iaf 2017Innovation for youPage 4

Customer satisfactionWe wanted to find out morePage 9

Service 4.0Benefits for operators and service providers

Page 6

F I R S T - H A N D S E R V I C E

Customer magazine issued by Deutsche Plasser 2017/No. 8

update

Contents03 Editorial 04 intErnational Innovation for you: iaf 2017

05 informativE Early info bonus

06 innovativE Service 4.0

09 informativE Customer satisfaction – We wanted to find out more!

12 innovativE Moving and building, a core competence of the building industry!

14 informativE Dirk Thormann in interview

16 intErnational Unimat 09-4x4/4S Dynamic – Successful launch of the turnout tamping machine in Poland

18 intErnational Unimat 09-32/4S Dynamic E3 – Smooth commissioning in Switzerland

IMPRESSUM

Publisher:Deutsche Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen GmbHFriedrich-Eckart-Str. 35, 81929 MünchenTelefon: +49 89 93008-0Telefax: +49 89 93008-115E-Mail: info@deutsche-plasser.de

www.deutsche-plasser.de

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Photos:Deutsche Plasser, Plasser & Theurer,Background image, cover page: www.shutterstock.com/pixelparticle

Printed:Druckwerkstatt, Wien

04 06

Editorial Deutsche Plasser UPDATE

Dear customers,Esteemed partners

At the end of this May, the absolute highlight for our industry will take place in Münster: the International Exhibition for Track Technology 2017 (iaf). For decades, this trade fair has been highly popular among suppliers, users and other experts from the railway industry. Therefore, it provides an excellent opportunity for us to introduce new impulses in our core business: service.

As you know, Deutsche Plasser provides a comprehensive service offer. It is our aim to become a one-stop shop for you, our esteemed customers. Your personal Key Account Manager at Deutsche Plasser will assist you and take care of your individual needs.

When it comes to the technical customer service, we have also set new focuses. Given the development towards Industry 4.0, we expect the next years to bring about far-reaching changes. We will adapt to them by offering constantly adjusted and high-quality services. This is why, in light of approaching generational changes, we are fully committed to ensuring the intensive training of our field staff so that the new team members will be able to benefit from our experts‘ knowledge and experi-ences in the best possible way. At the same time, the young members of staff have new knowledge, particularly on modern technologies. Moreover, we intend to spend even more time on site at the customers‘ and their machines in the future.

More and more electronic features are used on Plasser & Theurer machines. This trend is not only true for new machines. In cooperation with the manufacturer, Deutsche Plasser helps you choose the right upgrades for your machines: ranging from the Win-ALC NG automatic guiding computer to the DRP digital measurement recording system and a new rotation speed modulation for tamping units. The ex-perts at Deutsche Plasser are happy to assist you and to help you choose the right upgrade meeting you needs. This enables you to further increase your machine‘s output and availability. Ask your Key Account Manager!

Furthermore, we offer a higher level of planning security in the service and overhaul of your machines. We are pleased to assist you in planning the works. If you decide early on, we can provide the required spare parts in good time, which enables us to carry out service works in a short time, but in the well-known reliability and top quality Deutsche Plasser stands for. Moreover, early planning of the works on your machines helps us in buying the required parts. The benefits of such close collaborationare obvious: costs can be reduced while the availability of the machines can be further increased.

On the following pages, we report on these topics in detail, hoping to provide impetus for many interesting conversations to be held at the iaf in Münster. I look forward to welcoming you there on behalf of Deutsche Plasser!

YoursPeter Josef FlatscherManaging Director, Deutsche Plasser

Innovation for you: iaf 2017 How time flies – at the end of this May, the International Exhibition for Track Technology, iaf, will open its doors in Münster again. Every four years, this trade fair is the absolute highlight for our industry. Deutsche Plasser will be there too!

Peter Ramsauer, former Federal Minister for Transport, at the exhibition in 2013.

At iaf, manufacturers such as Plasser & Theurer show their innovations.

This leading trade fair in the track constructionindustry is a crowd puller.

Trade Fair Highlight of the Year

intErnational04 Deutsche Plasser UPDATE

This year, our presentation takes “Inno-vation for you“ as its theme. We will introduce our new service innovations to the fair visitors. These include two ser-vices we are able to offer in cooperation with the manufacturer Plasser & Theurer.

