Voith Turbo Introduces Crash Energy Management System to the United States Market

YORK, Pa., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Voith Turbo, a world leader in power transmission, is proud to announce its role in helping to increase the level of safety on the new commuter rail vehicles being delivered to the Metrolink rail system by Hyundai Rotem. Globally Voith Turbo Scharfenberg GmbH & Co. KG is the largest supplier of couplers to the passenger rail market.

234 Couplers will be manufactured and shipped by Voith Turbo's York, Pennsylvania facility. These Couplers will be fitted to 117 new vehicles being manufactured for Metrolink. Metrolink serves the area surrounding Los Angeles with 7 routes covering 512 miles of track.

The first two new vehicles were introduced to Metrolink and the public on May 3, in Riverside, California. Voith Turbo was a lead member in the team that developed the new technology for the vehicles. Metrolink's Board Chairman stated, "As the latest technological addition to our multifaceted public safety program, these new crash energy management cars will help save lives. They were developed in strong collaboration with the world's leading safety experts who share our commitment to passenger safety. We greatly appreciate their innovative work to enhance the safety of our passengers, train crews and busy regional transportation network."

Voith Turbo worked in conjunction with Rotem, the Federal Railroad Administration, the Volpe Institute and the American Public Transportation Association during the design phase of the project.

Voith Turbo will supply AAR type (American Association of Railroad) compatible pushback couplers, Defamation tubes and Shear-off bolts for each of the 117 cars. All of these items are integral to the vehicles' crash energy management system. The staged crash energy management system utilizes multiple technologies to manage high levels of force in the event of a collision. With this Crash Energy management system, force levels are controlled at a defined level protecting the car structure and passengers within.

Voith Turbo, the specialist for hydrodynamic drive, coupling and braking systems for road, rail and industrial applications, as well as for ship propulsion systems, is a Group Division of Voith AG. Voith is setting the standard in the paper, energy, mobility, and service markets. Established on January 1, 1867, Voith is now one of the largest family-owned businesses in Europe, with 39,000 employees, 5.1 billion euro in sales, and over 280 locations worldwide. Voith is an official partner of the initiative "Germany – Land of Ideas."

SOURCE Voith Turbo