RAIL.ONE using block trains for local traffic project for first time

Almost 9,000 concrete sleepers supplied for renewal of island railway on Borkum

Neumarkt, 7 October 2013 – The RAIL.ONE Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of concrete sleepers and systems provider for railway tracks, is supplying Borkumer Kleinbahn und Dampfschiffahrt GmbH & Co. KG on the island of Borkum with a total of 8,920 concrete sleepers. The type TBS 900 WS 49 sleepers are being fabricated at RAIL.ONE’s Neumarkt facility. For the first time in RAIL.ONE’s history, block trains will be used for transportation in a local rail project.

Borkum is the most westerly, and at 36 square kilometres the largest of the seven East Frisian islands. Since as long ago as 1888, the island railway, also known as the “little” railway due to its narrow gauge of 900 mm, has been transporting residents and visitors from the ferry terminal to the eponymous island town. This island railway, the oldest in Germany, has a double track line 7.5 km long. RAIL.ONE had already supplied the concrete sleepers to replace one track in 2007. The company has now yet again won the order to produce the sleepers for the second track on the North Sea island. The sleepers are being produced in the company’s Neumarkt facility. Delivery of the first 4,500 sleepers was started at the end of week 40 and is set to be completed by week 41. “Due to the lower volumes involved in urban transit projects, block trains with around 15 to 25 cars are generally used only for Deutsche Bahn construction projects for mainline or high-speed rail," says Manfred Schmitz, Head of Urban Transit Sales at RAIL.ONE GmbH. "I am very proud that for the Borkum Island Railway we were able to use this means of transport for the first time and also reduced the environmental impact due to shifting transport from road to rail." Theodor Robbers, Managing Director and Rail Operations Manager of the island railway adds: “Transport by rail is safer, more convenient and punctual. RAIL.ONE GmbH made an excellent choice for delivery of the "Borkum" sleeper to the island with its maritime climate."

Caption:
Loading the block train with TBS sleepers at the Neumarkt factory

About the PCM RAILONE Group

The PCM RAILONE Group has been manufacturing concrete sleepers and track systems for urban transit and long-distance rail transportation for over 60 years. The technology leader also offers its expertise in the fields of engineering and plant construction. Its customer-driven innovations fulfill the highest quality standards and are installed around the world

The PCM RAILONE Group is comprised of several companies and eleven production facilities with a presence in Germany, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain, South Korea, Hungary, Turkey, the United States, Canada and lndia. lt maintains annual capacities of over 5 million track sleepers and 840,000 linear meters of turnout sleepers. RAILONE produces optimized products and custom solutions with over 550 employees around the world.