FUM100.128

The catenary is a vital component of the railway system and its installation, exchange and maintenance requires the highest precision. Plasser & Theurer has many years of experience in the sector of catenary installation and catenary maintenance. Many Plasser & Theurer machines are in operation around the world to maintain this sector of the railway infrastructure quickly, precisely and cost-efficiently.

The FUM100.128 consists of well-proven components and has been specially adapted for the conditions on the DB. This machine is able to install and remove contact wire and carrying cable in just one operation without twisting and with the required, final tension for train services.

Essentially the machine is equipped with the following components:

• Sturdy frame construction, assembled using up-to-date welding techniques and production methods. Engine, hydraulic system and associated units are positioned underfloor.
• Undercarriage with two 2-axled bogies, hydrostatic drive on all four axles during working operation.
• Cabin with driver's control desk and four seats as well as the control cabinet for the program control.
• Loading crane for loading and unloading the storage drums.
• Two almost identical winch units, each positioned on a frame for slewing, in order to achieve the lateral position of the contact wire. Mounted on this are:
  • Drum tensioning wheels, positioned in separate frames to be laterally displaceable.
  • Friction winches produce steplessly the pre-selected tension forces for contact wire and carrying cable. 
  • Lifting masts with guide rollers enable the required installation height of contact wire and carrying cable.

Using the assembly-line method, contact wire and carrying cable are installed with the defined final tension which can be adjusted steplessly in the range from 8 to 28 kN. The electronic measuring and control system holds the selected tension constant, independent of all travel movements of the machine. This enables clamping into the brackets and steady arms and installation of the droppers to be performed during installations. Post-adjustment due to possible slanting position of brackets, steady arms and droppers is usually not necessary.

In the event of complete exchange the fastenings are released and the droppers removed, e.g. using a motor tower car (MTW). A cable drum car with powered storage drum is used to wind up the old contact wire and carrying cable. Directly behind this, the FUM100.128 installs the new contact wire and the new carrying cable immediately with the final tension. The finishing assembly jobs are performed using other MTW´s.

For contact wire exchange the procedure is the same in principle. The old contact wire is removed using an MTW and a cable drum car as for the complete exchange. The installation jobs are performed using the FUM100.128 and a further MTW.

To guarantee a straight-line and twist-free installation of contact wire and carrying cable, the entire winch units are in slewing suspension. Furthermore, the required staggered suspension is produced during installation. The self-propulsion is designed only for working operation and the working speed can be selected steplessly from 0 to 7 km/h. Transfer travel at up to 40 km/h is however possible with a maximum trailer load of 40 t.

Thanks to the installation with a constant, steplessly adjustable final tension, all the necessary stages of work can be carried out in one operation. Besides the high quality of work, this brings considerable savings for new installation and renewal of the catenary. Overall, the closure times and the personnel requirement can be reduced by up to 50% with this method compared to the previous method. Using the FUM100.128 the catenary renewal system enables fast, accurate and therefore cost-efficient performance of the installation work.