"…the maximum possible availability of overhead line for electric train operations, if available technical solutions can be economically justified…"
(UIC Leaflet 791R, Quality assurance of overhead line equipment, General)

Since this paragraph was included in the UIC Leaflets, the structural change in the railway administrations has further increased the pressure on the individual areas of responsibility. Increasingly, each business sector has to fulfil its duties to a great extent independently, with a high degree of responsibility, according to very precise specifications in technical and above all commercial aspects.

The following descriptions show that mechanisation in the installation and maintenance of catenary is an important contribution for maximum possible availability of the overhead lines for electric train operations and, from an economical point of view, these technical solutions cannot be ignored.

Developments in mechanisation for the catenary installation and maintenance machines have been concentrated on two interconnected sectors.

This is primarily the installation of a contact wire and/or carrying cable in one operation with the final operating tension, which leads to a dramatic reduction of line occupation. The machines can be equipped with winch units for the installation of up to three wires simultaneously. Winch units of the latest generation permit free selection of the direction of work regardless of which way the machine is facing. Catenary designs with feeder cables and return current conductors can also be installed using the catenary renewal machine.

The second large field of activities are catenary installation vehicles in a variety of sizes and ranges of equipment to provide the technician with fast and ideal access to the point of work using work platforms with a high degree of freedom. A variety of equipment assists execution of the work and substantially accelerates it overall.

Partly mechanised installation of contact wire:

• min. 2 track possessions
• 9 + 6 hours per section

Fully mechnised installation of contact wire using catenary renewal train (FUZ)

• 1 track possession
• 5 hours per section

"The cost-efficiency calculations, that served as a basis for the planning of the systems, anticipated cost savings of approx. 40%. The actual savings achieved were far surpassed: 60% on average. Thus, the return on investment (ROI) for this machine and work technology is already reached after about 4.5 years."
(Source: Moderne Arbeitsgeräte und Erhaltungsstrategien für Oberleitungsanlagen im Bereich der ÖBB; Alfred Gruber, Franz Kurzweil, Johann Auer, Johann Kohel; Der Eisenbahningenieur, issue 6+7 2001)

Since the beginning of the industrial era, the mechanisation of stages of production always followed the same objectives: to reduce the heavy manual work of individuals and cut back on staff overall achieving production rate in improved quality, optimised in terms of time and cost.

Continuous action track construction is not only limited to track laying and track maintenance work. Today, machines and machine systems are available for all types of application, ranging from formation rehabilitation to the installation and maintenance of overhead catenary.

An important role in the success of mechanised installation and maintenance of catenary is played by the application of coordinated systems such as the catenary renewal trains. The basis concept here is to operate the group of machines, which are coordinated in terms of speed and output, to perform the stages of assembly slightly displaced in time and/or path, but with the same progress of work. In this way the gain in output achieved by each separate machine can be converted into shortened line occupation times.

Even a simple exchange of catenary is split up into many different, repetitive, stages of work. However, the duration and quantity of these repetitions do clearly differ. The removal of the old contact wire and the installation of the new contact wire at final cable tension virtually with continual forward motion of the machines, during the finally assembly at the brackets, fixation of all connecting points, installation of droppers, etc. are at a fixed pace (machine moves forward - machine stops / work is performed - machine moves forward, etc.). Only a coordinated machine concept enables the ideal utilisation of each machine and prevents unproductive waiting time.

winch unit

elevating work platform

three-section work platform

• winch units to install the wires with final cable tension (final tension for train operation)
• freely turning elevating work platform, suitable for holding high shearing forces, for access to all catenary components even behind the poles to perform various assembly and maintenance jobs
• three-section work platform for simultaneous access to the catenary at various heights and lateral extension from a platform system

Variable requirements as regards the number of work units and carrier vehicles, transfer speeds, tractive forces of the individual machines, crew facilities, transport of material, other additional equipment, produce a variety of possible models of the individual machines in the same way as the composition of the entire train.

Cost savings using modern catenary renewal trains

Reduced worksite costs

• Continuous working action with final mechanical wire tension at high working speed
• Installation of the catenary with final cable tension all assembly work to be performed in one track possession
• Reduced requirement of man-hours with a higher output per track possession
• Completion of all jobs in one track possession simplifies operational logistics and worksite preparation
• Short set-up time and high transfer speed
• Reduction of additional operating costs

Extension of the service life of the catenary system

• The installation of the catenary with final cable tension precludes the phase of wire stretching which leads to waviness of the wire and therefore irregularities
• Fully mechanised and electronically monitored installation of contact wire and carrying cable guarantees uniform, non-damaging unrolling of the wires and cables
• The quality of unrolling of contact wire and carrying cable can be checked and stored using automatic recordings
• Proper handling ensures that all catenary components are treated carefully and this lengthens the service life
• Minimisation of the physical strain prevents errors by staff during installation due to fatigue

Reduction of the operational hindrance costs

• Shorter line occupation
• Due to the installation of contact wire and carrying cable with final tension the line can be travelled at full speed after the maintenance work, therefore no costs are incurred for
  - losses in journey time
  - speed restrictions
  - slowing down and accelerating the trains

FUZ 100 Renewal Train for Catenary Systems with powerful MTW 100 for high tractive force and fast transfer speeds

FUZ 10 Renewal Train for Catenary Systems with MTW 10 featuring a spacious cabin for recreational and workshop facilities

FUZ Contact Wire Renewal Train

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