RAILWAY MAINTENANCE
with this approach, no actions are taken in
REVIEWER
I. Railway System
✓ Railway System is a large system made up of
various subsystems with facilities and
equipment that generally include civil
structures, rolling stock that run on railway
tracks, power equipment that supply and
transmit electricity to the rolling stock and
other facilities, signaling equipment that
ensures safe railway operations and station
facilities like ticketing gates and passenger
information equipment.
✓ Highly skilled train drivers, station staff,
controllers, and other railway personnel all
work together to operate this system, while
knowledgeable technical staff carry out
maintenance activities to keep these facilities
and equipment in optimal working condition.
When all this equipment and personnel
function collectively, the railway system can
start serving as a mass transportation system.
II. Railway Maintenance
IV. Types of Track Maintenance
✓ It is the process of preserving the working
condition of railway equipment, along the
track or related to rolling stock.
✓ It involves regularly checking and fixing a
railway component, such as the physical
tracks, the signaling systems and the overhead
lines.
✓ Some of the methods used for railway
maintenance are rail grinding, rail
replacement, tamping stabilization, ballast
injection, and sleeper replacement.
III. Types of Railway Maintenance
A. Corrective Railway Maintenance
➢ Fixing what's broken. It is a task performed to
identify, isolate, and resolve a fault so that a
failed equipment can be replaced or restored
to an operational condition with the tolerances
or limit established for in service operations
order to prevent a fault, since the only way to
detect it is waiting for an equipment to fail.
B. Preventive Railway Maintenance
➢ Taking care of things before they break. It is a
task performed regularly to monitor the status
or the conditions of railway equipment, to
lessen the likelihood of its failure. An
approach like this allows the infrastructure
managers to recognize the bad health of an
asset, therefore preventive action can be taken
before a failure, ensuring better reliability of
the whole system.
C. Predictive Railway Maintenance
➢ Using smarts to predict problems before they
happen. Its techniques are designed to help
determine the condition of in-service
equipment to predict when it is going to fail;
therefore, it is not a mother of likelihood, but
a highly detailed forecast is assured. This
approach promises cost savings over routine
of time based, because tasks are performed
only when guaranteed.
A. Daily Maintenance
➢ This maintenance is carried out throughout
the year daily, it involves a daily track
inspection, regular maintenance on track
fittings, cleaning, oiling, etc.
B. Routine Maintenance
➢ Carried out on a routine basis repeatedly.
C. Periodic Maintenance
➢ Conducted by departmental labor after every
2-3 years. The maintenance involves track
alignment, rails, gauge, points and crossings,
drainage, approaches, etc.
D. Special Maintenance
➢ Conducted in case of some major issues. It is
carried out in case of train accidents, track
component replacement, etc.
Necessity of Track Maintenance ✓ When track maintenance is ignored for an
extended period of time, it may lead to a
✓ High speeds, heavy loads, and weathering situation where the track is damaged beyond
processes can cause track components to repair and expensive heavy track renewals are
deteriorate over time. required.
✓ Due to frequent train operations, the
alignment of track, the gauge, and the surface
V. Tools and Equipment
level of the rails may become distorted.
1. Cant Board
✓ Due to heavy wheel loads, changes at points
− Employed to check can on curve.
and crossings may occur on beings.
2. Wire Claw
✓ The packing underneath the sleepers becomes
− Used for cleaning the ballast.
loose and the track geometry is altered
3. Powarah
because of the frequent movement of trains.
As a result, the gauge, alignment, longitudinal, − Spread the ballast uniformly and properly.
and cross levels suffer negative effects, 4. Hammer
putting the tracks safety in danger. − Used for driving the spikes.
✓ Fast moving trains cause vibrations and 5. Rail Bender
impacts that cause track fittings to become − Employed for bending rail in order to keep
loose and severely damage the track and its them in desired position.
components. 6. Jack
✓ Due to the weathering action of rain, water, − Used for lifting the track.
sun, etc. The track components deteriorate 7. Rail Gauge
with time. − Used for checking the width of the rail
gauge.
Advantages of Track Maintenance 8. Sleeper Tongs
✓ When a track is adequately maintained, − Are employed for lifting the sleepers.
passengers may travel safely and comfortably, 9. Auger
however if the track is unmaintained, − Help in drilling holes.
passengers may experience discomfort and in 10. Shovels
the worst circumstances, hazardous − Used for handling the ballast.
conditions that could result in vehicle 11. Rail Tongs
derailments and subsequent loss of life and − Employed for lifting the rail.
property. 12. Claw Bar
✓ As a result of proper maintenance, the lifespan − Are employed for taking out the spike from
of both track and rolling stock is extended sleeper.
since their components experience less wear 13. Sledgehammer
and tear. − Used for cutting the rails by chisel
✓ Effective track upkeep lowers operating 14. Chisel
expenses and fuel usage. − Used/helps in the cutting the rails.
✓ Minor track maintenance works carried out 15. Beater Cum Pickaxe
when necessary, such as tightening a bolt or − Pack the ballast under the sleepers.
key or hammering a dog spike, may prevent 16. Spanner
the loss of fittings and provide significant − Used for fixing the fish bolts.
savings. 17. Spirit Level Along with Straight Edge
 − Used for maintaining the cross levels.
VI. Rolling Stock
➢ Electric Locomotive
✓ It is a locomotive powered by electricity from
overhead lines, a third rail or on-board energy
storage such as battery or a super capacitor.
✓ It uses AC or DC current, both from the
overhead equipment but it is not directly
coupled to the motors, it runs through high
tension cables from the alternator through
reversing and power contractors, rectifiers
and oil cooled transformers, etc. And many
low tension relays and much other electronic
control system. The motors run from start to
around 850 Volts/ 500 Amps and even more
each and the locomotives can reach 120 to
over 200 kph.
➢ Diesel Train
✓ It is a type of railway locomotive in which the
power source is a diesel engine.
VII. Method Statement
✓ It is a crucial document that outlines the step-
by-step procedure for a specific task. It serves
as a blueprint for ensuring the work is
complete.
➢ Procedure of Method Statement
− Inspection
− Repair/Renovation/Restoration
− Testing
IX. Shop Drawing
− Commissioning
− Operation
➢ Benefits of Method Statement
✓ Improved Communication
✓ Risk Mitigation
✓ Training Tool
✓ Record keeping
VIII. Quality Assurance & Quality
Control
➢ Quality Assurance
✓ It focuses on prevention, proactively
identifies potential issues and establishes
processes to prevent them.
✓ This involves developing clear and
comprehensive maintenance procedures
documented in method statements. It also
encompasses training technicians in these
procedures, ensuring they have the proper
skills and tools.
✓ Includes high-quality materials and regularly
reviewing maintenance plans to identify areas
for improvement.
➢ Quality Control
✓ It focuses on verification; it verifies if the
maintenance work meets the established
quality standard.
✓ This involves inspections after maintenance
tasks are completed. Inspectors ensure the
work adheres to the method statement and
complies with relevant regulations.
✓ This also includes testing of repaired
equipment or tracks to confirm proper
functionality before returning them to service.
➢ Importance of QA/QC in Railway
Maintenance
✓ Safety
✓ Reliability
✓ Reduce Cost
✓ Passenger Confidence
✓ It is a detailed technical illustration that
provides crucial information for the
fabrication, repair, or modification of railway
components.
✓ This ensures accuracy, communication, and
quality control.
➢ Benefits of Shop Drawing on Railway
Maintenance
✓ Reduced Errors
✓ Improved Efficiency
✓ Enhanced Safety
✓ Simplified Record Keeping