F I R S T - H A N D S E R V I C E

updateCustomer magazine issued by Deutsche Plasser 2013/No. 2

Deutsche Plasser

IMPRESSUM

Publisher:Deutsche Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen GmbHFriedrich-Eckart-Str. 35, 81929 MunichTelephone: +49 89 93008-0Telefax: +49 89 93008-115E-mail: info@deutsche-plasser.de

www.deutsche-plasser.de

Photos:Deutsche Plasser, Plasser & Theurer

Printed:Druckwerkstatt, Vienna

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Contents03 EDITORIAL

04 PRODUCTIVE Leverkusen/Opladen with new axle elevator

07 INNOVATIVE Field trainers make new employees fit for practical work

08 PREVENTIVE Bingen Training Centre with a pro-active strategy

11 INTERNATIONAL Machine overhaul including approval

12 CONSTRUCTIVE The double tamping machine

14 INFORMATIVE Show of achievements in Leverkusen/Opladen

18 COMMUNICATIVE InnoTrans 2012

What would you think if you purchased a new track main-tenance machine, but had to wait 13 months after it wasmanufactured to finally put it into service? The reason: theapproval took so long!Unfortunately precisely this has happened already. Youcan imagine the customer's reaction...In view of the current situation in our branch, we shouldnot be surprised if such cases become a common oc-currence. The EBA (Eisenbahn-Bundesamt), which isthe national certification body for new machines, ishopelessly overloaded!A large part of this problem is the stance in Brussels.Brussels is simply not prepared to make a differencebetween wagons, locomotives, high-speed trains and aux-iliary vehicles (i.e. track maintenance machines). A trackmaintenance machine, with an annual kilometre level farbelow that of a high-speed train, must from the point ofview of Brussels fulfil the same approval conditions as ahigh-speed train that travels hundreds of thousands ofkilometres annually and carries passengers.I feel that this difference must finally be taken into accountand therefore I argue decisively for a certification processfor auxiliary vehicles like it was in the past so that the ap-proval procedures for our machines can finally be imple-mented within a sensible and viable time frame. 13 monthsare simply too long!It is time that we – the ones who are directly concerned –stand up more firmly for our position! Let us use the influ-ence of our societies and associations and together wecan attract some attention in Brussels. It is high time theyfinally listen to us!

YoursPeter Josef FlatscherManaging Director, Deutsche Plasser

Dear customers,esteemed partners,

EDITORIAL Deutsche Plasser UPDATE

The number of man hours has a sig-nificant influence on the total costsfor overhauls, conversions and repairs.Therefore Deutsche Plasser endeavoursto invest in modern manufacturing tech-nology so that we can offer first-rateconditions in this sector too.The latest example of this is the newaxle elevator that has been in operationin the Leverkusen/Opladen maintenanceworkshop since June 2012.

Simpler, faster and saferTo be able to dismantle wheelsets, aswell as tamping units and other largestructural components, it is usually ne-cessary to raise the entire machine or –after extensive dismantling work – liftout the component using a crane. Thesame time-consuming process is ne-cessary for later installation.These stages of work can be carried outfaster and far easier when using an axleelevator because the vehicle does notneed to be lifted.

In addition, the axle elevator increasesthe safety at the workplace. An advan-tage which benefits not only the staff atDeutsche Plasser but also our cus-tomers' personnel who are frequentlyinvolved in the process.

Optimum equipment for every orderIn the Leverkusen/Opladen maintenanceworkshop the new axle elevator can beused on two of three workshop tracks.Together with the crane equipment andlifting jacks the workshop is now wellequipped because the best tools areavailable for every job to be performedand any size of components to be moved.

Dirk Thormann, Works Manager inLeverkusen/Opladen: “Straight awaythe new axle elevator has been a realsuccess. We have used it far moreoften than we originally expected. Ofcourse, the reduction of the man hoursis seen by our customers as a verypositive development.”

Leverkusen/Opladen with new axle elevator

Faster workingreduces costs

PRODUCTIVE

Since June 2012 the maintenance workshop Leverkusen/Opladen has had a new axle elevator. This reduces the workinghours for removal and installation of large components and alsolowers the costs for our customers.

04 Deutsche Plasser UPDATE

Maintenance vehicle for OHL sys-tems operated by DB Netz AG:for the repair of the engine and gear-box combination it would have beennecessary to raise the entire ma-chine. Dismantling and installationhas been performed far faster andmore safely with the help of the axleelevator and in combination with liftingjacks. The time saved also reducedthe costs of the repair.

