Updating existing rail vehicles with a modernized drivetrain helps to improve fleet efficiency while keeping costs and service interruptions down. This approach is known as “repowering”. At this year’s InnoTrans, the international trade show for transport technology, ZF and Irish Rail signed a Memorandum of Understanding about a potential new repowering project starting in 2025. The partnership revolves around ZF’s new EcoWorld 2 six-speed powershift transmission, which decreases fuel consumption, improves ride comfort and reduces maintenance efforts.

At InnoTrans, SKF showcased tapered roller bearings for enhanced reliability of gearbox applications and cylindrical roller bearing units for increased longevity of freight train wheelsets.    

To help railway engineers maintain their catenary system - the circulatory system that keeps everything moving - Hottinger Brüel & Kjær (HBK) has created its Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) Pantograph Measurement System.

Vesconite Bearings recently received an order for 60 spherical Vesconite Hilube liners. This order came after less than one year of initial testing.

On May 7, 2024, Voith Turbo celebrated the completion of its almost $6 million workshop expansion in York County, PA., a move that's been driven by increased rail business where Buy America compliance is a critical component. The project added 10,000 square-feet to the workshop facility. A ribbon cutting for the expansion took place at the workshop, which is also the location of Voith Turbo’s North American headquarters, and included local and state officials, as well as employees.

Siemens Mobility has been chosen by Metrolinx, the regional public transit operator for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, to handle their track, signal, and right-of-way maintenance for the Central Region of Toronto's passenger railway infrastructure system. This partnership builds upon Siemens Mobility's existing maintenance services in the West Region and signal and communications services at the Metrolinx Network Operations Center. 

NKE Austria GmbH presents its bearings for railway applications. The bearings are used in traction motors and locomotive gearboxes as well as in railcars, trams and underground trains.

Siemens Mobility and ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) are digitizing the Austrian rail network to further enhance the attractiveness of public transport. ÖBB is aiming to double the capacity of Austria’s entire rail system by 2040 to cope with increasing passenger numbers. This goal is now a bit closer: The most modern technology for railway operations – the digital European Train Control System ETCS – has now been implemented and commissioned on the 57-kilometer route between Linz and Vöcklabruck. The system controls distances between trains, as well as their direction and speed in real time. This enables the route to carry more passengers and freight, and ensures that the trains run more reliably, punctually, and safely. 

Voith Turbo North America has broken ground on a $5 million expansion of its workshop in York, Pa. The expansion will increase the Group Division’s American manufacturing capabilities.

With an innovative technology package from SKF, Ningbo Rail Transit has extended the service life of critical refurbished bearings on eight trainset vehicles from 800,000 to 1 million km. The project is the first commercial application of SKF’s Insight Metro wireless condition monitoring system, which has been developed in China specifically for the needs of the domestic rail sector.