In 2018, VAMAV Vasúti Berendezések Kft., a joint subsidiary of MÁV Hungarian State Railways Private Limited Company and voestalpine Railway Systems, was chosen as a turnout supplier of Hungary’s first tram-train project. In 2021, the construction work was completed and the operation is expected to start in September 2021.
The new tram-train line in Southern Hungary will connect Szeged and Hódmezővásárhely. The aim of this project is to create a transportation system using railway infrastructure that helps to maintain and improve the competitiveness of public transport, enables the reduction of road traffic and the environmental impact it causes, and ensures the connection between urban centres by connecting rail and tram transport.
The tram-trains will run in Szeged on tram line 1 from Szeged railway terminal to Szeged-Rókus railway station, where the tram line and the Szeged - Békéscsaba railway line No. 135 will be connected for about 800 m. The connection of the tram line and the railway line was realized with grooved rail turnouts and a crossing manufactured by VAMAV Vasúti Berendezések Kft.
In order to reduce the journey time and increase the frequency of traffic, new second tracks and bypasses were built between the two cities, typically with simple turnouts and double slips with a radius of R=200 m and R=300 m, at a speed of 40 km/h in the diverging route. To speed up train crossings, some stations have been given high-radius turnouts with a radius of R=800 m and a speed of 80 km/h in the diverging route.
The vignoles rail turnouts are made of 60E2 rail profile and have concrete sleepers, state-of-the-art SPHEROLOCK locking devices, and HYDROLINK power transmission systems.
Between the Hódmezővásárhelyi Népkert railway station and Hódmezővásárhely railway terminal, a new 3,200 m long tram line was built within the city with two traffic bypasses and a two-track tram-train terminal. In order to maintain the urban character, grooved rail turnouts manufactured by VAMAV Vasúti Berendezések Kft. were installed here.
This project also includes the purchase of hybrid vehicles that can run safely on both the urban tram and rail networks. The turnouts supplied by VAMAV Vasúti Berendezések Kft. are structurally and geometrically suitable to meet these special requirements. Following preliminary feasibility studies and design and authority approval, construction work began in 2018 and was completed in 2021. Tram-train vehicles are currently being tested and the operation is expected to start up in September 2021. It is a great success for both MÁV Hungarian State Railways Private Limited Company and voestalpine Railway Systems that all of the vignole (34 pcs) and grooved rail (7 pcs) turnouts for this project have been produced and delivered by VAMAV Vasúti Berendezések Kft.