PJ Messtechnik

The new Koralm Tunnel is here! PJM was already in action for test and measurement runs.

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!

General / News - 12/12/2025

Double future momentum: PJM sets the tone at important industry meetings

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.

General / News - 11/28/2025

INFRATRACK – a new company in the PJM Group

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.

Image:
The new company's managing directors Andreas Schaller (left) and Martin Joch (right)

Press release

General / News / Presseberichte - 11/13/2025

Innofreight developed a highly innovative bogie design PJM carried out structural analysis, laboratory tests and dynamic track tests

PJ Messtechnik, an accredited test center in accordance with ISO/ IEC 17025, was commissioned by Innofreight to carry out all the necessary steps for the approval of the innovative Y25 bogie. Innofreight develops freight wagons, containers and unloading systems and operates 22,000 containers and 3,500 wagons in 20 countries. The Y25 bogie completes the extensive portfolio of the Austrian freight wagon specialist.

The specifications for the new bogie were demanding: the bogie frame was to be manufactured fully automatically and designed to withstand the highly dynamic loads over 5 decades. Due to the expertise of the PJM team, the task was solvable. The structural analysis was carried out using the latest simulation and assessment methods. On the one hand, the standard loads were extended by the results of MBS simulations. On the other hand, the weld seam assessment was carried out using the effective notch stress concept to improve the prediction accuracy and thus enable lightweight construction.

PJ Messtechnik implemented the entire validation program in accordance with EN 13749 on the fully developed bogie frame:

Structural analysis
Static and fatigue laboratory tests at the Institute for Structural Durability and Railway Technology at Graz University of Technology
Track tests under extreme conditions to validate the design loads

The result:

The bogie frame is manufactured 100% by welding robots.
The weight has been reduced by 25% compared to conventional designs, while at the same time increasing durability. As a result, the load capacity can be increased by 500 kg in future, which means lower costs and greater efficiency combined with greater robustness.
Further advantages include less wear on the wheelsets and better braking performance.

Short video about the project

Press release

General / News / Presseberichte - 10/03/2025

Railway Forum 2025: Key topic of digitalization – PJM presented solutions

From September 2 to 4, 2025, the 9th Railway Forum Berlin took place at the Estrel Congress Center. With 1,700 participants on site, 1,000 virtual guests, over 180 exhibitors, and 120 speakers, the organizers described the conference as the most successful railway conference in Europe to date. The PJM Group presented ideas on digitalization and its other areas of expertise at the event.

The forum offered a varied program of keynotes, workshops, panels, a gala evening, and factory tours. The content focused on digitalization, AI applications, infrastructure monitoring, sustainability, and new technologies in railway operations.

Digital train functions for rail freight transport

Digitalization was also the key topic addressed by Günter Petschnig, Managing Director of PJ Monitoring, in a “deep dive” presentation at the event. His presentation, “Digital train functions: Greater safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in rail freight transport,” sparked a lively dialogue among the participants. It became clear that the industry is suffering from cost pressure, a shortage of skilled workers, and high maintenance costs due to unplanned repairs, among other things. PJ Monitoring has been driving digitalization and automation forward with WaggonTracker for almost two decades. The aim is to increase reliability and predictability, shorten delivery times, make train preparation more efficient, thereby achieving significant cost advantages and increasing safety.

The success of this approach is demonstrated by the intelligent freight train, which was implemented in collaboration with the Italian company Logistix in its intermodal fleet and is now successfully in operation. It features real-time analysis of brakes and kingpins, load weight monitoring, and IDDS derailment diagnosis. The WaggonTracker is compatible with screw couplings and DAC.

Support with approval and integration

PJ Motion, which has extensive expertise in authorisation and requirements management and is particularly involved in the integration of the automated brake test – a key element of the WaggonTracker – was also on site. The specialists at PJ Motion provide support for vehicle integration (including change management), operational integration (e.g., adaptation of the railway undertaking's safety management systems), and integration into the maintenance system (support for ECM 1–4 functions). PJ Motion is thus laying the foundations for the safe and smooth introduction of the new technology.

