"In 2004 an estimated 5 billion passenger journeys will be made in the UK, France and Germany and the market in the three countries is worth approximately €40 billion. [Ref. 1] . Based on the extrapolation of data relating to the UK, French and German railways [Ref 1], the 500,000 kms of rail [Ref. 2] on the European rail network has an average estimated 5000 rail breaks annually with about 1500 d ...