A Stadler FLIRT in front of the STA maintenance building in Merano – © Ruf Avatech AG, GPALA
To ensure that passengers in the FLIRT trains of “Strutture Trasporto Alto Adige SpA” (STA) in Bolzano continue to receive reliable information, Ruf has modernized the TFT monitors in the passenger compartment. With the on-site implementation, the investments made are protected, and the vehicles can continue to operate sustainably for many years to come.
South Tyrolean Transport Structures (Italian: Strutture Trasporto Alto Adige SpA, abbreviated STA) are a transport services company in the Italian province of Bolzano, which is entirely owned by the province of South Tyrol and manages several railway lines. With the fitting motto “We create movement,” STA emphasizes its commitment to promoting a well-connected, modern expansion of public and sustainable mobility.
Bimodal Dual Voltage FLIRT vehicles
Since 2008, eleven Flirt trains have been in operation in regional transport in Bolzano and neighboring Austria. To enable cross-border travel, these six-car vehicles, built by Swiss manufacturer Stadler Rail, are dual voltage (bimodal) vehicles of the FLIRT type ETR 170. Thanks to their dual voltage equipment, they can seamlessly operate on various rail networks with different voltages. In Italy, direct current with an electrical voltage of 3kV is used for the railway network, while in Austria, alternating current with 15kV 16.7Hz is mainly used.
A “gondola” with a modernized dual screen in the passenger compartment of a Stadler FLIRT of STA
VisiWeb Passenger Information System
When they were procured, the FLIRT trains were delivered with Ruf’s complete VisiWeb passenger information system. The proven system includes DOT-LED front and side displays, TFT monitors, an audio system, emergency intercoms, and video surveillance, and it continues to operate flawlessly. However, after over 15 years of operation, some components of the TFT monitors have become obsolete, as they are no longer available and, thus, spare parts cannot be sourced.
Interior Display Modernisation
Ruf was therefore tasked with carrying out a refit, replacing all monitors with new TFT models, according to “form, fit, function.” This way, the monitors and the overall system can continue to operate sustainably for many more years. In the first vehicle, a Ruf system engineer, supported by Stadler Service Italy, replaced 20 obsolete monitors with VisiWeb TFT monitors on-site at the customer’s location in Merano. They also adjusted the control system and KIS software.
After being only a short time at the maintenance site in Merano, the refitted FLIRT is already back in commercial service. The remaining FLIRTs are now being converted step by step by Stadler Service Italy staff. For this purpose, Ruf has updated the passenger information system documentation and provided training to Stadler Service Italy staff in Merano.