RAIL.ONE’s focus for InnoTrans 2014, the international trade fair for transport technology, is firmly on light rail traffic. The company will present solutions and innovations that cities can profit from both economically and ecologically. In addition, RAIL.ONE will showcase new technical highlights such as its trafficable system for ballastless tracks in tunnels.
Local public transport is an important component in ensuring urban mobility. Subways, light rail and trams disburden metropolitan areas of private transport and ensure similar lifestyle opportunities across regions. In addition, they make important contributions to lowering emissions and energy consumption.
For construction on concrete, ballast or asphalt, RAIL.ONE offers efficient and reliable track systems that can be optimally integrated into their environments. Highlighting various projects in Germany, Europe and around the world, the company will demonstrate its innovative solutions that ensure constant mobility at InnoTrans 2014.
Cities and communities all over the world are on show
For instance, the city of Augsburg has concluded an extensive mobility project for a sustainable expansion of its local public transport network. The key elements are the rearrangement of Königsplatz and the railway station/inner city connection with implementation of the so-called Augsburg Boulevard.
The reconstruction of the triangular junction at Königsplatz, which is the central crossing point for five tram lines, began in March 2012. The design of the turnouts (19 units), crossings (three units) and crossing systems (four units) and free track areas (1,460m) used the RHEDA CITY system of RAIL.ONE.
In addition, the company was responsible for structural dimensioning, design and construction. The special technical features in this project were the complete preassembly of the track sections and systems in the plant and transport of the preassembled systems. Likewise, its partial execution as a mass-spring system and the use of synthetic-fibre concrete.
In Switzerland, too, the expertise of RAIL.ONE is trusted. The community of Samedan is the heart of rail traffic in the Alpine high valley of Oberengadin. In order to meet the constantly rising requirements, extensive work was done in and around the railway station. A particular challenge for the highest-altitude project in RAIL.ONE’s history was the extreme temperature range from -30° to 30°. For the ambitious project, which also included lowering the railway line and construction of a new tunnel, RAIL.ONE delivered the proven RHEDA CITY solution, designed as a mass-spring system.
RHEDA CITY is also being used on the Arabian peninsula. On behalf of the construction enterprise Habtoor Leighton Group, RAIL.ONE is delivering different variants of the system for construction of a new tram line in Qatar. Most of the 15km section is covered with concrete and a short section is also planted with grass. For this, RAIL.ONE is delivering 14,000 bi-block sleepers that are produced at the Hail plant in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
RAIL.ONE brings people together
"We help metropolises, districts and people link up to one another with tailored solutions. Innovative light rail traffic concepts make cities more liveable for their residents and offer people of all ages an important degree of independence," says Jochen Riepl, chief executive officer of RAIL.ONE.
"Whether we create new green spaces with the ‘green track’ or reduce sound and vibrations in densely populated areas with our solutions, our aim is always to make life in the city more pleasant for people. With our combination of quality, environmental friendliness, usefulness and aesthetics and close collaboration with our business partners and customers, we are developing solutions that are trend-setting for light rail traffic."
RAIL.ONE will also present a selection of other important new developments at InnoTrans 2014 that will also help decisively shape mainline rail traffic and freight transport along with light rail traffic.
Fastening options for turnouts in the RHEDA CITY system
New fastening options for turnouts in the RHEDA CITY system have been developed. Due to their innovative structure, they can be freely positioned on the turnout sleepers with anchor rails. At the same time, they are continuously adjustable to the respective angle of the rail. The new developments allow considerably easier and quicker assembly of the turnouts and thus contribute to a higher level of cost-effectiveness for the entire RHEDA CITY system.
Reduction of vibrations in ballasted and ballastless track
As part of the RIVAS EU research project, RAIL.ONE has developed various solutions for reducing vibrations. First, two heavy-soled concrete sleepers for the classic ballasted track: one in the shape of a wide sleeper (BBS 4), the second concrete sleeper (B 90.2) with a classic geometry but with an innovative concrete formula and thus a noticeably higher level of bulk density. Secondly, the concrete sleepers of the familiar GETRAC® A3 ballastless track system were equipped with elastic soles for the first time. Likewise the BBS 3.1 sleeper was adapted to the elastic support.
Trafficable system for ballastless tracks
Another innovation is the trafficable system for use in tunnels. It was developed for series-production readiness and installed in the renovation of the new Schlüchtern Tunnel with the GETRAC® A3 ballastless track system. The basic principle of trafficability, which is based on elements that are divided into small sections and are easy to place, can be used both for the RHEDA 2000® ballastless track system, as well as for the GETRAC® A3.
For more information, please contact RAIL.ONE or visit the company stand (Hall 25, Stand 243) at InnoTrans, 23-26 September 2014 in Berlin, Germany.