pedeSOLAR creates bright, intuitive guidance for pedestrians at level crossings
Facts
- Location: Kaltenkirchen, Germany
- Period: May 2021
- Client: AKN Eisenbahn GmbH
- Products: pede, pedeSOLAR
- Length/quantity: 2 level crossings, each with a length of 4.5 m
- Conditions: UIC 60, B70W
Advantages
- Self-illuminating spots with a maximum visibility of approx. 900 m (depending on track and road layout)
- Battery-powered, solar-charged, self-contained, maintenance-free LED units
- Performance at full charge: up to 240 hours without additional sunlight (charging time approx. 3 hours).
- For a temperature range from -20 °C to 85 °C
Project description
At Kaltenkirchen Süd station, where a double-track level crossing lies in close proximity to a school, ensuring maximum safety for pedestrians—especially schoolchildren—is of utmost importance. In this sensitive area, there was a clear need to significantly improve guidance and, consequently, safety for both cyclists and pedestrians during low-light and nighttime conditions.
For this purpose, AKN Eisenbahn GmbH selected the durable and proven pede system for level crossings, specifically designed to address the needs of pedestrians. The key innovation of the project, however, was the addition of the pedeSOLAR system.
At the Kaltenkirchen Süd crossing, solar-powered lighting elements were installed on two 4.5-metre-long pede level crossings. This solution offers several advantages:
- Enhanced guidance: The integrated lighting elements provide clear visual cues, enhancing the visibility of the crossing at dusk and during nighttime.
- Sustainability: As a self-contained solar system, pedeSOLAR requires no external power supply, reducing installation costs and improving the operator’s sustainability profile.
Following the positive initial results, another pede level crossing within the AKN network was immediately equipped with pedeSOLAR to further assess the system’s advantages.
