RAIL PROJECTS AND TRACK INSTALLATION

SUPPORTED BY LONG-TERM TRACK MAINTENANCE SOLUTIONS

Today´s Challenges of the
Rail Infrastructure Industry

● Economic considerations drive railway industry in an

increasing complex and competitive environment

● Life Cycle Cost are predominant today

● Upfront investments are weighted against

maintenance cost

● Clear cut requirements with regard to construction,

operation and maintenance is required

● Total Service Contractors offer total project management -

planning, construction and maintenance in certain instances even
financing – (ppp-models)
Requirements to be met by the track (1)

● Tracks have to be laid and maintained to provide a cost

effective infrastructure

● German Federal Railway defined in their Track Strategy project

different levels of requirements:

a) Mandatory Requirements

b) Tolerated Requirements

c) Subsidiary Requirements
Requirements to be met by the track (2)

and summarized criterias:

a) Overall operational model
Availability
Economical
Riding Comfort
b) Construction and Maintenance Strategies
Maintainability
Possible Alterations
Renewal Investments
Reliable supply of components

c) Risk/Failures

Safety
Damage Symptoms and restoration after derailment
Repair of possible fault symptoms in respective tracks
d) Other Requirements
Concept of Life Cycle Cost (LCC 1)

● LCC Components and their interaction

Investment

Inspection
Maintenance
and Diagnosis

Emergency
Repairs
Concept of Life Cycle Cost (LCC 2)

● The LCC Model – summarised in brief

▶ Life cycle costs can only be optimised as a whole

▶ Each cost component of LCC shall be analysed over

an entire life cycle

▶ Different track systems (e.g. ballasted track vs. ballastless track) can be
compared by defining the individual value of the individual cost
component according to the track system under review
Ballasted Track Line Wels – Linz / Austria
Track Construction and Maintenance (1)

● Ballasted Track

▶ Maintenance intervals – objective: achieve longest

possible intervals
Tamping Intervals For Ballasted Tracks Depending
On The Traffic Load

14

12
T ra c k ta m p in g a n d lin in g in te rv a ls
(m in im u m , a v e ra g e , m a x im u m )

10

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Av erage daily load (total gross tons per day)

Track Construction and Maintenance (2)

● Ballasted Track

▶ Maintenance Intervals – objective: achieve longest

possible intervals

▶ Initial Track Quality – substructure

▶ Permanent Way Ballast – quality of ballast

▶ Maintenance of Rail Surface – grinding a key operation

Grinding Intervals For Ballasted Tracks Depending On
The Traffic Load

12

10
(minimum, average, maximum)
Track grinding intervals

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Average daily load (total gross tons per day)
Track Construction and Maintenance (3)

● Ballasted Track

▶ Maintenance Intervals – objective: achieve longest

possible intervals

▶ Initial Track Quality – substructure

▶ Permanent Way Ballast – quality of ballast

▶ Maintenance of Rail Surface – grinding a key operation

▶ Infrastructure Elasticity
Ballastless Track – Loetschberg Tunnel /
Switzerland
Track Construction and Maintenance (4)

● Ballastless Track – an alternative to Ballasted Track

▶ Why ballastless track?

A cost effecient solution at least in certain projects

▶ Sleeper Pads

An additional low cost improvement

General Contractor in Rail Engineering

● The benefits

▶ All from one partner; use of synergies, reduced friction

▶ No planning and functionallity risk – all is general contractor‘s

responsibility

▶ High level of schedule reliability

▶ Easier Budget and Cost control

▶ Complex logistical and construction site safety issues are centralized and
in one hand
Organisation Chart of
Loetschberg Tunnel Project
Diagram of the Loetschberg Tunnel
Details for Track Construction
● Timing:
● Length of track:
● Slab track system:
● Sleepers:
● Rails:
● High speed-turnouts:
● Concrete:
● Max. Operating speed:
● Totel value track construction:
Design: 10/2002 – 03/2004
Trials and Preparation: 01/03 – 09/04
Realisation: 04/2004 – 10/2006
Total 57 km, 51 km in tunnel
LVT / Sonneville
171‘000 blocks type LVT
(60 cm spacing)
UIC 60: 7.000 tons
2 on slab-track, 1 on ballasted track
80‘000 m³
250 km/h (in tunnel)
Euro 85 MIO
Requirements on Track Quality

● Useful life for basic track layer, fill-in concrete (2nd pour) and
sleepers at least 50 years

● Resisting high impact and providing the possibility for simple

maintenance

● Keeping track tolerances of +/- 2 mm in horizontal und vertical

direction

● Keeping track gauge of 1435 mm -1/+ 3 mm

● The requirements on the quality of the concrete surface regarding

levelling and cleanliness are very high

● Further impacts due to high utilization of the tunnel,

maximum speed, axle loads, corrosion, etc.
Logistic Challenge

●Real logistic challenge in single-track tunnel

●Just one single access route for transport and supply

●Construction of various installations and temporary yards

for efficient performance

●Just-in-time co-ordination to guarantee material supply in

all fields of activities

●High speed of transport (about 60 km/h) requires special safety

measures (control centre, identification of position)

●Co-ordination and interface management with tunnel carcass

construction, overhead line construction, mechanical equipment,
cable laying and safety installations
Conclusions

● Well defined and managed technical, functional and performance

requirements in terms of construction, operation and maintenance
underpin and are the essentials for the commercial success of a
project and the subsequent cost-effective operation of a railway
infrastructure

● High quality execution of works and an optimised maintenance

regime are still a must for a successful Life cycle project approach

● For this reason the selection of the right partner – experience

combined with enthusiasm for the project and commitment of executing
staff
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
 MSc Hubert Rhomberg
info@bahntechnik.com www.bahntechnik.com