Our teams worked on 90 projects, we grew and fully automated a process for the first time in the history of rail transport. A short video portrait of our numerous activities this year.
2nd award for the "Smart Train" from Mercitalia Intermodal
2nd award for the "Smart Train" from Mercitalia Intermodal
The smartest goods train in Europe has been honoured for the second time. Following the Austrian Mobility Award 2023, which was presented to Günter Petschnig and Christoph Lorenzutti in Vienna in September, Mercitalia Intermodal - Polo Logistica Group FS was honoured as "Logistico dell'Anno 2023" in Italy. The goods train is equipped with a wide range of monitoring and automation functions based on PJM's WaggonTracker system. Congratulations!
Details & all functions of Europes most intelligent goods train
The sensation in rail freight automation: BAV’s type approval for automatic brake testing
Now it's official: the automated brake testing system has been granted type approval by the Swiss “Federal Office of Transport” (Schweizer Bundesamt für Verkehr). Hence, the automated brake taste is the first approved system worldwide and the first far-reaching automated application in European rail transport. The system was developed with SBB Cargo and is a functionally safe application that has been trialled in various phases over several years. The project milestones in brief:
- 2017: First test trains
- 01/ 2022: Pilot train
- 03/2022: Positive review by TÜV Süd
- 11/2023: Operational approval by BAV
The automated application provides many benefits:
- Enormous time saving: for a 500 m long goods train, the time saved is around 75 minutes (35 minutes each for 2 shunters)
- Faster, more reliable and safer: the brake check can be carried out automatically by the train driver, is more reliable and increases safety (thanks to the consistent quality of the brake check and the system's objective evaluation criteria).
- Freight wagon downtimes are significantly reduced, while terminal turnaround times are increased.
- The implementation of an automatic brake test brings a concrete and - this is particularly important - immediate improvement for the railway companies.
- For the shunting staff and those responsible for brake testing, the automatic brake test means an improvement in the workplace situation. The interactive operation of a clearly displayed system replaces the strenuous, physically demanding manual inspection.
- The brake test is an essential part of the "1-person operation" that is gradually being implemented by railway companies such as SBB Cargo, particularly as a measure to manage the shortage of skilled labour resulting from demographic development.
Günter Petschnig, CEO of PJ Monitoring, looks back on several years of development: "It's a long way from the vision to the innovation of a completely new system. A major project of this size can only be successfully realised if the project partners work together step by step over several years. The teams at SBB Cargo and PJM have done a fantastic job. A big thank you to the stamina and commitment of everyone involved!"
Video: Aerodynamic tests for new nightjet generation of ÖBB
The first journey of the new generation of ÖBB Nightjets is coming soon: from 10 December, the new Generation Viaggio Next Level night coaches will be in service in Austria and Germany. Rail passengers look forward to a wide range of comfort categories and technical innovations.
PJM was commissioned with the overall approval in cooperation with ÖBB. As an accredited test laboratory according to ISO/IEC 17025, the Austrian system specialist was in charge of the design and production of the measuring wheelsets as well as for the approval tests in the areas of running behavior, fatigue strength, acoustics and aerodynamics.
The aerodynamic vehicle tests were performed at speeds of over 200 km/h. In the course of these measurements, compliance with the permissible aerodynamic stresses was checked on the train platform, on the open track and in tunnels. The required boundary conditions in Austria can currently only be realised on the Westbahn line, which is why the test runs took place between Vienna and Linz.
Eco-friendly travelling comfort "Made in Austria"
Austria's railway expertise is reflected in the modern night trains. With the new Nightjets, ÖBB is expanding its role as market leader in the European night train business: Siemens Mobility was responsible for the development, the carriages were manufactured in Vienna and the bogies and wheelsets come from Graz. PJM carried out the approval tests and the measuring wheelsets were designed and manufactured in the headquarters of Graz.
Media release of ÖBB (in German language)
VTG relies on automation of brake testing with PJM
VTG, Europe's leading private operator of freight wagons, will offer PJM's automatic brake testing system as a project-related equipment option. VTG is thus consistently pursuing its digitalisation strategy in order to achieve further increases in efficiency in the handling of freight trains.
Automatic brake testing is a crucial factor in the preparation of freight trains, as it is obligatory to check the brakes each time a change is made to the wagon configuration or the wagon is stationary for more than 24 hours. Hence, the potential savings for railway companies in this time-consuming process are high, both in terms of human labour and costs.
Since 2017, the technology developed by PJM and SBB Cargo has been successfully tested in pilot freight trains. Based on this extensive testing, VTG will make this system available as an equipment option. The expansion of the equipment portfolio with the automatic brake test system supports the integration of the Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) and represents another important step in the digitalisation strategy of both companies.
New at PJM: Approval management provided by PJ Motion
We are happy about the new team joining our group! PJ Motion GmbH with its experienced specialists is the new contact point for approval management of track-bound vehicles. Now PJM is able to provide comprehensive know-how in terms of the entire approval process, starting with approval management to testing, conformity assessment and vehicle approval.
