TÜV SÜD’s Rolling Stock Test Centre offers comprehensive support for vehicles and components since 25 years

TÜV SÜD is one of the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification (TIC) companies, providing services to the rail industry from conventional rail systems to high-speed trains and metro and urban rail systems. Over 450 experts from the Rail Services business unit support manufacturers, operators and authorities throughout all stages of a project and all phases of a product’s life cycle. To this end, TÜV SÜD not only maintains its own test facilities for rail applications and proprietary testing tools; in addition, the TIC company holds all international accreditations and approvals needed for these activities.

“With a comprehensive service portfolio for manufacturers, suppliers and operators and extensive testing facilities, the Rolling Stock Test Centre is an essential pillar of our rail services”, says Dr Martin Webhofer, CEO of TÜV SÜD Rail GmbH. Besides testing for the purpose of placing rolling stock and components into service, the experts at the Rolling Stock Test Centre perform tests during design and development phases that combine stationary tests and track tests with simulation analyses, e.g. for testing driving dynamics and pantographs. “After organisational restructuring in the past year, we were able to further optimise the test centre’s capacity and strengthen collaboration between the four locations”, adds Uwe Rönsch, Head of the TÜV SÜD Rolling Stock Test Centre. “With this result, we emphatically underline our pledge to provide swift services and processing from a single source.”

The Rolling Stock Test Centre was founded in 1997 by IVM Joint Venture GmbH after German rail operator Deutsche Bahn decided to close its locations in Halle/Saale and Goerlitz. Subsequently, the Halle/Saale location saw the development and establish-ment of the test areas of running dynamics and brakes, while in Goerlitz, the test centre took over the entire proving grounds for strength testing of traction and buffer equipment, including all track systems, rolling stock and test rigs. The Rolling Stock Test Centre was recognised by the German Federal Railway Authority as early as April 1997. Since November 2005, it has also held accreditation in accordance with ISO/IEC DIN EN 17025.

TÜV SÜD took over the Rolling Stock Test Centre in 2008 and integrated it into TÜV SÜD Rail GmbH. Since its establishment in 1997, the test centre has continuously expanded its range of services, in test areas including “Crashworthiness requirements” in accordance with EN 15227, “Dynamic testing of tank containers and flexitanks” in accordance with CSA B625 and COA, and “Pantographs” in accordance with EN 50317. Acquisition of IWT4, the special measuring wheelset technology from SNC Lavalin in Stockholm, and the testing department of Prose with locations in Berlin, Winterthur and Stockholm, enabled the test centre to expand and complement its service portfolio by adding the test areas of EMC – electrics, aerodynamics, acoustics and vibration in the field of machine dynamics. Further information about TÜV SÜD’s Rolling Stock Test Centre at www.tuvsud.com/….