IRJ at InnoTrans 2016: Voestalpine demonstrated for the first time its interactive life-cycle cost tool for rails which will enable infrastructure managers to choose the ideal rail for their particular application.

Speaking at the Railway Forum in Berlin last month, Dr Martin Platzer, senior vice-president with rail and turnout specialist Voestalpine, made a plea for European railways to start purchasing equipment and systems on the basis of the most economically-advantageous tender rather than simply the lowest price. David Briginshaw was in the audiance.

Advances in braking technology are generating substantial savings in operating costs while helping to reduce the environmental impact of trains. Dr Tim Hodges, chief railways engineer at Federal-Mogul, explains how better brakes can benefit the bottom line.

Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) has achieved considerable success in maintaining and even improving track quality while simultaneously reducing costs.