Plasser & Theurer akuell

Milestones of emission-free track maintenance

10 years of E³

Yellow Machines GO GREEN

Today’s track maintenance is facing complex challenges. This industrial sector must also act in a sustainable manner. Plasser & Theurer has been working on track maintenance machines with alternative drive systems for ten years. They must be ecologically future-proof, sufficiently powerful, and economically feasible.

GUEST ARTICLE

Why railways need to become Rail 4.0

GLOBAL HEAVY HAUL VISION 2030: a safe, competitive, responsible, reliable, integrated, and intelligent heavy haul system powered by Rail 4.0

Focus on maintenance

New digital solutions for machine fleets

Digitalization is here to stay, which is true of many aspects in railway construction. For efficient operation and systematic maintenance of Plasser & Theurer machines, our company offers Plasser Datamatic: an integrated digitalization solution which was extended in the past few months to include several innovative features.

The Plasser Compact portfolio

Versatile solutions for global track maintenance

Compact and highly economical track maintenance machines make an important contribution to functional railway infrastructure and its expansion worldwide. The requirements for track maintenance machines vary considerably from country to country, although the basic working principles are often similar. We offer the ideal solution for you.

Safety thanks to the on-board AI pro

Intelligent track maintenance machines gaining ground

Efficiency and quality are decisive for track maintenance. Infrastructure managers and maintenance contractors are facing the challenge of integrating innovative technologies into track maintenance, with the aim of compensating for a shortage of skilled staff, using resources efficiently, and ensuring long-lasting work quality.

Unimat 09-32/4S Dynamic

Retrofit in less than four months

Every day our machines are in operation means revenue. It only makes sense that our customers find it important to conclude large projects such as retrofits in a short time. In this respect, the retrofit of STRABAG AG’s Unimat 09-32/4S Dynamic was a smashing success. After less than four months, the machine left our Life Cycle Service Competence Centre in Linz. It was back in operation immediately afterwards.

USED MACHINES

The quick solution for expanding your fleet

Opting for used machines can be a quick and cost-effective way to expand your fleet. Discover the advantages and possibilities of used machines by Plasser & Theurer.

Maintenance machines for the Mariazell railway

Operating on narrow gauge

The single-track, electrified line of the Mariazell railway is already over 115 years old and poses particular challenges for maintenance due to the narrow track gauge of 760 mm and the tight structure gauge.

RailRestore system for rail cleaning in use in The Hague

RailRestore – rail treatment using water

Constant dripping wears the stone – a proverb already known to the Romans. Today, it is used in a figurative sense meaning perseverance leads to the goal. Literally speaking, it's understood to mean the power of water.

HVO100 – alternative fuel for the yellow fleet

By using HVO100 biofuel (hydrogenated vegetable oil), we offer another alternative for reducing the CO₂ emissions of track construction and maintenance machines. This ecofriendly initiative underlines our commitment to sustainable technologies and significant emission reductions in the railway construction industry.

Infranord is investing in multiple-sleeper tamping machines

Increasing capacity in the north

Continuous-action tamping machines are record holders when it comes to the utilization of track possessions. The Scandinavian company Infranord opted for two new 09-2X/SDs. These machines maintain two sleepers at a time during each tamping cycle.

Efficient maintenance with a green fleet

Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) are setting new standards in maintaining their rail network by introducing an ultra-modern, environmentally friendly fleet of maintenance vehicles. Following an EU-wide invitation to tender, Plasser & Theurer was awarded the contract to manufacture 56 high-tech hybrid vehicles, the largest order in the company's 70-year history. In addition to technological progress, this is also associated with gradually phasing out the older ÖBB fleet, with some of its machines, also from Plasser & Theurer, in operation for over 40 years.

High capacity in the turnout

Brazil’s heavy-haul railways are highly capable: the superstructure material has to manage axle loads of up to 32.5 t.

Parallel turnout tamping with a “green” unit

In the UK, several Unimat machines are controlled synchronously for maintaining continuous bearers at turnout crossings. But this is by no means the only special feature of the new Balfour Beatty fleet.

Rail worker insights

Off to construction site adventures

Discover the fascinating world of track construction and maintenance with the P&T Railclub!

Precision in every phase ensures sustainable tamping results

For over 70 years, Plasser & Theurer tamping machines have been the global standard in terms of efficiency and performance. The non-synchronous constant pressure tamping principle enables optimum ballast compaction while protecting the material at the same time.

Cutting-edge machine technology for expansion and maintenance

As reported in today 141, Poland is investing extensively in the sustainable modernization of its railway infrastructure. Plasser & Theurer has supplied numerous machines to Polish companies to this end in recent years.

The impacts of the shortage of skilled staff

Track maintenance workers wanted

The railway is booming. After the challenges of recent years, the railway system is advancing globally. This can be attributed, in particular, to its significance as a sustainable transport system. However, this success also has its downsides: railways in many places are confronted with the challenge of having to handle more train traffic with existing infrastructure. As is the case with many other industries, the lack of skilled staff has hit the rail hard. Measures which promise success are urgently needed.

Obituary

Rainer Wenty

New research into track laying and renewal technology

Heavy-duty machinery that can lay new tracks or replace rails and sleepers using the assembly-line method has everyone in awe. At the same time, this kind of work is also carried out using pre-assembled track panel sections or even complex methods derived from road construction. A new publication provides more information on this topic.

The key to state-of-the-art testing devices and efficient maintenance concepts

Measurement as a Service

Procuring and maintaining track inspection vehicles and measuring systems is particularly challenging for railway infrastructure managers. Operating track inspection vehicles is often time-consuming and cost-intensive. It requires specialist expertise, both in terms of operation and maintenance. Together with our numerous partners, we now offer access to state-of-the-art measuring and analysis services with “Measurement as a Service” (MaaS).

Turnout inspection during operation and under full load

Increasing safety during operation, saving time, and learning more about the track system: these are important goals that are not always easy to achieve in practice.

FRANZ PLASSER

New assembly workshop sets standards for technological progress

After a construction period of barely a year, the new assembly workshop of Franz Plasser Vermietung von Bahnbaumaschinen Gesellschaft mbH went into operation in spring 2024.

Contents

YELLOW MACHINES GO GREEN