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smart for local transportation: track condition monitoring and grinding in a single system

smart HSG-city

Challenge: Increased complexity in maintenance

smart HSG-city is a groundbreaking solution for urban rail networks that enhances track availability, significantly extends rail service life and reduces noise emissions from rail traffic by up to 10 dB(A). 

Why do light rail tracks need preventive rail grinding?

Now in use in more than 40 countries on four continents, the compact grinding machine is an indispensable solution for operators of light rail and tram networks in order to meet the increasing challenges in an efficient manner. Urbanization is a global trend. To absorb the growing number of passengers on local public transportation, operators often shorten intervals and extend timetables as a first step. As infrastructure strain increases, both the scope and frequency of required inspection and maintenance measures rise – now within tighter time windows. All of this adds to the complexity of maintenance. 

Solution: Digitally enabled, targeted maintenance – integrated into the timetable

In order to keep the route network efficient – taking into account the given budgetary constraints – it is advisable to differentiate rail processing according to location and type. The digital networking of rail diagnostics and processing gives the smart HSG-city a new dimension in customer use: instead of the "watering can” approach, in which complete track sections are ground uniformly, often resulting in unnecessary treatment of some areas and insufficient attention to others, Vossloh’s Smart Maintenance delivers a holistic concept for condition-based rail maintenance and full transparency: from inspection and monitoring to clearly derived maintenance scenarios, including cost analysis, through to the corresponding maintenance measures. At the same time, the software-supported maintenance approach enables plant managers to use their budgets more efficiently and retrospectively assess the effectiveness of their actions. 

Maximizing route availability

For demand-oriented rail processing, several fully integrated laser triangulation sensors on the compact grinding machine record the rail condition and check the track geometry. Thanks to the High Speed Grinding technology both condition monitoring and grinding can be carried out at a variable speed of 8 to 60 km/h in the timetable without a break. 

 

How well do you know your network? Let's talk about how we can adapt our technology to the specific needs of your city. Implement the smart HSG-city technology and transform your urban transportation system into a role model for modern efficiency, sustainability and high customer satisfaction. 

Transparence accrue

The aim and promise of the smart grinding machine upgrade is to transform rail maintenance by increasing transparency across the entire process.

Currently, smart HSG-city performs:

comprehensive transverse profile analysis, railhead deviation, wear (rail wear and wear reserve), groove depth (optional), measurement of longitudinal profile/corrugations, track gauge and track position/deformation

Position and distance

All status data is recorded to the meter and clearly localized. Triggering the measurement activates the odometer via the rotation sensor. Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) also support positioning.

Data processing

The recorded data is automatically pre-processed and uploaded to the cloud and analyzed in mapl-e, the intuitive planning tool for rail maintenance, visualized in traffic light colors as good, bad and critical and then translated into actionable recommendations.

If the removal is moderate, the smart HSG-city can carry it out immediately. In high-stress track sections, the compact VTM-compact milling machine delivers quiet, precisely reprofiled rails – removing up to 2 mm in a single pass.

The smart advantages at a glance

  • Confirmed accuracy of the recorded measurement data
  • Algorithmic data processing in real time and automatic data upload to the mapl-e platform
  • Web-based application for visualizing the condition of rails and the results of rail maintenance
  • User-friendly interface with multiple information levels
  • Visualization of the track condition with traffic light colors (good, bad, critical)
  • mapl-e divides the measured distance into several treatment sections – depending on the type and depth of the defect, whereby the tolerance setting can be quickly adjusted
  • Simulation of various maintenance scenarios
  • Accessible from any device

Benchmark for efficiency

Whether operated in-house or delivered as a service, the compact grinding machine stands as a symbol of operational efficiency and sustainability. This is because two features of HSG technology – the combination of a rigid grinding beam and passively driven peripheral grinding stones angled against the direction of travel – lead to a continuous improvement in longitudinal corrugation and thus counteract the problem of noise-producing corrugations. The facet-free grinding pattern eliminates periodic structures – and with them, the post-grinding “whistling” effect. Operators benefit from an acoustically optimized rail roughness (Ra) of less than 10 μm.

Before

After

Proven in cities worldwide

Network operators in more than 40 countries on four continents rely on HSG-city technology and its wide range of applications for their preventive strategy Areas of application.

Montreal, Canada

Milan, Italy

Wieslauftalbahn Railway, Germany

Technical specifications Processing synchronized with the train timetable

With 24 whetstones, 30 km can be processed non-stop, while carried replacement stones can be swapped out within minutes. The compact machine can also be used bi-directionally and can be towed by different vehicles, such as a two-way Unimog or a tram. Grinding speed is adapted accordingly – ranging from 8 to 60 km/h.

 

 

  • Rail grinding in city centers and in the surrounding region requires clean and quiet technology:
    • The grinding unit is largely enclosed.
    • Minimal dust and spark formation thanks to powerful dual-side extraction.
    • Well suited for tunnel operations – no post-processing or cleanup required.
    • The passively driven grindstones work almost silently, which is why the HSG-city, in combination with the high working speed, is perceived as just another train passing through.
  • As a result, the facet-free grinding pattern achieves a rail roughness of less than 10 μm. The so-called finish grinding depth of 0.1 mm is achieved in approximately ten to twelve passes.
  • The dust extraction system used is fully compatible with switching agents. No need to dismantle switching agents before grinding – and no time-consuming reinstallation afterward.
  • The grinding process is digitally logged and remotely controlled from the HSG-city traction unit.
  • Multiple grinding units can be coupled together.

 

Downloads

HSG-2 - Fiche de données techniques PDF

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Maintenance par meulage à grande vitesse PDF

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Élimination de la pellicule grasse - Fiche de données techniques PDF

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