SUM-Q3 high-speed track relay-ing machine operated by thecontracting group: the sleeper lay-ing and pick-up units of this machinewere overhauled in Leverkusen/Opladen. The new axle elevator wasused for dismantling and re-assem-bling. It was possible to reduce theworking time by about 50 man hours.

THE NEW AXLEELEVATOR IN USE

09-3X Dynamic three-sleepertamping machine operated bySchweerbau: for the repair of 2wheelsets it was possible to reduce theworking time by around 20 man hoursbecause the new axle elevator wasused for dismantling and installation.

Field trainers make new employees fit for practical work

Well prepared for yourrequirements

First-class service requiresservice technicians with first-classtraining. We make sure of this atDeutsche Plasser.

Nowadays, the machine operatormust first consider the costs. Andmeanwhile every hour is valuable. There-fore it is absolutely understandable thatthe operator is not satisfied when thenice young man who was sent to themachine as a service technician admitsthat he has actually never had a pro-blem of this particular type. “I just haveto call the firm, it won't take long ...!”

At Deutsche Plasser we feel that thecustomer should be able to expectmore from a first-rate service techni-cian: fast identification of the problemand a prompt solution...

Three years training after vocationaleducationThe training programme for our newservice personnel therefore includescomprehensive preparation over thecourse of three years. To avoid any mis-understandings: naturally the new per-sonnel will have completed a technicalvocational education. But they have notyet gained experience in working withtrack maintenance machines.

During this three-year programme theyoung service technicians will learn notonly the theory but also the practicaloperation of track maintenance machines.A technician is assigned to each personand he will accompany the entire trainingprocess as a field trainer.

Munich, Bingen, Linz...All training targets are clearly defined inthe training plan and these have to beheld at the best training locations ineach case. Initially, of course, the tech-nicians are sent to Bingen Training Cen-tre where they learn basic informationabout permanent way technology andsurveying for trackmaintenance. InMunichthey learn about the correct maintenanceof tamping units. In Leverkusen/Opladenthe main focus is on inspections as wellas conversions.

A focal point for the future service tech-nician is the training held in the mainfactory of Plasser & Theurer in Linz,Austria. Here the technician is trained inthe very latest mechanical engineeringand he also learns the important pro-cesses in conjunction with the accep-tance of a new machine.

Practical training, field trainers...Over and above these firm features, theyoung service technician accompanieshis field trainer the whole time duringtechnical operation on the line. Here helearns step by step and without any riskfor the customer how a malfunction canbe diagnosed swiftly and remedied asquickly as possible. And when he goeson an assignment for the first time, hisfield trainer will be standing behind himand watching every move.Jochen Baumgarten, who has workedfor many years as a fitting master, is oneof the first field trainers at DeutschePlasser. How does he see his new role?“The longer you do this job, the better youknow how much experience is needed.And experience takes time and targetedsupport. I think it is very sensible ofour firm to offer exactly this to our newcolleagues. I am happy to join in!”

INNOVATIVE Deutsche Plasser UPDATE 07

For the customer it is better if our new employees first gainexperience with us – and do not take on the responsibility onlocation until later. Our new field trainers play an importantrole in the new training programme.

Bingen Training Centre is an important stage in ournew training programme for service technicians.

Bingen Training Centre with a pro-active strategy

Knowledge providesa competitive edgeIf you know your machine, you can utilise it fully. And make fewererrors too. It is logical that more and more Deutsche Plassercustomers recognise the courses offered in Bingen Training Centreas a solid economic factor.

PREVENTIVE08 Deutsche Plasser UPDATE

Aquick personal question addressedto you, dear reader: how manyfunctions do you know on your laptop -and how many do you really utilise?Half? Or maybe a bit more?

Well, but a track maintenance machineis not a laptop. And if you utilise only partof your PC's potential that usually hasonly minimal economic consequences...

Profit from the greater numberof options!When Bingen Training Centre wasopened in 2009, it was founded on onecentral consideration: we want to giveour customers and our personnel theknowledge so that they can profit morefrom the output potential of the ma-chines. Naturally, we considered itequally important to avoid operating er-rors or servicing faults. Because weknow from experience that even small,frequently repeated faults lead to sub-stantial damage.

The decision for a training centre wasadditionally made due to the well-known fact that the number of functionsin each machine has increased in thepast years and therefore more know-how is required for its operation.

