Installing fitting items in the existing railway tracks is quite a challenging task. This is because the existing rail is more worn-down and therefore lower in height than the new rail. It gets even more complicated when a brand new insulated rail joint needs to be placed in an existing rail. The difference in height is usually solved by heightening the ballast bed underneath the rails, which is a time-consuming job.  Unfortunately, this is often not the best solution when it comes to maintaining the quality of the joint. The way the insulated rail joint is fitted in the rail is crucial for its quality and lifespan. Our answer to this challenge? A milled NRG-joint. Recently, the first milled NRG-joint left our Crailoo premises in Hilversum, the Netherlands.

Walking alongside and in the tracks is extremely dangerous. Unfortunately, people do this every day. That is why in recent years, serious efforts have been made to make railway lines as inaccessible as possible. Many products have already been in the market for quite some time. However, we recently added our newest innovation to our assortment. A new version of the anti-trespass mat with higher and alternating spikes. By placing these panels all around the tracks, trespassers are discouraged to enter the tracks.

A frequently occurring procedure for trains is switching tracks. In the world of railway infrastructure, trains do an astonishing amount of switching from tracks. To put it in a better perspective, the Netherlands count more than 6,500 turnouts. Each turnout is crucial for smooth train movement. It goes without saying that every single switch has to be in tiptop condition. Our quality control department also keeps a close eye on a turnout after its delivery. The team follows the turnout to the place where it is assembled and verifies its proper installations. This final check is to guarantee the turnout’s quality and lifespan, with the ultimate goal to offer the train traveler a pleasant journey without any delays. Make no mistake, the task of quality control constitutes more than just ticking a few boxes. Jos van Eldijk, Quality assessor of voestalpine Turnout Technology Netherlands, explains why quality control plays such an important role in the process of constructing and assembling turnouts.   

Changing temperatures and their impact on rail structures make working in the tracks a challenging work place. So how can we raise the levels of safety and quality to even higher standards? By offering the use of long-welded rails connected to expansion joints. Our specialists at our Rail Service Centre (hereafter RSC) attach these joints to the long(er) rails by means of a flash butt weld procedure. The expansion joint is directly ready for use, and can be assembled a lot quicker, simpler, and safer. In addition, the method generates a considerable reduction in costs.

In regards to the corona measures, all visitors to Crailoo are required to register online. You can do this prior to your visit, quickly and easily with the QR code. This way we keep corona out and stay healthy.

For a  supplier of railway materials for renewal and maintenance, there is a lot more involved than just the material itself. It is exactly this efficient management of material flows that is decisive for the successful implementation of large projects. Especially regarding a project that is at quite a distance from us, the supplier. So how do you ensure that such a project is not only completed on time, but that it also stays within budget? Strukton Rail sat down with us which resulted in a tailor-made logistics plan for the Wadden project.

The High Speed line in the Netherlands recently underwent a major overhaul. In collaboration with BAM Infra Rail, the old rails were exchanged for brand new ultra long-welded rails. An extensive logistical operation, especially considering the fact that loading and unloading rails on a viaduct is a challenging job. This is an example of how a great collaboration resulted in successfully finishing this job in two days.

Since last month, the Dutch National Railway operator returned to its original timetables, and all train seats can be occupied once again. ‘Only travel by train when it is strictly necessary’ has been adapted to ‘avoid crowds and rush hours’. Naturally, train journeys with minimum inconveniences are preferable. The contractors on behalf of ProRail were able to execute a number of maintenance tasks in a much earlier stage than planned, mainly due to the corona crisis. In the next couple of months, this will result in a fair number of weekends without maintenance activities, and therefore lesser inconveniences for travelers.

Despite the many good runs during the testing phase, Delft Hyperloop Team 04 was still quite nervous on Friday, July 17, on our premises at Crailoo in Hilversum. The team was ready to break the previous record of 202 km/h. And they did! Their pod, Atlas04, managed to reach 360 km/h on the long test track. A new record that was celebrated with, what else, champagne! 

The Demka railway bridge; a unique location that required a unique solution. How can its rails be kept in optimum quality under all weather conditions? And how could this be done in as little time as possible? In collaboration with contractor Strukton, we came up with an idea that we were able to implement successfully.

With a great deal of enthusiasm, the new Hyperloop team was introduced this year on social media. The team was ready to go! A new year with new opportunities. Unfortunately, Elon Musk’s Space X changed the Hyperloop team’s plans. He launched his Crew Dragon  the end of May, which is headed for the International Space Station (ISS). The result: no Hyperloop contest in the summer of 2020. Does this make 2020 a lost year for the team?

From concept to trailblazing success. Last winter, we added another 36 SALT-III wagons to our  fleet. SAL is the Dutch abbreviation for ‘Dust Reducing Ballast Train’. Each wagon is fitted with a hydraulic unloading and high-pressure water spraying system which suppresses dust particles with a water mist sprayed over the ballast as it leaves the wagon. This effectively minimizes  exposure to hazardous ballast dust for the workers.

Access to the proper stock material at strategic locations, evenly distributed throughout the Netherlands. Our colleague Robbert van der Schaaf explains that outsourcing the stock management activities for local warehouses storing essential railway materials has several advantages.  

It is a known fact that walking anywhere near the tracks is illegal and, above all, extremely dangerous. Those who dare will be fined. And even worse, some may not even survive. Many rail operators search for solutions to discourage this type of behavior and take action in regards to prevention and awareness. At voestalpine Railpro, we understand the importance of this problem and are keen to contribute to safer tracks by means of our anti-trespass panels.

Thanks to the efforts made by our English partner Hird Rail Development (HRD), Network Rail has recently completed the product acceptance for our End Post Enhancement system.

One of our goals is to reduce our CO₂ emission and naturally, our freight traffic should also contribute to this. We are not only trying to make our transport more sustainable, we are doing the same for our office space. Read here the ins and outs on what we do to stay on the green track of sustainability.

Slowly but surely, the use of paper is decreasing. This applies to the business sector as a whole as well as in our company. Not too long ago, we announced that all efforts were being mobilized for the completion of our Asset-Registration-App for our Insulated Rail Joints. Now the time has come! As of today, the app has gone live in the Netherlands.

Today’s scoop is about our dust suppressing ballast train. For the very first time, it is introduced abroad. Nearby Cologne, in the Hoffnungsthaler tunnel to be more precise, where activities will take place during February.