On track for success
October 2010
It was 175 years ago that the first train took to the rails in Germany. That also marked the start of a Rexroth success story.
On December 7, 1835, the trip by the Adler from Nürnberg to Fürth opened the history of railroading in Germany. Industrialist Georg Ludwig Rexroth II instantly recognized the significance of the steambelching behemoth and struck upon a bright idea: purchasing a foundry located along the tracks. In 1850 he took control of such an operation in Lohr am Main, a town slated to be served by the network of tracks being built at that time. The bogies and wheels for the first German railroad had already been cast there. In 1854 he landed a major contract with the “Royal Bavarian Railroad Commission”, delivering more than nine thousand track clamps. A mainstay of business right down into the twentieth century was collaboration with the Noell Brothers Carriage Factory, for which Rexroth manufactured brake components, cylinders and bearings — primarily for use in railway cars.
Growing significance
With its debut in hydraulics and its expansion into every field in drive and control technology Rexroth gradually made a name for itself in the transportation industry. In the 1970s the company fabricated, for instance, the entire hydraulic supply system for the simulator operated by the German Railways in Munich. In the 1990s an anti-slip system was developed, helping to optimize the braking power applied by the wheels. Finally, an ABS system for freight trains, incorporating electro-pneumatic braking regulators, ensured a shorter braking path and longer service life for the wheels.
An experienced partner
Transportation technology continues to be a sector of great importance to Rexroth. Certified to IRIS (International Railway Industry Standard) rules, the company engineers and manufactures auxiliary hydraulic drives, cooling systems for traction drives, and pneumatic components and sensors for rolling stock. It also outfits special-purpose vehicles used for track construction and maintenance, supplying hydrostatic drives and hydraulic components. Rexroth is an OEM for many renowned
carriage manufacturers and is also involved in updating and modernizing older systems.
Given the long service lives of rail vehicles — as much as forty years — ensuring that spare parts will be available is just as important as worldwide service. Customers profit from more than 150 years of experience in railroading. They benefit no less from the development expertise and mass production skills of the market leader in fittings for mobile working machines. Backed up by the expertise in the Bosch Group as a whole, the customers are rolling toward a bright future.
Further information:
www.boschrexroth.com/transport
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