1 day is equivalent to 6 weeksMany customers take up the offer be-cause they expect a rise in productivityin the long term. A motivation that is notto be dismissed. Because normally theknowledge of the operators is stillpassed on directly when using the ma-chine. Older members of staff trainnewcomers. They pass on their valuableexperience, but at the same time theypass on dangerous “superficial know-ledge”. Therefore, if new members ofstaff are trained in the Bingen TrainingCentre, they obtain from the outset asolid qualification – without dangerousignorance of certain aspects.

Moreover, the simulator is availablefor feigning those errors that fre-quently occur at the beginning. Here,the cost of damage to the machine isalways 0 euros.By the way, the profitability of trainingcourses can be worked out quite simply:

six weeks of training for one employeecost about as much as an unplannedstoppage.

Since the opening there has been anupwards trendAn undertaking is successful when it isaccepted by the customer. So BingenTraining Centre is without doubt a suc-cessful undertaking. In 2009, the firstyear it opened, 77 people participatedin the courses. In 2010 there were 148participants and in 2011 as many as191. Last year courses were held for199 persons. And 2013 has startedwell. Up to the end of March 101 per-sons had already been instructed andtrained in courses held by DeutschePlasser GmbH.But you should never rest on your laurels.Therefore Bingen Training Centre ispursuing a pro-active strategy whichsets store by improvement of the in-frastructure on the one hand and thefurther development of the trainingprogramme on the other.

André Halbertschlager, Head of Bin-gen Training Centre: “again in 2012we invested in the premises to createthe optimum surroundings for everytype of course. Moreover, new up-to-date training equipment was procuredto be able to carry out certain types oftraining even more efficiently.”

Investments have been made regularly inBingen Training Centre since its foundation in2009. More and more customers appreciatethe unique range of services offered.

Training rooms with the most up-to-dateequipment: in Bingen we can offer idealconditions for learning.

Safe management of track geometry data is animportant task for modern machine personnel. InBingen this is learned, practised and perfected.

NNEEWWSS from Bingen

NEWS10 Deutsche Plasser UPDATE

Multi-channel recorder: In August 2012 Bingen Training Centre was awardedthe certification by DB Netz AG as a recognised education centre for instructionand further training for the multi-channel recorder.

Vehicle brakes: The first audit by DB Systemtechnik-Minden was held inDecember 2012 for the training sector "brake technology". This means that theDeutsche Plasser training centre is authorised as per Ril. 046.9620 to performfurther educational training (“FIT”) independently for brake maintenance technicians.In September 2012 the first promising talks were held with the brake manufacturerKnorr-Bremse regarding a possible cooperation.

Hydraulics: First contacts were established with the International Hydraulic Aca-demy (IHA) in Dresden in August 2012. Together with the IHA, Bingen TrainingCentre will develop a specialist hydraulic course for field staff.

UEEIV personnel certification: In Germany the personnel certification body ofthe Union of European Railway Engineer Associations (UEEIV) has been certifyingthe qualification as an operator of track maintenance machines since October2011. It is intended to introduce this offer in 2013 also in Austria, Italy, Great Britain,the Netherlands and Spain.

Training sessions on customers' machines: Bingen Training Centrenow offers together with Leverkusen/Opladen maintenance workshop theoption of training the staff directly on the customer's machines. Trainingplans are drawn up individually and the training sessions take place inLeverkusen/Opladen.

Current training programme offered by Bingen Training Centre: thecourses provided by Bingen Training Centre are updated regularly. You will findthe latest courses in the current training programme. We will gladly send it toyou. Just write to schulungszentrum@deutsche-plasser.de or call us at: +49 6721-182080.

Machine overhaul including approval

Polish premiereIn 2012, for the first time, the machine of a Polish operator was over-hauled in Leverkusen/Opladen. The railway contracting firm Alusta S.A.chose Deutsche Plasser because in the course of overhauling wewould also be able to secure the official authorisation for Scandinavia.

INTERNATIONAL

Deutsche Plasser has been active onthe Polish market for around sixyears and has a branch in Wroc law.Despite strong domestic competition,more and more Polish contracting firmsare discovering the benefits that comewith our first-hand service.One of these firms is Alusta S.A.based in Posen that operates in struc-tural engineering, road building andrailway engineering.

Preference for original qualityIn 1991 a Unimat Combi 08-275 ZWroad-rail machine went into service forAlusta primarily for tamping tramlinetracks. After over 20 years in operationin Belgium and Poland, the machinewas sent for overhauling. In addition,the machine was to be fitted with addi-tional tractive equipment for operationon railway lines. Due to these requirements, Alusta con-sidered awarding the contract toDeutsche Plasser from the outset. Boththe quality of the original spare partsand the quality of the services providedspoke clearly in favour of this.

