With several hundred exhibitors spread over seven halls, the Railway Infrastructure segment at this year's InnoTrans trade fair in Berlin is set to be larger than ever.
Embracing the construction and maintenance of civil engineering structures, trackwork, electrification and signalling, the infrastructure segment has drawn exhibitors from 44 countries.
Amongst the suppliers exhibiting track and infrastructure components are BBL Bahnbau Lüneburg, Gleisfrei, Goldschmidt Thermit and Schwihag, which will be presenting a range of rail fastenings and turnout components. UK manufacturer Sicut Enterprises will be displaying its composite railway sleepers produced from recycled materials under licence from Rutgers State University of New Jersey. Ukraine's KRT Corp will be displaying a range of elastic rail fastenings.
As part of the Plasser & Theurer stand in Hall 26, Deutsche Plasser will be focusing on its capabilities as a certified Entity in Charge of Maintenance, overhauling track maintenance machinery at its recently-opened workshop in Leverkusen-Opladen.
Bridge and civil works design specialist SSF Ingenieure will be exhibiting in the Railway Construction sector.
Around 40 Chinese companies will be participating in the infrastructure segment this year, including turnout manufacturer Qinhuangdao City Shanhaiguan Gongwu Equipment Factory and China Railway group subsidiary China Railway Baoji Bridge Group Co Ltd. Qifeng Precision Industry Sci-Tech Corp will be showing a variety of infrastructure components, including rail fastenings, while Xi'an Huaxin Railway Technology Co will be presenting its range of signal testing equipment.
Working with Calenberg Ingenieure GmbH, Zhejiang Tiantie Industry Co will be showing its range of elastomeric track mats and rubber level crossing panels used extensively in China.
Outdoor displays
In addition to the static exhibits, a wide range of construction and maintenance equipment will be on show in the outdoor area. Around 45 suppliers will have equipment on display, ranging from track maintenance machines through road-rail vehicles to excavators, backhoes and other construction equipment.
Construction equipment suppliers include Atlas Maschinen, Sweden's Huddig Hydrema Baumaschinen, Liebherr, Mecalec, Neotec Développement and Czech supplier SAZ. Italy's Blend Fbg will be showing a mobile concrete mixing plant.
Cembre and Robel will be showing a range of small tools and plant for track construction and maintenance. This year Robel will be launching its new Model 30.73 Precision Wrenching Machine, which will be working on the outdoor tracks. The company will also be showing its bespoke model 54.17 track maintenance vehicle and 55.70 ballast transport vehicles for Köln operator KVB, which were ordered at InnoTrans 2014 and are due to start operation at the end of this year.
Crane manufacturers include Kirow and France Elévateur, while Rail Product UK will be showing its mobile elevated work platforms. Rail grinding and milling equipment will form the focus of presentations from Linsinger and Mecno Service, as well as Schweerbau, which will be promoting its HSM high speed milling train.
Many companies will be presenting road-rail maintenance and construction equipment, from Berlin-based BSB Saugbagger und Zweiwegetechnik Stefan Mattes and Schörling Rail Tech with its specialist tram track cleaning unit, through SRS Sjölanders to Czech supplier Rothlehner. Road-rail shunting tractors will include Daimler's Unimog family, a remote-controlled shunter from Zagro, and designs from Windhoff, Zephir, Zweiweg and Zwiehoff.
Spain's Uromac-Maquinaria Del EO will be showing its all-terrain vehicles derived from military applications.
Among the infrastructure maintenance contractors will be H F Wiebe, Knape Gruppe and MÁV Central Rail & Track Inspection, which undertakes track geometry measurement and structures examinations for Hungary's state railway.