Annexure‐XII

Clearance of derailment guards in Metro systems

1. As per para 7.1 of ‘Standards of Track structures for Metro

Railway/MRTS system’, the derailment guard should be provided
inside/outside of running rail, and the lateral clearance between the
running rail and the derailment guard shall be 250±40mm. Thus the
maximum clearance permitted is 290mm, and the minimum is 210mm.

In the following paras, the impact of this clearance on the safe operation
of Metro systems has been analysed. Analysis has also been made to
arrive at the minimum up‐stand clearance required to accommodate the
various Fastening systems approved for use in the Metro systems. Based
on the above analysis, recommendations for the up‐stand clearance has
been arrived at. The impact of up‐stand clearance on minimum plinth
width requirement has also been brought out.

2. As per SoD generally adopted by Metro systems, the following track and
Rolling stock parameters adopted by Metro systems have been taken for
the analysis.
2.1. Track.
Gauge‐1435mm
Rail head width(UIC 60)‐72mm
Rail height(UIC 60) ‐172mm.
Up‐stand thickness‐200mm
2.2. Rolling stock wheel set.
Wheel gauge back to back distance‐1360mm
Minimum projection of flange of new wheel‐28mm
Maximum projection of flange of worn wheel‐36mm
Maximum thickness of wheel flange‐32.5mm
Minimum thickness of wheel flange‐22mm
Minimum width of wheel‐135±
2.3. Wheel flange clearance to rail gauge face
When the wheel set is in central position with respect to track, the
clearance between rail and wheel works out to (1435‐1360‐
2x32.5)/2=5mm.
2.4. Maximum drop of a derailed wheel.
Maximum drop of a derailed wheel=214.5(ht of rail+fastening
assembly)‐28(depth of flange)=186.5mm.
3. Maximum lateral movement of a derailed coachwith up‐stand clearance
of 250± 40mm stipulated for Metro systems are analysed below for the
two cases, viz; (a) derailment up‐stand outside track, and (b) derailment
up‐stand inside track.
3.1. Maximum lateral movement of a derailed coach with derailment up‐
stand outside the Track.

Maximum lateral movement of wheel from mean position, in case of

derailment, till it is stopped by the up‐stand, is as under.

(a) For up‐stand clearance of 210mm

32.5+5+72+210‐135=184.5mm.

(b) For up‐stand clearance of 290mm

32.5+5+72+290‐135=264.5mm.

3.2. Maximum lateral movement of a derailed coach with derailment up‐

stand inside Track

Maximum movement of wheel from mean position in case of

derailment, till it is stopped by the up stand, is as under.
 (a) For 210mm up‐stand clearance
210‐5‐32.5=172.5mm.
(b) For 290mm up‐stand clearance
290‐5‐32.5=252.5mm

The results are tabulated below for the two up‐stand clearances. The up‐
stand clearances are marked‘D’ in the Table below.

Table‐1: Maximum lateral movement of a derailed coach for up‐stand clearance of 210mm &
290mm

Up‐stand Max lateral movement

location For For
D=210mm D=290mm
Outside track 184.5mm 264.5mm
Inside track 172.5mm 252.5mm

4. The effect of the above lateral movements on safety of derailed coach

are analysed below.
4.1. Danger of derailed coach infringing kinematic envelope of adjoining
track.
The track centres are worked out such that the structure gauge of trains
running on both tracks do not infringe. Thus, a coach running at
maximum speed on one track, on derailment, will not infringe the
kinematic envelope of coach on the adjoining parallel track if its lateral
movement on derailment does not exceed twice the clearance of
 structure gauge over kinematic envelope. This value is 2x150=300mm on
tracks laid on ‘at‐grade’ and on ‘viaducts’.For this lateral movement,
permissible ‘D’ values are tabulated below.

Table‐2: Maximum permissible up‐stand clearance in At‐grade & elevated tracks so that a
derailed coach does not infringe the train on adjoining track

Up‐stand location ‘D’ value

Out side track 210+(300‐184.5)=325.5, say 325mm
Inside track 210+(300‐172.5)=337.5, say 340mm

Therefore, the lateral movement calculated above will not infringe the
kinematic envelope on the adjoining track in ‘at‐grade’ and ‘viaducts’.
In tunnels, twice the clearance of structure gauge over kinematic
envelope is 2x100=200mm.For this lateral movement, permissible ‘D’
values are tabulated below.

Table‐3: Maximum permissible up‐stand clearance in tunnel tracks so that a derailed coach
does not infringe the train on adjoining track

Up‐stand location ‘D’ value

Out side track 210+(200‐184.5)=225.5, say 225mm
Inside track 210+(200‐172.5)=237.5, say 240mm

Thus, in tunnels, maximum permissible up‐stand clearance is 240mm.

4.2. Danger of derailed coach infringing the parapet/walk way and other
structures just outside structure gauge, in ‘at‐grade and viaducts
With an up‐stand clearance of 210mm, maximum lateral movement of
derailed coach is as per Table‐1. But the maximum lateral movement
permissible is 150mm which is the clearance between the kinematic
envelope and structure gauge.
The up‐stand clearance permissible to prevent derailed coach hitting the
walkway located just outside the structure gauge is as under.

