Installation STRAILway and pedeSTRAIL in Lengwil (CH)

FACTS

• Client: SBB CFF FFS
• Location: Lengwil, level crossing Sägenöschstraße, Switzerland
• Products: STRAILway polymer sleepers with integrated W fastening, pedeSTRAIL inner panels with 900 mm
• Period: October 2022

 

ADVANTAGES

• Service life > 50 years
• Particularly resistant to all environmental influences
• Very good workability with commercially available tools for wood
• Protection of the environment and nature
• Good CO2 balance through use of secondary raw materials

 

AT A GLANCE

For the renewal of the Sägenöschstraße level crossing, SBB was looking for a replacement for rail, sleeper, ballast and for the level crossing panels. Sustainability, as well as ecological, social and economic aspects played a decisive role for the SBB.

After a detailed examination of the STRAILway polymer sleepers and the pedeSTRAIL level crossing system, the decision was made in favour of the products of the Upper Bavarian company, as they fully met all requirements.

In addition, the STRAILway polymer sleeper has a W fastening milled into the sleeper. This means that no ribbed plate is no longer required. The number of fastening components is also significantly reduced and the installation of the sleeper is simpler and more efficient. This also results in a cost saving.

The construction work for the renewal went smoothly. First, the track yoke was assembled in a preliminary layer, as the STRAILway polymer sleepers differ in height and weight from wooden sleepers as follows:
height and weight wooden sleepers: 15 cm, 86 – 96 kg,
height and weight of STRAILway polymer sleepers: 16 cm, 129 kg;
The track yoke was then rebuilt using a conventional working method. A two-way excavator and aTM 234-4 were used.

Picture 1: Assembly of the track yoke. Photo: Dominik Herrsche

Picture 2: Installation of the track yoke. Photo: Dominik Herrsche

Picture 3: For a quicker and easier installation, the W fastening has been milled directly into the STRAILway polymer sleeper. Photo: STRAIL

KRAIBURG STRAIL supports the youth group of the Tittmoning volunteer Fire Brigade

Junior staff work is essential for voluntary organisations – and this is also the case for the Tittmoning Volunteer Fire Brigade. KRAIBURG STRAIL supports the Fire Brigade Tittmoning with a donation of 1,000 euros for the promotion of young firefighters.

“Our youth group is our future,” says Erwin Hirschpoltner, 1st commander of the Fire Brigade Tittmoning. “Without our young talent, there would eventually be no one left to rush to the rescue in fires or traffic accidents. That’s why we are particularly pleased with the donation from STRAIL for our youth group.” At the moment, the youth group of the Tittmoning fire brigade has 15 members. The junior firefighters are between twelve and 18 years old and meet regularly for exercises with firefighting equipment as well as for fun and exciting events.

As a large company with its headquarters in the town of Tittmoning and as a direct neighbour of the Fire Brigade, STRAIL is very keen to support the Fire Brigade. “In emergencies, we all depend on the help of the Fire Brigade, whether in our private or professional lives. That’s why it’s all the more important that we participate in promoting young talent for this honorary office in Tittmoning,” says Günther Wagner, Managing Director at STRAIL.

Photo: Günther Wagner, Managing Director of STRAIL (centre) presents the donation cheque for 1,000 euros to Erwin Hirschpoltner, 1st Commandant (right) and Thomas Günther, 2nd Commandant (left) of the Fire Brigade Tittmoning.

Installation of veloSTRAIL and innoSTRAIL in Brussels

FACTS

• Location: Vorst, Brussels – Belgium
• Client: Infrabel
• Products: veloSTRAIL and innoSTRAIL
• Length: 4 Turnouts – 103,1 meter level crossing
• Conditions: Rail: T50 – Sleeper: wood
• Period: June 2017

 

ADVANTAGES

• Eliminates the flange groove.
• Only system for train speeds up to max. 110 km/h.
• Interchangeable flangeway element can be easily replaced without removing the inner plate.
• No need to keep the flange groove free of dirt, snow and ice.

 

AT A GLANCE

The foundation for electric cars and battery assembly at Audi is laid at the Audi Brussels plant.
STRAIL is now also present at this key plant for electric mobility.

On the factory site, STRAIL has installed its most innovative level crossing system – veloSTRAIL.