Certification only possible atDeutsche PlasserIn the end the decision was made infavour of Deutsche Plasser becauseafter the overhaul the 08-275 ZW wasto be operated also in Norway. And forthis it is necessary to have a separatecertification for Scandinavia. DeutschePlasser was the only bidder who couldsecure this official authorisation.

08-275 ZW in operation againIn November 2012 Alusta's UnimatCombi 08-275 ZW was the first Polishmachine ever to be delivered to the Le-verkusen/Opladen maintenance work- shop. The ideal conditions for all the workto be carried out were to be found here.

The overhaul, the installation of newaxles and the official authorisation forScandinavia were completed by earlyMarch 2013. Immediately afterwards,the machine went back to Poland. Itgoes without saying that the first oper-ations were accompanied by DeutschePlasser service technicians. Alusta S.A.was extremely satisfied not only withthe order processing but also with theresult of the work.

Deutsche Plasser UPDATE 11

The Unimat Combi 08-275 ZW owned by ALUSTA isthe first Polish machine that came to the Leverkusen/Opladen maintenance workshop for overhauling.

The 09-16/4S universal tampingmachine is available at DB Netz AGfor operation on standard sleepersand wide sleepers.

Conversion as a tamping machine for normal sleepers and wide sleepers

The double tamping machine

CONSTRUCTIVE Deutsche Plasser UPDATE 13

Wide sleepers were first laid in the Ger-man rail network for test purposes atthe end of the 90's. These are almostdouble the width of normal sleepersand the supporting surface has almostdouble the size. In the opinion of itsadvocates, this is an alternative that in-curs higher costs for the capital outlaybut leads to a number of advantages inoperation. In total, 13 km of track werelaid on these wide sleepers.

Tamping at the sleeper endWith wide sleepers there is practicallyno ballast between the sleepers, there -fore tamping has to be carried out atthe end of the sleeper. And naturallythis requires a specially designed tam-ping unit that is also equipped withmuch wider tamping tines. Up untilnow the necessary maintenance workwas performed satisfactorily using thisspecially constructed tamping unit thatwas installed in a Unimat 08-275 ope-rated by Cronau. Because the 08-275 was no longer ableto obtain an operating licence and thetrack would soon have to be maintained,Deutsche Plasser received the order toconvert a machine to do this work.

09-16/4S converted to double tamping machine The 09-16/4S #3023 at DB Netz AGwas chosen because this machine of-fers far more space in the tamping unitarea and is therefore better suited forthe planned conversion. In contrast tothe converted 08-275 operated by Cro-nau, which was used only for tampingwide-sleepered track, the new ma-chine is intended for use on wide slee-pers and also on normal sleepers. Thatmeant, the installation of both tampingunits had to be possible.

Thus it was clear that for the design itwas important to be able to carry out thechangeover from one tamping unit to theother as simply and swiftly as possible.

Installation and removal in one piece For this purpose, specialists from Plas-ser & Theurer, in association with Deut-sche Plasser, developed a specialframe on which the wide-sleeper tam-ping units, turned 90°, could be moun-ted together with the sliding columns.The entire unit can thus be assembledand disassembled in one piece.In addition, separate interconnectionpoints were mounted for the electric andhydraulic ports which would facilitatethe installation of cables and hoses.

Mounting aids as storage standsOver the next 20 years – the length oftime the wide-sleeper track will be inuse – it is planned to operate the con-verted 09-16/4S every three years as awide-sleeper tamping machine. For theremaining time the machine will beavailable for tamping plain line andturnouts on normal tracks, as was pre-viously the case.

In the meantime the wide-sleeper tam-ping units can be stored on exactlythose stands that serve as mountingaids during removal and installation.

There are about 13 km of track with wide sleepers. Until nowthese sleepers were tamped by a special machine operated byCronau. Now DB Netz AG will take over this work. The machinewas converted for this purpose by Deutsche Plasser.

Tamping units for tamping wide sleepers

INFORMATIVE14 Deutsche Plasser UPDATE

Exciting show of achievements in Leverkusen/Opladen

A benefit for allMaintenance and football? What may appear at first glanceto be a strange alliance, turned out to be a successfulcombination in the course of the large in-house exhibitionin Leverkusen/Opladen.

Once again the Leverkusen/Opladen maintenance workshopdemonstrated its versatility.

Holland versus Germany! A classiccombination that excites fans onboth sides again and again. The twoarch rivals came together in the pre-qualification of the 2012 EuropeanFootball Championship in Poland andUkraine and there could only be onewinner - or so one would assume.

