IRJ's Editorial Team reveals what the leading exhibitors will present at InnoTrans 2022 in Berlin from September 20-23. We have split the article across four separate posts. In this first part we include companies from A-E. Part two (F-K) is available here, part three (L-P) here, and part four (R-Z) here.
Australian supplier 4Tel (Hall 7.1b, stand 420) will present Horus, a machine learning vision system. Horus uses artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques integrated with a variety of sensors to identify and classify objects in the rail corridor, verify the approaching signal aspect, and monitor limit of authority compliance in real-time in all weather conditions. Horus is available in a number of configurations including as a driver advisory system to improve driver situational awareness.
AKW A+V Protec Rail (Hall 1.1, stand 620) will promote the Protec Bioreactor, which treats and sanitises waste water from train toilets. The purified water is released onto the track. With night trains making a comeback in Europe for long-distance routes, there are sometimes up to eight toilets per vehicle and Protec is offering a solution with one bioreactor that serves all toilets in the coach.
As the manufacturer of the world’s first hydrogen-powered train, the Coradia iLint - first seen at InnoTrans in 2016 and operating since 2018 - Alstom (Hall 3.2, stand 460) will showcase its latest traction solutions for hydrogen and battery power, for both new rolling stock and fleet upgrades. Digitalisation will be another significant topic with Alstom presenting its ATO, ETCS and cybersecurity technologies, including HealthHub, a dynamic maintenance planning platform which optimises rolling stock fleet maintenance. Outside, the manufacturer will exhibit two vehicles.
With its AI-controlled mobility and loyalty platform which rewards passengers for switching to eco-friendly transport, Axon Vibe (Hall 7.1c, stand 430) is incentivising sustainable travel. East Japan Railway Company (JR East) is already using this Swiss innovation for its Tokyo Nudge app. Features include compensating passengers who encounter delays with a free coffee.
British Steel (Hall 21, stand 240) will present a range of products which it says are designed to help the industry achieve sustainable track systems with longer infrastructure life and fewer maintenance requirements. Among the products on display will be high-performance rail, a non-heat-treated range that offers improved protection against wear, rolling contact fatigue and plastic deformation.
Also on show will be Zinoco, a durable coated rail offering excellent corrosion resistance in aggressive environments such as coastal areas, wet tunnels and level crossings. The supplier will also exhibit its range of steel sleepers, which are designed to reduce track construction and renewal costs through lower ballast requirements, rapid installation, and ease of transport.
CAF (Hall 4.2, stand 130) will showcase its latest innovations, products and services in rolling stock, signalling, services, components, turnkey integration and engineering. It will also display mock-ups of new cars for London’s Docklands Light Railway, EMUs for French National Railways (SNCF) and battery trains for VRR of Germany. One of the highlights will be the hydrogen-powered demonstrator train for the Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Pack for Rail Applications (FCH2Rail) project.
CN-Consult (Hall 2.1, stand 840) will showcase its newly-developed dynamic timetable displays featuring integrated journey advice. The new features are delivered through Leader4DiLoc, an energy-saving driver assistance system which has been developed with partner Knorr-Bremse. The manufacturer says this helps operators to achieve high levels of energy efficiency by taking timetabling, topography and the level of traffic into account.
Comsa (Hall 22, stand 710) will highlight its work as part of a consortium participating in the deployment of a 5G network on the high-speed line between Figueres in Spain and Perpignan in France. Among its features is the use of cloud-enabled artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure continuity of digital applications and business services as trains cross the border. Comsa Industrial is also participating in the Shift2Rail Safe4Rail-3 project to develop advanced safety technologies for the next generation of train control and monitoring systems (TCMS).
Among the highlights of CRRC’s (Hall 4.2, stand 210) exhibit is the Intelligent 350km/h EMU, which has adopted a number of innovative technologies and was used at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Simulators on the CRRC stand will enable visitors to experience a journey in the Intelligent EMU, including using the food ordering and other customised service applications. In addition, the manufacturer will highlight the 600km/h maglev system built by CRRC Qingdao. Also on show will be the Arco bogie applied to the 200km/h urban Express Rail train, which features permanent magnet direct drive technology to reduce energy consumption.
