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Isolating joints play a central role in the safe operation of railways by dividing the rail network into electrically separated sections. These systems are crucial for monitoring train traffic, as they register when a train enters and exits a section. In Austria, approximately 33,000 isolating joints are currently in use, which, however, often wear out quickly on heavily trafficked routes, as reported by the Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) recently.
New Developments at TU Graz
TU Graz, in collaboration with the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and Martin Schienentechnik, has developed a prototype for more robust isolating joints. These new isolating joints are to be made from optimized materials and innovative geometries. The aim of this development is to significantly extend the lifespan of the isolating joints. According to the current research findings from TU Graz, the new isolating joints are expected to have at least double the lifespan of the previous models. This could help to significantly reduce the number of failures and damages in the railway network.
