Infrastructure and Track System (REMA 3223)

ABEJERO, Mary Rose O.

CONCEPCION, Christian James L.
GUBA, Renalyn C.
LEYSON, Catherine Mae L.
“To maximize the benefits of material, equipment and manpower
inputs made to track and to optimize the life and utilization of
assets without impairing the safety and passenger comfort by
ensuring the optimum standards of track geometry.”
Figure 1.A: The motion of the wheelset

The railway track has to

fulfil two main
functions:
1. to guide the train with
safety
Figure 1.B: Continued
2. to carry the load of
the train and to
distribute the load to
the subgrade over an
area that is as large
as possible.
Carrying the Loads of the Trains
Another function of the track is to carry
the load of the train and to distribute
the load to the subgrade over an area
that is as large as possible (see Figure
20).
At the contact area between the wheel and
the rail, there is a high pressure (in
the figure: a force of Q=125 KN → p =
42000 N/cm2). This pressure is reduced
gradually in the system components, so
that the pressure to the subgrade has a
value of about 10-12 N/cm2, which is
about 0,023% of the pressure at the wheel
rail contact area, or a reduction of
3400-4200 times. The following table
shows, the gradually reduction in the
system components.
TWO MAIN CATEGORIES:
a. Track Superstructure. The assembly of rail, cross ties, other track
materials and special track materials which are the components of a
conventionally constructed track system.
b. Track Substructure. The strata of granular materials that are installed
for the purpose of drainage, anchorage, distribution and transfer of loads,
facilitating fine adjustment, and shielding the materials of the roadbed.
Deterioration or degradation is the reduction of the original quality due to various
influences. Dynamic Load = Deterioration
Track Component Deterioration Process
The rails experience wear and fatigue.
Factors, commonly:
• Axle load
• Traffic Density and Speed
The rails
• Wheel and Rail Profile
• Materials Properties and Hardness
• Curvature and Superelevation
•Grinding practice, lubrication and Rail Practice
The fastener, rail The fastener, rail pads and sleepers have all their own deterioration
pads, sleepers processes, which are dependent of the forces, bending moments
acting on them, as wells as the axle loads, speeds, accumulative
tonnage, and maintenance practices.
The ballast and sub- •Due to stone reorientation, the ballast and sub-ballast layers get
ballast differential settlement. This leads to wear of the ballast stones.
•Fines produces by this wear together with possible other material
(ballast fouling), are causing decreased drainage conditions.
•The subgrade may be exposed to settlement. Varying settlement
along the track (resulting in differential settlements), are directly
visible as a track geometry quality variations.
Figure 11: Degradation process of railways infrastructure with load-dependent wearing
 Stresses
Consequences
A. the static mass of a vehicle, Result
B. dynamic actions such as: A. Fatigue cracking in
• lateral centrifugal forces on rails, A. Poor riding quality,
curves B. Plastic flow or shelling B. Reduced train speed,
• longitudinal acceleration and out of the rail head, C. Increased fuel
braking forces, C. Uneven wear of the rail consumption
• rocking of the vehicle about 3 head, D. Potential derailment,
axes (RPW) D. Cracking or splitting of E. Increased
• vertical inertial forces from the sleepers, maintenance,
motion of the wheel set and its E. Loosening of fasteners, F. Delays and reduced
suspension, F. Ballast damage, and level of service
• vibrational forces induced G. Variations in track G. Loss of revenue in the
from imperfections in the rail alignments and gauge. longer term
surface
• dynamic response of the track
components to these actions.

MAINTENANCE
Table 2: Parameters influencing track degradation
 A high performance railway track has to be designed and
constructed properly. and then, when the trains are running
on the track (operational phase), the track has to be
monitored and maintained.

The description of the service life of the track is presented very simplified. In reality,
every track component has its own (usual) service life (par. 30.2).
 It is the overhauling of track periodically with the
object of restoring it to its best possible condition in
which it can serve all the requirements of a good track.

 Due to the constant movement of heavy and high-speed

trains, the packing under the sleepers becomes loose and
track geometry gets disturbed.

• Due to the vibrations and impact of high-speed trains, the

fittings of the track come undone and there is heavy wear
and tear of the track and its components.

• The track and its components get worn out as a result

typical climatic conditions.
 Rail Grinding:
Rail grinding is conducted to
correct rail corrugations, fatigue
and metal flow and to re-profile
the rail.
MAY VIDEO
RAIL PROFILE GRINDING
Rail Replacement: This may be
conducted to upgrade the track to
a higher gauge rail or to replace
the same gauge rail due to
defects, wear or derailment
damage.

