RAIL
INDUSTRY FOCUS
PRECISION STABILISATION TECHNOLOGY ENSURES SAFE, COMFORTABLE, TRAIN TRAVEL
Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions Division has completed the development and certification
phases of its new electromechanical train tilting stabilisation system, a solution designed to provide Swiss Federal Railways passengers with safer, more comfortable, travel
C
urtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions Division is supplying a new electromechanical train tilting stabilisation system for use on Swiss
Federal Railways (SBB) RABDe 500 InterCity- Neigezug (ICN) high-speed passenger trains. The company has recently and successfully completed the development phase and certification, by external auditors, of this system. Curtiss-Wright’s facility in Neuhausen am
Rheinfall, Switzerland, is providing SBB with its precision stabilisation technology to upgrade 44 RABDe 500 ICN high-speed passenger trains currently in operation. The company’s flexible modular approach to high precision electromechanical stabilisation delivers a cost- effective method for upgrading legacy train tilting systems by enabling individual hardware components to be replaced or upgraded as needed, instead of replacing the entire system. The first modernised RABDe 500 ICN ‘Tilting Train’ was officially presented in October last year, and will commence
commercial service soon. Under the contract, shipping will continue through 2031.
SMOOTH MOTION The ultra-rugged electromechanical tilting train technology is designed to provide SBB’s passengers with safer, more comfortable, travel. According to the company, the modular solution’s highly responsive train tilting capabilities provide smoother car body movements that constantly maintain the stability of passenger compartments. Furthermore, the upgraded stabilisation system enables trains to maintain higher speeds around curves on existing railways without sacrificing safety or passenger comfort, resulting in reduced travel time and ensuring trains stay on schedule. In addition to supplying the tilting system
hardware and software – including coach tilting drives and controllers, train tilting computers, pantograph tilting drives, power electronics and pantograph tilting system –
Curtiss-Wright also developed the required processes and procedures in accordance with the Safety Integrity Level (SIL2) standard. The upgraded tilting system includes the
latest advances in motion control and inertial technology, while meeting the latest safety standards. Designed to meet the demanding EN 50657 safety and integrity standard, the technology is said to deliver the high reliability required by SBB to operate its trains 24/7 and 365 days a year.
MEETING STANDARDS “We are proud to announce the successful completion of the development and certification phases of our upgraded electromechanical train tilting system for Swiss Federal Railways high- speed passenger trains,” said Brian Perry, senior vice president and general manager, Curtiss- Wright Defense Solutions. “A perfect example of our ability to manage obsolescence, this modernised train tilting system is an upgrade of our original solution, first put into operation by SBB almost 25 years ago.” He added: “It meets today’s stringent European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization EN 50657 standard for software and electronic systems on rolling stock, to enable decades more of reliable operation. This contract represents SBB’s continued trust and confidence in our high-precision engineering and quality.”
Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions
www.curtisswrightds.com
JUNE 2025 DESIGN SOLUTIONS 35
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