Maintenance of LWR/CWR N.R.Kale (AXEN/1)

MAINTENANCE OF LWR/CWR Regular track maintenance Includes following operations:- i) Tamping / packing ii) Lifting iii) Shallow screening / shoulder cleaning iv) Aligning including minor realignment of curve v) Renewal of fastening requiring lifting vii) Maintenance of Buffer rails

MAINTENANCE OF LWR/CWR The regular track maintenance in LWR/CWR shall be confined to hours When rail temperature is between td + 10oC and td – 30oC Shall be completed well before onset of summer.

Contd. … SR to be imposed if rail temperature after maintenance operation exceeds td+200C during the period of consolidation Consolidation period for PSC sleeper (B.G.) track :- 50,000 gross tonnes of traffic or a period of two days whichever is later or at least one round of stabilization by DTS or for newly laid LWR/CWR, at least three round of packing, last two of which with tamping machines.

Contd. … Speed Restriction for PSC sleeper (B.G.) track – 50 kmph if shoulder and crib compaction has been done 30 kmph if shoulder and crib compaction has not been done in addition to posting mobile watch man.

Ballast section shall be properly maintained Contd. … Ballast section shall be properly maintained Cess level should be correctly maintained. Care to be taken while slewing being done by crow bars. Special attention on following locations SEJs/ Breathing lengths Approaches of LCs and P & Cs and unballasted deck bridges Horizontal / Vertical curves

Manual Maintenance Not more than 30 sleepers spaces to be opened at a time for through packing or shallow screening Remaining portion to be tackled after passage of traffic for 24 hours in case of B.G route carrying traffic > 10 GMT For other route of B.G/M.G – after passage of traffic for two days

Manual Maintenance For alignment correction, shoulder ballast to be removed from end of the sleepers only. Before opening the crib ballast, shoulder ballast must be put back. In exceptional circumstances, up to 100 sleeper can be opened in presence of PWI when temperature is likely to remain in the range of td-30 to td+100C provided fastening are effective and no unusual behaviour of SEJs.

Casual renewal of Sleepers Not more than one sleeper in 30 consecutive sleepers to be replaced at a time. Adjoining sleeper can be replaced after packing the sleeper renewed earlier. Work should be done within the maintenance temperature only.

Renewal of Fastening Not requiring lifting:- On one sleeper at a time. 15 sleepers should be kept intact if more than one sleeper to be tackled. Minimum level of supervision - Key man. Requiring lifting:- 30 sleepers to be kept intact if more than one sleeper to be tackled. Minimum level of supervision- Gang mate

Maintenance of SEJs Once in a fortnight – checking, packing, aligning if necessary, Oiling and greasing of stock rail & tongue rail and tightening of fitting simultaneously. During daily patrolling, K/ man shall keep special watch on all SEJs falling in his beat.

Maintenance of Buffer rails Fish plated joints to be lubricated twice in a year when :- Temperature is between td+15 to td -150C. Average gap value is between 3mm to 12 mm Individual gaps in buffer rail portion may vary.

Mechanized maintenance General lift not exceeding 50 mm in case of concrete sleepers and 25 mm in case of other sleepers. If lifting is required more than the above limits than lifting to be done in stages with adequate gap in between stages giving time for full consolidation of the previous stage.

Special track Maintenance TFR – The LWR shall be destressed along with TFR. Deep screening If temperature range is between td+10 to td-200C – cutting or temporary destressing is not required. If range falls out side the above – temporary destressing is required at the temperature 100C below the maximum temperature likely to be attained during the period of work.

Contd. … Deep screening shall be undertaken within 15 days of temporary deep screening. Introduce cold weather patrolling if temperature falls 300C bellow the temporary td Deep screening by BCM – As far as possible BCM, tamping machine and DTS shall be deployed in one consist. After deep screening, destress LWR at destressing temperature.

Other special maintenance Lowering of track, major realignment of curves, renewal of large number of sleepers, rehabilitation of formation/bridges. Affected length may be isolated from LWR by introducing SEJs / Buffer rails. After completion of work, destress the affected length at td and join with rest of LWR

Special Equipments for maintenance of LWR/CWR Additional equipments with gangs A pair of joggled fishplates with bolted clamps Rail thermometer with marking for temperature ranges for maintenance Special 1 m long fishplates with screw clamps Rail closer pieces

Thanks