Technical Assistance Consultant’s Report€¦ · Appendix B – International Case Studies of Mechanized Maintenance and Training ... B.2 Training for Permanent Way Staff – Indian

Technical Assistance Consultant’s Report

This consultant’s report does not necessarily reflect the views of ADB or the Government concerned, and ADB and the Government cannot be held liable for its contents. (For project preparatory technical assistance: All the views expressed herein may not be incorporated into the proposed project’s design.)

Project Number: 46452 October 2017

People’s Republic of Bangladesh: South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation Railway Connectivity Investment Program (Financed by the Technical Assistance Special Funds) Final Report on Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit

Prepared by:

CPCS Transcom Limited In association with:

e.Gen Consultants Ltd. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Ministry of Railways Bangladesh Railway

Bangladesh SASEC Railway Connectivity

Investment Programme Project

Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit Final Report Prepared for:

ADB/Bangladesh Railway

Prepared by:

CPCS Transcom Limited In association with

e.Gen Consultants Ltd.

Date: 20 October, 2017

Quality Assurance

Bangladesh Railway Connectivity Investment Programme Project

CPCS Ref: 15328

Version Date Resp. Approval

1.0 17 September, 2016 Seán McDonnell Arif Mohiuddin

1.1 30 October, 2016 Seán McDonnell Arif Mohiuddin

2.0 30 September, 2017 Seán McDonnell Arif Mohiuddin

2.1 20 October, 2017 Seán McDonnell Arif Mohiuddin

Filename/location: https://sp.cpcs.ca/cpcs/15328/ProjectExec/Reports and Deliverables/Final Report/MTMU /TA 8597 MTMU - Final Report.docx

https://sp.cpcs.ca/cpcs/15328/ProjectExec/Reports%20and%20Deliverables/Final%20Report/MTMU%20/TA%208597%20MTMU%20-%20Final%20Report.docx

https://sp.cpcs.ca/cpcs/15328/ProjectExec/Reports%20and%20Deliverables/Final%20Report/MTMU%20/TA%208597%20MTMU%20-%20Final%20Report.docx

72 Chamberlain Ave. Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1S 1V9 [email protected] www.cpcs.ca

20 October, 2017 CPCS Ref: 15328 Mr. Tsuneyuki Sakai Sr. Transport Specialist Asian Development Bank 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550 Metro Manila, Philippines Dear Sakai-san:

Re: TA 8596 BAN: SASEC Railway Connectivity Investment Program Please find attached our Final Report (v2.1) for the Mechanized Track Maintenance component of the captioned project. Changes were made to DFR based on comments received from the Bangladesh Railway and ADB and at meetings with BR on February 19 and April 25th, 2017 in Dhaka, as well as comments received by email on 17 October, 2017.

The document pertains to the development of a new Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit (MTMU). The report goes beyond the MTMU to assess the requirements of the broader infrastructure maintenance organization required to effectively implement the MTMU. The report provides analysis and information on technologies, staff and organizational structures for inspection and maintenance of railway infrastructure; and makes specific recommendations that best suit the operating challenges and environment of Bangladesh Railway. It also includes a plan for transition to the MTMU unit. All TOR requirements have been addressed in the report.

Yours very truly, CPCS Transcom Limited Seán McDonnell CPCS Team Leader

cc: Engr. A. Hoque, Bangladesh Railways

FINAL REPORT - MTMU | Bangladesh SASEC RCIP Project CPCS Ref: 15328

Acknowledgements

CPCS would like to acknowledge the kind assistance granted to them by the staff and management of Bangladesh Railway. In addition we wish to thank all stakeholders who gave so generously of their time and shared with us their insights into the future development of the railway. Any errors of fact or interpretation are ours.

CPCS Transcom Limited 72 Chamberlain Ave Ottawa, Canada K1S 1V9 613.237.2500 [email protected]


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Table of Contents

Acronyms/Abbreviations .............................................................................................................. viii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... x

1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 General Project Information ............................................................................................................ 2

1.2 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 2

1.3 Purpose of this report ...................................................................................................................... 3

1.4 Structure of this report .................................................................................................................... 3

2 Assumptions and Philosophies ...................................................................................................... 5

2.1 Background ...................................................................................................................................... 6

2.2 Recommended Inspection and Maintenance Philosophy ............................................................... 6

2.3 Outsourcing ..................................................................................................................................... 7

2.4 Benefits of Rail-cum-Road Vehicles ................................................................................................. 8

2.5 Access to Track ................................................................................................................................ 8

3 Track Inspections ........................................................................................................................ 10

3.1 Best Practice Track Inspection ....................................................................................................... 11

3.2 Recommended Inspection Regime ................................................................................................ 19

3.3 Recommended Technologies for Testing and Monitoring Track .................................................. 23

3.4 Track and Bridge Inspection Systems ............................................................................................ 28

3.5 Summary of Inspection and Testing .............................................................................................. 32

4 Track Maintenance ..................................................................................................................... 34

4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 35

4.2 Maintenance of Infrastructure ...................................................................................................... 36

4.3 Track Geometry Maintenance ....................................................................................................... 42

4.4 Rail Grinding................................................................................................................................... 46

4.5 Rail Lubrication .............................................................................................................................. 54

4.6 Summary of Resources for Maintenance ...................................................................................... 58

5 Machinery and Vehicle Maintenance .......................................................................................... 59

5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 60

5.2 Depots ............................................................................................................................................ 60

5.3 Machinery Maintenance ................................................................................................................ 61

5.4 Automotive Maintenance .............................................................................................................. 62

5.5 Operation and Maintenance of Testing Equipment ...................................................................... 63

6 Management .............................................................................................................................. 64


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6.1 Function ......................................................................................................................................... 65

6.2 Zonal Chief Engineers .................................................................................................................... 66

6.3 System Chief Engineer ................................................................................................................... 69

6.4 Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 72

7 Equipment and Vehicles ............................................................................................................. 76

7.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 77

7.2 Track Machinery ............................................................................................................................ 77

7.3 Vehicles .......................................................................................................................................... 79

7.4 Testing Equipment ......................................................................................................................... 80

7.5 Existing Equipment and Facilities .................................................................................................. 81

8 Phased Implementation ............................................................................................................. 83

8.1 Phase 1 Implementation ................................................................................................................ 86

8.2 Rehabilitation Requirements for Phase 1 Implementation ........................................................... 89

8.3 Resource Requirements on Phase 1 .............................................................................................. 92

8.4 Implementation after Phase 1 ....................................................................................................... 96

8.5 Resource Requirements for Implementation on Existing Network .............................................. 96

8.6 Summary of Investment Requirements....................................................................................... 101

9 Implementation Plan ................................................................................................................ 102

9.1 Implementation Roadmap ........................................................................................................... 102

9.2 Procurement Plan ........................................................................................................................ 103

9.3 Recruitment and Selection Plan .................................................................................................. 105

9.4 Training Plan ................................................................................................................................ 106

9.5 Funding and Financing Plan ......................................................................................................... 107

10 Benchmarks ............................................................................................................................ 109

10.1 Projected Staff Levels ................................................................................................................ 110

10.2 Benchmarking Projected Staff Levels against International Railways ....................................... 110

10.3 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................. 111

Appendix A - Mechanism of Component Deterioration & Wear .............................................. 113

A.1 Rail Maintenance ......................................................................................................................... 113

A.2 Sleeper Maintenance .................................................................................................................. 119

A.3 Ballast Maintenance .................................................................................................................... 122

Appendix B – International Case Studies of Mechanized Maintenance and Training ..................... 126

B.1 Mechanized Track Maintenance in South Africa ........................................................................ 126

B.2 Training for Permanent Way Staff – Indian Railways – Case Study ............................................ 130

Appendix C – Job Descriptions for Non-management Positions .................................................... 132


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Appendix D – Organisation of Maintenance & Inspection Activities ............................................. 139

D.1 Degree of Centralization ........................................................................................................ 139

D.2 Local versus Mobile Employees ............................................................................................. 140

D.3 In-house versus outsourced ................................................................................................... 140

D.4 Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 141


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Acronyms/Abbreviations

Acronym Full Name

ADB Asian Development Bank AREMA American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way

Association ACE-Bridges Additional Chief Engineer- Bridges ACE-M&V Additional Chief Engineer- Machinery and Vehicles ACE-MTMU Additional Chief Engineer- Mechanized Track Maintenance

Unit ACE-T Additional Chief Engineer- Track ACE-Testing Additional Chief Engineer- Testing ASIV Automated Switch Inspection Vehicle AVTDM Automated Vertical Track Deflection Management BAN Bangladesh BNSF Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway BPE Bridge Production Engineer BR Bangladesh Railways CAT Continuous Action Tamping CPCS CPCS Transcom Ltd. CSX CSX Transportation CWR Continuous Welded Rail DC District of Columbia DOT Department of Transportation (US) EE Executive Engineer ENSCO ENSCO Rail (rail technology firm) ERRI European Rail Research Institute FM Foreman FMG Fortescue Metals Group (Australia) FRA Federal Road Administration GIS Geographic Information System GPR Ground Penetrating Radar GPS Global Positioning System GQI Grinding Quality Index GRC Geometry Recording Car GRMS Gauge Restraint Management Systems GRV Geometry Recording Vehicle GSM Global System for Mobile Connections GTC Grand Trunk Corporation (US Railway)


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HQ Headquarters IBM International Business Machines IHHA International Heavy Haul Association IR Indian Railway IT Information Technology JBIS Joint Bar Inspection System KCS Kansas City Southern Railway LIDAR Light detection and ranging (optical sensing system) LWR Long Welded Rail MGT Million Gross Tonnes MTM Mechanized Track Maintenance MTMU Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit NR Network Rail (UK) OHLE Overhead line equipment PCS Pre-stressed Concrete Sleepers RASC Rail Asset Scanning Car RCF Rolling Contact Fatigue RCIP Railway Connectivity Investment Program RCM Rail Car Movers RCR Rail-Cum-Road RFD Rail Flaw Detection or Rail Flaw Detector RRV Rail Cum Road Vehicle RSA Rail Seat Abrasion SAEE Senior Assistant Executive Engineers SASEC South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation Program SCE System Chief Engineer SOO Soo Line Railroad (USA) STB Surface Transport Board TA Technical Assistance TM Truck Maintainer TOR Terms of Reference TQI Track Quality Endices TSS Track Safety Standards UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle UK United Kingdom US United States USA United States of America USD United States Dollar V/TI Vehicle/ Track Interaction VTDM Vertical Track Deflection Measurement WR Wear Rates ZCE Zonal Chief Engineer


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Introduction

This report forms part of the deliverables under the ADB project TA 8597: BAN SASEC RCIP Project. Our mandate for this project includes an “Assessment for establishment of Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit (MTMU) of Bangladesh Railroads (BR) and recommendations for the strategy, investments and organization”.