On offer for you: Work unit overhaul & machine upgrades Our extensive programme for the over-haul of work units comprising four options will be an important topic in Münster. Our experts will be there and help you find the best option for you. Our offer: Fixed prices without additio-nal costs charged afterwards (valid for general overhauls with original spare parts) and extended warranty. We do this, because we are convinced of one fact: the quality of our tamping units, even under the most difficult conditions. About 30 billion tamping insertions worldwide speak for themselves. Our major goal is ensuring both your satis-faction and the sustained availability of our products for as long as your machine will be in operation.

More and more electronic features are used on Plasser & Theurer machines. This development is not limited to new machines. Also machines that have been in operation for many years can be upgraded with new equipment. This enables further increases in performance. The individual upgrade solutions com-prise parts and components that signi-ficantly increase the performance and availability of your machines or extend their range of applications.

Planning security for machine maintenance and overhaul Our team is particular concerned with supporting you in the maintenance and overhaul of your machines in the

best possible way. We want to place a particular focus on higher planning security in future: An even earlier and closer cooperation with our customers enables us improve planning and to save valuable time. Moreover, the close cooperation allows for optimised logistic planning. This enables us to further re-duce costs – to the mutual benefit.

Our exhibition standThis year, the position of our exhibition stand will be a new highlight: You will find us in the South Exhibition Hall at a joint stand with Plasser & Theurer and other partner firms. Visit us and enjoy our well-known hospitality. Deutsche Plasser looks forward to wel-coming you in Münster!

#InnovationForYouThis year‘s joint presentation takes the theme “Innovation for you“. We invite you to share your trade fair impressions of Deutsche Plasser online on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #InnovationForYou.

We look forward to your posts!

informativE Deutsche Plasser UPDATE 05

Jürgen Duschner, Sales Manager of Deutsche Plasser: “Customers who align their maintenance and repair requirements with us greatly benefit from our experience.”

The early info bonus for the overhaul of tamping units ensures higher availability since all the necessary spare parts are provided on time.

Early info bonus

Mr. Duschner, a direct question: What actually

are the advantages for cus-tomers of Deutsche Plasser if they notify you of their upcoming maintenance re-quirements early on?Jürgen Duschner: Clearly, it’s about greater availability of the machines, first and foremost. The sooner we know which spare parts are needed for maintenance, the more time we have

to obtain them and the better we can ensure that they are available on time. Secondly, this results in a price advantage. If we know the needs for spare parts of several customers in advance, we can order larger batches and, consequently, purchase them at more favourable prices. These price advantages are passed on to our customers.

You’ve got some 13,000 spare parts directly in stock. Would you need more to meet all requirements at all times? Jürgen Duschner: Certainly! Our system lists 40,000 spare parts. Just imagine if we had them all in stock. This would cost huge sums. With the ones stocked in our warehouse, and these are quite a number, we safely cover most of the demand. However, there may still be occasional bottlenecks, such as in the case of rarely requested parts or of an unexpectedly large number of customers simultaneously asking for a specific unit or part.

This is why early information by the customer is so important to you?Jürgen Duschner: Yes, indeed it is! We discuss any possible bottlenecks with our customers early on, such as over-hauls or repairs scheduled for the winter season, in particular in respect of spare parts with longer delivery times. Some of our customers take up our suggestions and we cooperate on finding a solution. Our goal is and will always be the rapid and on-time delivery of spare parts in order not to delay completion of repairs, thus ensuring high availability of the machine.

What is your wish for the future?Basically, I believe that everything will function better if there is a balance be-tween give and take. That is why it is our wish for the future that, in their own interest, customers involve us in their plans for repairs or overhauls much earlier. We are always ready to develop and implement individual solutions to-gether with our customers. Ultimately, it is about our customers benefiting more from Deutsche Plasser’s long-term experience!

Thank you for the interview!

Companies giving early notification of their requirements for spare parts may expect their requests to be met more rapidly. Past experience shows that this is particularly true of the maintenance of machines and units. We asked Jürgen Duschner, Sales Manager and Authorised Signatory of Deutsche Plasser, for more details.

Further improved coordination

New technologies assist the service technicians in their work on the machine.

Service 4.0 Digitisation and new technologies create new opportunities allowing even higher levels of quality and availability to be reached.

New approaches for the benefit of operators and service providers

“Industry 4.0“ is ubiquitous. Used to cover many things, this concept ultimately re-fers to the digitisation and networking of existing technologies. This article focuses on the resulting opportunities for machine operators and service pro-viders. Moreover, it introduces examples of optimised processes enabling cost savings and further increases in service quality and machine availability.

