Investing in high line availability

Ballast bed cleaning for Europe’s main lines using the RM 900 VBS

Eiffage Infra-Rail GmbH is expanding its fleet with an RM 900 ballast bed cleaning machine for the cost-effective cleaning of the ballast bed under demanding operational conditions. The high-performance machine was delivered in the spring of 2026. Designed for short track possessions on busy lines, it helps to maintain high line availability and minimize disruption to day-to-day operations.

We have long enjoyed a good, partnership-based business relationship with Eiffage Infra-Rail GmbH. The construction company has relied on our machines for many years. This continuity reflects the trust placed in Plasser & Theurer’s technology, service, and ongoing development. The new RM 900 VBS integrates seamlessly into the existing machine fleet and is specifically designed to meet the requirements of an infrastructure and construction company operating across Europe.

Further development in line with the fourth railway package

Although the machine name RM 900 VBS builds on a tried-and-tested concept, the model already meets the technical specifications of the new generation Plasser ScreenLiner 5220 N/P/T. The machine has undergone extensive further development to meet the requirements of the fourth railway package. These include harmonized European standards on safety, interoperability, and authorization, as well as stricter guidelines on occupational health and safety, environmental acceptability, and emissions.

With a total area of approximately 50 m², the two triple-deck eccentric screening units deliver a high output of up to 900 m³ per hour.

The RM 900’s high output requires a 2-sleeper tamping unit mounted on a satellite to keep pace with the machine’s rapid propulsion.

The ballast cleaning machine is authorized for use in ten European countries, including Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Scandinavian countries. This broad area of use paves the way for high utilization rates and cost-effective operation across national borders.

Technical capabilities and integrated processes

Two high-performance eccentric ballast screening units, with a total screening area of around 50 m², ensure a high output of up to 900 m³ per hour. They reliably separate fine grains from reusable ballast in accordance with the specified particle size distribution curve. This is complemented by an integrated ballast reconditioning system which re-sharpens rounded ballast stones, thereby ensuring that stones have the required angularity and interlocking of edges for a stable track position. Valuable resources are thus recovered efficiently.

Through integrated ballast reprocessing, the original angularity of the ballast is restored in an impact crusher.

Track-based ballast cleaning saves countless lorry journeys and is 30% more environmentally friendly than conventional methods.

Extended range of functions

A 2-sleeper tamping unit and a sweeping unit are part of the machine system. This means the machine already incorporates the first key downstream working tasks into the cleaning process. The new-ballast supply system makes it possible to add fresh material in a targeted manner without having to deploy additional ballast trains. By placing ballast in the track before the track panel is laid down, the track position can be produced accurately. The machine concept, featuring a new-ballast supply system and a tiltable spoil conveyor, makes it easier to manage the entire material logistics process on the track under construction.

Modern safety devices and a well-designed warning system ensure that working can be carried out safely even when the adjacent track is active.

The RM 900 VBS achieves a high standard of ballast bed cleaning. The ballast grain size corresponds exactly to the specified particle size distribution curve.

Digitalization, safety, and ergonomics

The modern control system of the Plasser DataMatic, as well as its diagnostic and fleet management functions, supports condition-based maintenance for efficient operation. Precise measuring devices and documentation using the DRP (Data Recording Processor) digital recording system, together with a large number of cameras in the Plasser WorkingView system, ensure transparency in the work process and improve safety, as it is no longer necessary to enter hazardous areas.

Ergonomically designed workstations, as well as a workshop and crew area, underline the high priority given to occupational health and safety and ergonomics. Targeted measures to reduce dust, an EU Stage V engine with particularly effective exhaust after-treatment via an active particulate filter system, and energy-efficient propulsion and braking systems meet stringent environmental requirements. At the same time, they significantly improve working conditions and thus ease the burden on local residents and the machine crew, particularly during operations in tunnels.

Clean ballast – the foundation for quality, cost-effectiveness, and safety

The quality of the ballast bed is crucial for the quality of the track. In the rail-sleeper-ballast bed system, the ballast bed plays a key role: it distributes the wheel loads evenly across the subsoil, provides the necessary elasticity of the track, absorbs longitudinal and transverse forces, and ensures good water and air permeability. Only a clean ballast bed can fulfil these functions in the long term.

During operation, the ballast bed is subjected to continuous loads. Fine particles are caused, among other things, by traffic, weather conditions, or spilled cargo. These contaminants impair the track’s drainage capacity, loading capacities, as well as the durability of its position.

When this point has been reached, it is time for ballast bed cleaning. It restores the functionality of the ballast bed and significantly extends the service life of the superstructure. Failing to clean the ballast, on the other hand, quickly leads to rising maintenance costs. This results in frequent tamping work, lines subject to speed restrictions or, in extreme cases, full track closures involving full ballast exchange. The ballast itself is a particularly significant cost factor. The better the ballast is cleaned, the more efficient the recovery process is. This reduces material requirements, transport expenses, and disposal costs.

Clean ballast means greater safety and a more stable track position, which in turn increases planning reliability for operations and maintenance. Modern ballast bed cleaning machines provide safe work areas and a high level of process reliability – even when operating on the adjacent track.

Regular ballast bed cleaning is a key factor in ensuring a durable, cost-effective, and safe track. It lays the foundations for the rail system to maintain its performance in the long term.

Future-proof technology for sustainable maintenance

By opting for the RM 900 VBS, Eiffage Infra-Rail GmbH is investing in future-proof technology for the sustainable maintenance of the ballast bed. This project once again confirms our commitment to consistently refining tried-and-tested machine designs and adapting them to new regulatory and operational requirements. The result is a high-performance ballast bed cleaning machine that balances productivity, safety, and the efficient use of resources, contributing significantly to the performance of the European rail network.

Multimedia

The integrated sweeping unit of the RM 900 VBS handles downstream maintenance tasks directly as part of the cleaning process. This contributes to more efficient construction workflows, fewer interfaces, and high cleaning quality.

The integrated 2-sleeper tamping unit compacts the ballast placed beneath the sleepers. This stabilizes the track position immediately after ballast cleaning.

The cleaned ballast is returned under the track panel in a controlled manner via a precise control system.

A bird’s-eye view reveals the length of the machine system: MFS units positioned at the front continuously collect the spoil. This means that material logistics can largely be handled via the track under construction.

In the ergonomically designed work cab on the tamping unit, the operators are protected and have a clear view onto the working area.

The construction gap behind the excavating chain reveals the precise formation cut: the fouled ballast has been excavated and is fed into the cleaning process, while the track panel is held securely in its position.

The excavating chain picks up the fouled ballast and feeds it into the cleaning process. This marks the start of the main material flow in the ballast cleaning process.

The excavated material is transported along the RM 900 VBS via belt conveyors to the MFS units lined up in front This ensures that material logistics remain combined on the track under construction, which supports efficient worksite operations.