Business profile
STRAIL - what’s in a name?
There are now 39,000 STRAIL vulcanised rubber level crossings in 56 different countries I
n the November issue (no.197) of Rail Professional we described how a Bavarian company developed vulcanised rubber level crossings
out of natural rubber skimmed from vehicle tyres. With world markets in mind, it christened its product STRAIL. ST for street, and RAIL for RAIL. It worked. Nowadays, railway engineers all over the world have come to appreciate the value of vulcanised rubber in their railway track. Its resilience protects track, buildings and people while its toughness gives it a very long life.
There are now more than 15,500
STRAIL rubber level crossings in Germany, 2,500 thousand in Austria, 2,000 in the Czech Republic and 1,700 in
the United Kingdom. From Norway to Argentina, from Portugal to Japan, there are a staggering 39,000 in 56 different countries.
To vulcanise, or not to vulcanise? Vulcanising is not easy. It involves big presses, strong expensive moulds and a lot of heat. An alternative would be to stick the rubber granules together with some kind of adhesive. But tyre manufacturers strive for perfection. They vulcanise, and so do STRAIL .
Bespoke designs and adaption to special circumstances No two crossings are the same. Traffic is the major consideration, but crossings must accommodate road and rail
geometry, sleeper type and spacing, rail profile and fastening shape. Each crossing must be reconnoitred and individually designed. STRAIL (UK) keeps detailed records of all 1,700 STRAIL crossings in the UK. An unusual example involved a lot
of cyclists at either end of a fascinating bridge. Kattwyk bridge connects the second largest port in Europe to the city of Hamburg. It carries a great deal of traffic, approximately 3,000 lorries, 7,000 other vehicles and 40 freight trains every day. It is also crossed by some 100 motor and pedal cyclists daily.
In order to allow seagoing ships into
the harbour basin, the 290m central section, i.e. more than a furlong, of bridge, is periodically lifted 46m between
Page 154 February 2014
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164