Track


versatile point machines


Voestalpine launches


Ecostar 4 is a new generation of point machines which can be used in a variety of applications and is compatible with most interlockings, explains Alfred Pölinger, technical marketing manager with Voestalpine Hytronics.


rightly demand. As turnouts and their associated signalling equipment play a central role in railway systems, train operators and infrastructure managers are challenging suppliers to produce ever-more reliable and cost-effective equipment. Voestalpine Hytronics has set itself


S


the target of developing state-of-the-art signalling equipment for turnouts to produce a harmonised product, the latest development being Ecostar 4, an electro-hydraulic point machine. The market for point machines is unusual. There are many producers of these products including most of the


IRJ August 2012


PEED, comfort, reliability, availability, and above all safety, are attributes rail customers


major signalling companies, but conversely, innovation and development is rather limited. However, customers around the world are becoming ever-more demanding


and now require:  increased reliability and availability of their assets while maintaining


maximum safety levels  lower maintenance and inspection


requirements  automatic tamping of turnouts and


their equipment  lighter weight signalling components,


and  flexibility to combine different products, for example point machines should be compatible with different interlockings.


In addition, Ecostar 4 was designed to meet the following in-house


demands:  just-in-time delivery of turnouts with


point machines already installed  a state-of-the-art technical solution  completing our product portfolio with a point machine for the operation


of external locks, and  providing a system solution for fully- equipped plug-and-play turnouts. Moreover, all new Hytronics


products of the last few years have been subjected to a development and


registration process according to Cenelec 50126/50129. Not only does this guarantee the use of up-to-date technology but, above all it fulfils the important criteria of reliability,


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