MTMU works best on a railway with modern infrastructure inspection and maintenance processes and technologies. As such, our analysis goes beyond what normally constitutes a MTMU to include all elements of infrastructure maintenance, inspection and monitoring. We have considered the latest practices and technologies and provided recommendations tailored to the demands of Bangladesh Railway; which have in turn, driven estimates of resource requirements (staff, vehicles, equipment, machinery). In this report, we:

1) Identify and discuss international railway maintenance and inspection practices;

2) Make recommendations of those “best” for BR;

3) Identify the maintenance organisation and required resources; and

4) Analyze benchmarks of projected staff levels against international railways.

Background

The following form the basis of our findings and recommendations:

• Bangladesh Railways’ network includes metre gauge, Indian broad gauge and dual gauge lines. Permissible axle loads are very low on metre gauge lines (12 tons) but higher on broad and dual gauge lines (18 tons). In addition, new broad and dual gauge lines are now being constructed to permissible axle loads of 25 tons.

• On account of track structure (especially ballast cushion thickness), only new lines or recently rehabilitated lines are candidates for implementation of mechanized track maintenance (MTM). Our analysis is based on implementation of lines with precast concrete sleepers and a clean ballast cushion of at least 250 mm.

• The capital renewal of railway assets such as rail and sleepers will be outsourced by way of third party contract as is currently the norm at Bangladesh Railway (though we recommend that there be some exceptions to this).

• Mechanized track maintenance will consist of the latest technologies for the maintenance of track geometry which largely means mechanical tamping machines. Mechanized track maintenance is most effectively implemented when day-to-day maintenance and track inspection and testing processes are modernized. As such, our recommendations are inclusive of these.


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Inspection and Maintenance Philosophy

On account of (1) traffic being a mix of freight and passenger, (2) the complexity of the network, and (3) the current BR maintenance concept, we recommend a maintenance philosophy that is based largely on that of North American Class 1 railways adapted to the unique operating conditions of Bangladesh and with consideration of the process, practices and norms of Bangladesh Railways. Key elements of the philosophy include:

1. Inspection and testing technologies augmented by visual inspections conducted by qualified experts:

2. Collection and utilization of inspection, testing and incident data for the purposes of program development and predictive maintenance planning;

3. Maintenance to be mechanized in line with railways of North America and Europe;

4. Maintenance done in-house except possibly for non-core activities and specialized programs including future renewal programs; and

5. Rail-cum-road vehicles as a main mode of transport for both inspection and maintenance crews.

Outsourcing

Among the modern railways of the world, there is a significant difference in the degree to which maintenance and inspection activities are outsourced versus completed with in-house forces. On the one extreme are the Class 1 railways of North America where virtually all maintenance work is carried out in-house. At the other extreme are some of the railways of Europe where significant portions of their maintenance and renewal programmes are outsourced, which has resulted in the development of a major private sector industry.

The reason for the difference in maintenance organisations is generally explained by how the railways have evolved over many years, adapting in different ways to national objectives, ownership, and legislation and funding arrangements. As such, there is no clear evidence that there is any ‘best practice’ organisation model.

We recommend that BR largely adopt the North American approach and undertake core maintenance activities in-house including:

• Day-to-day maintenance;

• Visual inspections;

• Testing and monitoring of track infrastructure;

• Management of database inspection logs, defect records, and information condition data;

• Planning of major programs;

• On-track ballast delivery and distribution; and

• Maintenance of track machinery and equipment.


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Major renewal programs in North American are normally undertaken in-house, but we have assumed the same approach that Bangladesh Railways currently uses and hence, have recommended that they be outsourced.

In North America, ultrasonic testing of rail is contracted out but we have assumed they would be done in-house by BR, along with geometry evaluation. However, we see both in-house and outsourcing as viable options for BR (pending interest from capable contractors).

This leaves a fair number of work elements that could be outsourced by way of service contracts. Below, we present a list of activities that we recommend for outsourcing:

• Planned renewal programs (sleepers, ballast and ballast screening);

• Ballast generation and loading into ballast cars;

• Storage and delivery of materials at a central depot;

• Automotive maintenance of road and RCR vehicles;

• Machinery component renewal (pumps, generators, starters, among others);

• Building cleaning and maintenance;

• Off-track earth-moving equipment;

• Bridge maintenance (beyond basic maintenance) and bridge remedial/repair work;

• Maintenance of roads into and within depots and stations;

• Maintenance of fencing, lighting and cameras;

• Security within stations and depots; and

• Repairs to turnout components (when removed from track).

Rail-cum-Road Vehicles

Rail-cum-road (RCR) vehicles improve the productivity of the inspection and maintenance employees by permitting them to drive, by road, to any track location where they could expect track occupancy. They can then get on track at a road crossing and inspect or travel on track at speeds of up to 30 kph, stopping where necessary. If they are unable to secure track occupation at one location, they could move quickly to an alternate site and return when the track had cleared to the original plan. Rail-cum-road vehicles permit crews to carry the necessary tools, equipment and employees to undertake the task at hand. As discussed in Chapters 3 and 4, we propose that RCR vehicles be designed and equipped for the designated and specialized purpose of the crew or gang.

Track Inspection and Testing

Our recommendations for inspection and testing of infrastructure are summarized, as follows:

• Track Inspections – Inspected twice weekly on mainlines including loops by a two-person track inspection crew (TIC) inspecting from a rail cum road vehicle under the protection of operating rules. On double track, they would be responsible for inspection of 80 route-km or 160 track-km; and on single track, responsibility for 120 track-km. They would also


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be responsible for all walking and detailed inspections within their territory as well as inspection of non-mainline track, all of which is achievable within a work week. However, we do recommend the staffing of one additional inspector for each crew to ensure all mandatory and special inspections are met on a 24/7/52 basis.

• Bridge Inspections - Annual inspections of bridges and recording of inspection details within a Track and Bridge Inspection System are to be undertaken by bridge inspection crews consisting of two inspectors equipped with a RCR bridge inspection vehicle. The inspection vehicle should include a boom that permits viewing of the underside of the bridge deck while the vehicle is parked on top. Bridge inspectors need to be well-qualified and knowledgeable on the mechanisms of bridge wear and deterioration and trained to identify and record the specifics of observed wear and defects. They should be able to promptly implement the appropriate corrective action.

• Portable Track Geometry Measuring Devices - It is recommended that BR acquire and utilize enough devices for routine sharing between track inspection crews. Portable track geometry measurement devices are strapped to the rear bumper of an inspection rail-cum-road vehicle so as to provide track geometry measurements to supplement visual observations. In addition to identifying track geometry deviations (which are not readily seen), these devices help to calibrate the eye of the inspector to what deviations in geometry would be considered excessive.

• Ride Quality Accelerometers (RCA) – As a supplement to regular and detailed visual inspections, we recommend the use of dedicated locomotives equipped with ride quality (a.k.a. ride comfort) accelerometers. Locomotive-equipped accelerometers should be aligned with mobile telemetry that would transmit the data to central servers for processing and recording as maintenance actions. A single RCA-equipped wagon per track gauge should be able to meet this mandate as long it is efficiently managed.

• Geometry Rail Vehicle (GRV) - Automated measurement of track geometry is important to provide an objective assessment of track condition, as well as to quantify it for documentation and trend analysis. Track geometry recording is a mature technology. Our recommendation is for BR to acquire a single unit for both metre and broad gauge track. Each will able to test 75,000 km per year, which should permitting testing of mainline track and passing loops 6 times per year, and still permit sufficient time for testing non-mainline track and servicing of the unit.

• Rail Flaw Detection (RFD) - Rail flaws are the most common source of catastrophic failures. Because there is a large variation in the growth rates of rail defects, the best defence is a frequent rail testing interval. It is recommend that BR acquire rail flaw detector units sufficient to be run at 6 million gross tonne intervals (in line with North American railways) in a non-stop testing mode. All data on rail wear and rail defect should be promptly communicated to a central data warehouse for analysis, predictive maintenance planning and rail capital planning. Under the expected conditions of BR, a single unit should be able to test 30,000 km per year. We recommend that 1 unit be procured for each of broad and metre gauge track. This will allow for testing of all


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mainline track and passing loops monthly and testing of non-mainline tracks as deemed required.

• Track Inspection System – Track inspectors should be provided with laptop computers or tablets that permit prompt entry of the details of their inspections including infrastructure inspected, time and date of inspection, observed defects, near-defects and other observations. The systems should be able to identify when different track segments or fixed assets such as points and crossings are due for inspection based upon the railway’s standard for inspection intervals for the class of track. The best systems record which track limits have been inspected and flag any track segments that are close to being out of compliance on inspection interval. Therefore, when the track inspector uploads the application each morning, he/she is presented with the list of track segments and assets that are due for inspection. At the end of each day, these are recorded against the backlog, and track defect locations are transmitted to the repair crews. As track defects are repaired, maintenance crews contact the inspectors, who then record outstanding track defects as they are repaired. Computerized recording of daily inspections also give track managers the opportunity to be informed on what conditions have been cited and the status of repairs, as well as to view trends in track condition by cause. In addition to being a system to record what is being found and repaired, the best systems are integrated with automated track assessments. This means that when an inspector signs in and receives the track segments that are due for inspection, he/she would also receive a list of all priority indications that have been found over the same track segments that he/she is due to inspect. Bridge inspection systems operate with the same principles.

Maintenance

Accurate and timely information on the condition of assets underlie good maintenance practices. Just as critical is how this information is analyzed and utilized to develop and continuously enhance maintenance practices and programs. A well-documented maintenance policy encompasses all forms of maintenance: corrective, preventive and predictive. It describes the approach to maintaining and renewing railway infrastructure and is an essential building block towards best practice asset management.