Table‐4: Maximum permissible up‐stand clearance in At‐grade & viaduct tracks so that a
derailed coach does not infringe the walk way
Up‐stand location ‘D’ value
Out side track 210‐(184.5‐150)=175.5, say 175mm
 Inside track 210‐(172.5‐150)=187.5, say 190mm

4.3. Danger of derailed coach infringing the walkway/tunnel structure in

tunnels.
In tunnels, the up‐stand clearance permissible to prevent derailed coach
hitting the walkway located just outside the structure gauge is as under.

Table‐5: Maximum permissible up‐stand clearance in tunnel tracks so that a derailed coach
does not infringe the walk way

Up‐stand location ‘D’ value

Out side track 210‐(184.5‐100)=125.5, say 125mm
Inside track 210‐(172.5‐100)=137.5, say 140mm

The above values of up‐stand clearances are not workable, as the minimum
clearance required for entrapping a derailed wheel is about 160mm.If up‐
stand is to be effective in tunnels, walk way and other structures in tunnels
should be kept with a clearance of structure gauge over kinematic
envelope, of 150mm .

4.4 Danger of derailed vehicle capsizing.

Since the drop of wheel is by 186.5mm only, the tilt of coach with one
wheel on rail and one on plinth is not appreciable to cause capsizing.
When both wheels derail and rest on plinth, there will be no tilt. The gap
between rail and up‐stand has a locking effect on the derailed wheel,
preventing the tilting of the coach. However, the plinth width will have
to be adequate to support the derailed wheel flange.
5. Minimum up‐stand clearance required for accommodating approved
Fastening systems

Up‐stand clearance required for the 3 approved Fastening systems are

tabulated as under for a rail cant of 1 in 20. The up‐stand clearance
provides for 20mm additional allowance for construction
allowances.Explanatory sketch is also given below.
Table‐6: Minimum up‐stand clearance required to accommodate the standard fastening
systems approved by Railway Board for use in Metro systems.
Note: Rail cant of 1 in 20 has the effect of 8.6mm tilt(172/20) of rail top with reference to
rail bottom
Fastening Half Up‐stand clearance to Recommended up‐stand
system width of accommodate bearing plate clearance
bearing
plate(w)
Up‐stand Up‐stand Up‐stand Up‐stand
inside=w/2‐ outside=w/2 inside=w/2‐ outside=w/2
8.6‐36 +8.6‐36 8.6‐36+20 +8.6‐36+20
Fastening 196mm 151.6mm 168.8mm 171.6, say 188.8, say
system‐ 175mm 190mm
336
Pandrol 245mm 200.5mm 217.7mm 220.5, say 237.7, say
220mm 240mm
Delkor‐ 212.5mm 168mm 185.2mm 188, say 205.2mm,
Alt‐1 190mm say 205mm

Fig‐3: Figure showing minimum up‐stand clearance for accommodating the base plate of
approved fastening systems‐up‐stand inside track
 Fig‐4: Figure showing minimum up‐stand clearance for accommodating the base plate of
approved fastening systems‐up‐stand outside track

Thus, from considerations of accommodating the approved Fastening

systems, the clearance required is 240mm.
6. Maximum Up‐stand clearance from various considerations.
The conclusions arrived at in paras 4&5 are tabulated below.

Criteria Up‐stand Up‐stand out

inside side
Viaduct‐non infringement of adjacent 340 325
track
Tunnel‐ non infringement of adjacent 240 225
track
Viaduct‐non infringement of walk way 190 175
Tunnel‐ non infringement of walk way 140 125
Minimum width to accommodate 220 240
bearing plates of approved fastening
systems
Minimum width to trap derailed wheel 165 165
7. Conclusions.
7.1. The Railway Board directive to provide up‐stand clearance of 210‐
290mm needs review. Most world Railways adopt a clearance of 180‐
190mm.
 The guard rail clearance adopted in some of the Metro systems are as
under.
(i) BTS/Bangkok‐194mm
(ii) Kaohsiung Metro‐180mm
(iii) Singapore Metro‐180mm.
7.2. Absolute minimum clearance to trap a derailed coach is 165mm.
7.3. The plinth width has to be minimum to reduce dead load on sub‐
structure. With larger up‐stand clearance, the plinth width gets
increased. Thus, up‐stand clearance of 180‐240mm is expected to
meet the requirements of the Metro system.
7.4. The plinth width should be sufficient to accommodate both the
derailed wheels in case of derailment so that one of the derailed
wheels does not fall on the viaduct deck causing possibility of
overturning of the coach.
8. Proposal.
“The lateral clearance between the running rail and the derailment
guard/up‐stand shall be 180‐240mm.The Metro system shall decide the
clearance within the above limits, taking in to consideration the
requirements specific to that Metro.
The plinth width shall be adequate to contain both the wheels in case of
a derailment.”