But in fact all of the more than 100 guestswho came to Leverkusen were winners.

From Great Britain via Holland to Germany.The programme offered during the in-house exhibition in the Leverkusen/Opladen maintenance workshop in-cluded a very informative afternoon.Deutsche Plasser had invited a numberof interesting specialists to give theirown views on the topic of maintenance.A surprise came right at the start: land-scape architect Mr. Sven Peuker gaveus an insight into the preventive main-tenance of landscape architecture. Afterhis talk it was clear to all those in theaudience that nature is certainly not yetobsolete as a standard for perfection.The next speaker was Mr. HerbertPilgerstorfer, Managing Director ofPlasser UK, who described the currentsituation in railway engineering in Great

Britain and above all presented the suc-cesses he had achieved with long-termmaintenance contracts.Two experts from well-known Europeanfirms reported on the topic of mainte-nance of track maintenance machinesas seen from the perspective of the ma-chine operator. Han Schildmeijer, a con-sultant of the Dutch track contractingfirm BAM, described in detail the coop-eration between the operator and hisservice partner. Jan Romstedt, an ex-perienced specialist with the Germanfirm Schweerbau GmbH & Co. KG, re-ported on practical experience of main-tenance of one of the largest machinefleets in Germany.

Efficient maintenance close at handOn behalf of Deutsche Plasser, AntonioIntini presented the comprehensive ins -truction and training programme offeredby the Bingen training centre. RalfLange and Michael Bittmann from theMunich location were the last speakerswho gave an overview of the entirerange of services currently offered byDeutsche Plasser.

At the end of the informative afternoon theguests were given a tour of the Lever -kusen/Opladen maintenance workshop.

One exciting game after the other was played on the soccer table.

Michael Bittmann, Deutsche Plasser: “The range of services offered by Deutsche Plasser is exceptional on the European market.”

Switch over to play modeAnd where was the football? It wasalready in play on the soccer tableand at the goal-shooting wall, parallelto the tour of the factory. The luckywinner at the goal wall received 2match tickets for a Bayer Leverkusenhome game, naturally also includingan overnight stay...The main game really got going at 6pmwith the first live football match of theevening: Denmark versus Portugal withRonaldo scoring the decisive goal towin 3:2. And at 9 pm what everyone

was waiting for: Holland versus Ger-many – live on a high-resolution videowall... Fans of both teams were amongthe esteemed guests. Mario Gomezscored two goals, but Robin van Persieonly managed one goal and therefore,after 90 exciting minutes the matchended with 2:1 for Germany...

The eventful evening finished shortlybefore midnight. Many were happyabout the victory on the football field.But ultimately everyone had enjoyedthis long day in Leverkusen/Opladen!

Han Schildmejer, BAM-Consultant: "Here in Leverkusen/Opladen the customer feelsthat he is in good hands. Both in technical terms and on a human level...!"

Antonio Intini, Bingen Training Centre: “We convey the knowledge that your machine personnel needs for a perfect and therefore more cost-efficient operation of your machines.”

InnoTrans 2012

Trade fair attracts more and more specialists

COMMUNICATIVE

More than 126,000 attendees from140 countries stormed the fair-ground in Berlin from 23rd – 26th Sep-tember 2012. They came to find outmore about new developments beingpresented by over 2,500 firms from 45countries. The exhibitors were delightedthat the number of trade visitors wasalmost 20 per cent higher compared tothe last fair.

Extremely well frequented standThe growing interest in the INNOTRANSwas also noticed at the stand shared byPlasser & Theurer and Deutsche Plasser.Far more visitors than in the previous

years took the opportunity to find outmore about current new developments.

Savings through re-conditioningManaging Director Peter Josef Flatscher:“at Deutsche Plasser we continuallyaim to expand our range of servicesand adapt them to the needs of ourcustomers. And because costs are ofcourse a particularly hot topic at themoment, we are focussing more on there-conditioning services we offer. Forour customers it is important to knowthat the price of a reconditioned exca-vating chain is only 60% of that of anew chain!”

Last autumn the INNOTRANS 2012, International Trade Fair for Trans-port Technology, kept up its reputation as a crowd puller. DeutschePlasser's stand also enjoyed an extremely high level of interest.

18 Deutsche Plasser UPDATE

Cameras flashing at the opening of the InnoTrans(from left to right) Peter Josef Flatscher, Deutsche Plasser), Peter Ramsauer (Federal Minister of Transport,Building and Urban Development), Johannes Max-Theurer (Plasser & Theurer) andGerhard Polterauer (Plasser & Theurer).

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