We recommend that infrastructure maintenance be undertaken by a mix of local gangs with responsibilities for a section of the network and by more specialized mobile gangs forming the Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit (MTMU), as follows:

• Local Gangs - 4 gang types to be located at Section Headquarters:

o Track Maintenance Gangs (TMG)

o Rail Maintenance Gangs (RMG)

o Material Distribution Gangs (MDG)

o Civil Maintenance Gangs (CMG)

Collectively, the gangs will be responsible for the following activities:


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o Day-to-day maintenance;

o Remedial action for defects and near-defects identified by inspection personnel and automated testing equipment;

o Emergency response to derailments, system outages, and infrastructure damage.

Gangs will have specific functional responsibilities for day-to-day maintenance and will have territory assignment. However, as needed they will be combined into larger gangs as required by workload. Gangs will be equipped with specialized rail-cum-road vehicles (with the possible exception of Civil Maintenance Gangs). Track Maintenance and Civil Maintenance Gangs should be scheduled to provide coverage 7 days per week.

• Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit (MTMU) - 4 specialized gang types collectively responsible for track geometry and ballast profiling:

o Conventional Track Tamping Gang (CTTG)

o Ballast Distribution Gangs (BDG)

o CAT Gang (CATG)

o Switch Tamping Gang (STW)

Organization and Management

We recommend a two-tiered maintenance organization with

• System Engineering responsible for policy and strategy; infrastructure testing; and maintenance of track machinery and vehicles; and

• Zonal Engineering (Eastern and Western) responsible for routine infrastructure inspection and maintenance; development of maintenance and renewal programs; visual inspections of infrastructure; and response to incidents and in-service failures.

System engineering will be led by the Chief Engineer – System and the two Zones led by Chief Engineer – West and Chief Engineer – East. Three Additional Chief Engineers will report to each of the Chief Engineers.

Implementation Phasing

Two different gauges (along with dual gauge track) combined with three sleeper types and track of varying condition add complexity but not insurmountable challenges to the development of the maintenance organization. The challenges of 3 sleeper types and varying track condition (especially related to quality and quantity of ballast) are more significant (especially the latter). Our solution is to undertake implementation in phases with Phase 1 being a contiguous network of lines with precast concrete sleepers (PCS) and with a minimum of 250 mm (10”) of clean ballast cushion. As there are very few lines that currently meet the requirement for ballast cushion, we recommend that lines be upgraded so as to be included in Phase 1. After the implementation of Phase 1, as lines are either constructed or rehabilitated to the minimum standard, MTMU and other recommendations can be implemented.


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Phase 1 of Implementation

Budget Estimates

We estimate investment requirements in machinery, vehicles and structures to be $234.0 M, itemized as shown below.

Item Cost (USD M)

Track Maintenance Machines & Vehicles 80.3

Ballast for Phase 1 Upgrades 30.2

Testing Equipment 22


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Item Cost (USD M)

Maintenance Headquarters Depots 12.5

Maintenance Depots 20

Central Telecommunications and Computer Technology 2

Taxes & Duties – 40% (estimated) 67

234.0

The $234.0M investment will be split between

• Ballast upgrades prior to phase 1 (including track machinery and vehicles) - $70.8 M ($99.2 M including taxes and duties);

• Phase 1 implementation - $64.3 M ($90.0 M including taxes and duties); and

• Implementation on lines after phase 1 $37.9 M ($44.7M including taxes and duties);

In addition, an additional $50 M in human resource budget will be required, as follows:

Item Cost (USD M)

Training Design and Delivery 12

Centre of Excellence 2

Recruitment and Selection Plan Implementation 18

Redeployment Contingencies including any redundancy payments 18

Total 50

Benchmarking Projected Staff Levels

The implementation of MMTU will lead to a reduction in track and civil employees from 4000+ to about 10001. This may same seem extremely daunting but it is important to recognize that this will still leave Bangladesh Railways with significantly more employees per route-km (and even more so per track-km) than the railways of North America and Europe, even with the same levels of mechanization, technology and contracting out but with less traffic in Bangladesh. However, Bangladesh Railways has significant challenges given the multiple gauges and variations in track structures and conditions. The following table presents infrastructure maintenance employees for railways in Europe, US and Asia against our estimates for BR under complete implementation on the existing network.

1 Some of the surplus personnel could be re-trained for rolling stock maintenance as we have projected an increased labour requirement in that area.


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Infrastructure Maintenance Employees per Route-km

BR

(projected)*

US Class 1

Average**

Italy (Ave of 4

HS lines)

Spain (Ave of 4

HS lines)

Taiwan (1 HS

line)***

Belgium (1 HS

line)

0.37 0.22 0.15 0.14 0.26 0.23

* based on full implementation on entire existing network

** US Class 1 lines include employees for infrastructure renewal (ballast, sleeper, rail, bridges)

**Taiwan line includes building maintenance personnel


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1Introduction

Key Messages

• This project is intended to:

o Update the existing Railway Master Plan,

o Make recommendations for upgrading rolling stock maintenance;

o Examine the introduction of mechanized track maintenance;

o Make recommendations on the introduction of a Research and Development Unit for Bangladesh Railways.

• This report is focused on the planning of a Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit (MTMU) for Bangladesh Railway.


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1.1 General Project Information

The current Bangladesh Railways Masterplan was adopted in 2013. The actual plan preparation was made in 2006/2007 based on 2005 and earlier data. Under this Masterplan, Bangladesh Railways (BR) committed to an ambitious program of capital works designed to increase capacity in both freight and passenger transport. Some inroads have been made in that respect. However, much remains to be done.

Bangladesh Railway has access to sources of capital to upgrade its operations. To efficiently exploit those resources, BR needs a revised Masterplan. It should allow for the long-term and sustainable development of the railway. It should also plan the most efficient route to gauge conversion. Finally, it should restore BR as an efficient, attractive alternative to road transport for both freight and passengers.

Funding of this work is provided through an ADB-funded Technical Assistance, TA-8597 BAN: SASEC Railway Connectivity Investment Study. In addition to updating the existing masterplan, this project will examine the rolling stock maintenance procedures and mechanized maintenance of Permanent Way. It will also explore the possibility of a BR Research and Development Division.

This report is focused on Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit (MTMU).

1.2 Introduction

Track maintenance at Bangladesh Railways is largely done by manual labor in the same way it has been done since the inception of the rail network in the second half of nineteen century. This system is based on a calendar system in which track maintenance is done cyclically on an annual rotation basis by permanent way gangs. Planned work is scheduled between October and May in order to avoid the monsoon season. With the exception of six fairly new tamping machines, there is very little modern technology or equipment used in the inspection and maintenance of infrastructure. Technologies that are commonplace on modern railways such as ultrasonic rail testing vehicles and track geometry recording cars are not currently used on BR.

In our analysis, our perspective went beyond what normally constitutes a “Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit”. In fact, we have broadened our analysis beyond maintenance to include inspection, testing and monitoring of infrastructure. This was done on account of the critical need for high-quality information as the foundation of maintenance programs, especially once such a significant investment is made in maintenance equipment. To extract maximum value from an investment in mechanized maintenance equipment and assure the sustained use of the equipment, similar updates on to how infrastructure is inspected, monitored and tested is required.

This report starts by providing an overview of the latest practices and technologies that are used for the inspection, testing and monitoring of trackage and bridges. It includes specific recommendations for those items. From there, we provide an overview of the latest thinking on the mechanisms leading to the wear and failure of railway components with specific recommendations for corrective and preventive maintenance activities. Our focus then turns to the organization of inspection and maintenance activities at Bangladesh Railways that will best facilitate the implementation of a Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit (MTMU). We clearly outline the resource requirements of the


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MTMU including staffing, equipment and technologies. We conclude with a transition plan from the current rudimentary mode of maintenance to the implementation of the MTMU.

1.3 Purpose of this report

The objectives of this Report are four-fold:

1) To identify and discuss international railway inspection and maintenance practices; and to make recommendations of those “best” for BR;

2) To develop the framework of the infrastructure maintenance organisation at BR based on recommended maintenance and inspection practices centered on a Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit (MTMU).

3) To identify the resources required to introduce MTMU.

4) To present a transition plan for introduction of the MTMU.

1.4 Structure of this report

The report is structured into 10 chapters, as follows:

• Chapter 2 is focused on current state of the infrastructure maintenance at Bangladesh and the assumption and recommended approach that form that basis of this report;

• Chapter 3 is focused on inspection, testing and monitoring of infrastructure and includes specific recommendations for BR;

• Chapter 4 includes backgrounds on the mechanisms leading to the wear and failure of railway components; it also makes specific recommendations as to corrective and preventive maintenance activities;

• Chapter 5 is focussed on maintenance and track machinery and vehicles;

• Chapter 6 provides details on organization of maintenance and inspection activities under a modernized maintenance organization and the recommended organization structure.

• Chapter7 summarizes work equipment, vehicles and testing equipment requirements and provides information on approximate costs and leading suppliers.

• Chapter 8 presents our recommendations for phased implementation.

• Chapter 9 includes our recommended implementation plan.

• Chapter 10 provides staffing benchmarks against international railways

Supporting information and analysis is included in Appendices, as follows:

• Appendix A provides a summary of the most current thinking of the deterioration and failure of track components;


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• Appendix B includes is case studies of training programs for mechanized track maintenance on 2 state-owned railways.

• Appendix C includes job descriptions for all positions identified.

• Appendix D provides discussion and rationale for recommendations pertaining to organisation of maintenance and inspection activities; specifically degree of centralization; local versus mobile employees; and utilization of in-house versus outsourced resources.


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2Assumptions and Philosophies

Key Messages

• Having a railway with multiple gauges and track of greatly varying structure and condition complicates implementation of mechanized track maintenance but does not prohibit it.