Tamping: This is conducted to

correct longitudinal profile,
cross level and alignment of track
MAY VIDEO
TRACK RAILS REPLACEMENT
 Track Stabilisation: Track
stabilisers vibrate the track in
the lateral direction with a
vertical load to give controlled
settlement.

Ballast Injection (Stoneblowing): Ballast

injection, or stoneblowing, is conducted to
correct longitudinal profile.

MAY VIDEO
TRACK STABILIZER
MULTI PURPOSE STONE BLOWER
 Sleeper Replacement: In almost all
types of sleeper defects, remedial
action is not possible and the sleeper
requires replacement.

MAY VIDEO
SLEEPER REPLACEMENT
Maintenance of track and permanent ways includes all activities
involved in maintaining in good working condition or to restore
it to a given condition to perform a given function in a safe
manner.

1. CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE - Actions are carried out to restore

defective equipment to a specific condition. These includes
tests, measurements and adjustment made to remove or correct a
fault.

2. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE – Its purpose is to minimize breakdowns

and excessive depreciation.

3. RENEWAL MAINTENANCE - It is implemented when corrective

maintenance is technically ineffective, or uneconomic.

NO VIDEO
A. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Quarterly
• Semi-annual( every six months)
• Annually

B. CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE
C. RENEWAL MAINTENANCE
 SCOPE OF WORK ACTIVITIES FREQUENCY
Track Monitoring Train rides to assess Daily
track condition

Track Patrol Inspection Foot patrol inspection of Daily/Monthly

at mainline and depot

Lubrication Of Switches, Regular lubrication of Weekly

Curve And Checkrail tracks (curved tracks
including checkrail,
turn-outs and switches

Preventive Maintenance Track Geometry Quarterly

Track Network Switches And Crossings Semi-annual
Expansion Joint Semi-annual
Checkrail Semi-annual
Welding(ndt) Annual
Walkway Annual
 - visible rail defects, - broken, cracked or defective
including head checking sleepers
and other cracks,
-check for cleanliness
breaks, railhead
damaged and significant -check for subsidence/voids below
corrosion any sleeper
-check rails for -report sleeper with excessive
security, weak and damage for replacement
flange way obstruction
- excessive gauge wear
-check for subsidence
- check the need for
lubrication
-detached signaling or
electric bonds
-Broken,Cracked or defective -broken,cracked, defective
baseplates or worn switch rails and
-lose or missing fastenings, crossings
clips, pads or insulators -obstruction in switches and
-vertical or lateral movement flangeways
of baseplates -damaged or loose stretcher
-broken or missing baseplates bars
screws or through bolts -loose or missing horizontal
- associated washers bolts, pins

-check for thread corrosion -security of switches,

switch diamonds and swing
nose crossings clipped out
of use
-Check for broken, cracked or -check for the cleanliness and
defective fishplates the need for lubrication
-damaged end post and -loose fastenings and defects,
defective insulation at missing parts
insulated rail joints and - check for the gap and
lipping of the rails end unusual movement
-on ballasted track check for -rail expansion and
pumping of formation/hammering contraction inhibition
and the need for lifting
-check for unusual noise
-check for rail end defect and during traffic.
any missing parts
-expansion gaps, joints in
jointed track and adjustment
switch settings
-check for loose fastening
 -check for cleanliness
-signs of deterioration or defects
-check for drainage line in any part of the track system
obstruction concealed by the crossing surface
-check for ballast profile -any worsening of the track
condition that may affect the safe
use of the crossing
-defects or deterioration of the
-Check for cleanliness level crossing system, including
gaps between deck units and the
-report any cracks ordefects
condition of the road markings
found
-check for abnormal
displacement
-check for the drainage
obstruction
(“Maintenance intervention policies” or “maintenance
policies” are here defined as the basic principles by which
an Infrastructure Manager is guided in doing maintenance of
his assets)

The maintenance policy has a significant influence on the

service life of the track. In the following we present in a
simplified form the maintenance policies of three imaginary
Infrastructure Managers, showing how they influence track
performance64.
The main objective of TMS is to maximize the benefits of material, equipment and manpower
inputs made to track and to optimize the life and utilization of assets without impairing
the safety and passenger comfort by ensuring the optimum standards of track geometry
1. Sound track structure

2. Complete data base

3. An objective track evaluation system

TRACK GEOMETRY CAR
4. Threshold values for track parameters

5.The track maintenance planning cell

is provided with necessary computer
hardware and software support where the
inputs obtained from the data base,
track recording car and other track
monitoring system, threshold values for
track geometry and track components,
interact to indicate nature of track ULTRASONIC RAIL TESTER
maintenance work to be carried out the
location of faults methodology for
rectification
1. Optimization of labor and material inputs
in track

2. Optimum deployment of heavy on track

machines

3. Timely planning for replacement of track

components and complete track renewals