Transcript Track for High Speed Trains

Track for High Speed Trains on IR
Challenges Ahead –An Overview
Onkar Singh
CE/Co-ord/N.E.Railway
Challenges Ahead
Overview
1. Necessity of High Indian Railway is life line of our
Speed Trains in India. nation. In a developing country like
India where rapid growth of
economy,
socio-technological
advancement and multinational
competitive atmosphere are taking
place, IR also needs to develop its
network and quality of service and
that to in a competitive atmosphere.
Quality is directly linked with the
quality of service to the customer in
terms of physical comfort and time
saving.
Challenges Ahead
2. Scope of High Speed
Track
in
India.
Identification of corridors
for high speeds.
Overview
One can very well foresee
early requirement of
high
speed trains in India. In fact on
certain segments on IR like
Mumbai-Ahemdabad, MumbaiPune,
Delhi-LudhianaAmritsar, Delhi-Agra-Gwalior,
Delhi-Jaipur, one has to think
seriously for developing high
speed rail services in phases in
near future.
Challenges Ahead
3. Standardization of track
structure, bridges and other
infrastructures
of
engineering Department in
commensurate with the
development of rolling
stock
and
signaling
equipments etc. suiting to
Indian conditions.
Overview
High speed rail services are
already running in many countries
of the world for both freight &
passengers. On most of the system
high speed rail corridors are laid
separately as per socio-economic
need and viability. Since, there is
vast existing railway network in
IR, separate corridor may not be
economical and so existing lines
on selective basis may be
developed for high speed as a
interim measure.
Challenges Ahead
4. Adversities of running
mix traffic and other usual
conflicting situations in
operation to be considered
in maintenance of track
effectively.
Overview
Considering
adversities
by
running mix traffic and other
conventional wagons without
much control on overloading and
other such conflicting situations
maintenance of such track, model
of mixed traffic has to be studied
in detail by RDSO. For future, IR
should plan separate corridors for
high speed trains connecting big
cities with high rate of
economical growth.
Challenges Ahead
Overview
5.
System
of
clearance
of
proposals of high
speed routes from
Railway
Safety
Commission - need
for
administrative
and
technical
decisions.
In view of the above, policy decisions- both
administrative as well as technical nature
regarding standards of infrastructure like
track, bridges, level crossings, fencing,
grade separation, maintenance system,
organizational setup for day to day as well
as periodical maintenance units to be given
proper thinking. Standardization of rolling
stock, signaling and other installations has
to be done judiciously. Present system of
clearance from the Railway Safety
Commission is also to be suitably updated
after thorough experimentation and rail
wheel interaction related studies for such
rolling stocks and track.
Challenges Ahead
6. Minimum Track
StructurePresent
track structure being
adopted for high
density route on
Indian Railway may
be tried for high
speed trains.
Overview
As studies conclusively indicated that it
is not necessary to have heavy track
structure involving heavy cost for high
speed trains but the track has to be
maintained to high standard. The
improved maintenance of PSC track by
effective use of track machines and
imparting training to P.Way staff appears
to be one of the vital requirements of
such high speed routes.
Challenges Ahead
7. Maintenance of
Track
to
high
standards to safety
as well as riding
comfort to users.
Overview
Corrective or smoothening system
of maintenance of track is not
sufficient to achieve the desired
riding quality and thus complete
switch over to Absolute Track
Geometry System of maintenance
would be essential to achieve the
desired level of comfort at high
speeds.
Challenges Ahead
Overview
8. Upgradation of As we know, at higher speeds
Track machines on faults in Track geometry with
Indian Railway for larger wave length also cause
high speed track.
considerable dynamic force and
therefore must be eliminated.
Wavelength of 100m & 200m fault
must be considered at speed of 160
Kmph and 350 Kmph respectively.
Hence, change in maintenance
strategy from smoothing mode to
absolute track geometry is
essential and track machines
upgraded accordingly.
Challenges Ahead
9. Threat to human
life from high speed
Trains
during
Routine Inspections
and maintenance.
Overview
Push Trolley Inspection by field
officials should be debarred at
least in two block sections ahead
in the face of high speed trains and
suitable automatic warning system
to be devised for alarming the
people working on track well
before . Alternatively a time slot
for
all
type
of
routine
maintenances and inspections may
be provided.
Challenges Ahead
10. Relaxation to
limits of maximum
cant, cant deficiency
and cant excess.
Improvements
to
turnouts is also to be
considered.
Overview
Running of trains on curves with
high speed will enhance the need
of cant quadratically and therefore
achieving a revised and balanced
limits of the maximum cant, cant
deficiency and cant excess for
running of high speed trains with
present
mixed
speed
train
operation system is a vital and
important area of concern.
Improvements in turnouts will also
be an area of concern.
Challenges Ahead
Overview
11. Speed limit on Speed limit on one degree curve
curves sharper than with existing norms of maximum
one degree.
cant and cant deficiency comes to
180 kmph. Therefore, an obstacle
in the way of high speed trains is
the population of curves of more
than one degree
frequently
existing on almost all routes of
Indian Railways. Solution to the
problem may be adoption of tilting
coach technology in our system.
Challenges Ahead
Overview
12. Inadequate
It is well known that with increase
transition length for of speed, the minimum required
high speed trains.
length
of transition curve
increases linearly
and thus
accommodating
the increased
transition length will compel the
track to be realigned involving
shifting of curves etc. depending
upon the site conditions.
Challenges Ahead
13.
Over
aged
bridges
–their
capability
to
withstand dynamic
impact of high speed
trains & Eco friendly
measures.
Overview
Dynamically augmented axle load
of high speed trains may cause
failure, Checking of some sort of
samples from existing bridges and
threat of it if some of the bridges
fails is required to be studied. It
will provide a foresight for
planning the future of high speed
trains. Eco friendly measures for
reducing noise, dust level and
vibration to nearby residents to be
taken.
Challenges Ahead
14. Bridge SleepersStability
check
against dragging and
other forces on high
speed movement of
traffic.
Overview
Present mechanism of holding
down of bridge sleepers with
girders with the help of hook bolts
may defeat the purpose on high
speed. A dynamic studies to check
stability of bridge sleepers on
running of high speed trains may
be conducted by RDSO and
suitable mechanism for it may be
devised. Steel Channel sleepers
may, however be a better option.
Challenges Ahead
15. Revision of
Schedule
of
Dimensions
and
Requirement
of
Extra Clearances on
High speed routes.
Overview
For running of high speed trains,
requirement of super elevation will
go on increase. As super elevation
causes the lean of rolling stocks
on inner side of curves which
magnifies
the
horizontal
clearance of track from fixed /
temporary structures, revision of
SOD or correction to some of its
provisions will be required suiting
to the rolling stock for such
speeds.