On display outside will be the TSI certified multi-voltage electric locomotive for Hungary. Specifically developed for the European market, CRRC says it offers shunting capability for non-electrified areas, high reliability and straightforward maintenance.
Cylus (Hall 6.1, stand 230) provides a specialised cybersecurity solution for operators to guarantee service availability and safety. Combining deep rail and cybersecurity expertise, Cylus has developed a platform for real-time asset visibility and threat detection across heterogeneous rail operating technology. The supplier will offer demonstrations of its CylusOne platform while experts will be available to share cybersecurity lessons learned from working with rail operators.
DMA (Hall 23, stand 375) will show its products for infrastructure and rolling stock inspection and diagnostics. Onboard solutions include track geometry and rail measurement, turnout and point measurement, track component video inspection and catenary monitoring. Wayside systems include wheel profile and brake pad measurement, and pantograph monitoring systems. DMA will also display its TracksNet data management and analysis software.
Duagon (Hall 27, stand 760) will exhibit its latest communications, computing and control technology system for critical rail applications, including train subsystem control and monitoring, onboard and wayside signalling, and auxiliary systems for passenger information or entertainment. The exhibitor will premiere its G28 hardware platform, which enables real-time and general-purpose operating systems to run on a single platform, resulting in improved use of overall hardware capacity as well as a reduction in hardware costs, energy consumption, cabling and space requirements.
Ensco Rail (Hall 25, stand 100) will display its new Ultrasonic Rail Flaw System (URFS) for installation on road-rail and rail vehicles. URFS integrates with other Ensco measurement technologies to provide accurate and more cost-effective rail inspection. The supplier will also exhibit its autonomous track inspection systems, a data management suite, and update visitors on plans for the Transport Technology Centre (TTC) test site in the United States, which Ensco will manage and operate from October 1.
Escha (Hall 12, stand 250) will for the first time show its pre-assembled and overmoulded valve connectors which meet fire performance and shock, vibration and mechanical stress standards. Escha says it is the first manufacturer to offer overmoulded connectors that have secured general approval for the demanding rail market. It says these connectors are more reliable and easier to install than field-wireable connectors.
The European Rail Industry Association (Unife) (Hall 27, stand 660) has organised a number of events on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during InnoTrans, the majority of which will take place at its stand.
Tuesday features the announcement of the 2022 World Rail Market Study Results, presented by Unife chairman and Alstom CEO, Mr Henri Poupart-Lafarge, alongside Roland Berger partner, Mr Andreas Schwilling, and Unife director general, Mr Philippe Citroën. Other events that day include “Going the extra mile: A growing market demand for zero-emissions trains in Europe,” and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Railway Supply Institute (RSI), United States, the Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers (CARS), Canada, and Unife.
Events on Wednesday include “Using EU R&I to support the European rail supply industry’s competitiveness,” “Assessing the impact of the Fourth Railway Package’s implementation and the EU technical regulatory framework’s evolution,” and “ERTMS: the foundation of future global automation.” There will also be discussions on the transition to the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS), and on adapting training curricula and attracting talent to the rail sector.
Thursday will begin with a forum on ERTMS, including two panels, at the Palais followed by a session at the Unife stand looking at smart tools for railway work safety and performance improvement, with a robot and exoskeleton demonstration. The events will close with sessions on cybersecurity and IRIS certification.
Europe’s Rail (Hall 27, stand 511) will have a strong presence at InnoTrans. As well as promoting the launch of the new research programme in January 2023, it will showcase several innovations from the Shif2Rail joint research undertaking. These include a train management system (TMS) connected with a crew management system, composite door leaves, modular interior panels and ultra-light seats. Europe’s Rail will also launch the second edition of its Catalogue of Solutions, bringing together innovative approaches to transforming rail. In addition, at 15.00 on September 21 at the Speakers’ Corner, Europe’s Rail will host a high-level presentation on the Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) and how best to prepare for its roll-out across Europe.