Machine upgrades: new functions, more outputMore and more electronic features are used on track maintenance machines. This development is not limited to new

machines. Machines that have been in operation for many years can also be upgraded with new equipment. Manu-facturers such as Plasser & Theurer offer various upgrade solutions comprising parts and components that significantly increase the machines‘ performance and availability or extend their range of applications.

These upgrades range from the Win-ALC NG automatic guiding computer to the DRP digital measurement recording system, PlasserDatamatic for remote diagnosis and a new rotation speed modulation for tamping units.

Deutsche Plasser collaborates closely with the manufacturer and provides its customers with optimal advice. On the basis of the long-standing, close re-lations to our customers, our service experts and the machine operator can jointly assess if and when a machine should be upgraded.

If a customer opts for a machine up-grade, we carry out the respective works, preferably during scheduled servicing works on the machine. This ensures that the best possible solu-tion is chosen competently and that it is implemented expertly. The upgrade is

innovativE Deutsche Plasser UPDATE 07

Considerable time-savings thanks to the connected access to warehouse stocks.

concluded with extensive training ma-king it possible to make full use of the new functions and fields of application.

Digitisation and networking of established processesNew technological opportunities created by Industry 4.0 also enable the further optimisation of well-proven processes. One example is our so-called “e-report“:For many years, the report itself has been used by our field staff. Once a job has been completed, our service techni-cians fill in the report and discuss it with the customer. Then it is signed by both.

Until only recently, a copy of this report was handed out to the customer. The ori-ginal was finished at our head office in Munich. Now, the entire field staff have been equipped with tablets allowing the report to be filled in and signed electro-nically. The completed report is sent via email from the work site to the relevant departments at Deutsche Plasser and the requested departments at the customer.

This solution is well-received by the ma-chine operators. In fact, its reception is so positive that some of our customers have already provided email addres-ses to send the report to immediately following signing at the work site. The customers‘ benefit is obvious: Within the shortest possible time, they have a de-tailed overview of the works carried out and the status of the respective machine. As a result, the machine‘s use can be scheduled more exactly and in less time.

Digital spare parts catalogues and ac-cess to warehouse stocks help unlock additional potential. Thus, the use of connected, digital devices saves time and makes it possible to perform estab-lished processes faster.

Remote diagnosis with PlasserDatamaticPlasserDatamatic enables remote diag-nosis for all Plasser & Theurer machines fitted with the P-IC control system. This modular extension gives both machine operators and service providers access to machine data and processes. The decision to access this data, however, always remains with the customer – this is important to us. Remote access is only possible using a key switch to be activated by the customer.

The system offers two configurations: The module “PlasserDatamatic-LifeInfo“ aims at schedulers and operations ma-nagers. Important process data such as the GPS position and working direction of each machine can be accessed on-line and on mobile devices at any time.

The module “PlasserDatamatic Recorder“ automatically com- bines all processes of the ma-chine on-line with a database. Processes, machine settings and work parameters are linked with the absolute GPS position and are saved for each stage of work. The recorded data can be used for further analy-ses and evaluation, contribu-ting to the efficient planning of machine maintenance.

This extension creates new service opportunities. If inci- dents occur, the machine‘s status can be checked im-mediately. As a result, our field staff can prepare jobs better, for instance by bringing the required spare parts. Ide-ally, malfunctions can be reme-died using PlasserDatamatic, making field service unne-

cessary. This saves costs, but also va-luable time, which can be used for ma-chine operation.

Logistics: Improved planning capability, higher availability, more cost benefitsWhile it might not benefit directly from digitisation, spare parts logistics is, nonetheless, crucial to optimal service processes and should, therefore, not go unmentioned. This field has potential for optimisation, which the improvement of processes can unlock.

The early planning of maintenance works is particularly important. It allows us to order larger lots of the required spare parts and wearing parts and enables cost benefits that we pass on to the customer. In addition, early scheduling

increases the reliability of maintenance dates which can dependably be met. This ensures the machine‘s high level of availability.In this context, service contracts should be mentioned. Service contracts are in-

dividual service offers helping operators plan the operation of their machine while making it more reliable. In accordance with the predefined service cycles and the scheduled machine operations, a maintenance schedule tailored to the

company’s individual needs can be developed.