• On account of traffic mix, network configuration and the current state of maintenance at BR, we recommend a maintenance philosophy that that is based largely on that of North American Class 1 railways but adapted to the Bangladeshi context

• Central to our recommendations is use of rail cum road (RCR) vehicles for both inspection and maintenance


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2.1 Background

The following form the basis of our recommended maintenance philosophy:

• Three gauges exists on the network of Bangladesh Railways: metre gauge, Indian broad gauge and dual gauge. Permissible axle loads are very low on metre gauge lines (12 tons) but higher on broad and dual gauge lines (18 tons). In addition, new broad and dual gauge lines are not being constructed to permissible axle loads of 25 tons;

• Responsibility for maintenance of track, bridges and signals & telecommunications currently rests with the ADG – Infrastructure. The maintenance organization is organized both functionally and also regionally with the East and West Zones having separate maintenance organizations. Inspection and maintenance work of infrastructure is done in a very rudimentary fashion with schedules largely scheduled around the monsoon season. Because of a high number of vacant positions, maintenance schedules are often not adhered to. The railway has recently acquired tamping machines for maintenance of track constructed with pre-stressed concrete sleepers (PCS). Based on information we have received, temporary speed restrictions are high but appear to be largely due to bridge or track rehabilitation/construction work.

• On account of track structure (especially ballast cushion thickness), only new lines or recently rehabilitated lines are candidates for implementation of mechanized track maintenance (MTM);

• The capital renewal of railway assets such as rail and sleepers will be outsourced by way of third party contract as is currently the norm at Bangladesh Railway; and

• Mechanized track maintenance will consist of the latest technologies for the maintenance of track geometry which largely means mechanical tamping machines. Mechanized track maintenance is most effectively implemented when day-to-day maintenance and track inspection and testing processes are modernized. As such, our recommendations are inclusive of these.

2.2 Recommended Inspection and Maintenance Philosophy

On account of (1) traffic being a mix of freight and passenger, (2) the complexity of the network, and (3) the current BR maintenance concept, we recommend a maintenance philosophy that is based largely on that of North American Class 1 railways adapted to the unique operating conditions of Bangladesh and with consideration of the process, practices and norms of Bangladesh Railways. Key elements of the philosophy include:

1) Inspection and testing technologies augmented by visual inspections conducted by qualified experts:

2) Collection and utilization of inspection, testing and incident data for the purposes of program development and predictive maintenance planning;

3) Maintenance to be mechanized in line with railways of North America and Europe;


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4) Maintenance done in-house except possibly for non-core activities and specialized programs including future renewal programs; and

5) Rail-cum-road vehicles as a main mode of transport for both inspection and maintenance crews.

The first three items are discussed in chapters 3 and 4. Items 4 and 5 are discussed below.

2.3 Outsourcing

Among the modern railways of the world, there is a significant difference in the degree to which maintenance and inspection activities are outsourced versus completed with in-house forces. On the one extreme are the Class 1 railways of North America where virtually all maintenance work is carried out in-house. At the other extreme are some of the railways of Europe where significant portions of their maintenance and renewal programmes are outsourced and a major private sector industry has developed as a result.

The reason for the difference in maintenance organisations is generally explained by how the railways have evolved over many years, adapting in different ways to national objectives, ownership, and legislation and funding arrangements. As such, there is no clear evidence that there is any ‘best practice’ organisation model.

We recommend that BR largely adopt the North American approach and undertake core maintenance activities in-house including:


• Visual inspections;

• Testing and monitoring of track infrastructure;

• Management of database inspection logs, defect records, and information condition data;

• Planning of major programs;

• On-track ballast delivery and distribution; and

• Maintenance of track machinery and equipment.

Major renewal programs in North American are normally undertaken in-house; but we have assumed the same approach as Bangladesh Railways, and hence they should be outsourced.

In North America, ultrasonic testing of rail is contracted out but we have assumed they would be done in-house at BR along with geometry evaluation. However, we see both in-house and outsourcing as viable options for BR (pending interest from capable contractors).

This leaves a fair number of work elements that could be outsourced by way of service contracts. Below, we present a list of activities that we recommend for outsourcing:

• Planned renewal programs (sleepers, ballast and ballast screening);


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• Ballast generation and loading into ballast cars;

• Storage and delivery of materials at central depot;

• Automotive maintenance of road and RCR vehicles;

• Machinery component renewal (pumps, generators, starters, among others);

• Building cleaning and maintenance;

• Off-track earth-moving equipment;

• Bridge maintenance (beyond basic maintenance) and bridge remedial/repair work;

• Maintenance of roads into and within depots and stations;

• Maintenance of fencing, lighting and cameras;

• Security within stations and depots; and

• Repairs to turnout components (when removed from track).

2.4 Benefits of Rail-cum-Road Vehicles

Rail-cum-road (RCR) vehicles improve the productivity of the inspection and maintenance employees by permitting them to drive by road to any track location where they could expect track occupancy, be ready to get on track at a road crossing and then inspect or travel on track at speeds of up to 30 kph, stopping where necessary. If they are unable to secure track occupation at one location, they could move quickly to an alternate site and return when the track had cleared to the original plan. Rail-cum-road vehicles permit crews to carry the necessary tools, equipment and employees to undertake the task at hand. As discussed in chapters 3 and 4, we propose that RCR vehicles be designed and equipped for the designated and specialized purpose for the crew or gang.

2.5 Access to Track

BR’s operating rules for maintenance forces to occupy the track need to be very flexible on account of the wide range of inspection and maintenance activities being undertaken. Specific scenarios include:

• Maintenance forces will need to occupy the track before maintenance blocks to travel on track to the worksite or undertake preparation work and may need to occupy the track again after a maintenance block for finishing work or final inspection. Rules should be developed to permit these occupations without disrupting flow of train traffic.

• Visual inspections will need to be undertaken outside of the maintenance block given the proposed inspection regime. Rules will need to be developed to permit inspectors to occupy short sections of track (such as between intermediate signals) outside of the maintenance blocks and without disrupting train operations. Rules will need to permit entry of RCR vehicles anywhere along the track where a crossing exists and allow travel in both directions on all tracks.

• In order to optimally schedule and maximize the utilization of very expensive equipment such as Rail Grinders, Continuous Action Tampers, Geometry Test Vehicles, and


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Ultrasonic rail flaw detection vehicles (to name a few), they will need to be worked and travelled outside of dedicated maintenance block windows. Some equipment will be appropriately equipped to be operated as a train and rules should permit this; however, rules will need to permit such equipment to also occupy the track to complete work.

• Most track maintenance equipment and rail-cum-road (RCR) vehicles are not equipped to operate as a train. Rules will need to permit such operating and to maximize their speed of travel without compromising safety. In addition, rules need to permit multiple track units to occupy the same track portion under one or more protection order.

• It is recommended that a grade crossings be separated by no more than 20 km to permit rail cum road vehicles (RRV) to access the when and when needed. If public road crossing are not within 20 km, it will be necessary install private crossings for this purpose. Such crossings should be situated reasonably close to public roads and will need to appropriately gated and secured to prevent use by the general public. Tracks (mainline or non-mainline) at or near stations would be ideal for such private crossings.

• Dedicated permanent way tracks (for tying up of track machinery and inspection equipment) should be spaced no less than every 20 km. Tracks need be only 200 metres in length; can be stub-end and should have road access. The track could also be used to temporarily spot wagons and locomotives that become defective on a train and must be set-off for repair. Each station should have one permanent way track, ideally located off of a passing loop track.


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3Track Inspections

Key Messages

• The most effective track inspection approach incorporates routine visual Inspections with automated inspection/testing systems

• Our recommendations are for twice weekly inspections for 2-man inspection crews combined with 6 tests per year by Geometry Recording Vehicle (GRV) and Rail Flaw Detection (RFD) for mainline track.


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3.1 Best Practice Track Inspection

3.1.1 Key Drivers of Inspection Frequencies

On-track inspections by qualified track inspectors have long been the cornerstone for ensuring the integrity of the infrastructure. On the positive side, the human brain can process a wide variety of observations and is expert at recognizing patterns that may indicate an anomaly. On the negative side, humans cannot process such information at the rate of a computer, and are subject to the human failings of experience, drive and fatigue. The best overall modern inspection strategy uses a combination of manual visual inspections, computer-assisted visual inspections and automated inspections.

As previously stated, an investment in the equipment comprising a mechanized track maintenance unit (MTMU) should be accompanied by an inspection regime that can generate the information that will form the basis for the maintenance programs. This will best assure value is extracted from the MTMU and also best assures the long-term cost effectiveness of the fixed infrastructure. The key to determining the best practice for BR track inspections is to assess the readiness for world inspection technologies and how well they could be integrated into practice in Bangladesh. A common thread for improved inspection capabilities for BR is in the ease with which inspection information can be recorded into computer data bases, how this information is displayed for management oversight, and how well BR can process the convergence of visual and automated inspection data for use in developing capital programs.

Implementation of a world class inspection and priority-setting process for BR would involve exploiting the capability for inspectors to deal with information prompts and computer recording of their inspections. It would involve using technically competent young engineers and managers to review and analyze manual and automated inspection information. And it would call upon the strong IT capabilities within Bangladesh to convert data into knowledge-based systems capable of advising on both maintenance interventions and track component replacement capital plans.

Visual inspections

Visual inspections can be performed in one of two ways. Inspectors can observe on track, either walking or observing from a rail bound vehicle. Alternately, inspectors can review high resolution digital images of infrastructure collected by digital cameras.

The advantages of on-track inspections is that inspectors can use all of their senses to detect anomalies. If riding in a vehicle, they can feel a joint deflect under load. If walking track, they can strike a potential loose fastening. They can carry gauges to validate their observations.

Of the technologies available to assess track conditions, vision systems that display high quality digital images are the most likely technologies to replace or supplement visual track inspections. With some computer processing of the images, algorithms can identify specific items of interest in the images and ask the inspector to accept or reject the component’s condition. The advantages of reviewing digital track images are that:

• The inspection does not require track occupancy


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• It can be conducted at the speed at which the inspector can review the images

• Optimal lighting conditions can be used;

• The inspector can blow up the image to review a detail; and

• He/she can take a break when tired, and is not subject to a safety risk.

