March 17, 2013 11:00 PM

SNCF invests in Getzner sleeper pads for HS rail

Editor Crain

PU parts give comfortable ride and reduce track wear

Specially designed polyurethane sleeper pads from Austrian antivibration expert Getzner

Werkstoffe GmbH are being used in the latest extension to France’s high-speed rail network.

French rail group SNCF is constructing the LGV Est européenne line to extend its high-speed network eastwards.

Trains will be able to travel at speeds of up to 320 km/h on the new section, with the patented sleeper pads adding elasticity in the track bed and protecting the ballast.

SNCF has ordered pads worth E5 million ($6.65 million), from polyurethane expert Getzner, which has used its extensive knowledge in antivibration technology to develop the new pads.

Between now and 2014, it will be delivering sleeper pads for the 106 km stretch currently being constructed between Baudrecourt and Vendenheim, near Strasbourg.

New technology for SNCF

“To effectively protect the track superstructure, we adapted the pad to meet the requirements of the project precisely and developed a new type of sleeper pad,” explained Herbert Gehrig, region south project manager at Getzner.

Getzner technicians embed an optimised adhesion mesh in the polyurethane of the 5-mm thick pad during the manufacturing process. At sleeper maker Sateba, workers then press the sleeper pad into the freshly poured concrete of the sleeper.

The mesh forms an interface between the sleeper and the pad, creating a “highly effective and permanent bond between the elastic components and the concrete sleeper,” said Getzner.

A study (Wirtschaftlicher Nutzen von Schwellensohlen – Commercial benefits of sleeper pads) by Graz University of Technology showed that Getzner sleeper pads significantly reduce life cycle costs over the service life of a rail line.

Enormous potential

Getzner started developing the technology in 2006, launching the new PRAG v3 sleeper pad in 2010. “For us, this project opens a door into the French market, one that has enormous potential in the years ahead: SNCF will be replacing around a million sleepers a year as part of its maintenance programme,” said Alexander Herovitsch, Getzner vice president, region south.

Helmut Fuchs, head of sales at Getzner, said: “In the past we have enjoyed a successful relationship with Sateba … so the market is well aware of our capabilities.”

Another significant factor in Getzner getting the SNCF/Sateba order is “our ability to produce and deliver the enormous quantities required to the necessary standards within the stipulated time frame,” Fuchs said.

The vibration isolation the pads create gives passengers an extremely comfortable ride, despite the high speeds reached, Getzner said. Also, the rail company benefits since the track is less susceptible to wear and lifecycle costs of the line are lower.

“This new type of sleeper pad is particularly suitable for high-speed lines,” as it demonstrably lowers track maintenance costs, commented Jürgen Rainalter, managing director of Getzner, in a company statement.

“The new line reduces travel times between Paris and Strasbourg by up to 30 minutes – trains now take less than two hours to cover the roughly 400 km,” Rainalter added.

Scheduled services on the new line are expected to start by the end of 2015.

Bürs, Austria-headquartered Getzner also offers polyurethane mounts and parts for vibration isolation in construction, with many high-profile projects completed worldwide, such as the prestigious Touraine building project in New York.

With 212 employees in Bürs, and 87 abroad, the company achieved turnover in 2011 of E56.2 million ($74.8 million), from projects in rail, construction and industry.

As well as Bürs, Getzner has facilities in Munich and Berlin in Germany, in Amman, Jordan, Tokyo, Pune, India, Beijing and Kunshan in China. It is highly export focussed: most of its sales are outside Austria, and 80 percent of production is exported.

Benefits of PRAG v3 sleeper pad