Image courtesy of Hitachi
Exhaust Extraction for Railway Depots: Case Study Hitachi Rail Europe
Industry: Railway depots and maintenance halls
Our customer
Hitachi Rail Europe constructs and implements ultra-modern railway vehicles: from local commuter trains to subways to Intercity trains. Here the company is building upon many years of experience as the leading manufacturer of high-speed trains such as the Shinkansen for the Japanese market.
For the British Intercity Express Programme (IEP), the company developed its new class 800/801 train, winner of a design prize. The quick and comfortable Intercity trains are to be used from 2018 both on the Great Western Main Line and also on the East Coast Main Line in England.
Our task
The modern Hitachi Class 800/801 trains are produced in England and are also serviced there. The trains are built both with an electrical drive and also in a bi-mode version with an electrical and diesel drive.
The first service depots appeared in Bristol and Doncaster. Another depot was retrofitted. Blaschke Umwelttechnik was thereby commissioned by the general contractor to plan and install the exhaust gas extracting for these modern depots, respectively on 2 to 4 tracks. Here trains with 5 to 10 train cars and several locomotives must be extracted out.
Our solution
The optimum extraction system for our customer Hitachi Rail Europe: our automatic, stationary RailPoint system. This cost-effective and efficient solution is particularly suitable for systems in which railcar trains or specific train configurations are serviced.
The RailPoint system has height-adjustable extraction hoods. Flexible high-temperature hoses are installed on the stationary exhaust gas units that make it possible to raise and lower the hoods. The hood is placed directly onto the external exhaust of the railcar and safely and cleanly captures all hazardous diesel exhaust fumes.
Control is via ultra-modern touchscreen panels and/or radio remote control. All functions are monitored and are reported to the personal safety system and the overhead wire control system.
After completion of the extracting process and before activation of the electrical overhead wires, the extraction hoods are lifted to the secure, upper park position.
In 2014, Blaschke Umwelttechnik installed the stationary exhaust fume extraction system in the Londoner service depot. The Railway depots in Bristol and Doncaster then followed in 2015.