The close cooperation with the operator during planning en-ables us to develop new time models for machine servicing. In the railway sector, machines are usually serviced in the so-called “winter season“, when there are no construction sites. However, taking scheduled operations during construction season into account, time windows can be found during which the machines will not be used. These seemingly atypical times can be used for machine servicing.

Staff management: far-sighted planning and trainingStaff management in another area in which service providers can set focuses by consciously shaping processes. Far-sighted planning makes it possible to prevent the expertise and experience of staff members leaving the company from being lost for good.

For many years, Deutsche Plasser has been using a long-term planning ap-proach. If a service technician retires, the transition period starts up to five years in advance. We know from experience that new member of staff need training on the job for about three to five years to enable them to live up to the high require-ments to be met by our field staff. During this phase of training, new members of staff regularly work together with expe-rienced colleagues to enable them to benefit from their knowledge and expe-rience. In turn, experienced colleagues can benefit from the “young“ colleagues‘ skills, particularly when it comes to new media. While long-standing members of staff have to get used to the new tech-nologies, younger colleagues use them intuitively. As a result, the team members can support each other.

Digitisation and process optimisation: it pays offDigitisation and networking offers major benefits for service providers. The ex-amples mentioned above show the considerable effect small measures can have. Time-savings, optimised logistics, transparency: all these advantages bene-fit both operators and service providers.

Combined with general process optimi-sation and by taking as much information as possible into account significant im-provements for the provision of services can be achieved. Ultimately, these im-provements increase the machines availability and reduce costs.

Machine upgrades such as the Win -ALC NG automatic guiding computer improve both output and availability of a machine and expand its fields of application.

innovativE08 Deutsche Plasser UPDATE

Teamwork benefits the exchange of knowledge and experience.

Having many parts on stock enables us to deliver them rapidly and reliably.

We wanted to find out more! Deutsche Plasser attaches great importance to clear customer orientation and, by the same token, to a high level of customer satisfaction. Not content with subjective impressions and gut feeling, we wanted to find out more.

Customer satisfaction

For this reason, we conducted another survey among our customers in

2016 in which we addressed the topics and departments that are likely to en-sure our customers’ satisfaction with the services we render. In choosing the topics and phrasing the questions, we focused on our aim of obtaining objec-tive results on the quality of our work. Below we present a brief overview of the most interesting findings.

The resultsBased on the German school grading system (1 = excellent, 5 = poor) res-pondents could comment on different topics, the general outcome being very positive for us. In all areas we were graded either “excellent” or “good”.

Regarding the assessment of our de-partments, our service for tamping units scored best closely followed by

our maintenance workshop in Opladen. Within the topics section we obtained the best grades for our know-how and our experience. Our availability over the phone, our reliability, quality of service and speed of delivery also scored excel-lently, a result we appreciate very much.

However, the results also identify areas where we have to try even harder in the future. This is particularly true of our sales department for spare parts and wear parts and of our price/per-formance ratio.

Measures for further improvement In distribution, we have switched to a Key Account Management system ex-pected to provide major improvements in our customers service. Under this system, customers now are assigned

to specific key account managers who take care of their requests and are able to provide the best possible ad-vice owing to their close relations with customers.

We have addressed the issue of the price/performance ratio with two new offers. As already announced last year, we provide four options for recondi-tioning tamping units involving: fixed prices without any later charges (for general overhaul using original spare parts) as well as extended warranty.

This is now supplemented by tailor-made offers to upgrade your Plasser & Theurer machine. Current models increasingly work with the help of electronic means, which can also be added to machines in use for many years in order to en-

hance their performance. The individual upgrade solutions combine components and parts to greatly improve the output and availability of your machine or widen its range of application.

The result: a mission for Deutsche PlasserWe are very pleased with the con-sistently positive results, but we also take the constructive suggestions seriously and will try to make further improvements. Many measures have already been implemented, and we will continue to work hard to improve the service for our customers on an ongoing basis and in all areas. We are, therefore, glad to receive each custo-mer feedback that helps us to achieve this aim.