The inner panel system eliminates the flange groove and thus also a source of danger. This is particularly important for factory traffic, which also relies a lot on bicycles to get around. This is made possible by the interchangeable flangeway element made of virgin rubber, which closes the flange groove for individual traffic, but the train is not affected.
veloSTRAIL – simply SAFE!

Picture 1: Finished veloSTRAIL crossings.

Picture 2: Panels for Intervia are custom made in our make-to-order department.

Picture 3: Installation of the level crossing.

STRAILastic is a member of the German Association for Noise Protection on Transport Routes (DVLV).

With immediate effect, we are pleased to be a full member of the DVLV with our product division STRAILastic sound protection systems.

The aim of the DVLV is to adjust the quality standards in the planning and production of noise protection measures to a uniformly high quality level on a nationwide level and thus to achieve an optimum result for clients, service providers and the population to be protected.

In this context, one of the primary tasks of the DVLV is to expertly explain any technical ambiguities in guidelines and to find technically high-quality, unambiguous definitions in joint work with the guideline manufacturers.

The association pools the technical expertise of the planning, manufacture and construction of numerous types of noise barriers. It serves as a moderator and contact for authorities, ministries and public clients.

You can find more information about the DVLV here.

Switch in Clermont Ferrand

FACTS

• Client: TECHNICENTRE SNCF AUVERGNE-NIVERNAIS
• Location: Clermont-Ferrand
• Switch: Model TG 0.13 Sym Court – BS891
• Products: More than 150 metres STRAILway 260×160 mm und 300×150 mm, length between 2.30 m and 4.10 m
• Speed: max. 30 km/h
• Axle load: max. 22.5 tons
• Period: August 2022

 

ADVANTAGES

• Service life > 50 years
• Special milling work and drilling on site possible
• Unrestricted and non-hazardous processing of the sleepers
• Mould resistant
• Excellent price/performance ratio
• End-of-life recycling without additional costs (except for return
  transport)

 

AT A GLANCE

Infrapôle, a division of SNCF AUVERGNE-NIVERNAIS, in collaboration with STRAIL France, investigated the possibility of replacing the complete wooden sleepers of switch No. 891 in Clermont-Ferrand.

Every year, SNCF had to carry out costly maintenance work on damaged wooden sleepers or replace sleepers directly, as the switch is located in a humid environment. In addition, there are tall trees close to the track, whose leaves fall on the track and promote rapid rotting of the wooden sleepers.

The investigation showed that an investment in STRAILway polymer sleepers is a profitable solution, as they are particularly low-maintenance.

Therefore, the EIV in Bretenoux received 150 running metres of STRAILway polymer sleepers for milling work and drilling. The length of the sleepers was between 2.30 m and 4.10 m with perfect evenness.

The individual adjustment of each sleeper was carried out with an automatic machine, according to the model of the switch,
including the holes. The same machine was used for this as is used for work on wooden sleepers.

On the construction site, the renewal of the switch was carried out by the specialised railway construction company ETF within one week (with train traffic closed). The wooden sleepers were replaced, as were the ballast and the fastening systems. ETF drilled more than 100 holes on site using a conical sleeper drill. A special tamping machine was then used to tamp the holes. The implementation went smoothly.

Picture 1: Switch with STRAILway.

Picture 2: Installation of STRAILway polymer sleepers.

Picture 3: Installation of the fastening system.

Switch with STRAILway sleppers in Toulouse

FACTS

• Client: TISSEO Métro Toulouse / EGIS RAIL / Vossloh Cogifer
• Location: Toulouse / Borderouge factory entrance
• Line: Métro Line Toulouse
• Products: 32 m STRAILway 300 x 150 mm – length 0.5 to 5.35 m, 125 m STRAILway 260 x 1600 mm – length 5.35 m
• Special features: Sandblasted – special machining – installation on slab track
• Axle load: max. 16 tons
• Period: July / August 2022

 

ADVANTAGES

• Service life > 50 years
• Special milling and drilling possible on site
• Unrestricted and non-hazardous machining of the sleepers
• Underlining of the sleepers with resin
• Excellent price/performance ratio
• Approved on slab track by the RATP

 

AT A GLANCE

TISSEO Voyageurs commissions the engineering firm EGIS RAIL for the renewal of the CR1/CR2 switch on the Toulouse metro line B (“Métro Pneu”) of Toulouse. This renewal was necessary, as the wooden sleepers installed 20 years ago could not withstand the maintenance work on the switch.

