Diverse product range on show at Railtex: companies from 17 countries will be exhibiting at this year's Railtex exhibition being staged at Britain's N

SEVERAL of the world's leading railway equipment manufacturers will be exhibiting at Railtex. They include Alcatel, Bombardier Transportation, Hitachi, Pandrol, Siemens, and Vossloh. There is a particularly strong showing from track, signalling, and measuring specialists.

Corus hopes to make its presence felt at Railtex by having a replica of Stephenson's Rocket locomotive on show. Corus will show its long welded rail developed specifically for Phase 2 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, its micro head-hardened (MHH) rail, and its Sogenox anti-wear, anti-screech rail for light rail systems. Corus Cogifer will exhibit its new in-concrete-bearer back drive system.

Balfour Beatty Rail has developed Rams, a rail asset management system, and AFCM, a rail surface defect measurement system. It will also show its new XiTrack track strengthening geocomposite system, developed jointly with XiTrack.

QHi will show its new electric lubricators which can pump up to 30m and include remote condition monitoring, a GPS-based wireless data transfer system for use with things such as rail lubricators, signalling equipment and point-heaters, and a new bio-degradable rail grease AEG Rail Power Systems will be showing its minimum-maintenance range of axle counter power systems, designed to achieve low life-cycle costs.

Alcatel will highlight its LockTrac, AlTrac, SelTrac and NetTrac systems. Alcatel is a main supplier to London Underground PPP concessionaire Tube Lines for upgrading signalling and train control systems on the Jubilee, Northern, and Piccadilly lines.

VMS will launch its Rigel four-aspect LED signal, which is expected to start trials soon. The signal has a 3[degrees] narrow long-range viewing angle and is visible up to 800m away. It has an internal visor to eliminate low-angle sunlight reflections. The outer polycarbonate cover has an angled face to reduce phantom reflections.

MC Electronics plans to present its new Eros LED indicators and a possession exit signal sign.

Westinghouse Rail Systems will show its new range of products and systems (IRJ October p20) including Westled two and three-aspect LED signals, recently approved for use on the surface section of the Jubilee Line, Westex level crossing predictor, Westwatch SSI remote condition-monitoring system, and Surelock point machine.

The Signal House Group will display its new conventional colour light signal and its new LED fibre-optic indicator.

Transmitton will demonstrate its Cromos suite of real-time control software and interface facilities and Fastflex RTU remote condition monitoring system.

The International Organisation of Overhead Catenary Engineers (IOOCE) will be launched at Railtex. IOOCE has been set up to serve as a forum for all aspects of overhead electrification worldwide.

ABB will emphasise its capability for the design, manufacture, and installation of high, medium and low voltage equipment for railway infrastructure and vehicles. ABB is currently involved in upgrading the electrification on Britain's West Coast Main Line, the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, and upgrading the power supply on the third rail network south of London.