Testing expertise at the highest level

The third partner to present itself at the Railway Forum was PJ Messtechnik – an accredited testing center in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025 for vehicle dynamics, fatigue strength, brakes, acoustics, aerodynamics, and pantograph (the only testing laboratory in Austria in this field). The company is also a proven specialist in engineering for rail transport. PJ Messtechnik thus rounds off the group's range of services and ensures the necessary testing reliability for new systems and vehicles.

Participation not only provided technical insights, but also direct access to decision-makers and a wide range of networking opportunities.

General / News / Waggon Tracker - 09/15/2025

Breathtaking scenery & winter conditions in Norway: PJM is testing the Beilhack snow blower from Aebi Schmidt

80 tonnes packed with sophisticated technology and one of the most beautiful railway lines in the world - these are the ingredients for a vehicle test by PJM in northern Europe. The Austrian measurement technology specialist was commissioned to test the brakes and acoustics of the Schmidt Beilhack HB 1100S, which will be used by Bane NOR in the future.

The track tests for the brakes were carried out in accordance with TSI LOC&PAS:2024, EN14033-1:2014 and NNTR-NOR. The first tests took place between autumn 2024 and April 2025 in a wide variety of weather scenarios and included, among other things:

Wheel slide protection tests to determine braking distance and braking performance in Holmenstrand
Steep gradient track tests on the Flam Railway and further test runs between Finse and Voss. The Flam Railway is one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world and is one of Norway‘s main tourist attractions. From a railway engineering perspective, the gradient is particularly interesting: the maximum gradient is 55 ‰.

Furthermore, PJM was commissioned to carry out acoustic measurements for employment protection (health and safety requirements). These tests will be carried out in autumn.

‘The tests for the approval of Aebi Schmidt‘s high-performance snow blower are another project for PJM involving special rail vehicles and railway construction machines. In recent years, we have tested various well-known special vehicles for approval in many parts of Europe,’ says Martin Joch, CEO of PJ Messtechnik GmbH.

Press release

General / News / Presseberichte - 08/21/2025

Stronger together: PJM and Ingenieurbüro Rörden combine their expertise and found EMC Rail Services

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:

Radiated electromagnetic disturbances
Radio protection
Human exposure
Compatibility with track circuits
Compatibility with axle counters / sensors

Press Release

General / News / Presseberichte - 08/04/2025

We'll be there: Railway Forum Berlin 2025 - Europe's top event for the rail industry

From September 2 to 4, 2025, the European rail industry will gather at the 9th Railway Forum Berlin - and we'll be right in the middle of it instead of just there! Over 2,000 decision-makers and experts from all over Europe will come together to discuss the latest developments, innovations and strategic directions in the rail industry.

Under the patronage of Deutsche Bahn AG, the Railway Forum will once again be the industry's leading management conference this year - with top-class keynotes and exciting workshops.

We are particularly pleased that Günter Petschnig will be a speaker. The Managing Director of PJ Monitoring GmbH, which is a technology leader in the automation and digitalization of rail freight transport with its WaggonTracker system, will present his topic "Digital train functions: More safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness in rail freight transport". Representatives from PJ Motion, our specialist for approval and project management, will also be present, contributing their extensive expertise in the field of operational integration and vehicle integration of brake testing, among other things. And PJ Messtechnik - an accredited test center in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025 and specialist in engineering for rail transport - will also be on site, ready to exchange ideas, share expertise and network.

For us, the Railway Forum is an ideal platform for providing impetus, maintaining industry contacts and actively contributing to the future of rail transport. We are looking forward to three intensive days full of dialog, innovation and networking.

panoramic view at central berlin while sunset

General / News / Waggon Tracker - 08/04/2025

Cooperation: Boom Software and PJ Monitoring combine data intelligence and intelligent freight wagons

Each of the two is a digitalisation specialist in its field: Boom digitises rail processes with various software solutions and optimizes the operation and maintenance of rail vehicles thanks to data intelligence. PJ Monitoring is a pioneer in the digitalisation and automation of freight wagons and was the first company to put an automated brake testing system on rails, as well as Europe's most intelligent freight train.

