posted on 30th Aug 2024 12:12
Vossloh is playing a central role in the modernization of Deutsche Bahn's main routes. One of Vossloh's rail replacement trains was used for the refurbishment of the Köln - Rhein/Main high-speed line, once again proving to be an indispensable tool for the efficient and rapid replacement of rails.
Vossloh's rail replacement train, in combination with its own rail loading trains, enables the rails to be completely replaced in the shortest possible time thanks to a highly efficient assembly line system. The rail replacement process includes welding using a mobile flash-butt welding machine, unloading new rails and loading the old rails.
Thanks to the high working speed of up to 4,000 m of track per shift, shutdown and construction times are reduced to a minimum. This was impressively demonstrated during the refurbishment of the heavily frequented and, due to topographical conditions, highly demanding high-speed line between Köln and Frankfurt. Thanks to the one-stop shop approach, the high level of logistics expertise and Vossloh's innovative rail replacement technology, more than 100,000 m of rails were replaced and seamlessly welded in less than a month, once again impressively underlining the efficiency and performance of the rail replacement process. This enabled the refurbishment of the line, one of the most important routes in the ICE network with 120 ICE trains a day, to be completed in record time.
Vossloh's rail replacement train has also proven itself many times internationally. In the Netherlands and most recently in the north of Sweden, where a section of the important Malmbanan line was damaged after two derailments, the train was successfully deployed. Despite enormous time pressure and adverse weather conditions, the damaged rails were quickly replaced, ensuring the smooth transportation of ore from the mines in the far north of Sweden. The end customer, Trafikverket, was extremely satisfied with the fast and efficient solution.