But who is the team of PJM’s new business field? 4 experienced specialists with concentrated know-how:
- Thomas Hofer, managing director and specialist for risk management processes, safety method and functional safety
- Markus Fankhauser, specialist for verification in the area of TSI (NoBo) and national regulations (DeBo)
- Lorenz Kochan, specialist for project and risk management, configurations- and quality management
- Joachim Wagner, certified senior project manager (level B according to IPMA), sales and corporate development
PJ Motion’s portfolio in a nutshell:
- Project management
- Approval management
- Requirement– and verification management (CSM / EN 50126)
- Quality control of certification in preparation of conformity evaluation
- Common safety methods – risk assessment (CSM RA)
- Safety analysis
- RAM analysis
- LCC analysis
Austrian Mobility Award 2023 for PJM
Europe's smartest goods train is Austria's best digital project and won the Austrian Mobility Award of VCÖ.
Digitalisation is a catchphrase, but in rail transport it is the game changer for improving the competitive situation and cost structure. The pilot train of Mercitalia Intermodal Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane shows that digital technologies are no longer a vision but already part of everyday life on the rails. Getting more freight transport onto the rails is central to achieving the climate targets. To achieve this, it is also important that rail freight transport becomes more efficient. One solution is to speed up processes through increased digitalisation, as demonstrated by the "Digital Rail Transport" project of the Graz-based company PJ Monitoring. A pilot train was fully digitally equipped, from automated brake testing to ongoing monitoring. This results in shorter turnaround times and faster delivery times, reduces wear and tear and thus maintenance work, and the monitoring gives the workshop information on the problem in advance, which in turn speeds up repairs. VCÖ Managing Director Ulla Rasmussen, Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler, ÖBB-Personenverkehr Board Member Sabine Stock and Michael Braun from Siemens Mobility Austria presented the award to Günter Petschnig and Christoph Lorenzutti from PJ Monitoring.
Michael Braun from Siemens Mobility Austria congratulates the winners: "Digitalisation solutions are the key to more sustainability and environmental protection in mobility. With innovative ideas, transport becomes more efficient, more powerful and, above all, more climate-friendly."
"Freight transport is crucial for achieving the climate targets. In the future, more rail transport must be realised with fewer personnel and wagon material. The necessary increase in performance can only succeed with automation and digitalisation. The digital transformation of rail freight transport can therefore only succeed step by step. Hence it is important to use existing and future-proof technologies now in order to benefit from the many advantages today," says Günter Petschnig from PJM.
Credit: VCÖ - Mobilität mit Zukunft/APA-Fotoservice/Rudolph
Fotograf/in: Roland Rudolph
Technical lecture at the "48th Modern Rail Vehicles Conference"
The renowned symposium takes place every second year in Graz and is organised by the Institute for Railway Engineering and Transport Economics at Graz University of Technology. PJM will present a best practice model on the topic of "Automation and digital condition monitoring in freight transport" as part of a technical lecture. The focus will not only be on the technical implementation of a digital intermodal train, but also on the many benefits for the operator.
Automated load monitoring system for DB Cargo
DB Cargo optimises the loading process of bulk cargo and equips 100 EAOS wagons with PJM's automatic load weight monitoring system. The WaggonTracker Load Monitoring System determines and displays relevant data in real time, in particular weight, overload, asymmetric loading and free capacity. Optionally, the loads on wheel discs, wheelsets and bogies can also be determined. The real-time results are displayed in the web portal or - depending on customer specifications – the results are visualised directly on the wagon by means of signal lamps. In the DB Cargo application, the automated system fulfils several parameters:
- Control of the weighing data provided by customers
- Avoiding of overloading
- Avoiding time-consuming weighing carried out manually
- Best possible utilisation and optimal utilisation of transports
- Increased safety, as overloading of individual components is excluded
"Automatic load weight monitoring does optimise operations. By using sensors in future, the automated process will reduce the time required by determining the load weight, including its distribution," says Michael Wolkow, Head of Procurement, Equipment and Technology at DB Cargo AG.
Analyst Certification of the American AAR WABL Committee for PJM strength calculations
PJM now also offers wheelset expertise for the leading rail freight country, the USA. The AAR WABL Committee (Association of American Railroads) has voted to approve PJM for performing strength calculations of wheels according to the S-660 and S-669 standards. This new area of expertise is also already in use on a project. "We are very pleased that we can now also offer our customers this consultancy service for the use of rail vehicles in North America," explains Martin Joch.
In the field of wheelsets, PJM has built up profound know-how over the years. Here, too, the link between calculation and testing plays a major role. The expertise includes calculations as well as the design of instrumented wheelsets.
Be up to date with our periodical newsletter
Monitoring
Testing Center
Metrology
Products
Engineering
PJ Messtechnik GmbH
PJ Monitoring GmbH
Waagner-Biro-Straße 125
8020 Graz
Austria
Tel.: +43 316 228454
Fax: +43 316 228454-15
[email protected]
© 2019 PJ Messtechnik, PJ Monitoring. All rights reserved