Demand in the rail sector is increasing worldwide. In Belgium, passenger transport is forecast to grow by 9% and freight transport by 62% between 2012 and 2030. ÖBB plans to double the capacity of its main lines by 2040. Greater infrastructure availability is essential, while long diversions and rail replacement services must be minimized.

With track possessions becoming shorter and a shortage of qualified staff, infrastructure managers and contractors face major challenges. Progressive automation of track maintenance machines offers a solution. Digital products support operating staff, reduce interfaces, create process reliability, and increase the output achieved. Familiarization times and training requirements for operation go down. In addition, staff can now monitor and carry out several maintenance tasks simultaneously.

The Plasser SmartTamping initiative uses the advantages of a digital product framework to support railways in addressing upcoming challenges. The automated systems control the work process, ensure quality, and unburden operating staff. Digital documentation creates added value for infrastructure managers. Camera systems and remote operation increase safety by keeping people out of danger zones.

Plasser SmartTamping supports core track maintenance processes with automated positioning of tamping units (Plasser TampingAssistant), automated tamping parameters (Plasser TampingControl), and digital post-measurement management (Plasser TampingReport). Laser sensors and AI-based analyses are integrated into the machine control system and offer end-to-end digitalization from pre-measuring to post-measuring.

Bringing more trains onto existing tracks requires efficiently planned and implemented construction measures. There are different strategies for infrastructure asset management around the world. Standardized, high-quality maintenance combined with end-to-end solutions reduces costs and additional work.

Our approach: precise measurements lead to better planning, efficient execution, and transparent documentation as a basis for future measures.

In order to cope with the required growth in rail traffic in the coming years, it is essential to further increase the availability of the railway infrastructure. With shorter maintenance windows and a shrinking workforce of skilled rail welders, infrastructure managers are under pressure to maintain reliability and reduce life cycle management costs.

An advanced robotic welding system is now proving that the future of railway maintenance is smart, efficient and fully automated.

Switches are one of the most maintenance intensive components of railway infrastructure. They take a beating from constant train traffic, and when they fail they cause major disruption. Traditional maintenance methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and dependent on a workforce that is increasingly hard to find.

That’s where automation comes in. A fully robotic welding system is now available and offers

• Unmatched precision – robots don’t get tired or make mistakes. Every weld is made to within a millimeter.
• Faster maintenance – shorter track closures mean less disruption to passengers and freight.
• Safer operations – Reduced need for human workers in high-risk areas.
• Lower lifecycle costs – Fewer emergency repairs through more preventative work.

A pioneering use case for robotics and automation will be presented for the welding of rails and switches. Following pre-homologation for the welding of R260Mn rails in 2024 and the introduction of a fully automated switch maintenance repair process. The technical aspects of preventive maintenance and repair of various materials, including R350HT and X120Mn12, will be discussed. In addition, a stationary maintenance and repair approach to optimize frog geometry, which is the basis for long switch frog life, will be discussed.

However, it is not only the technology that needs to be further developed, but also the way in which tenders, contracts and operational executions need to be organized to enable new ways of robot-assisted track maintenance.