Geismar Italia S.p.A., a manufacturer of track construction machines, has recently conducted approval tests on two types of rail inspection vehicles for use on the Irish rail network. PJM, an accredited test center according to ISO/IEC 17025, was appointed to carry out these tests, focusing on the areas of running behavior, brakes, and acoustics. The comprehensive evaluation included compliance with European standards and specific conditions unique to the Irish railroad system. The project, featuring Geismar Italia's "Track Recording Vehicle VMB" and "Ontrack Inspection Car," is set to conclude over the summer.
Rail systems specialist PJM has completed projects in 30 countries on six continents. As an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited test centre, PJ Messtechnik GmbH conducts approval tests for rail vehicles worldwide, covering areas such as running technology, strength, braking, acoustics, and aerodynamics. Their portfolio includes notable projects such as the Mountaineer in Canada, the TILO regional train, suburban trains in Berlin and Riyadh, and metros in Barcelona, Chicago, and London.
The challenge for this project was to comply with European regulations while maintaining Ireland's unique railway infrastructure. In contrast to the standard 1,435 mm gauge used in continental Europe, Ireland uses a 1,600 mm gauge. It was therefore essential to apply the appropriate regulations and to take into account the specific conditions in Ireland. “The deep understanding of the railway system available at PJM was very helpful here, and it was thus possible to demonstrate compliance with the requirements from the sets of rules under the special boundary conditions in Ireland,“ explained Martin Joch, CEO of PJ Messtechnik GmbH.
