Chapter 2 Maintenance of Way

P.S.

S.C.

R.S.

M.O.W.
Chapter 2 Maintenance of Way
Facilities
Part 1 Tracks
Part 2 Bridges and tunnels
Part 3 Roadbed
Part 4 Maintenance machinery
Part 1 Railroad Track
Part 1 Railroad Track

60cm
 Part 1 Railroad track

I Introduction (概述)
II Horizontal and Vertical Alignment(平纵断面)
III Track (轨道)
IV Clearance (限界)
V Inspection and Maintenance works(检修工作)
 Part 1 Railroad track

I Introduction (概述)
II Horizontal and Vertical Alignment(平纵断面)
III Track (轨道)
IV Clearance (限界)
V Inspection and Maintenance works(检修工作)
I Introduction

Functions
 Support train wheels
 Guide trains
 Distribute wheel loads over some number
of ties (about 25)
 provide a smooth “contact line” for wheels
I Introduction

Functions
 Support train wheels
 Guide trains
 Distribute wheel loads over some number
of ties (about 25)
 provide a smooth “contact line” for wheels
Part 1 Introduction

Classification
Annual Passing
Class Significance in rail network Tonnage
（Million tons）
Ⅰ Skelton [20,+∞)
Ⅱ Connecting megaregions [10,20)
Ⅲ Sever a large area [5,10)

IV Sever a area or an enterprise (0,5)

 Part 1 Railroad track

I Introduction (概述)
II Horizontal and Vertical Alignment(平纵断面)
III Track (轨道)
IV Clearance (限界)
V Inspection and Maintenance works(检修工作)
Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment

 Horizontal Alignment
 Vertical Alignment
 Rail Trackside Signs
Part 1 Introduction
Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment

Top view of a rail line:

tangent tracks, curved tracks

Curved
Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment

Horizontal geometry- degree of curve

 Chord (Railway)
– Angle: measured by a chord of 20m in length

R = 10/sin(D/2)
20m
– 1-deg curve, R=1146m
– 2-deg curve, R=573m R
D
Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment
Rail Technical Specifications of China
Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment
Rail Technical Specifications of China
Minimal radius for passenger and freight shared Class I and II railroad

Allowable Speed Minimum Radius (m)

Class
（km/h） Normal Difficult
200 3500 2800
Ⅰ 160 2000 1600
120 1200 800
120 1200 800
Ⅱ
80 600 500
 Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment

Horizontal geometry- centrifugal force

When a train is travelling over a circular track, there will be a
certain centrifugal force exposed to the train.

When a The train A rail of a

ceitain possibly curved track has
lateral force will get to be elevated to
is applied overturned. balance the force
to a moving
train, what
will happen
to the train?
Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment

Horizontal geometry- Superelevation

Usually the
outer rails of
circular tracks
are elevated to
balance the
centrifugal
force.
Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment

Horizontal geometry: transitional track to

linearly increase:
 superelevation from 0 to the designed
value (e.g., 100mm), and
 the centrifugal force from 0 to the value on
the circular track
Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment

Rail line:
tangent tracks, curved tracks (transitional
and circular)

Curved
Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment

 Horizontal Alignment
 Vertical Alignment
 Rail Trackside Signs
Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment

Lateral view of a rail line: flat and grade

Grade: quantified by h/L

Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment

Vertical Alignment – vertical curves

Point of vertical intersection, PVI

Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment
Allowed Maximal grade in Rail Technical Specification of China

Locomotive
Class
Electric Diesel
Normal 6.0 6.0
Ⅰ
Difficult 15.0 12.0
Normal 6.0 6.0
Ⅱ
Difficult 20.0 15.0
Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment
Part 2 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment

 Horizontal Alignment
 Vertical Alignment
 Rail Trackside Signs
Rail Trackside signs

 show milepoints of some facilities,

 placed to both sides of rail tracks
Rail Trackside signs

Kilometer Half kilometer Hundred meters

Rail Trackside signs

Curve sign：middle milepoint, radius, length,

transition length
Rail Trackside signs

Bridge sign：
placed to the left to travel direction at both
ends of the bridge along rail tracks,
Identification No., Middle milepoint, Length
 Rail Trackside signs

Tunnel sign:
 Placed at the wall of
both ends of the
tunnel,
 Identification No.,
Middle milepoint,
Length
Rail Trackside signs

Grade sign：
 Placed at the point of vertical intersection,
 Gradient, length of the grade track,
uphill/downhill

gradient: 2% gradient: 3% Flat

Length: 25m Length: 20m
uphill downhill
Rail Trackside signs

Jurisdiction sign

Railroad
Company of
Shen-Yang

Railroad
Company of
Beijing
Rail Trackside signs

Jurisdiction sign
Rail Trackside signs

Grade crossing sign

 Placed to the right side of the road at both
sides of rail lines
Rail Trackside signs

Flood monitoring sign

 indicating the site is prone to landslides during
rainy season
 has to be watched by rail workers to safeguard
against train accidents
 Part 1 Railroad track

I Introduction (概述)
II Horizontal and Vertical Alignment(平纵断面)
III Track (轨道)
IV Clearance (限界)
V Inspection and Maintenance works(检修工作)
III Railroad track

 Track components

 Continuously welded rail (CWR)

 Track geometry
 Track components

Track is laid on the roadbed and bearing wheel loads directly

From top to bottom, consists of rail( 钢 轨 ), tie( 轨 枕 ), fastening

system(联结零件), and ballast bed(道床).