The service for tamping units and their components scored particularly well.

service for machines in maintenance workshops

technical customer service

service for other units

service for tamping units

sales of spare parts & wear parts

1 1,2 1,4 1,6 1,8 2 2,2

1 1,2 1,4 1,6 1,8 2 2,2 2,4 2,6

comparison of criteria

comparison of departments

price/performance ration

quality of service

processing of complaints

speed of delivery

contents and scope of offers

know-how and experience of contacts

availability over the phone

service for machines in maintenance workshops

technical customer service

service for other units

service for tamping units

sales of spare parts & wear parts

1 1,2 1,4 1,6 1,8 2 2,2

1 1,2 1,4 1,6 1,8 2 2,2 2,4 2,6

comparison of criteria

comparison of departments

price/performance ration

quality of service

processing of complaints

speed of delivery

contents and scope of offers

know-how and experience of contacts

availability over the phone

Deutsche Plasser UPDATE 11informativE

1 = excellent2 = good3 = satisfactory4 = sufficient5 = poor

One of the core competences of the building industry, while working on

existing assets, is to largely ensure the continued provision and availability of the operational rail infrastructure with the help of existing technologies and re-cognised process technology.

Composed of representatives of the building industry and employees of DB Netz AG, a joint expert group addressed the topic of “technological framework conditions for the permanent way“ for the purpose of systematically optimising the fundamentals used in planning track renewal measures for rail infrastructure. This exercise was to provide specific criteria in support of taking decisions on defined planning parameters and thus to ensure high-quality construction while at the same time maintaining continued rail service.

PLaNNINg PaRaMETERS IN RESPECT Of

LOCaL CONDITIONS single- or multiple-track sections or site access,

ECONOMIC EffICIENCylength of renewal and train service in adjacent track as well as recycling of materials,

ThE ENvIRONMENToptimisation of the period of construction as well as reduction of noise and CO2,

SafETythrough assembly line technology,

have been included to this end.

The user has a decision chart (Figure 1) which helps him choose the appropriate process technology. The construction process chosen in the early planning phase and the defined process techno-

logy form the basis for optimised track possession planning.

An explanatory catalogue (for excerpts see below) has been compiled to support the choice of appropriate processes and thus ensure a uniform understanding on how to apply specifically assigned premises.

Explanatory notes on the decision chart for track constructionAssistance in the selection of appropriate processes

Single- or multiple-track section In conventional renewal work on only one track with the track to be renewed being in front of the machine, building materials must be handled several times including their temporary storage. In ge-neral, the conventional method is thus only applied to cases where at least two adjacent tracks can be used for renewal

Economic track construction

Moving and building, a core competence of the building industry!

The marked increase in funds set aside for the necessary mainte-nance and replacement of existing rail infrastructure at DB AG has also resulted in restrictions on the availability of this infrastructure due to partial and full track possessions and the resultant diverted services under current site planning arrangements.

Author: Axel-Björn Hüper, former Chief Executive Officer of DB ProjektBau Axel-Björn Hüper, former Chief Executive Officer of DB ProjektBau

Excavating chain of the RM900VB

Deutsche Plasser UPDATE 13innovativE

or where the entire site can be served via an additional access road. With the use of an assembly line process it is possible to manage the work site on only one track without affecting the output of the machine systems.

Installation independent of weather conditions (limitation on building pit)The carrying capacity of the substructure will influence the choice of the process since the loads generated by the machines must be taken up and absorbed by the formation. If, as is the case with conven-tional construction methods, the formation is directly driven onto, special care must be taken to ensure that it has sufficient carrying capacity. Otherwise, uneven subsidence could occur and affect the quality of the work done and the service life of the infrastructure asset built.Precipitation events, in turn, change the carrying capacity of the soil depending on the type of soil. The uncontrolled ad-dition of water especially in cohesive soils (silt, clay, etc.) will result in reduced carrying capacity and make the applica-

tion of conventional construction methods more difficult. The assembly line process presents an alternative technical solution.

In constant and heavy rainfall, the quality of ballast cleaning will be compromised without additional ballast treatment. Ap-propriate conclusions are to be drawn on site.

Site access (easy/difficult)Access to the work site will influence site management in respect of trans-porting the necessary tools and materials to and from a work site. The assembly line method is basically a means of completing the entire site job on-track, making it virtually independent of access roads. By contrast, difficult site access conditions in conventional renewal ope-rations will result in increasing require-ments for logistics, storage options and construction processes.The results of the optimisation analysis have shown that, with due regard to available process technologies in the early planning stage and based on redu-

ced construction periods and continued train service in the adjacent track of multiple-track sections, it is possible to move and build on-track without full track possession and thus to increase the availability of the line’s capacity. If these principles are consistently applied by those responsible for planning, the objective of moving and building will no longer be an attempt to square the circle.

