IPS carried out an overhaul to improve the performance and reliability of MA sets on DB Schenker’s fleet of vehicles.
The challenge
IPS was awarded a contract from DB Schenker to improve the performance and reliability of all MA sets on DB Schenker’s fleet of Mark 2 rail coaches. IPS was to deliver the overhaul in accordance with a required specification and against rigid repair programme.
The solution
IPS sent a qualified team to DB Schenker’s site in Scotland to carry out further investigations on the failed MA sets. After consultation with the customer, the units were sent to IPS’s workshop for the overhaul to be carried out. Retaining all resources in-house to fully comply with the required specification, IPS overhauled, repaired and rewound the failed MA sets where required. Applying the HiTRANS transient dynamic load test process meant that each MA set was electrically simulated at full load conditions to replicate exactly what happens in service.
Why IPS
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The Results
IPS’s innovative HiTRANS dynamic load test process was developed to combat the issue of premature in-service MA set failures by fully simulating the full load characteristics prior to install. This has significantly improved the performance and reliability of DB Schenker’s assets.
The team at IPS maintained consistent communication with the customer throughout the overhaul, ensuring that they received regular updates and could raise any queries with the engineering. An invitation was also extended to DB Schenker for them to visit IPS’s workshop to see the progress of the overhaul.

After suffering a poor run of reliability from our MA (motor alternator) sets for our fleet of Mark 2 rail coaches, we at DB Schenker Scotland decided to investigate services supplied from alternative companies rather than the one we were using.
After a tip off from a colleague in the rail industry, I contacted IPS who, very quickly, sent a team on to site in Scotland to listen to our problems and to look at the feasibility of overhauling these units. They quickly realised that it was similar work to what they were already undertaking for other Train Operators and we decided to send an MA set to their factory for repair.
I was invited, along with colleagues, to visit the factory to see the work in progress and also the testing facilities that prove the completed unit. We found this very interesting and useful.
We received the completed unit which we fitted onto the coach and it is performing well to this day. Nothing was too much trouble, and the level of after sales service was excellent.
Allister McDonald, DB Schenker
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