Just over a year ago, the first Schmidt Beilhack HB 1100S snow blower left the factory in St. Blasien. After being transported to Norway, it entered an intensive testing phase – now proving exactly what it was built for: handling large volumes of snow under the harshest climatic conditions. With a clearing capacity of up to 10,000 tonnes per hour, it makes a significant contribution to ensuring reliable rail operations during the Nordic winter.
Meanwhile, focused activity has once again returned to the assembly hall in St. Blasien, where the second machine of the same series is taking shape. The schedule is clear: completion is planned for November 2025, followed by an extensive testing phase in Germany before it heads to Norway in December.
"From the first machine, we gained valuable insights and further optimised our processes," says Project Manager Thomas Kaiser. "For the second unit, we deliberately planned more time for testing. This ensures smoother operations and ultimately saves valuable hours overall."
The project exemplifies how precision, experience and teamwork come together in St. Blasien. From the initial design to the final product, the HB 1100S represents outstanding engineering and decades of expertise in railway snow clearing. "Becoming better every day – that’s part of our philosophy," confirms Thomas Kaiser.
In the coming months, the final testing, loading and eventual deployment of the second machine in the Norwegian winter will follow. Until then, it remains exciting to see how the two high-performance snow blowers will perform together – on the tracks and under some of the toughest conditions imaginable.