Railway Maintenance

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Questions and Answers

What should be removed in time to avoid short-circuiting?

Metal burrs at the end (correct)

Sleepers in the vicinity of the joints

Rail ends with brake dust

Fish bolts at the insulated joints

Why should ballast be clean in the vicinity of glued insulated joints?

To increase the lifespan of the rails

To reduce the risk of short-circuiting

To prevent rail ends from corrosion

To ensure efficient packing and drainage (correct)

What happens in case of failure of glued joints?

The rail ends get corroded

The sleepers get damaged

The fishplates crack or break (correct)

The rails get shortened

What should be kept free from brake dust, dirt, sand, rust, etc.?

Rail ends Signup and view all the answers

How should PSC Sleepers be laid and maintained?

Square to the rails on straights and radially on curves Signup and view all the answers

What is recommended while carrying out track renewals with concrete sleepers?

Relaying with Mechanical Equipment Signup and view all the answers

What should be kept clean with efficient drainage?

The track at glued joint and its vicinity Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of heaping up of ballast in the tamping zone?

To ensure effective packing Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of refurbishing a glued joint?

To repair the damaged glued joint Signup and view all the answers

What is done to hogged joints before tamping?

Attention is given to them Signup and view all the answers

What is done to broken and damaged sleepers?

They are renewed Signup and view all the answers

Why are obstructions such as signal rods, cables, pipes, level crossing check rails, etc., removed?

To avoid damage by the tampers Signup and view all the answers

What should be marked on every second/third sleeper?

The slew, super elevation and lift value Signup and view all the answers

What should be the tamping depth during tamping?

15 mm to 20 mm Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to ensure that tamping tools are inserted centrally between the sleepers?

To avoid damage to the sleepers Signup and view all the answers

Who should be informed about the beginning and end of transitions?

The tamping machine operator Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommended minimum depth of clean ballast cushion below the bottom of sleepers for proper functioning of tie tampers?

150 mm Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of deep screening of ballast?

To ensure adequate ballast in the shoulders and cribs Signup and view all the answers

Who is responsible for providing adequate time for economical working of tamping machines?

Both the Operating Department and the Engineering Department Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of pre-tamping attention?

To achieve good results from tamping Signup and view all the answers

What should be done before taking up the tamping?

Carry out the preparatory work such as ballasting Signup and view all the answers

What should be followed during packing in LWR/CWR track?

Part D of Chapter 3 Signup and view all the answers

Why should small track machines be deployed?

For carrying out various operations Signup and view all the answers

What should be done to ensure that adequate time is available for economical working of tamping machines?

Provide time allowance in the working timetable Signup and view all the answers

What should be done to plan the deployment of tamping machines for plain track and Points & Crossings?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What should the Gang Mate and Track Maintainers do during the passage of trains?

Stand on the cess and observe the movement of sleepers Signup and view all the answers

Why is firm and uniform packing necessary?

For good track maintenance Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of systematic tamping of plain track and Points & Crossings?

To maintain the track in good condition Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of systematic overhauling?

To overhaul the entire track section within a specific period Signup and view all the answers

What should be shifted to shoulders for screening by the machine?

Crib ballast Signup and view all the answers

How often should loop lines be shallow screened/overhauled?

Once in 7 years Signup and view all the answers

What is the first operation in the sequence of overhauling?

Shallow screening and making up of ballast Signup and view all the answers

What is the ratio of sleepers in the turnout portion for a 1 in 8½ turnout?

1 to 13 Signup and view all the answers

How should the sleepers in the crossing portion be placed?

Perpendicular to the bisector line of the crossing angle Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the approach sleepers in advance of the switch portion?

To provide a smooth transition to the turnout Signup and view all the answers

How should the complete assembled turnout be inserted in position?

By using a T-28 machine or cranes or rollers Signup and view all the answers

What should be done to ensure the alignment and level of the sleepers during manual insertion?

Check the alignment and level at no time beyond permissible limits Signup and view all the answers

What should be provided behind the crossing portion to introduce rail slope?

Exit sleepers Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommended way to provide motor housing in the switch portion?

By placing long sleepers in the reverse direction Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommended way to break down the complete assembled turnout for insertion?

Into three panels Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Maintenance of Rail Joints

Metal burrs at the end of rail joints should be removed in time to avoid short-circuiting.
Fish bolts at insulated joints must be kept tight, and sleepers packed well in the vicinity of joints.
Rail ends should be kept free from brake dust, dirt, sand, rust, and other foreign materials.

Maintenance of Glued Insulated Joints

Ballast used in track in the vicinity of glued insulated joints should be clean to ensure efficient packing and drainage.
Care should be taken to ensure that the ballast is clear of rails and rail fastenings.
In glued joints, no relative movement occurs between rails and fishplates; if failure occurs, the damaged joint shall be refurbished/replaced.

Laying of PSC Plain Track Sleepers

PSC Sleepers shall be laid and maintained square to the rails on straights and radially on curves, and rail joints should be suspended.
Relaying with Mechanical Equipment should be adopted while carrying out track renewals with concrete sleepers.
The preliminary work prior to relaying at site, the actual relaying process, and the post-relaying operations are described in detail in “IRTMM”.

Systematic Tamping of Plain Track and Points & Crossings

Systematic tamping of plain track and Points & Crossings should be planned on long continuous lengths based on results of TRC/OMS.
Deployment of Tamping Machines should be based on results of TRC/OMS, past history of deterioration of track, traffic GMT, type of formation, condition of track and its components.

Pre-requisites to Introduction of Mechanical Maintenance

A minimum depth of 150 mm of clean ballast cushion below the bottom of the sleepers is recommended for the proper functioning of the tie tampers.
Adequate ballast should be available in the shoulders and cribs.
Time allowance for working the machines should be provided in the working timetable.
It is the responsibility of both the Operating Department and the Engineering Department to ensure provision of adequate time for economical working of machines.

Pre-tamping Attention

Ballasting where there is a shortage of ballast.
Heaping up of ballast in the tamping zone to ensure effective packing.
Making up of low cess.
Cleaning of pumping joints and providing additional clean ballast, where necessary.
Attention to hogged joints before tamping.
Tightening of all fittings and fastenings like fish bolts and elastic fastenings and replacement of worn-out fittings.
Renewing broken and damaged sleepers.
Squaring of sleepers and spacing adjustment; re-gauging to be done as necessary.
Adjusting creep and expansion gap in rails.
Examination of rails for cracks, sleepers, and fastenings, etc.
Survey for Realignment of curves, which are badly out of alignment.
Clearing of ballast on sleepers to make them visible to the operator.
All obstructions such as signal rods, cables, pipes, level crossing check rails, joggled fish plates, etc., likely to be damaged by the tampers should be preferably removed.

Observance of Sleepers under Passage of Traffic

Gang Mate and Track Maintainers should stand on the cess each about one rail-length apart on either side of the portion of track they are attending to, and observe the movement of sleepers under load.
Immediately after the passing of the train, loose sleepers should be marked, packed uniformly, and the packing tested.

Systematic Overhauling

The length of the section to be overhauled shall be such that complete overhauling of track will be accomplished within a specific period (normally 3 to 5 years).
Overhauling should be done using SBCM for cleaning of shoulder ballast.
The crib ballast should also be shifted to shoulders for screening by the machine, which should again be put back in crib portion.

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Description

This quiz covers the maintenance of railway tracks, including the removal of metal burrs, tightening of fish bolts, and cleaning of rail ends.