Buers, Austria -- French railway group SNCF is constructing the LGV Est européenne line to extend its high-speed network. On the new section trains will be able to travel at speeds of up to 320 km/h, says Austrian antivibration expert Getzner Werkstoffe GmbH, which has developed a special sleeper pad, now patented, for this major project.
The order value is Euro 5 million ($6.65 million).
Polyurethane part maker Getzner Werkstoffe has used its expertise in antivibration technology to develop the new rail pads, and between now and 2014 will be delivering the specially developed sleeper pad for the stretch currently being constructed between Baudrecourt and Vendenheim, near Strasbourg.
"This new type of sleeper pad is particularly suitable for high-speed lines," as it demonstrably lowers the maintenance costs of the track, explained Juergen Rainalter, managing director of Getzner, in a company statement. Less wear means the track requires less maintenance.
"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. Getzner said it anticipates further orders as a result of this major project.
PIC: Production of the new pads at Getzner
