The non-ballast system, NBT, has been developed for mixed traffic at a maximum operational speed of 360 km/h.
Eisenbahn-Bundesamt (EBA) has classified NBT as “Zulassung zur Betriebserprobung” – “approved for operating testing”.
Key players in the German rail community have worked closely with Alstom to obtain the approval: TÜV Rheinland InterTraffic, ACR and the Technical University of Munich (TUM).
Alstom co-developed NBT for main-line owners seeking a concrete track. NBT has an design inspired by concrete pavement experience. The construction process is derived from the service-proven Appitrack technology, which allows construction rates of 300m of track per day and is said to reduce the track-laying schedule by 40%.
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