Computer-Assisted Visual Inspections

With careful planimetry in orienting the images, the inspector may have access to supplementary information. For example, a computer may process the images to add information on track gauge or those images may be scaled so that the inspector can, with the click of a mouse, measure the size of an engine burn. With further image processing algorithms, the computer may compare and verify the image and flag a potential defect for the inspector’s verification. Machine vision systems have challenges in dealing with unique track components, variable outdoor lighting conditions, and ambiguous visual indications. For example, a grease mark or a blade of grass may appear as a crack. And with all visual systems, they can assess only what is visible, as opposed to, for example, cracks under rail heads or missing cotter pins under the switch mast.

Automated Inspection Systems

Fully automated inspection systems would include track geometry cars, rail flaw detector cars, or instrumented locomotives that automatically measure and assess certain track parameters. Automated systems have the advantage of precise and objective measurements performed at high processing speeds and may or may not require separate track occupancy depending upon the degree to which they are adapted to measurement in normal trains running at track speeds.

A Layered Approach to Track Inspection

The most effective track inspection approach likely incorporates all three of these layers. Each has its advantages in terms of scope, accuracy and affordability. The selection of a recommended inspection interval for on-track visual inspections is dependent both upon the selection of the other inspection technology overlays and the known condition of the fixed plant.

Typically, the three most common causes of track-related accidents are broken rails, wide gauge and cross-level errors. These are best managed through reliance on rail flaw detector cars and track geometry cars. The principal defects that are the next three most common causes of track-caused major derailments are switch point or other turnout defects and buckled track.2 These latter causes are best controlled though visual inspections, with some support from automated visual, testing and measurement systems.

2 Sawadisavi, S., et al., “Machine Vision Inspection of Railroad Track”, Proceedings of the TRB 88th Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., Jan. 2009.


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3.1.2 Assessment of Key New Technologies for Track Inspections

Rail Defects

Potential rail failures emanating from internal defects represent the single largest source of risk in railway track. They are rarely seen by visual inspection before they pose a significant risk. Inspectors can see evidence of surface conditions that may be associated with internal cracks and can see evidence of drooping rail or cracks in rail that may indicate a vertical split head, but research shows that defects can go to catastrophic failure at sizes from 20-80% of the rail head.

Today’s rail flaw detector (RFDs) cars provide an effective line of defense, but they have their gaps. Some of these would be the presence of surface cracking that prevents sound waves from transmitting through the rail, causing what is often referred to as “loss of bottom”, the orientation of the defect relative to the angles of the probe, distortion of the signal angle in heavily curve worn rail, transmission quality on rusty rail, defects in the rail base flanges or in the bottom corners of the rail head. RFD’s capture in the range of 85-95% of all rail defects. The remainder are either found by signaled track, inspectors or train crews. Some defects not found are in the foot of the rail base or bottom corners of the rail head which have blind spots for the UT probes. Only 0.1-0.3% of rail defects lead to derailments, but they tend to be of the more serious variety.

Phased array ultrasonics have offered some hope but as yet the speed of testing is too slow to be economic relative to other means and requires excessive track time. As many rail breaks occur under trains and cause a following train to derail, it would be of value to have some form of acoustic detection on locomotives that ideally could differentiate the sound of a fractured rail. Burlington Northern Santa Fe is working with IBM on this technology. Fiber optics based detectors have also been researched with the hope that the scatter of the fiber optics signal might one day reliably identify a broken rail in a length of track. And any technology that can identify locations of high rail neutral temperature could help identify locations of risk due to high tensile forces, just as wheel impact load detectors today identify higher impact wheels that can cause rapid growth of rail defects. Until these technologies are economical, the best defense has been frequent RFD inspections, at intervals down to monthly inspections in some cases, to ensure multiple runs over a length of rail over the time it takes a flaw to grow from a size that is just detectable to a size that represents a substantial risk of sudden fracture.

Track Geometry and Stiffness

Automated track geometry measurement systems are highly developed and used heavily today to find locations where track geometry parameters are approaching or exceeding regulatory limits. Their accuracy is very good, in the range of +/- 1 mm, exceeding the measurement capabilities of manual inspectors in both accuracy and, more importantly, in the number of measurements taken. Nonetheless, they may underestimate total deflection of track under heavily loaded trains. Track geometry cars equipped with Gauge Restraint Measurement Systems (GRMS) appear to have solved that in the lateral plane by hydraulically jacking an independent measurement split axle. Vertical track deflection measurement (VTDM), which measures the slope of track deflection between a loaded and unloaded vertical track displacement, similarly can provide the data to extrapolate measurements to heavier axle loads in the vertical plane.


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The primary gap in the track geometry measurement layer of safety is in the definition of what track geometry condition constitutes a true risk. Studies have shown that roughly 80% of the track geometry-caused derailments occurring in main track in North America are actually due to a combination of conditions. Some examples are track twist with a change in alignment and gauge, and repeated patterns of cross-level. Different freight cars will react differently to different track signatures. This is best analysed either with the use of instrumented wheelsets, instrumented freight cars, or by using real time simulations or neural network logic for different freight cars going at different speeds over the track. Practically, there is a need for some prescriptive measures of maximum allowable track geometry deviation. It should be noted that performance-based algorithms have started to gain acceptance internationally. In Australia, this type of approach is currently used with instrumented freight cars. However, it is essential that the output from such inspections provide clear advice on the appropriate protective and corrective action.

One overlay that railroads, including IR, have endorsed is ride quality assessment by equipping locomotives with Vehicle/Track Interaction (V/TI) accelerometers. In addition to gauging passenger comfort levels, accelerometers provide a low cost “go/no-go” signal that the locomotive truck, axle box or floor has experienced an outlier acceleration. V/TI systems have been successful in identifying rough track conditions that supplement geometry measurements by capturing roughness that is on either side of the frequency spectrum of traditional 3.6 -19 m chord measurements. On the short wavelength end, V/TIs find chipped rail ends, battered castings, occasional rail breaks, and crushed rails. The 10-ft. chordal feature of the processing sees low joints before they cause longer wavelength geometry problems. Floor-mounted accelerometers occasionally flag the bump at the end of the bridge or crossing that is too long to be captured by track recording cars. Simple unfiltered accelerometer-based ride quality measurements show higher accelerations at higher speeds, but they are relatively inexpensive. In North America, hundreds of locomotives are equipped with V/TI systems that transmit acceleration signals to central servers. If the acceleration level or inferred wheel impact level exceeds defined thresholds, a message is sent automatically to the track supervisor responsible for the territory. The message includes the GPS coordinate of the impact location and its estimated track kilometre location.

Visual imaging is getting better and better at assisting in inspecting track components. With digital imaging, a high resolution picture is taken under engineered lighting. At its most basic stage, this is presented to an inspector who reviews it and indexes along, and is hence spared the safety concerns of, say, a high speed or very heavy traffic station entry or commuter operation.

At its next level, the visual image processing algorithms are trained to identify certain features, such as joint bars, and present them for inspection such that an inspector must confirm that this particular feature meets specs. Visual images may be set with dimensional proportioning or telemetry that enables an operator to measure the size of a defect. At its highest levels, digital imaging contains computer-assisted recognition of defects or non-compliance and flags this to an operator who confirms or rejects the defect and issues the repair work order.

Although there are machine vison systems with computer image processing in production use, such as ENSCO’s JBIS joint bar inspection system, and the GREX Aurora sleeper inspection imaging, the usual pushback from the railroads is the number of false positives. False positives are lower for features such


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as missing fasteners, but higher where the defect is more subtle, like loose bolts or cracks. And of course, the defect must be visible.

The turnout area is a location where an inspector must make multiple observations that are a combination of visual clues - such as the length of the grease mark made by the false flange climbing a worn switch point, the cracking of the frog casting, or the deflection of the ties supporting the heel casting - and measurements - such as gauge, cross-level and rail wear. Systems such as Harsco’s Automated Switch Inspection (ASIV) rail cum road vehicle can help with detailed cross-sections of the wear of the switch point and frog, similar to how track geometry cars equipped with laser-based rail wear systems have strongly supplemented the assessment of excessive rail wear. Portable fixtures can provide geometry measurements through the switch area, but the breadth of observations and restricted time for set up of sophisticated equipment, plus their costs, has slowed their acceptance. Another factor in lack of acceptance of ASIV switch inspections has been some lack of correlation with the best switch inspectors. The same hurdle has occurred with acceptance of automated tie inspection. There is no gold standard inspector to calibrate to, so there will always be a question as to whether the manual inspections or the automated inspections are superior.

LIDAR inspection systems have been well accepted in measuring line clearances, but have now expanded to include rock-fall surveys and assessment of ballast needs. One aspect of regular track inspection that Herzog and Georgetown’s LIDAR hi-rail does cover is inadequate ballast at the ends of sleepers in CWR, albeit inspection intervals would not be adequate for regular inspection needs. Automated Vertical Track Deflection Measurement (AVTDM) surveys that identify “relative vertical track modulus” are also showing good results in identification of weak track support conditions. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) has a use in assessing fouled ballast and where to install drainage, but these three technologies have been directed to assessing capital needs, and have had limited application in assisting weekly track inspections.

To summarize, there are a suite of technologies that are getting better at supplementing manual visual inspections using gauges with more objective, higher accuracy systems providing vastly more frequent measurements. Automated systems are the key to doing trend analysis that can be fed to rules engines that track and predict when a defect will become an issue. Railroads are currently shy about the vast amount of data that automated systems push at them. That will change as the data processing improves its utility for decision makers. All railways want to be in the world of proactive, predictive maintenance. They just need help to work the business cases that inspire their suppliers, to be able to turn the data into knowledge, and to be sure that the roadmap fits the regulatory environment and labour agreements

3.1.3 Integration of Technologies with Manual Inspections

There are four types of engineering manual inspections that can be considered for replacement by automated inspections:

• Routine weekly or bi-weekly over-the-road track inspections

• Monthly turnout inspections

• Joint bar inspections


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• Annual bridge inspections

Routine Inspections

US federal regulations require twice weekly manual inspections of track where freight train speeds exceed 67 km/h. These inspections may be carried out from a moving vehicle provided it is travelling at a speed that allows the person making the inspection to visually inspect the track structure for compliance to the track safety standards. Table 3-1 summarizes some of the components that must be inspected during routine weekly or twice-per-week mainline track inspections, as performed typically visually by inspectors in rail cum road trucks, who may stop and walk as they see necessary to gauge a defect. Table 3-1 also summarizes technologies capable of evaluating each component.