Decision criteria for track renewalassistance in the selection of processes

* Replacement of track panel and ballast rehabilitation in a track section

** Planned

Figure 1:Source: Expert group of the building industry and DB Netz concerning technological framework conditions for the permanent way 2016

CONVENTIONAL

LOCAL CONDITIONS

ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY

ENVIRONMENT

SAFETY

ASSEMBLY LINE METHOD

single- or multiple-track section

installation independent of weather conditions (limitation on building pit)

station track/obstacles

length of renewal < 1200 m

length of renewal ≥ 1200 m

reduction of transport for material supply and removal

optimisation of track possessions

optimisation of employer’s HR (PL, building supervision, etc.)

quality of work / material-friendly treatment

train service in adjacent track

reduction of environmental impact in residential areas (through transport)

reduction of environmental impact (e.g. GEPRO study)

reduction of period of impact

safety on-site

material management

distance between centres of tracks < 3.6 m

distance between centres of tracks ≥ 3.6 m (machine-related)

easy site access difficult site access

TRACK RENEWAL*

sustainability (use of material)**

Dirk Thormann in interview

Many schools of thought presume that every seven years a new development cycle sets in. The maintenance work-shop Leverkusen-Opladen has been in operation for seven years now. How would you, therefore, see the first major period of the workshop’s development?Dirk Thormann: Definitely positive! One might say that throughout these seven years it has been on a consistent up-ward trend. In measurable terms, we re-corded an annual growth of roughly 5%. Or take our staff: today we have 45 em-ployees or three times as many as in the beginning. Eleven are apprentices, by

the way. We need them since, compared with the first years in which many components were disassembled and over-hauled elsewhere, we now carry out almost all the jobs directly in our workshop.

Let us take a closer look at your employees for a mo-ment. Eleven apprentices are quite a lot, aren’t they?Dirk Thormann: Yes, and we are proud of it. Apprentices are extremely important to us. Through in-house training, we obtain skilled workers

with the qualifications we need for our industry. The first four apprentices who completed their apprenticeship with us have meanwhile become our employees. Every year we take on an additional two or three and, provided we continue to grow, will employ them later as well.

Has your service portfolio changed in these seven years?Dirk Thormann: Well, of course. Owing to the enhanced skills of our workers and the extension of our fleet of machines and tools, we now can perform almost all jobs in our workshop. Reconditioning

of transducers and pendula, reconditioning and repair of bogies and wheelsets in-cluding the gearbox or troubleshooting in general: all this was not possible when we started up in Leverkusen-Opladen. What have been the most interesting jobs? Dirk Thormann: In 2013, our highlight was an RMW 1500 ballast cleaning machine which had to be repaired within three months after an accident. This was a very tight schedule, but we managed to keep to it, with the customer being fully satisfied on completion. In 2014, there were two true challenges. We had to deal with a completely burnt-out SSP 110 SW ballast plough, which we rebuilt entirely within six months. We had to repair the hydraulic and electric system, the engine, wheel-sets, shoulder ploughs, cabins and in-numerable small parts. Afterwards the machine was sold and is still in use today. And then there was the USP 4000 S ballast plough from Sweden, where we overhauled the hydraulic and electric system completely, had to rebuild the units and diesel engine and installed a new profiling plough.

In 2010, the maintenance workshop Leverkusen-Opladen was opened, with Dirk Thormann at its helm since inception. Nobody knows this success story better than he does. We invited Dirk Thormann for an interview, in which we also learned more about particularly important maintenance aspects today’s machine operators need to be mindful of.

Annual review

informativE14 Deutsche Plasser UPDATE

Dirk Thormann has been Head of the maintenance workshop Leverkusen-Opladen since its opening in 2010. With an annual average growth of 5% its performance is something to be proud of.

Eleven of the 45 employees in Leverkusen-Opladen are apprentices. They are extremely important for the workshop as here they learn the skills needed for the job. The first four apprentices who have already completed their apprenticeship have mean-while become regular employees of the workshop.

Between October 2015 and April 2017, the workshop has been working at full capacity including maintenance, servicing, overhauls and a number of repairs following accidents.

How do you see the development of the customer structure? Dirk Thormann: Basically, we have a number of SME customers who regularly come back to us with their machines. In addition, we can say that almost all major players in the market are among our regulars. Although these compa-nies perform most of the jobs in their own workshops, we do get involved again and again. This usually is the case whenever their in-house capacities are overstretched or our special exper-tise is needed.

