Borlänge Marshalling Yard
Region
Borlänge, Sweden
Client
Trafikverket
Year
1987 (first installation), development ongoing
Yard type
Hump yard
Classification tracks
22
Scope
948 retarders with associated pneumatic systems
Status
In operation
DECEL's role
Supply and installation of retarders and pneumatic systems, technical support, troubleshooting, development, testing and verification of new products and control technology together with Trafikverket
Since 1987, Borlänge marshalling yard has been equipped with an extensive system of 948 DECEL retarders and pneumatic technology. What makes the facility special is what is happening there today. DECEL and Trafikverket, the Swedish Transport Administration, are working closely together to test more modern products and new control technology directly in live operation, with the aim of improving function, reliability and availability for the marshalling yards of the future.
Background: an established facility as a development platform
DECEL has supplied and installed 948 retarders with associated pneumatic systems across the yard's 22 classification tracks. To secure the facility's function in the long term, there is a constant need to develop the technology, improve existing solutions and try new alternatives in the environment where they will actually be used.
Together with DECEL, Trafikverket wants to develop more robust, modern and efficient solutions for braking and control. The goal is to maintain high availability while creating better conditions for safe operation, simpler maintenance and continued technical development. DECEL's long experience with the facility and its close dialogue with Trafikverket make it possible to quickly turn operational experience into concrete improvements.
Installed with associated pneumatic systems
DECEL retarders in service in Borlänge since 1987
Where new technology can be tested in live operation
Testing the new without disturbing what works
The difficulty is developing and testing new technology in a facility that must remain available for daily operations at the same time. New products and control technology have to work alongside existing systems, be tested step by step and never compromise safety or availability. Done wrong, it would cause disruptions and make future maintenance harder.
Step-by-step development in a live environment
Together with Trafikverket and other stakeholders, DECEL monitors how the existing braking and pneumatic systems perform. Experience from daily operation points to areas for improvement. Based on these, new products and control technology are developed or adapted, then tested in stages under real loads and operating conditions. The results are evaluated jointly and form the basis for the next step.
Working in stages, in a live environment and in close dialogue with the people who use the facility is the deliberate choice behind the whole approach. Function, robustness and maintainability are assessed for real before solutions are applied on a larger scale.
Knowledge that benefits every marshalling yard
The 948 retarders and pneumatic systems are an important part of how the facility works today, more than 35 years after the first installation. At the same time, the ongoing collaboration is paving the way for more modern, robust and purpose-built solutions that strengthen availability and simplify operation and maintenance. For Trafikverket, it means fast technical feedback, continuous improvement and the chance to try new technology with the support of DECEL's specialists.
See also Sävenäs Marshalling Yard, where DECEL is supplying new control for 1,500 pneumatic retarders.
“For us, sustainability is not only about new technology. It is about designing solutions that operate reliably for decades, require minimal maintenance, and help reduce wear and damage to rolling stock and rail infrastructure. By improving operational efficiency and lowering life-cycle costs, we contribute to more sustainable rail yard operations."