With this cooperation, the two Styrian companies are now combining their digital rail expertise. The benefits for customers? The data that PJM collects in real time on relevant freight wagon components is seamlessly integrated into Boom's software platform in real time and is an ideal addition to maintenance management. Vehicle data and maintenance data are linked. The combination of sensor technology, data intelligence and automated processes creates end-to-end transparency and process chains throughout the life cycle of a vehicle and its components. Digitalisation with added value - and a concrete competitive advantage for rail operators, rail logistics companies, wagon keepers and fleet managers.

Boom Rail Solutions: data intelligence for operations and maintenance

Boom Software has decades of experience in the digitalisation of rail processes - with a particular focus on holistic asset management, maintenance processes and operational processes in freight transport.
The modular standard software suite Boom Rail Solutions enables precise planning as well as carrying out and tracking all maintenance work on rail vehicles and their components - from simple inspections to complex overhauls. It also supports rail freight companies in transport management, such as digital train composition, the automated creation of wagon lists, brake labels or consignment notes and the planning of operational work processes. The results are tangible: The transparent, clear process design, ease of use and short communication channels save time, relieve the burden of administrative tasks and make a significant contribution to increasing fleet availability.

PJ Monitoring: Digital train functions increase the safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of rail freight transport

PJ Monitoring GmbH is a technology leader in the digitalisation and automation of rail freight transport. The digital train functions, which increase the efficiency, safety and availability of freight trains, are on board SBB Cargo, FS Logistix (formerly Mercitalia Intermodal), DB Cargo, GATX, Transwaggon, Lenzing AG and many more. The range of functionalities is extensive and largely unique, such as king-pin monitoring in real time, load weight monitoring in real time, brake system monitoring and brake analysis as well as derailment diagnosis. With the automatic brake test, it was made possible to replace a manual process with an automated system for the first time in 100 years. The innovations and the most intelligent freight train in Europe have already won 12 awards.

General / News / Waggon Tracker - 07/29/2025

Digital future at your fingertips - PJM at transport logistic 2025 in Munich

From June 2 to 5, 2025, Munich once again became the center of the global logistics industry: transport logistic 2025 set a new record with over 2,700 exhibitors from 73 countries and more than 77,000 trade visitors from over 130 nations. On around 150,000 m² of exhibition space, everything revolved around the latest developments in logistics, mobility, IT and supply chain management. The focus was on topics such as digitalization, automated processes and sustainable solutions for the transport world of tomorrow.

As an innovation partner in the industry, we presented the WaggonTracker, our smart solution for digital freight transport, a real highlight in the field of digitalization. We offer answers to key questions about efficient rail logistics - intelligent, automated and future-proof.

In addition to our digital solution, our experts from the fields of measurement technology / inspection body (PJ Messtechnik), approval management (PJ Motion) and inspection body (RCC) were on hand to discuss technical issues.

A crowd puller: The showcase realized together with our customer Tatravagónka in the outdoor area, where the automatic brake test and the support frame monitoring were demonstrated live. Technology that moves - in the truest sense of the word.

General / News - 07/25/2025

The new Koralm Tunnel is here! PJM was already in action for test and measurement runs.

Double future momentum: PJM sets the tone at important industry meetings

INFRATRACK – a new company in the PJM Group

Innofreight developed a highly innovative bogie design PJM carried out structural analysis, laboratory tests and dynamic track tests

Railway Forum 2025: Key topic of digitalization – PJM presented solutions

Breathtaking scenery & winter conditions in Norway: PJM is testing the Beilhack snow blower from Aebi Schmidt

Stronger together: PJM and Ingenieurbüro Rörden combine their expertise and found EMC Rail Services

We'll be there: Railway Forum Berlin 2025 - Europe's top event for the rail industry

Cooperation: Boom Software and PJ Monitoring combine data intelligence and intelligent freight wagons

Digital future at your fingertips - PJM at transport logistic 2025 in Munich

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