Anti-creep devices (防爬器) and turnouts(道岔) are also in the group

of track components.
 Track components - Rail

I-type rail
Contact with wheels directly

 To reduce railhead wear, railhead usually is

quenched to increase the railhead
hardness.
 Track components - Rail
Rail size
determines rails strength and hence axleloads and speeds
measured in kilograms per meter, e.g., 40kg/m, 43kg/m, 50kg/m,
56kg/m, 60kg/m, 70kg/m

Rail lengths:
43kg/m：12.5, and 25m
50 and above：25、50 and 100m
Track components - Rail
 Rails are connected using fishplate (a
subcategory of fastening system).
 Rail joints are unavoidably formed, and
are a source of weakness.
Track components - Rail
 When a train is running on rail joints, a
certain pattern of noise is made due to the
contact of wheels and joints.
 The noise indicates larger dynamic loads
applied to rail joints.
 http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/2laUg
mqZoAU

 To remove the weakness of rail joints,

usually rails are welded, i.e. CWR
On-site rail welding
 列车经过有缝线路时的声音：
 http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzM1MTQ
1MTgw.html?from=s1.8-1-1.2#paction

 钢轨焊接的过程
On-site welded rail joint polishing
 Track components – Anti-creep devices

Rail creep
longitudinal movement of rail produced by the
passage of trains over it.

trains is starting or not in a trains is breaking

breaking condition
Track components - Tie
 Track components - Tie

Functionalities:
 Supports rails
 fix position of rails and keep track gauge (a geometry
paper, will be introduced later)

Tie types
 Materials: concrete, wood, steel and composite

 Purposes: common ties, bridge ties, turnout ties

 Track components - Tie

Functionalities:
 Supports rails
 fix position of rails in both lateral and horizontal directions
 keep track gauge (a geometry parameter, will be introduced
later)

Tie types
 Materials: concrete, wood, steel and composite

 Purposes: common ties, bridge ties, turnout ties

 Wood ties

Due to the high price of wood in China, wood ties are

barely used.
But they are employed in U.S. railroads extensively.
Track components – Steel ties
Track components – Composite ties

It is reported that
composite ties have
longer life and lower
price than concrete
ties. But such a
conclusion needs to
be checked in
practice.
 Concrete ties

Compared with wood ties,

concrete ties have longer
life and are cheaper in
China. Therefore, they are
used extensively here.
Track components – concrete ties

 Here we have five different kinds of such

ties: I , II, new II, III, and new III.
C60
60MPa≤fc
u(150*150
*150mm)

Type II TypeII III with

new Type type shoulders
III without shoulders

Type III ties are laid for Class I railroad tracks and heavy-haul
railroad tracks.
Track components – wide concrete ties

Wide ties are mainly used

for main tracks at rail
stations.
Compared with other
concrete ties, such ties
increase lateral resistance
and reduce pressure at
ballast.
But it is inconvenient for
track workers to rectify
track geometry
exceptions.
Track components – Fastening systems

 Rail joints: connect rails

 Fastening system: fix rails to ties
Rail joints

Insulated joints are for

electric rail system to
divide tracks into insulated
sections (track circuit).
Rail Fastening Systems for timber ties

1. Screw for fixing baseplate to sleeper

2. Rubber plate supporting rail and reducing vibration
3. Tension washer
4. Rail clamp, 5. Tension bolt, 6. Baseplate
Rail Fastening Systems for concrete ties
concrete ties with
cast-in shoulders

Gauge plate
insulator insulating
current from going
out of rail, and fix
track gauge
tension clip fixing
rail to tie
rail pad supporting
rail, reducing
vibration and
insulating current
from going out of
rail
Track components – Ballast

Rail
Fastening
Ballast system

Tie
 Track components – Ballast
The primary functions of ballast include:
 To limit tie movement by resisting vertical, lateral and
longitudinal forces from the train and the track.
 To reduce the stresses from train loads applied to the
subgrade, thus limiting permanent settlement.
 To provide immediate water drainage from the track
structure.
 To help alleviate frost problems.
 To facilitate maintenance surfacing and lining operations.
 To provide support for ties with the necessary resilience to
absorb shock from dynamic loads.
 Track components – Ballast

Some notable secondary functions include:

 To retard vegetation and resist effects of fouling from
surface deposited materials.
 To absorb airborne noise.
 To provide adequate electrical resistance between
rails.
 To facilitate the redesign/ reconstruction of track.
Track components – Ballast

Material: granite
 Track components – Ballastless track

Disadvantage of ballast track:

Heavy demand of maintenance, particularly surfacing
and lining to the desired track geometry and
smoothness of vehicle running.

