Barox Switches for the Altenberg Bobsleigh and Luge Track

The Altenberg Bobsleigh and Luge Track (RSBB) in the Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains district, with a length of 1,413 meters and 18 steep curves, is one of the most challenging artificial ice tracks in the world. It is the venue for national and international competitions, such as German, European and World Championships, as well as World Cups for the disciplines of bobsleigh, luge and skeleton. The Bob and Skeleton World Championships took place in Altenberg from February 17 to March 1, 2020.

At the end of 2019, barox, together with PKE Deutschland GmbH, an integrator for security systems, took over the entire video surveillance of the ice channel in Altenberg. 42 cameras feed their video streams into the network. The basis for integrating the video components into the data network is formed by barox products such as PoE Switches and injectors. They take over the transmission of the video streams to a server and feed them to the monitors of the video wall in the finish house. This allows the person in charge to view almost every area of the bobsleigh track and direct training or a competition. “For us as operators, the new system is a considerable relief because it allows us to see every centimeter of the facility. This is of course primarily important for safety reasons, because it allows us to continuously monitor the athletes in the ice channel. But the work of the operators, timekeepers or speakers at competitions is also simplified by the modern technology,” says Tino Klein, technical manager of the Altenberg Bobsleigh and Luge Track.

The barox Switches ensure that the video surveillance system functions without failures and ensure that all camera images are transmitted smoothly and without packet loss. “Since the installation of the new video surveillance system last year, we have always had trouble-free image transmission thanks to the barox Switches,” confirms Tino Klein. This is particularly important on the Altenberg Bobsleigh and Luge Track, as the video surveillance system also automatically records the speed of the pilots, which can be up to 140 km/h. Another special feature is the automatic switching of the cameras. Inside the ice channel there are light barriers which – as soon as a pilot passes them – trigger cameras along the track. This automatic switching of the cameras allows the entire run of an athlete through the ice channel to be recorded. As soon as the pilot is at the finish, he can immediately load the video of his run onto a USB stick and watch it. This gives him the opportunity to analyze his mistakes immediately. This technical equipment is appreciated by many well-known athletes from bobsleigh, luge and skeleton, who use the track to prepare for championships.

Eric Altstädt, Project Manager at PKE Deutschland GmbH, explains why PKE wanted to work with barox as a partner for this project: “The barox network components are specially developed for video surveillance. You have the security, you know it works.”