News

ProRail and voestalpine Track Solutions Netherlands have taken the initiative during InnoTrans, the international trade fair for transport and railway technology in Berlin, to jointly explore a more circular railway infrastructure supply chain. Both parties underline their ambition to keep materials from the existing railway infrastructure in the railway production chain for longer. This maximises the value of these materials while reducing the need for virgin raw materials.

Bridge Transitions and Expansion Joints on Railway Bridges: New Requirements Demand a Different Approach Many railway bridges in the Netherlands have been part of the rail infrastructure for decades. At the same time, track availability is becoming increasingly important, while maintenance and renewal projects must be completed within shorter possession periods. Meanwhile, new ProRail requirements mean that certain designs of expansion joints, bridge transitions and welded connections are being phased out, creating the need for alternative solutions. As a result, technical choices, component availability and project execution planning are becoming increasingly interconnected for contractors and infrastructure managers. Especially on railway bridges, thorough preparation is therefore more important than ever.

Veel spoorstaven in Nederland liggen al tientallen jaren in dienst. Hoewel deze spoorstaven nog goed functioneren, wijken ze door jarenlang gebruik af van hun oorspronkelijke profiel. Dat stelt andere eisen aan onderhoud en vervangingen. Want hoe zorg je voor een optimale aansluiting tussen nieuw en bestaand spoor wanneer het bestaande spoor zowel verticaal als zijdelings is ingesleten?

The pressure on underground rail infrastructure is increasing. Rail networks are becoming more complex, the number of cable systems is growing, and requirements relating to safety, availability and sustainability are becoming increasingly stringent. At the same time, delivery capacity is under pressure. This calls for solutions that are faster, more manageable and more sustainable, including within underground rail infrastructure.

Turnouts remain one of the most failure‑prone components in the Dutch railway network. Today, they operate under particularly challenging conditions. More intensive use, higher axle loads and increased service life requirements leave ever less room for disruptions and maintenance. In this complex operating environment, the choice of the right crossing can make all the difference. After all, the crossing is one of the most critical components of a turnout and often decisive for the quality and availability of an entire turnout system.

The underground infrastructure within the rail sector is evolving alongside the growing demands on power supply and system control. ProRail expects a significant increase in capacity and functionality, which calls for smart cable systems: quick to install, technically robust and made from sustainable, circular materials. By joining forces with PION Cable Protection, we now offer a complete range of smart and sustainable cable protection solutions.

It is not uncommon for certain parts of the rail infrastructure to be built using special structural designs. Examples include movable bridges, tunnels, depots, and workshops. Because these locations deviate from the standard infrastructure layout, extending the power supply can be difficult. In practice, traditional overhead line systems often lack the required installation height. For these types of challenges—found in both light rail and mixed trafficrail—we now offer high quality conductor rail solutions. In collaboration with Vijselaar Industrial Systems & Components, we have joined forces to provide a robust offering.

A safe and properly functioning railway starts with smart details — such as secured rail cable fixation. Rail cables are vital for the availability of the railway network, yet vulnerable to wear, stress, and mostly theft. A safe and secured installation using the specially developed universal rail cable mounting bracket from the Dutch producer GMO Rail ensures signaling cables, robustly fixed to the sleepers and being well protected. Often invisible, this bracket with its long lifespan proves to be a reliable and sustainable solution every day. A small product with a big impact.

Technological innovations on and around the railway, such as the installation of signaling systems and communication networks, often require modifications to the existing cable network. Infrastructure redesigns also regularly bring new challenges: cables and conduits must be relocated to make room for expanding tracks, stations, and other facilities.

LED lamps have gained popularity in recent years. These lamps are now available for an increasing number of applications within railway infrastructure as well. Not surprising, as the LED lamp has a long lifespan, is sustainable and robust, and has a low failure rate. Check out our extensive range in the webshop and discover the benefits.

Not a lot of people prefer working in the dark. However, working in the dark in the rail infrastructure is more frequently than not the reality. We managed to expand our ever growing portfolio by adding the RailLight product.

We all enjoyed a beautiful winter’s week. However, what becomes visible underneath the snow and ice when the thaw sets in? Mud and road salt residues. Not the best conditions for the railway infrastructure, particularly for level crossings. Road salt and moisture, in combination with stray currents, bite into the rail, causing the metal to corrode fiercely. This process severely undermines the rail’s quality and increases the risk of premature rail replacement. Apart from hindrance to the train traffic, it is a costly affair for the maintenance contractor.

Access to the proper stock material at strategic locations, evenly distributed throughout the Netherlands. Our colleague Robbert van der Schaaf explains that outsourcing the stock management activities for local warehouses storing essential railway materials has several advantages.