What are the customers’ expectations when they approach you?Dirk Thormann: The answer is quite easy: basically, we are expected to render a complete service, meaning that our customers get each and every job done within a short period of time and at a reasonable price.

How was the last business year, i.e. 2016? Dirk Thormann: Well, fortunately we have no reason to complain. Between October 2015 and April 2017 we have been working at full capacity. The jobs done included and still include main-tenance, servicing, overhauls and a number of repairs following accidents.

We are confident that this trend will continue. There are a number of major and interesting jobs in our order books for the next main season in 2017/18.

What happened to the traditional summer slump? Dirk Thormann: There has been quite a change. This has certainly to do with winters that are no longer as cold as they used to be in our country. In fact, there is only one month left during which our customers cannot work because of low temperatures. And this has prompted many of them to schedule maintenance jobs over the whole year. Those who still

wait for the winter season to have their machines serviced do so mainly be-cause they have always done it that way.

The new BahnStadt Opladen [a major urban renewal programme on former railway premises] is being developed in close proximity to the workshop. Does this have any impact on the maintenance workshop? Dirk Thormann: The positive thing about the BahnStadt is that we have a modern railway station nearby and that the road infrastructure has been upgraded.

Thank you for the interview!

Although many companies carry out servicing and repair in their own work shops, the maintenance workshop in Leverkusen-Opladen has been well-booked for years. Quality, reliability and flexibility are factors appreciated in our industry.

UNIMAT 09-4x4/4S DYNAMIC

Successful launch of theturnout tamping machine in Poland The new Unimat 09-4x4/4S Dynamic has been in operation for the Polish track maintenance contractor Torpol S.A. since 2016. A major reason for this successful launch was the support during commissioning and delivery of the machine.

Maintenance activities are expected to soar in Poland in the coming five years. Wojciech Musiał took over management of our Polish branch in Wroclaw as of 1st January 2017.

The latest control technology is omni-present in the cockpit of the new machine.

Modernisation of the rail network in Poland has greatly advanced in recent years. Between 2014 and 2015 alone, 697 turnouts were renewed. Under-standably, the question arose if there was a machine concept that would help to manage this task more efficiently. A state-of-the art response was given by the track maintenance contractor Torpol S.A., which decided in 2014 to purchase a new Unimat 09-4x4/4S Dy-namic turnout tamping machine. It is one of the first machines in the world to enable continuous working action and both 3-rail lifting and 4-rail tamping. In addition, a dynamic track stabiliser is integrated in the machine.

Comprehensive support from the very beginningIn order to unlock the full potential of complex machines of this kind from their first use, Deutsche Plasser stuck to its tried and tested policy of providing comprehensive support from the out-set. Torpol S.A.’s machine operators were invited to the training centre of Plasser & Theurer in Linz/Austria and to the training centre of Deutsche Plasser in Bingen/Germany to familiarise them with the theoretical and practical aspects of operating the machine. The training sessions on the 3D simulator, in parti-cular, greatly helped to gain practical experience in handling the machine.

Service engineers on-site during first operationsFrom commissioning onwards, two service engineers of Deutsche Plasser were present. When in April 2016 the

machine operated on a first real work site on the premises of Torpol S.A. in Konin, service engineers of Deutsche Plasser were there to provide support.

Not least owing to this first-class sup-port, the Unimat 09-4x4/4S Dynamic has been deployed with great success and performed roughly 300,000 tamping insertions since then.

Equipped for Poland and NorwaySince Torpol S.A. is also active interna-tionally, the Unimat 09-4x4/4S Dynamic

has been equipped with all the technical and safety-related components neces-sary for its operation in both Poland and Norway.

Wojciech Musiał, Branch Manager of Deutsche Plasser in Poland: “The Unimat 09-4x4/4S Dynamic is the first machine of its kind in Poland. It was all the more important, therefore, to provide intensive support to Torpol S.A. from the very beginning to ensure its success. Today we may say that we managed to do this with aplomb!“

UnImat 09-4x4/4S DYnamIc:State-of-the-art turnout tamping

. Universal tamping units with 16 continuous-action tilting tines. Pivoting suspension of the tamping units for better maintenance of turnouts. Rotation speed modulation and frequency synchronisation of tamping units for better operational convenience and longer service life . Low axle loads (approx. 20 t => line category C2). Axles with hotbox detector. P-IC 2.0 control system, WIN-ALC, DRP data recording processor and CAL curve laser . Fully automatic SPS control system. Greater precision, also in curves. New cabin design including improved ergonomics

With the new Unimat 09-4x4/4S Dynamic turnout tamping machine, the Polish track maintenance contractor Torpol S.A. acquired one of the first machines of this type in the world. The machine enables continuous working action and both 3-rail lifting and 4-rail tamping. In addition, a dynamic track stabiliser is integrated in the machine.

