IS THE BALLASTED TRACK THE RIGHT THING FOR HIGH SPEED TRAINQ RUNNING?

Cost estimates for the construction and regular up-keep of railway tracks and ballast beds show that, on the basis of the usual assumptions for estimated interest and price increases, the total costs for track maintenance assuming a useful life of 45 years are in total only 25 percent of the construction costs, not counting the costs of the rails. The need for continuous track maintenance therefore no longer means an economic disadvantage today. Alternmative track designs, such as rigid tracks, therefore may cost not more than 125 percent of a conventional ballasted track even if they were completely maintenance free. For realistic speeds a modern ballasted track remains the best solution from both the economical and technical standpoints.

• Corporate Authors:

  Hestra Verlag

  Holzhofallee 33, Postfach 4244
  6100 Darmstadt 1,   Germany 
• Authors:
  • Riesberger, K
• Publication Date: 1985-3

Language

• German

Media Info

• Pagination: 5 p.
• Serial:
  • Eisenbahntechnische Rundschau
  • Volume: 34
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Hestra Verlag

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Ballast (Railroads); Economic analysis; High speed rail; Life cycle analysis; Life cycle costing; Maintenance management; Railroad tracks
• Uncontrolled Terms: Ballasted track; Maintenance costs
• Old TRIS Terms: Track structures
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Public Transportation; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00451090
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Maritime Policy and Management
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 30 1985 12:00AM