Manufacturer on Track to Launch New Rail Coupler Range at InnoTrans

This year’s InnoTrans exhibition will be marked by the launch of a new range of rail couplers as Oleo International begins manufacturing the product for the first time. 

The company, which has been manufacturing hydraulic energy absorbers and deformation tubes for over twenty years, will use InnoTrans, which takes place from 20-23 September 2016 in Berlin, as a platform to launch its new Sentry range of couplers. By adding couplers to its manufacturing program, Oleo has become one of few businesses globally with the capability to deliver a complete rail safety solution.

Unique to Oleo’s new range, aside from the fact the company is now delivering a complete energy absorption solution for the rail sector, is the quality and durability of the coupler. Designed, developed and produced in the UK, the company will manufacture a standard set of couplers, as well as offering bespoke options. And because Oleo International has a long heritage of manufacturing energy absorbers and deformation tubes, it is uniquely positioned to deliver a competitive coupler and anti-climber package to customers.

Peter Lee, engineering director at Oleo International said that the manufacture of rail couplers was the next logical step for Oleo to grow its presence further in the rail sector. He commented, "We’ve spent many years manufacturing buffers and deformation tubes for rail, which we have had to pass onto a third party to be incorporated into couplers. By manufacturing the coupler ourselves, we keep the entire project in house and can exercise full control over the quality and testing of the product. We also take a modular approach to the new designs, which means we can pass on reduced costs, improved performance and shorter lead times to customers. ”

As traffic volumes and rail speeds for both passenger and freight trains increase, they require improved protection and the highest levels of impact crash energy management. Oleo’s rail buffers, of which the company has over 70,000 in operation worldwide, provide vehicle protection for a range of velocities in the event of crash. These buffers are integrated into rail couplers to provide high levels of recoverable energy absorption following a collision, passing on lower life cycle costs, and lower repair and maintenance costs for rail vehicle operators.

Another important component for rail safety is anti-climbers, a product that Oleo International has manufactured since the early 1990s. Anti-climbers are designed to absorb energy in the impact of a train-to-train collision, to prevent one vehicle from climbing over the top of the other. As part of Oleo’s Sentry range, it will also be showcasing its new range of Anti-Climbers, which have been continuously improved through ongoing research and development.

The new products can be viewed for the first time at the Oleo International stand in Hall 1.2/310.