The International Rail Meeting has become an established professional event at Schenck Process. The third International Rail Meeting, held by Schenck Process between the 15th and 17th of April 2008 in Darmstadt (after successful events in 2004 and 2006), focused on “Diagnosis and weighing systems for the workshop and rail applications”.

Around 90 attendees from ten countries listened to specialist presentations on cutting edge technology from both rail operators and representatives of the rail supply industry. The event included for example discussions on how to detect and monitor critical load statuses in freight wagons and debates on detailed issues relating to techniques for measuring power. Questions relating to current and medium-term trends on international markets also provided plenty of material for discussion.

In addition to several theoretical debates, participants weren’t short-changed when it came to the practical side of things. Peter Groll, vice president of transport automation at Schenck Process, gave a presentation entitled “Measuring Q / Y forces in the measuring arc”. The last day of the event gave attendees the opportunity to experience for themselves everything they had been discussing in the form of a trip to Siemens Prüfcenter Wildenrath (PCW), the most modern test centre of its kind anywhere in the world. The PCW is home to numerous forms of testing for vehicle manufacturers, including test runs on the test track. A Schenck Process measuring arc is also used here to measure Q and Y forces, which are crucial for evaluating derailment safety.

“The Rail Meeting was another all-round success,” sums up Peter Groll. “More and more specialists are coming to appreciate the event. We have already received some registration forms for the next event in 2010.”