thanks to the tamping force being adjusted automatically.
This machine also demonstrates clearly how at Plasser & Theurer we are working on making the railway of the future even more efficient, sustainable, and economical with spot-on solutions.
www.plassertheurer.com
