today 144
today 144
Even machines that have been in operation for 30 years can still offer enormous value. At a time when the market is booming, it is sensible to make use of capacity reserves in a fleet. The key to this is the original retrofit from Plasser & Theurer, which can extend a machine’s service life by up to 15 years. The upgrades in this retrofit also make the machine suitable for more demanding requirements.
Your order books may be full, but your vehicle fleet may be showing its age. Older vehicles often come with higher maintenance costs and more frequent servicing intervals due to wear. This causes their annual output to fall. An original retrofit from Plasser & Theurer can help here.
Authorization remains valid
The aim of the retrofit is to bring older machines up to date with the latest technology as much as possible. The machine is broken down into its component parts and rebuilt in a series of upgrades. Every single component is checked and then refurbished if deemed suitable for continued use. At the same time, the upgrades integrate new technologies that provide the customer with an additional technological advantage. By not breaching the authorization specifications, the machines can be put back into operation immediately after retrofit.
The following machines were either refurbished or retrofitted to ECM standards between 2021 and 2026 as part of our Life Cycle Services.
Service life extended by up to 15 years
The project lasts up to twelve months, depending on the size of the machine and the scope of the upgrade. This extends the machine’s service life by up to 15 years. Once the retrofit is complete, the machine can travel immediately to the next worksite – one that it may not have been able to work on before the refurbishment.
Ready for new challenges
Original retrofits from Plasser & Theurer can also expand the range of functions by integrating new technologies. Installing Stage V engines and additional complete noise insulation, for example, can reduce noise emissions to a level that allows the machine to work on completely new projects. These upgrades also increase the system’s work quality and reliability. At a time when infrastructure managers are demanding ever-higher quality, this can be the key to securing new orders.
Taking the machine control system to a new level
Large machines from Plasser & Theurer are in service for 30 to 40 years, often even longer. In this period, control systems can become obsolete and it can become difficult to obtain spare parts on the market. A retrofit allows the control system to be updated to take advantage of new digital technology. This makes the entire system more efficient, increases availability, and significantly improves ergonomics for the machine crew. Furthermore, the new control systems are also required for the use of telemetric networking technologies enabled by Plasser DataMatic. This is an important step towards preventative, data-based maintenance.
The type and scope of an original retrofit can vary greatly depending on the customer’s wishes, and the type and age of the machine. This retrofit of an RM 80 ballast cleaning machine demonstrates what is possible.
The RM 80 shown here was built in 1998. It underwent a comprehensive retrofit in Linz between 2025 and 2026, before being handed over to a customer in Czechia.
Excerpt from the retrofit package:
Increasing safety
Retrofits can also make a machine a much better place to work. Alongside better ergonomics and more user-friendly control systems, modern LED lighting or camera systems take staff safety to a new level.
Plasser & Theurer’s workshops can even perform retrofits on larger machines. We work to ECM standards and have the comprehensive technical expertise that only a manufacturer can offer. The number of original retrofits performed has increased significantly in recent years, a sign that this service has struck a chord in the market.
