Austrian vibration insulation specialist Getzner Werkstoffe commissioned for the Berlin-Cottbus line

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A quieter ride

Austrian vibration insulation specialist Getzner Werkstoffe has been commissioned to supply sleeper pads featuring a specially designed polyurethane layer for the upgrade of Deutsche Bahn’s (DB) Berlin-Cottbus line. The order is worth €1.85 million. Over 60km of track between Königs Wusterhausen and Lübbenau is being renewed and, following completion in the spring, this section will be able to handle speeds of up to 160kph without generating additional vibration.

To reduce structure-borne noise as trains pass through built-up areas, Getzner is installing the elastic polyurethane pads under the sleepers to provide nearby buildings with effective protection against vibrations. They are being applied at the plant of project manufacturer Rail.One, with the composite products then delivered to site.

“The Berlin-Cottbus line is currently the largest railway vibration protection project to be implemented anywhere in the world. In all, 48,000 sleepers and 17 switches will be fitted with sleeper pads made from our materials” says Christian Dullinger, project manager for railway solutions at Getzner’s Grünwald site near Munich.

New technologies

The new sleeper pads were developed as part of the LZARG project which aims to devise new technologies for quieter rail traffic. Getzner has implemented series production of the pads, tailored to meet the requirements of the DB project. “We carried out a series of rigorous tests in a very short time” says Mr. Dullinger. “The new solution was then approved by DB Technik and we are now putting this well-engineered, resilient product into service. Achieving this milestone was only possible thanks to the strong commitment and outstanding teamwork of the people involved.”

Getzner Werkstoffe was established in 1969 as a subsidiary of Getzner, Mutter & Cie. Its close-knit European sales network is supplemented by sales offices in the USA, South America and the Far East. The company’s vibration solutions feature Sylomer® and Sylodyn® polyurethane materials developed and manufactured in Bürs, Austria. They are used for railway, construction and industrial applications. Getzner’s solutions reduce lifecycle costs as well as reducing noise by providing protection against vibrations.

Article courtesy of the rail engineer magazine.

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