Table 3-1: Technologies Required to Replace Manual Routine Track Inspections and Their Status

The conclusion that could be drawn from Table 3-1 is that automated technologies can be very useful in supplementing visual inspections, but are not ready to handle all of these observations. One of the greatest challenges is that they cannot provide the frequency of inspections required to meet the inspection frequencies that are mandatory today. Rail flaw detector cars are getting close to managing all defective rail inspection, with frequencies in some locations down to monthly. Similarly, V/TI equipped locomotives are now hitting frequencies of coverage down to roughly 1-2 week intervals, but are difficult to schedule as they run at the whims of the traffic. Finally, unmanned geometry cars can be scheduled for monthly testing, with a small fleet being capable of weekly inspections. As an alternative for supplementing geometry observations, railroads could argue that they would add simple geometry measurement systems on inspection rail cum road vehicles that would give the inspector a running tally of gauge and cross-level.

In the United States, the concept of regulatory requirements for automated inspection technologies to supplement visual inspections has a precedent in the Federal Railroad Administration’s Track Safety Standards (TSS) §213.234, which requires a supplementary inspection with an automated inspection measurement system capable of indicating and processing rail seat abrasion in concrete sleepers. This is in recognition of the fact that concrete sleeper rail seat abrasion is difficult to identify visually.

Switch and Crossing Inspections

US FRA Track Safety Standards also require monthly inspections on foot of mainline turnouts. In Class 3-5 track (greater than 42 km/h freight operation), the operating mechanism must be operated during the inspection at least quarterly.

Component Technology Required StatusDrainage Wide angle ROW Digital imaging Technology available but not practical for weekly inspectionsVegetation LIDAR surveys or Digital imaging Technology available but not practical for weekly inspectionsTrack geometry Autonomous unmanned track geometry Ready now with more cars; frequent measurements required to reduce manual inspectionsBallast Laser profiling plus ROW digital imaging Technology available but not practical for weekly inspectionsCrossties Track View Digital Imaging, GRMS or Aurora Technology available but not practical for weekly inspectionsDefective rails Macro lens digital imaging with processing Technology available but not practical for weekly inspectionsRail joints Digital joint bar inspection system + V/TI Some RR's have the technology but not practical for weekly inspectionsTurnouts Track View Digital Imaging Technology available but not practical for weekly inspectionsRail end mismatch V/TI Most Class 1's have the technology Fasteners Track View Digital Imaging or Aurora Technology available in 2-3 years but not practical for weekly inspectionsClearances LIDAR or Laser clearance measurement Technology available but not practical for weekly inspectionsOverhead bridges Wide angle ROW Digital imaging Technology available but not practical for weekly inspectionsCWR movement RNT measurement Strain gauge plugs available but too expensive for widespread use


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Switch inspections are multi-faceted in that the turnout area represents a complex geometry whereby the wheelsets of a passing train must be efficiently redirected by features in the running rails, points, casting and passed over discontinuities, while track geometry handles a vehicle track interaction that is complicated by redirection and track stiffness changes. There are many inspection points to observe. Automated geometry and rail wear measurements are helpful, but mostly for the less frequent detailed inspections, where measurements are taken and recorded. But even then, when measurements of the diverging route are taken by a heavy track unit, the switch must be thrown with Dispatcher authority. For measurements of the geometry through crossovers between tracks, both tracks would need to be taken out of service.

Table 3-2: Technologies Required to Replace Manual Turnout Inspections and Their Status

Digital imaging of the components of the switch area offer the most promising future. The concept would have inspection vehicles pass over the turnout without stopping, collecting data that can then be reviewed offline, with computer processing help. Again, this is technology more practical for the detailed measurements that would support a capital replacement program on a territory. Switch inspection through digital imaging may find an application in the USA, as it has today in the Netherlands, in depots where the intensity of traffic raises safety issues for switch inspectors. A common theme is that other jurisdictions, such as in China, Europe and Australia, are seeing value in having inspectors review digital images as a valid inspection.

In 3-5 years (at best), railways should be able to extend the intervals for monthly regulatory turnout inspections by supplementing them with off-site monthly review of 3D digitized images. In 5-10 years, some of these parameters will be processed by computer, with the greatest benefit being the enhancement of the quality and objectiveness of turnout inspections.

Joint Bar (Fishplate) Inspections

US FRA Track Safety Standards require joint bars in continuous welded rail (CWR) territory to have a special inspection 1-4 times per year in FRA Class 2 (greater than 16 km/h) and above track, dependent upon class of track, tonnage and presence of passenger trains. These inspections must be done on foot, as they must be capable of detecting cracks and other conditions of potential failure in CWR and LWR joints. As these are slow and labour-intensive inspections, and most railways rely on a regular sequence of inspection routes taken by dedicated inspectors to ensure compliance with weekly and monthly

Regulatory Requirement Component Technology Required StatusMonthly Turnout Inspections Track geometry Frequent unmanned geometry testing or hi rail pulled trolley Available

Switch point fit Macro lens digital imaging with processing Ready 5-10 years outChipped point Macro lens digital imaging with processing Ready 5-10 years outCheck rail gauge Track view digital imaging with processing Ready 3-5 years outFrog and wing rail condition Macro lens digital imaging with processing Ready 5-10 years outHanging ties V/TI Available in 2-3 years with additional filtering Bolt and fasteners Macro lens digital imaging with processing Ready 5-10 years outRail braces Macro lens digital imaging with processing Ready 5-10 years outSwitch stand Track view digital imaging with processing Ready 5-10 years outEyebolt No technology availableConnecting rod No technology availableSwitch throw and adjustmentLoad cell monitoring of regular use Available in 2-3 years with additional filtering Frog lateral movement Macro lens digital imaging with processing Ready 5-10 years outRail and frog wear Laserail adjusted for processing of turnout sections 1 HARSCO vehicle available but extensive use expensive


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regular inspection requirements, many railways will schedule a blitz with all of their section crews, who both inspect and repair.

Table 3-3 sizes up technologies that could replace manual inspection of joints in CWR territory. There is promise for more automated assistance with these inspections, in part because there are good diagnostics offered by existing technologies, and because these are infrequent inspections that fit the scheduling of special track geometry of high rail mounted equipment. Locomotives mounted with V/TI accelerometers have already shown their prowess in detecting broken joint bars. Either IR’s 2.74 m twist measurement or North America’s 10 ft.mid-chord offset, should be a good companion indicator of potential joint support issues that correlate with loose bolts and future joint bar cracks. ENSCO’s JBIS (Joint Bar Inspection System), developed with support from the FRA, has also shown its value in finding joint bar cracks that have been missed by regular inspections. Tests conducted by Canadian Pacific employing the JBIS with additional infrared heat sensors have also shown a capability of identifying excessive or tight rail end gaps indicative of rail neutral temperature issues in the joint area. Once digital imaging that can identify a joint is in place, automated detection of missing bolts and compromised seating plates cannot be far off.

Table 3-3: Technologies Required to Replace Manual Joint Bar Inspections and Their Status

A business case could be made for eliminating all but an annual on-foot inspection/repair of joint bars, while maintaining or exceeding current levels of safety. This would likely require the BR to have sufficient coverage with V/TI equipped locomotives, including the 2.74 m twist processing, and at least an annual inspection with a visual joint bar imaging system.

Bridge Inspections

Bridges are usually inspected annually. The results of the inspection are then entered into a system. Dependent upon the ratings of the condition, the bridge may then be designated to receive a more detailed inspection and assessment. The best new technology that will improve the productivity and the thoroughness of the annual bridge inspection is the advent of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) drone aircraft. With good lighting and high resolution cameras, drones can achieve images of bridge features that are difficult for an inspector to get without extensive manipulation of an over-under bucket attachment to a large truck. Drones also do not require track time. On the other hand, they are becoming quite regulated in some countries and it is expected that only licensed “pilots” will be able to fly them. This would suggest that the most effective use is to have a drone inspection service collect images referenced to the various elements of the bridge and to supply these to qualified bridge

Regulatory RequirementComponent Technology Required StatusCWR Joint Inspections Joint bar cracks Digital joint bar inspection system Some railroads have today

Loose bolts Macro lens digital imaging with processing Available in 1-2 years as add-on to JBISBent bolts Macro lens digital imaging with processing Available in 1-2 years as add-on to JBISMissing bolts Macro lens digital imaging with processing Available in 1-2 years as add-on to JBISLack of tie support V/TI plus 10 ft. MCO geometry measurementAvailable in 2-3 years with additional filtering of existing CP equipmentBroken or Missing Plates Track view digital imaging Ready 3-5 years outDeteriorated IJ V/TI plus 10 ft. MCO geometry measurementAvailable in 2-3 years with additional filtering of existing CP equipmentRail end batter V/TI or hi-rail pulled profilometer Most railroads have V/TI todayRail end mismatch V/TI or hi-rail pulled profilometer Most railroads have V/TI today


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inspectors who will rate condition and determine whether they need to escalate the inspection to a more detailed investigation.

3.2 Recommended Inspection Regime

3.2.1 Routine Track Inspection Frequency

It is recommended that track in running lines, including loops, be inspected on a twice weekly basis. This is consistent with Britain’s Network Rail NR/L2/TRK/001/B013 standards for visual inspections of plain line CWR with strengthened switches and crossings. Weekly inspections would require that the inspectors traverse the track they are inspecting. While inspecting a given track, they would also be required to make observations of any adjacent track and surroundings at the same time. In this way, track in double line corridors, and passing loops, would receive a weekly inspection on track plus a weekly observation from the adjacent track. Single tracks in the BR network would require two inspections per week as there would not be a similar opportunity to inspect from the adjacent track. At least once every two weeks, passing loops would need to be inspected on foot or with a vehicle that rides the loop tracks.

Where a track is occupied by a standing train, patrollers may choose to leave the rails, drive around the train and continue their inspection, but would need to reschedule the inspection to cover this track section within the week. Alternatively, they may walk both sides of the train and observe track conditions from either side.

