2015 was the year of the Switcher

“In 2015, we observed a tendency in tenders announced by PLK to reward the contractors who were able to deliver the railroad turnouts to the incorporation site in blocks. Those were just a handful of cases but it is definitely a change for the better, arising from the need to facilitate the process of replacement of those crucial elements of railroad infrastructure, and the need to increase the travel speed of trains,” says Ryszard Leszczyński, Chairman of the Board of KZN Bieżanów.

 “Conventional methods of railroad turnout transport causes the turnouts, comprising the disassembly for transport and then reassembly on site, causes irreparable loss of their initial quality, which later translates into speed limits and the need for additional maintenance and repair work. Furthermore, the tendency towards increasing line speed on trunk railway lines requires significantly stricter safety standards and more precise incorporation of devices. Transport of railroad turnouts in blocks addresses that issue. The change of the infrastructure management authority’s attitude to the turnout replacement process increased the contractors’ interest in innovative systems of turnout replacement. We are seeing it already, but we are certain that 2016 will be a breakthrough year in this respect, both for our business and for the entire industry,” wrote KZN Bieżanów’s Chairman of the Board.

Although 2015 was an exceptional year for KZN “Bieżanów” for several reasons, it was most certainly the year of the Switcher. The Switcher is the latest development of the growing Research & Development Office, established in cooperation with the Railway Institute. It is a rail vehicle integrated with cranes and modules for mounting and bracing the turnouts on the car platform that makes it possible to load, transport and unload all types of turnouts, including those with 1,200 m radius. The Trako trade fair, where the “Switcher” was first shown, demonstrated just how highly this solution is anticipated on the Polish market. The numbers of people attending demonstrations and visiting our stand exceeded our wildest expectations.

“The tremendous interest in the technology patented by KZN was also confirmed the first prize in the prestigious Ernest Malinowski Memorial Contest  in the category of Infrastructure, as well as by numerous inquiries that we received both from Polish and foreign companies interested in purchasing or renting our system,” said Ryszard Leszczyński.

The Switcher on PLK’s testing grounds Interestingly for the manufacturers, after being shut down for several years, PLK’s Testing Grounds in Świdnik was reopened.  The aim of PKP PLK’s project is to increase the travel speed on the double slip turnouts (120 km/h) and markedly improve their operating and maintenance parameters. All manufacturers with plants in Poland were asked to supply prototype turnouts. Using the Switcher, KZN was the only manufacturer to supply the turnouts in blocks, i.e. without prior disassembly in the plant and reassembly on site. With this solution, all technical and quality parameters of the railroad turnout were preserved and the incorporation time was significantly reduced.

Growth in Poland and beyond ”2015 was the year of expansion to the German market. A new KZN Bahntechnik GmbH company was founded with its offices in Braunschweig, which will distribute and sell KZN Bieżanów products on German and international markets. Last year was also important to us for another reason – we celebrated the 70th anniversary of founding of our company, 10th anniversary of privatisation and 5th anniversary of the establishment of the capital group. Between many years of experience behind our belt and the successful execution of our plans last year, we are optimistic and hopeful for the future,” concludes Chairman Leszczyński.