New generation switch machines for Australia
From an operational point of view a turnout can be seen as a capacity multiplier for the railway operator. From the view of mechanical properties of the track it is a discontinuity which influences maintenance efforts and thus lifecycle costs. Not only the arrangement, type and different lengths of bearers establish this discontinuity, but also the fact that as a common standard switch machines are mounted on bearers beside the track. These asymmetrical heavy masses cause vibrations when a train is overrunning and damage the ballast quite significantly over some years of operation. Additional maintenance efforts for open locking mechanisms affected by dirt as well as disassembling the rodding in the sleeper bays before every tamping operation increases the downtime of track which is causing more and more concerns. There is an ongoing development to improve this situation. Solutions proposed are already standard at many railways over the globe and are becoming common in Australia as well. The development is described in stages where the final stage has a low height switch machine on top of the concrete bearer or on a hollow sleeper without hindrance for tamping activities and additional remote condition monitoring system for monitoring the turnout.
- Record URL:
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Authors:
- Sodia F
- Shenoy V
- Conference:
- Publication Date: 2014
Media Info
- Pagination: 4p. ; PDF
- Monograph Title: AusRAIL PLUS 2014, doing it smarter. People, power, performance, 24-26 November 2014, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Construction management; Railroad rails
- ATRI Terms: Maintenance method; Railway track
- Subject Areas: Construction; Railroads;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01550326
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: ARRB
- Files: ATRI
- Created Date: Jan 21 2015 11:23AM