The engineering office was looking for sleepers that would be resistant to different temperature fluctuations and resistant to mould. The sleepers should also be able to withstand a high degree of machining and be very durable.

The STRAILway polymer sleepers met the expectations exactly.

The EGENIE company was commissioned to carry out the conversion work and required a total of three weeks. First the workers carried out a pre-assembly to install the STRAILway polymer sleepers and the iron parts of the switch.

In order to fit the sleepers into the guide rail and the tracks and the other elements, more than 400 drill holes were required. This was the only way to ensure the necessary mobility could be guaranteed.

The switch was then divided into three parts (10 to 15 tonnes per part) and inserted into the fixed track (after regulating the geometry of the switch, resin was poured into the openings).
The installation went smoothly.

Picture 1: Drilling of the STRAILway polymer sleepers.

Picture2: Setting up the switch.

Picture 3: Positioning the STRAILway switch with a crane.

The new STRAIL Checklist

 

Maybe you noticed already.
There is a new button in the website menu – the STRAIL Checklist.

You can use it to send us information about a new level crossing project of yours.
With this data, our team at KRAIBURG STRAIL can make a quotation.
If you don’t have all of the necessary information at hand, no problem.

There is the possibility to switch to a short version of the checklist.
Less data for you to insert – enough data for us to get a first overview of what you need.

So what do you waiting for – try it out!

Testinstallation of STRAILway sleepers in Belgium

FACTS

• Client: Infrabel
• Location: Scheldebrug / Matthijs Casteleinstraat, Oudenaarde
• Line: L86 – Scheldebrug – Oudenaarde
• Products: 180 STRAILway bridge sleepers
• Period: June 2021

 

ADVANTAGES

• Service life > 50 years
• Particularly resistant to all environmental influences
• Very easy to work with commercially available tools suitable for wood
• Lower maintenance costs
• Protection of the environment and nature

 

AT A GLANCE

First test installation of STRAILway bridge sleepers in Belgium.

On the bridge in Scheldebrug / Matthijs Casteleinstraat, the existing sleepers had to be replaced with new ones as the service life had expired.

Infrabel then decided to use STRAILway bridge sleepers. Compared to sleepers made of glass fibre, these can be processed without special protective equipment.

The installation of the new sleepers took only one weekend. Each sleeper was made to measure.

Infrabel carried out the horizontal drilling on the sleepers on site. The sleepers were fixed to the bridge with a through bolt.

The simple and fast processing on the construction site convinced the customer.

Picture 1: The STRAILway bridge sleepers can be easily machined with commercially available tools.

STRAIL employee among the best women at Ironman

Swimming, cycling and running under extreme conditions

STRAIL employee Cindy Friebel achieved fourth place in the age group W 30-34 at the Ironman World Championships in Kona on Hawaii on 06 October 2022 and was the second best German starter among the hobby athletes. In the so-called furnace of the triathlon world, Friebel completed 3.8 km of swimming as well as 180 km of cycling and a marathon in a time of 10:01:43 hours.

“You are an ironman” was recently the motto for Cindy Friebel (RSC Götzing) in front of the dream backdrop of Hawaii. For the 32-year-old from Freilassing, taking part in the Ironman was a dream come true: “It was an incredible experience, comparable to nothing else,” enthuses Friebel. With a place among the top five in her age group, the triathlete achieved the goal she had set herself. “I really wanted to come home from Hawaii with a trophy and I succeeded,” says Friebel.

Injury in the final preparation phase
Six weeks before the Ironman, the goal of a top finish became a distant memory. “I tore my outer ligament and could do almost no running training before the competition,” says Friebel. Almost daily physiotherapy and Friebel’s outstanding performance in cycling finally made the good placing possible.

STRAIL promotes sporting commitment
As a long-time employee, Friebel was supported by her employer KRAIBURG STRAIL in the form of a sponsorship. “We are incredibly proud of our Cindy and her performance at the Ironman. Many colleagues, including myself, followed the event with excitement and kept their fingers crossed for Cindy,” says Günther Wagner, Managing Director at KRAIBURG STRAIL in Tittmoning.

Photo: STRAIL employee Cindy Friebel takes fourth place in her age group at the 2022 Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.