3.2.2 Track Inspection Regime

It is recommended that track inspections be performed by a 2-person track inspection crew inspecting from a rail cum road vehicle (RRV) under the protection of operating rules. A single inspection crew would cover a territory 80 route-km (160 track-km) on double track and 120 route-km (120 track-km) of single track. They would be based at headquarters near the center of the territory.

Figure 3-1 Territories for Double Main Track - Track Inspection Crews

Inspection schedule would be as per following table.

3 University of Birmingham, “Wheel-Rail Best Practice Handbook, Vehicle/Track System Interface Committee, Totton, UK, 2010.


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Table 3-4: Inspection Schedule for Double Track

Day Track Inspected

Monday KM 0 - 40 north track

Tuesday KM 40 - 80 north track

Wednesday Passing loops and station tracks

Thursday KM 0 - 40 south track

Friday KM 40 - 80 south track

Figure 3-2 Territories for SIngle Main Track - Track Inspection Crew

Inspection schedule would be as per following table.

Table 3-5: Inspection Schedule for Single Track

Day Track Inspected

Monday KM 0 – 60

Tuesday KM 60 - 120

Wednesday Passing loops and station tracks

Thursday KM 60 – 0

Friday KM 120 - 60

One track patroller would control the speed of the inspection vehicle and would focus his/her attention on the track the vehicle is riding. The second patroller would scan the adjacent track in double line corridors. Either patroller could require the rail cum road vehicle to slow down or stop at a suspected defect location. Both patrollers would review the location on foot to verify the defect. In this way, each track in a double line territory would be inspected with the inspection vehicle on the track once per week, and in addition would be observed once per week from the adjacent track.

If a potential track defect is found, the patrollers would refer to written instructions to determine whether track would need to have speed restrictions applied. This may require that the defect be measured. The patrollers would be expected to carry simple tools and fastenings and may determine that the fix can be done quickly and easily, as for example in the case of a loose or missing track bolt.

If the patrollers determine that they can do the fix, one patroller would apply the correct tool, while the second would enter the defect into a laptop computer loaded with a track inspection software program. Whether the track defect had been repaired, temporarily repaired, or assigned to a section


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repair crew, it would need to be recorded in the system for overview by section engineers and managers. The defect type, action taken and GPS location will be tagged and the data transmitted to a central data warehouse. For any defect not permanently repaired, the patrollers should also mark the defect location with a small flag or similar marker to ensure repair crews can quickly find the location.

At least once every two weeks, sidings would need to be inspected on foot or with a vehicle that rides the siding tracks.

Where a track is occupied by a standing train, patrollers may choose to leave the rails, drive around the train and continue their inspection, but would need to reschedule the inspection to cover this track section within the week. Alternatively, they may walk both sides of the train and observe track conditions from either side.

3.2.3 Inspections of Track Features (Curves, Fishplates, LWR/CWR, and Turnouts)

It is recommended that all curves tighter than 437 m radius receive quarterly walking inspections in lieu of inspection from a rail cum road vehicle in light of higher stress levels in such curves.

Rail joints, including those in long welded rail, should be inspected on foot on a quarterly basis, to review rail joint integrity.

Points and crossings may be inspected as part of weekly routine inspections from rail cum road vehicles proceeding over the turnout at speeds not exceeding 8 kph. On a monthly basis, they should be inspected on foot, with a specific form filled out in the computer to record observations.

On an annual basis, points and crossings should receive detailed inspections on foot which would involve recording of measurements at specified measurement locations. These measurements should be recorded in a database of turnout inspections, and any actionable defects must be identified, similar to all other inspections.

In yard and depot trackage, the requirement for monthly turnout inspections and annual detailed turnout inspections may require BR to set up additional dedicated switch and crossing inspectors. They would operate on foot and would transfer hand measurements and observations to tablets or laptop computers at the end of each shift.

3.2.4 Track Inspection Vehicles

Track inspections are to be executed from rail cum road vehicles capable of positioning inspection crews for timely track occupancy, while enabling simple measurement and correction tools, and facilitating more rapid inspections of low risk trackage. Figure 3-3 is an example of the type of inspection vehicle that would facilitate a higher productivity inspection.


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Figure 3-3: Example of a Rail Cum Road Vehicle That Would Accommodate Routine Plus Management Oversight Inspections

3.2.5 Bridge Inspections

Given the technical nature of their work, we recommend that bridge inspectors on each zone report to a single organization within the Zonal Organization specifically within the organization of the Additional Chief Engineer – Bridge (who will report to the Chief Engineer [East or West]). We also recommend that bridge inspections be conducted by well-qualified inspectors knowledgeable on the mechanisms of bridge wear and deterioration and trained to identify and record the specifics of observed wear and defects and promptly implement the appropriate corrective action. We recommend annual inspections of bridges and recording of inspection details within a Track and Bridge Inspection System. Bridge inspection crews should consist of two inspectors equipped with a RCR bridge inspection vehicle. The inspection vehicle should include a boom that permits viewing of the underside of the bridge deck while the vehicle is parked on top (Figure 3-4).


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Figure 3-4: RCR Bridge Inspection Vehicle

Based on calculations presented in the following table, an equipped 2-man bridge inspection crew could inspect about 80 track-km of mainline track per year.

Table 3-6 Calculation of Bridge Inspection Crew Requirements

Total Number of Major Bridges 477

Total Number of Minor Bridges 2,903

Network Length (track-km) 3096

Average major Bridges per track-km 0.154

Average Minor Bridge per track-km 0.938

Crew Inspection Days per Major Bridge 10

Crew Inspection Days per Minor Bridge 1

Average Crew Inspection Days per track-km 2.48

Crew Inspection Days per Year 200

Territory (Track-km) per Bridge Inspection Crew 81

Route-km per Bridge Inspection Crew – Double Track 40

Route-km per Bridge Inspection Crew – Single Track 81

3.3 Recommended Technologies for Testing and Monitoring Track

3.3.1 Portable Track Geometry Measurement Devices

It is recommended that BR acquire portable track geometry measuring devices to be shared between 3 or 4 track inspection crews under the supervision of Division Engineers, who would schedule and


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arrange for installation on the rail cum road. Portable track geometry measurement devices can be strapped to the rear bumper of an inspection rail cum road vehicle (Figure 3-5). They are ideally suited for more detailed inspections, where measurements supplement visual observations. Studies4 have shown that inspectors working visually are not very proficient at identifying track geometry deviations, particularly in higher speed track where the permissible deviations in geometry may be more subtle. One great aid to visual observations is periodic comparison with track measurements. This helps to calibrate the eye of the inspector to what deviations in geometry would be considered excessive.

Figure 3-5: Portable Track Geometry Measurement Device

It is recommended that periodic inspections by engineers and managers should be coordinated with routine inspections by track inspectors. Ideally, the monthly inspection by a crew with the portable track geometry device installed would be the inspection that would combine senior and technical management observations with those of regular inspectors. On this monthly detailed inspection, managers and engineers would be given the opportunity of both reviewing more detailed measurements of track gauge and cross-level (cant) together. In addition, this practice would be consistent with North American “Ride with the Inspector” standard practice that supervisors periodically co-inspect with regular patrollers to validate the quality of their regular inspections, and to coach them, as required. On Britain’s Network Rail primary trackage, supervisors must inspect switches and crossings every 2 months and plain line CWR every 4 months.

Portable geometry measurement equipment, when shared with inspection crews, add measurements to important detailed inspections of turnouts and crossovers between double tracks. Track geometry cars are often not well suited to measurement at track speed through the complex switch and crossing area. In addition, it is not usually feasible to inspect crossover track with high speed track recording vehicles. The solution is to make portable track geometry systems that can be installed on rail cum road vehicles, available on a planned rotating basis to local inspection crews.

Based on Track Inspection Crews of average territory length of 80 track-km, Portable Track Geometry Measurement Devices would be required for every 240 track-km of mainline track.

4 US DOT, Federal Railroad Administration, “Track Inspection Time Study”, DOT/FRA/ORD 11-15, Washington, 2012.


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3.3.2 Ride Quality Monitoring

In addition to regular and detailed manual inspections, BR’s inspection regime should be supplemented by locomotives equipped with ride quality accelerometers. The number of locomotives required to be equipped should be estimated based upon supplementing weekly manual inspections with a weekly ride quality assessment. Locomotive-equipped accelerometers should be aligned with mobile telemetry that would transmit the data to central servers for processing and recording as maintenance actions. Figure 3-6 illustrates the basic elements of accelerometer-equipped locomotives, encompassing axle box, bogie and car floor-mounted accelerometers, GPS positioning and a cellular phone transmission.

It is recommend that BR equip a portion of their locomotive fleet with ride quality accelerometers.

3.3.3 Geometry Rail Car (GRC)

Automated measurement of track geometry is important both to provide an objective assessment of track condition, and to quantify it for documentation and trend analysis. Track geometry recording is a mature technology and BR has used these technologies with very limited success.

An electronic track recording car is invaluable in quantifying track conditions against standards. But many railways have also embraced the concept that such inspections need to be both frequent and consistent. Track geometry inspections should not institute a sudden cleanup of multiple sites that may have been missed though regular inspections. Rather, they should confirm more subtle deviations in geometry and indicate locations that may become future speed restrictions if not effectively managed.

This would suggest that automated track geometry measurements should be undertaken at a frequent interval. In North American Class 1 railway practice, this would correspond to an inspection every 25 million gross tonnes of traffic. Track geometry inspections can be done with manned track recording cars or with autonomous unmanned inspection vehicles. Unmanned vehicles are an emerging technology that offers the advantage of very frequent measurement inspection intervals. For example, with a single autonomous unmanned track geometry inspection vehicle, Canadian Pacific can test 250,000 km/yr., which is five times the productivity of a manned track recording cars, which test 4 days per week in daylight hours. The unmanned vehicle is powered by solar panels and calibrated by GPS to

Figure 3-6: Illustration of Positioning of Accelerometers and Cellular Phone Telemetry for Simple Transmission of High Impact Events

to Track Maintenance Supervisors


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identify which track it is inspecting, albeit not without post processing of the information to deal with false positive indications of track defects. Manned track recording cars have a higher cost per kilometre assessed, but are more reliable in assessing what action must be taken at the time of the inspection. In addition, manned track recording cars offer the opportunity for various levels of the maintenance of way organisation to come together to view and evaluate the same information. This would seem to be a better model for BR at this time. But in the future, it may be prudent to tighten inspection intervals and consider an unmanned track recording car running in regular freight trains. For example, with the use of an unmanned track recording car, Network Rail does geometry testing on their heaviest used lines every 4 weeks.

