Dual Inventive and Plasser & Theurer join forces to increase railway uptime

The goal of this partnership is to increase the output of track work machines, reducing the downtime for the closing procedure of tracks, whilst improving the track worker safety.

The signing of the agreement by Dual Inventive who have an office in Doncaster, CEO Jacob Zeeman and Plasser & Theurer CEO Johannes Max-Theurer, will see improved collaboration and knowledge sharing between the two organisations, with them initially working to equip every new Plasser & Theurer OTM (On Track Machine) operating in a track circuited area with two ZKL 3000 devices, for protection of the adjacent line.

Dual Inventive’s ZKL 3000 is a smart, self-monitoring T-COD (track circuit operating device), approved for use by multiple infrastructure managers around the world. It immediately protects a section of track upon installation between the two rails, by simulating traffic in the section.

Plasser & Theurer CEO Johannes Max-Theurer and Plasser & Theurer Global Director of Technology and Innovation Florian Auer confirmed the initiative during a visit to the Dual Inventive Fieldlab in Oisterwijk on June 23 where the first ZKL 3000 to be installed in a tamping machine was handed over to Plasser & Theurer.

Florian Auer said: “Plasser & Theurer cares about the safety of operators. By implementing Dual Inventive’s safety devices, Plasser & Theurer wishes to remove people from a position of danger and put them in control of their own safety.”

Jacob Zeeman added: “By applying the newest technologies in OTMs, we accelerate robotisation and efficiency in the railway sector together. The extra hours gained in organising a possession can be used to enable more trains to run, or to allow more work to be undertaken each shift.”

The collaboration subsequently focuses on Track Workers Safety Equipment for OTMs, with the aim of eventually having track worker safety systems integrated directly into the OTMs using a SIL 4 Machine Warning System. Direct communication between the OTM and the interlocking will improve safety and increase the output of track work machines.

Dual Inventive specialises in technology products aimed at improving the safety and efficiency for those working on track, thereby maximising infrastructure capacity. The Dutch technology company has many years of international experience in organising the workplace safer and more efficiently with its proprietary European SIL 4 cloud and systems for fast and safe track access.

Plasser & Theurer is the only manufacturer in the world that offers a complete range of machines covering the laying and maintenance of railway tracks.

For further information about Dual Inventive visit: https://dualinventive.com/en/

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