An eventful 2025 has come to a close – our highlight video takes you on a journey through the most significant milestones and achievements of the past 12 months.
Now it's time to look forward: We are entering the new year with full energy and fresh ideas. We look forward to realizing new visions together with you, strengthening future-oriented collaborations, and continuing our shared success story!
December 12 is a big day: the Koralm Tunnel is officially open, bringing Graz and Klagenfurt much closer together! We congratulate everyone involved on this milestone, which will strengthen Austria's position in international freight and passenger transport in the long term.
We have also already been in action in the tunnel: our team carried out important test and measurement runs in advance to collect essential data for technical conformity and approval. The video provides a brief insight into this.
We are delighted to have been part of the success story of this high-performance corridor and look forward to our future assignments on this extraordinary route!
The PJM team was represented at two major rail transport events in Aachen and Vienna, hence making a contribution to the most important future topics in the industry: digitalization, efficiency, and coping with rising demand.
IRSA Aachen: Focus on infrastructure and digitalization
The 5th International Railway Symposium Aachen (IRSA) took place from November 19 to 20. The renowned forum, which brought together around 250 international experts, focused on the effects of climate change and the mobility transition on the rail system.
Matthias Zelinka (PJ Messtechnik) enriched the discussion with an exciting presentation on a simulation model for the interaction between pantographs and overhead lines.
VPI Vienna: Freight transport of the future
At the same time, an information event organized by VPI Austria (an Association of Private Freight Wagon Interested Parties) in Vienna also addressed the challenges in rail transport and logistics.
For almost 100 participants from Austria and abroad, there were numerous presentations, one of which was given by Günter Petschnig (CEO PJ Monitoring). He showed how digital train functions enhance rail freight’s safety and cost-effictiveness, attractiveness and sustainability.
PJM und Boom Software utilising the connecting railway of a decommissioned coal-fired power station as a test site for innovations in the rail industry. This purpose has led to the foundation of the joint venture INFRATRACK Solutions.
The two railway specialists Boom Software AG and PJ Messtechnik GmbH have taken over the connecting railway line at the Mellach Verbund power plant site. This cooperation will allow the existing rail infrastructure of the decommissioned coal-fired power plant to be used more intensively, particularly for testing purposes.
Located in the immediate vicinity of Graz and the new Koralmbahn railway line, as well as the two Styrian companies, the site will be home to innovations and further developments in the railway sector, particularly in the fields of measurement and testing technology and software.
The optimally located and equipped connecting railway line provides an ideal environment for testing rail vehicles and components. The range of activities extends from physical asset inspections to sensor- and software-based testing.
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The new company's managing directors Andreas Schaller (left) and Martin Joch (right)
Two industry experts are joining forces: Ingenieurbüro Rörden and PJM have launched the subsidiary EMC Rail Services GmbH. The German company is a specialist in EMC testing in the rail sector, and the Austrian company PJ Messtechnik is an established testing centre for rail vehicles. Now, they have bundled their expertise and thus create an even more powerful testing service. The focus of the newly founded EMC Rail Services are EMC measurements (electromagnetic compatibility).
EMC tests ensure that electrical and electronic systems work without interference both in the vehicle (e.g. locomotive, wagon) and with the infrastructure (e.g. level crossing system, railway radio, signalling). This ensures that no unauthorized electromagnetic interference occurs and that the systems are protected from external influences.
Safety and operational reliability have top priority in rail operations. Electromagnetic interference must never trigger false signals or lead to the failure of critical systems such as brakes. At the same time, modern rail systems are becoming increasingly complex and electronic. As a result, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is becoming increasingly important - and with it the need for testing services.
This is where EMC Rail Services provides its services: Ingenieurbüro Rörden GmbH, based in Dortmund (Germany), is an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited test centre and has extensive expertise in measurement technology, approval support and technical testing in the field of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). PJ Messtechnik GmbH, based in Graz (AT), is an accredited test centre confirmed by ISO/IEC 17025 standard for brake tests, vehicle dynamics, fatigue strength, aerodynamics, acoustics and pantographs.
The partnership allows two testing laboratories to combine their service portfolios and pool expertise and resources, thus creating a clear advantage for customers. The focus is on the Austrian market as well as the neighbouring countries to the south and east. The new company's testing services include:
PJM has expanded its scope as an accredited test center in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025 and now also tests the dynamic interaction between pantograph and overhead contact line. In addition to measurements in accordance with EN 50317, the accreditation also includes simulations in accordance with EN 50318, making PJM the only company in Austria with accreditation for the specialist area of pantographs.
Over the past two years, the Austrian system specialist has invested in the infrastructure of the new department. The pantograph test rig for calibrating the measuring system - as well as the technical equipment for other areas - has been set up at the company's site in Graz. Extensive tests in the wind tunnel have proven that the measuring system is non-reactive. With the existing measuring equipment, tests can be carried out with up to two measuring pantographs, which means that multiple-unit operations can also be realised. The requirements for the interaction between pantographs and the overhead contact line system of the new service jet for ÖBB had been tested in summer (as announced in the media release: https://pjm.co.at/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/PI-PJM-Servicejet-6-2024-DE-Web2.pdf). In the coming weeks, the measurement technology team will be testing another rail vehicle in single and multiple-unit operations.
‘Due to decarbonisation, the focus will be on electric rail vehicles in the future. With its corresponding expertise and infrastructure, PJM is ideally positioned for the new specialist area,’ says Martin Joch, CEO of PJ Messtechnik GmbH. With the new specialist area, PJM offers several advantages for clients, such as the efficient sequence of the various tests for rail vehicles. The expertise in the area of simulations offers particular added value: ‘Simulations significantly minimise the testing effort for multiple tractions. Theoretical calculations allow the large number of variants to be reduced to relevant train combinations, which are then tested in dynamic track tests. This saves valuable time and reduces costs,’ says Martin Joch.
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)
In future, a total of 33 Nightjets of the new Viaggio Next Level generation from Siemens Mobility will ensure comfortable and at the same time climate-friendly travel in Central Europe. For the approval of the newly developed passenger coaches, PJM is on board as an accredited test center according to ISO/IEC 17025. The Austrian system specialist was commissioned for the overall approval in cooperation with ÖBB. The contract specifically includes the instrumented wheel sets as well as the approval tests in the areas of running behavior, fatigue strength, acoustics and aerodynamics.
6 instrumented wheel sets were developed and manufactured in Graz and then installed in the test vehicle at the ÖBB plant in Vienna. The test runs started in autumn 2021. The test train is in use throughout the entire Austrian rail network. To evaluate derailment safety, the first approval tests started in the field of running behavior, after which the bogies were upgraded for the test runs in the area fatigue strength. Finally, high-speed measurements follow for the aerodynamics area. The acoustic tests will complete the approval tests. "For an extensive project like this, it is above all our metrology expertise and experience in bringing together all specialist areas that prove their worth. Our flexibility and routine, which we have gained from our numerous international projects, are also essential. Due to the weather, there are always changes in procedures, for example during test runs in winter on the Arlberg at 1,000 m above sea level," explains Martin Joch, CEO of PJM. "A good collaboration with the project partners is also immensely important in large-scale projects. The cooperation with ÖBB's measurement group is excellent."
Get more in the media release:
Metrology
Testing Center
Monitoring
Products
Engineering
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