Solution:
Concrete slabs are designed to replace ties and ballast
bed.
slab track

Rail
Fastening System

Concrete slab

Filling layer

Base layer
Convex block
 Track components – Turnout

When two or more tracks converge, we need a

device to guide the wheel flange to pass
through other tracks

Such a device is called turnout.

Switch:
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTY0ODU1MjM2.html?from=y
 Track components – Turnout

When a track diverges so that trains can enter

an another track, a device is needed to guide
the wheel flange.
 Track components – Turnout
The moving part: switch blade, one for each route. The two blades
for each route are fixed to each other by a tie bar to ensure when
one is against its stock rail, the other is fully clear and will
provide room for the wheel flange to pass through.

The others are the fixed part.

Track components – Types of Turnouts

Right hand turnout

All the above turnouts have one pair of switch blades

Track components – Types of Turnouts

Diamond crossing is a device

for trains to cross over the track
in the opposite direction.
Such type of turnouts have no
moving part, i.e., switch blades.
Track components – Types of Turnouts

allow some trains to cross over the track in the opposite

direction (Diamond turnout);
meanwhile, permit other trains to move onto another track
(one hand turnout)
Track components – Types of Turnouts
Track components – Types of Turnouts
Track components – Types of Turnouts
III Railroad track

 Track components

 Track geometry
III Railroad track – track geometry

 Track coordinate system

III Railroad track – track geometry

Track
coordinate
system
III Railroad track – track geometry
Track geometry describes the position that
the rails occupy in space:
Alignment: the projection of rail on the horizontal plane
Surface (profile): the projection of rail on the
longitudinal plane
III Railroad track – track geometry
Track geometry describes the position that
the rails occupy in space:
Superelevation: the difference in elevation between
the tops of the two rails measured along a line
perpendicular to the track centerline
Gauge: the distance between the insides of the
railheads measured perpendicular to the track
centerline.
III Railroad track – track geometry
Gauge is a leading parameter to categorize
rails into different groups.
Standard gauge (1435mm)
Narrow gauge (<1435mm)
Broad gauge (>1435mm)

Most countries adopt standard gauge.

III Railroad track – track geometry
The offset from a chord is used to measure track
geometry condition. The offset measurement, also
known as versine, offset, or ordinate, can be measured,
by the track geometry car or track geometry measuring
trolley.

Track geometry car for HSR

Track Geometry Car for
Track geometry
conventional measuring trolley
rails
Inspection and Maintenance works(检修工作)
Track
Trackgeometry
geometry
(gauge,
(gauge,alignment,
alignment,
profile,
profile,
cross
crosslevel,
level,
twist)
twist)
Train
Trainrunning
running
comfort
comfort parameters
parameters
(vertical
(vertical
andand
lateral
lateral
vibration
vibrationparameters)
parameters)

Railway Infrastructure Measuring fleet for HSR

Track Geometry Car for conventional rails

These two kinds of inspection vehicles measure geometry condition of

track under wheel loads of trains in operation.
Inspection and Maintenance works(检修工作)
Track geometry
(gauge, alignment,
profile, cross level,
twist)

Track geometry measuring trolley

Such kind of inspection trolleies measure geometry condition of

track without wheel loads.
Inspection and Maintenance works(检修工作)
Train running
comfort parameters
(vertical and lateral
vibration parameters)

Portable Track Monitoring System

Track inspectors take this device inspect tracks at least one time a
day for high-speed and main lines.
 III Railroad track – track geometry

Track geometry measurement by track geometry cars

III Railroad track – track geometry

Track Quality Index of China

Refer to the paper “Introduction to track condition quantification methods ”
 III Railroad track – track geometry

Management standards for TQI of China

III Railroad track – track geometry
Tracks have to comply
with track geometry
standards specified in
railway line
maintenance & renewal
specifications.

When a section of track

deteriorates into a bad
condition not good for
comfortable (or even
safe) train running, it
needs to be repaired
with tamper.
 Ballast cleaner
Ballast distribution and profiling machine
Inspection and Maintenance works(检修工作)

The tough question is how to utilize

all the data from the above
instruments to make smarter
decisions on when, where, and how
to maintain or renew tracks so that
cost is minimized.
 rail grinding
 http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzI5NDIw
ODQ2NA==.html?spm=a2h0k.8191407.0.0
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 rail welding in factory
 http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjgxMDIy
OTc1Ng==.html?spm=a2h0k.8191407.0.0&f
rom=s1.8-1-1.2
 ballast track tamping
 http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjk0MDQx
Mjc2.html?spm=a2h0k.8191407.0.0&from=
s1.8-1-1.2
 manually ballast track tamping
 http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTUzOTQ
1Mzg1Ng==.html?spm=a2h0k.8191407.0.0
&from=s1.8-1-1.2
 ballast cleaner
 http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjA2Mzc1
MDY0.html?spm=a2h0k.8191407.0.0&from
=s1.8-1-1.2
 tie replacement
 http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjk1OTg0
NTY0OA==.html?spm=a2h0k.8191407.0.0&
from=s1.8-1-1.2
 defective rail replacement
 http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzI5OTEz
NDU2MA==.html?spm=a2h0k.8191407.0.0
&from=s1.8-1-1.2