Vossloh to trial HSG-city unit on national rail network

Germany’s Vossloh Rail Systems has announced plans to trial the HSG-city high-speed grinding unit on the national rail network later this year.

The unit successfully entered the market for underground and tram systems and is now planned to be used on the mainline as well as rapid transit interurban railways.

Last month, Vossloh's HSG-city was approved by the German Railway Authority (EBA) as a heavy ancillary vehicle capable of speeds of up 60km/h.

The unit was approved in accordance with the BOStrab (Tramway Construction and Operation Ordinance) for North Rhine-Westphalia and by the Technical Supervisory Authority (TAB) in late 2015.

Vossloh Rail Services managing director Marcel Taubert said: "The HSG-city was conceived for public metropolitan and suburban commuter rail systems.

"Considering our ambition to acquire new European customers for this preventive grinding technology, we view the EBA approval as a mark of quality that will attract international attention."

"So this latest approval allows us to increase its use, particularly in rapid transit interurban networks.

"Considering our ambition to acquire new European customers for this preventive grinding technology, we view the EBA approval as a mark of quality that will attract international attention."

Vossloh aims to have the unit approved as a procedure for maintaining 'specially monitored track'.

As part of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure's I-LENA project, the company is planning to carry out the corresponding series of qualification tests.

Vossloh Rail Services is a business segment of the Vossloh Group and provides various services centred on rails.