The factory-on-rails that installs new track
Capable of renovating up to 220 metres of track a day, track renewal trains function as factories on rails. Three of these machines are currently operating in France. One is being used by our SNCF Réseau teams to upgrade the line around Joigny, in central France.
A key phase of upgrades on the Paris–Lyon–Mediterranean line
It does it all: replaces sleepers, lays new track and renews ballast. The track renewal train operating on the Paris–Lyon–Mediterranean line is emblematic of the wider upgrades designed to boost reliability and efficiency on this strategic route. In central France, one of these machines has renovated several kilometres of track, on the Joigny-Sens section, between January and April 2026. Financed by SNCF Réseau, the €12.6 million upgrade was completed without reducing rail network availability.
150
employees and 10 different suppliers worked on these upgrades
€12.6m
was invested to modernize the line around Joigny
3
track renewal trains operate in France
All materials are recycled
We remove tonnes of materials—all of it treated, reclaimed and recycled:
- Tracks are melted down or reused.
- Old wooden sleepers are either used as fuel for heating or crushed for repurposing.
- Ballast is sorted and either reused directly on the line or processed into construction sand for paving.
These processes reflect a circular economy approach aimed at reducing the environmental impact of railway worksites and extending the life of materials.
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