In order to unlock the machine’s full potential from its first use, its operators received intensive support by service engineers of Deutsche Plasser from the outset.

Deutsche Plasser UPDATE 17intErnational

Plasser & Theurer‘s new E³ hybrid drive concept allows the machine to

be powered either via a diesel engine or via an electric motor using the electrical energy of the contact wire. Indepen-dently of each other, both drive systems can generate the energy required, i.e. the hydraulic pressure for all systems, from the hydrostatic drive for transfer travel and work travel to the work units.

hybrid concept creates new market opportunitiesKrebs Gleisbau AG is the first Swiss contractor to set store by the new drive technology. In 2015, the company was awarded an international tender for track maintenance machine technology of SBB, BLS and TPF*. The contractors wanted offers for trendsetting and sus-tainable innovations in the operation of the track maintenance machines. Ulti-mately, the E3 hybrid drive system was crucial for winning the tender.

Deutsche Plasser joins commissioningand first work site operations As early as in 2015, the preparation for this task started shortly after the con-tracts had been awarded. Staff mem-bers of the Technical Customer Service completed a specialist training in elec-trical engineering. During the machine manufacture, they spent several weeks at Plasser & Theurer in Linz to get to know the machine.John Uwumarogie is one of the staff members who familiarised themselves with the machine in Linz. Being a high-voltage electrician, he is particularly qualified for servicing a machine of this kind. When in November 2016 the machine‘s commissioning began in Dietikon, Switzerland, he joined the manufacturer‘s service technicians and experts on site to carry out possible service works quickly and compe-tently. In addition, he took part in the machine‘s first work site operations, for the last time in March 2017.

In November 2016, commissioning of the Unimat 09-32/4S Dynamic E3 universal turnout tamping machine of Krebs Gleisbau AG as well as staff training began in Dietikon, Switzerland. On behalf of Deutsche Plasser, the service technician John Uwumarogie joined the experts of the manufacturer in their work, supporting the customer‘s staff during the first operations of the machines.

Machine during night-time operation in Kallnach, canton of Bern

Unimat 09-32/4S Dynamic E3

Smooth commissioning in Switzerland

In mid-march, we were able to reach Mr Uwumarogie in Switzerland to talk about the commissioning of the machine.

Mr Uwumarogie, how did the commis-sioning of the machine go?It went very well. The machine has been in service for three months. There

have been no major problems. It was of course necessary to carry out some ad-justments or repairs from time to time, but the operations were completed successfully.

So, the customer is satisfied with the machine?Yes, indeed. The problems that oc-curred were absolutely normal for the commissioning of a new machine. We were able to solve them quickly. This allowed us to ensure the machine‘s high level of availability.

The machine‘s commissioning phase was scheduled to take three months, which is more time than for other ma-chines. Why was this decision taken?In general, the commissioning of a machine takes about ten shifts. Our long years of experience and the close collaboration with the manufacturer make it possible to solve prob-lems, should they occur, and to smoothly integra-te the machine into the operator‘s work flow.Due to the new drive technology, more time was scheduled for this machine. As a result, the customer could rely on the smooth commissio-

ning and we were able to gain valuable experiences that will benefit the com-missioning of machines with E3 techno-logy in future.

Where in Switzerland has the machine been used so far?We have travelled a lot! Mainly in the German-speaking regions such as Mar-garethen, Bern and Zurich, but also in other regions, for instance close to Nyon. We had a good time. Now, how-ever, I am looking forward to getting home and then, of course, to the next challenge.

* SBB – Swiss Federal Railways; BLS – Private Railway in Switzerland, contracted by seven cantons; TPF – Transports Publics Fribourgeois

Unimat 09-32/4S Dynamic E³ universal tamping machine of Krebs Gleisbau AG

John Uwumarogie during the commissioning of the machine in Switzerland

The machine‘s tamping unit

Deutsche Plasser UPDATE 19intErnational

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