Leading brand of the railways for barrier-free stations

Meiller’s lift doors were once again recommended as leading brands in the current call for tenders of Deutsche Bahn. They are also to be used in Stuttgart 21.

Meiller Aufzugtüren has once again prevailed as leading brand in the product specifications of DB-Station & Service AG and as contractor in the new DB master agreement. The company is to make a contribution to further improving barrier-freedom in stations and enabling people with restricted mobility to have access without steps to platforms. The first doors have already been successfully installed in platform lifts.

To ensure continuous improvement in its barrier-freedom, Deutsche Bahn regularly draws up and updates its product specifications for passenger lifts. These specify the functional and qualitative requirements and standards for the 400-800 lifts, which along with their components are to be modernised or installed in Germany within a period of four to five years.

Key components for barrier-free stations

Visualisation of aplatform hall. Photo: © plan b / Meiller Aufzugtüren

The lift doors are one of the central components of a lift and have to meet high demands regarding service life and vandalism protection. "This kind of door is made almost completely out of especially tough steel with extensive glass elements to withstand extreme demands and guarantee a decades-long service live," according to Florian Runck, product manager at Meiller Aufzugtüren.

Deutsche Bahn as operator prescribes the materials and technical features based on empirical data. The goal is to enhance the lifts’ reliability through modern lift controls and door drive systems, detect potential malfunctions at an early sate and replace components promptly in the context of the service intervals. This significantly enhanced operational reliability.

Fast availability of spare parts is another important criterion for Deutsche Bahn. The most important components always have to be available and delivered within 48 hours. Meiller had an advantage with the production location Munich and the associated short delivery times, Runck pointed out.

Challenge major project Stuttgart 21

Stuttgart 21 is to date certainly the most important new construction project of Deutsche Bahn and will probably have been realised by 2026. It involves the reorganisation of the railway hub Stuttgart and the high-speed line between Stuttgart and Ulm. The commissioning of the new railway hub is regarded as one of the most complex of its kind in Europe.

Meiller lift doors are also being deployed in Stuttgart 21 – in a slightly modified form of the railway standard, explained Runck. "The steel construction is made out of grade 316 stainless steel and the visible areas are glass bead blasted." The frameless glass door leaves are made out of low ferric oxide white glass without green cast.

To reduce the risk of falls, the door sills are designed with high slip resistance (class R11 as cross hatching). The door leaves are concealed in design. Only the telescopic doors have sills with a lasered guide groove in the area of the slow door leaves. "This greatly reduces the risk of dirt or grit being able to get into the sill and block the door leaves," Runck explained.

More information: meiller-aufzugtueren.de/en