Our recommendation is for BR to undertake automated track geometry measurements at intervals of at least every 10 million gross tonnes of traffic using manned vehicles to start. Track geometry measurement systems (or recording cars) should:

• Be used to find urgent track defects and also feed databases with near urgent defects;

• Be used to produce Track Quality Indices (TQI) that direct tamping needs and evaluate rate of change of track quality;

• Incorporate rail head loss measurements and rail cant assessment;

• Include rail head loss measurements that are processed through a program that projects hear wear vs. allowable limits and projects the timing for rail renewal;

Under the expected conditions of BR, a single unit should be able to test 75,000 km per year, as per following calculations:

Table 3-7 Calculation of GRC Annual Productivity

Days of testing per year 250 Days/yr

Hours of testing per day 6 Hrs/day

Average testing speed 50 Km/hr

Annual distance tested per year per machine

75,000 Km/yr

Given the total is currently composed of 1825 track-km of metre gauge mainline track and 1304 track-km of broad or dual gauge mainline track; a metre gauge GRC unit and a broad gauge GRC unit will easily allow for 6 passes per mainline per year plus more than ample time for testing of key non-mainline lines.


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Table 3-8 Current Summary of Mainline Track

Gauge Route-km Track-km

Metre 1591.6 1824.5

Broad 654.0 735.0

Dual 535.4 569.6

Total 2781.0 3129.1

3.3.4 Rail Flaw Detection (RFD)

Rail flaws are the most common source of catastrophic failures. Because there is a large variation in the growth rates of rail defects, the best defence is a frequent rail testing interval. In North American best practice, railways have landed on a test interval of 6-8 million gross tonnes of traffic by a rail flaw detection vehicle to provide a high probability that a rail flaw will be identified before it grows to a risky size. North American Class I railways report a rate of rail service failures (undetected defects found as breaks) of 1.3 per million gross tonne-km.5 A rail inspection car is preferred to a walking inspection for several reasons. Walking ultrasonic devices display an oscilloscope view of probes being reflected of rail surfaces or a defect (called A-scans). On an RFD car, computers show a “B-Scan” representation of probe responses. This provides a higher level of computer assistance to the operator than an “A-scan” analog display. Secondly, rail flaw detector cars are capable of documenting the GPS location of the rail defect. Finally, ultrasonic rail flaw detector cars typically test rail at speeds around 50 kph, which is at least an order of magnitude greater than what can be achieved with manual testing.6

IR has a history of using hand held ultrasonic walking probes. It is recommended that hand operated probes be used to inspect through switches and crossings and to test plug rail lengths that have been stored for use in repairing defective rails.

In addition, BR has an opportunity to maximize the productivity of rail flaw detection through the use of non-stop continuous testing. Under this regime, rail flaw detector cars continue without stopping, at speeds at which they can accurately record the transmission and receipt of ultrasonic pulses into the rail. This enables the rail flaw detector car to test within the flow of traffic without disrupting train service and lowers the rail testing unit cost. The ultrasonic signatures of the rail are transmitted to an analyst who reviews them off-line overnight. The analyst has the advantage of reviewing past overlays of the ultrasonic signature for the same location 6-8 million gross tonnes of traffic in the past. He/she will then designate potential rail defects for field verification. Field crews will travel by rail cum road vehicles with GPS navigation to each verification site and will hand test to verify if there is a defect. If there is a defect, this will be entered into the rail defect database and will be repaired by field crews. If it is determined to be a benign indication, it will be recorded as such. In this way, repeated non-stop continuous rail flaw detection will avoid continuous stopping at rail events that are in fact triggered by weld overlays, rail surface conditions or metal upsets from thermite welds.

5 Stanford, J. and M. Roney, “Understanding Rail Head Loss and Rail Integrity Interactions”, Presentation to the FRA Rail Integrity Rail Safety Advisory Committee, Washington, DC, February 2016. 6 University of Birmingham, “Wheel-Rail Best Practice Handbook”, Vehicle/Track System Interface Committee, Totton, UK, 2010


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It is recommend that BR acquire rail flaw detector cars sufficient to be run at 6 million gross tonne intervals, in a non-stop testing mode. All data on rail wear and rail defect should be promptly communicated to a central warehouse for in design predictive maintenance planning and rail capital planning. Testing at 6 million gross tonne intervals amounts to about 1 test per month to start. Under the expected conditions of BR a single unit should be able to test 30,000 km per year, as per following calculations

Table 3-9 Calulation of RFD Annual Productivity

Days of testing per year 250 Days/yr

Hours of testing per day 4 Hrs/day

Average testing speed 30 Kph

Annual distance tested per year per machine 30,000 Track-km

Given the total is currently composed of 1825 track-km of metre gauge mainline track and 1304 track-km of broad or dual gauge mainline track; a metre gauge RFD unit and a broad gauge RDF unit will easily allow for 12 passes per mainline per year plus more than ample time for testing of key non-mainline lines.

3.4 Track and Bridge Inspection Systems

3.4.1 Routine Track Inspections

One of the greatest opportunities to merge the advantages of technology with the value of experienced inspectors is through use of systems that help direct inspectors to do more detailed assessments of locations pre-indicated as potential defects by automated inspection systems.

This means that there should be a connection between what automated systems are seeing as potential defects and where inspectors are asked to stop and verify a condition. The best link between these systems would happen through the computer application that inspectors launch at the start of their shift.

Electronic systems that record track inspections are already geared to calculate when different track segments or fixed assets such as points and crossings are due for inspection based upon the railway’s standard for inspection intervals for the class of track. The best systems record which track limits have been inspected and keep track of any track segments that are close to being out of compliance on inspection interval.7 So when the track inspector uploads the application each morning, he/she is presented with the list of track segments and assets that are due for inspection. At the end of each day, these are recorded against the backlog, and track defect locations are transmitted to the repair crews. As track defects are repaired, maintenance crews contact the inspectors, who then record outstanding track defects as repaired. Computerized recording of daily inspections also give track

7 Roney, M et al.., “Infrastructure Health Monitoring with Multi-Layered Inspection Technologies on Canadian Pacific”, in Proceedings of the 10th International Heavy Haul Association Conference, New Delhi, 2013.


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managers the opportunity to be informed on what conditions have been cited and the status of repairs, as well as viewing trends in track condition by cause.

But in addition to being a system to record what is being found and repaired, the best systems are integrated with automated track assessments. This means that when an inspector signs in and receives the track segments that are due for inspection, he/she would also receive a list of all priority indications that have been found over the same track segments that he/she is due to inspect. This would constitute track geometry priority indications that are not yet urgent, his/her own track defect notifications to validate that they have been fixed, any location where rail flaw detection has indicated rail surface conditions, locations that have been indicated as a priority impact as recorded by vehicle/track ride quality accelerometers, and anything called in by train crews as rough track.

After loading key infrastructure for the territory to be inspected (such as terrain, recently-observed defects and recent work) to their laptop computer at the start of their shift, track inspectors move along the track with the computer and GPS on. The program on their laptop would contain any track notifications that had been collected electronically plus details of the most recent track inspection. As the vehicle approaches a recently reported defect, the inspectors would be prompted with a chime. They would then specifically inspect the notification and sign off in the electronic recording system that it had been inspected and would record whether it had been fixed or needs fixing. In this way, the routine inspection is more directed, being guided by other indications from automated inspection systems that need to be field verified, in addition to being a regular visual inspection.

Once the track network has been mapped to record GPS reference coordinates, for example at each catenary support member, any track defects can be plotted automatically on track charts or on GIS maps. This assists in relating the defect to specific features in track, for example in the vicinity of a road crossing.

Figure 3-7 shows an example of an electronic display of a track chart that could be viewed by the track inspector. At the bottom of this chart, each line displays the priority defects recorded by successive track recording car runs. Priority defects are early indicators of track defects, before they would necessitate repair or speed restrictions. By having these “near urgent” indications, track inspectors can ensure they monitor conditions and repair track

before they need to protect traffic with speed restrictions. Track notifications can also be displayed on a GIS reference map, as in

Figure 3-8. In this illustration, each different colour represents a different type of track defect recorded by a track recording car, a rail flaw detector car, V/TI accelerometers on locomotives, or manual visual inspections.


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Figure 3-7: Electronic Track Chart Displaying Past History of Track Geometry Defects

Figure 3-8: GIS Mapping Representation of Track Defects by GPS Location


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If videos of the right-of-way have been taken and GPS-referenced, the inspection record keeping system can also reference any defect found to the nearest track image stored, such as is shown in Figure 3-9. This makes it easy for a manager reviewing inspections to not only reference where it was on the track chart, but also to visualise the track or structure location.

3.4.2 Systems for Recording Bridge Inspections

Annual bridge inspections should be recorded in a computer system that includes the following features:

• Unique identifiers of each pier and bridge span

• Separate lines for each inspection point requiring an assessment

• A numerical rating system that indicates the relative priority for repairs

• Algorithms that can calculate overall condition ratings for the structure

• Current load ratings for the structure

• Bridge GPS location.

• Bridge age

• Details of past repairs

• Linkages to bridge plans and drawings

Bridge rating systems for the superstructure and substructure should be accompanied by a document that gives examples of what the condition ratings would look like, as a job aid to ensure consistency in the ratings. If the ratings drop below a designated threshold, this should call for a more detailed inspection by a professional bridge engineer. This inspection may then call for the bridge to be included in capital repair plans, or for a derating of the structure’s support capacity that might require traffic speed restrictions.


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3.5 Summary of Inspection and Testing

A summary of Territory Sizes for Track and Bridge Inspection Crews are included in the following table. This information will be used to estimate inspection crew and equipment requirements when we look at implementation in chapter 8.

Table 3-10 Territories of Track Inspection and Bridge Inspection Crews

Territory Size (route-km)

Crew Double Track

Single Track

Crew Size

Vehicle

Track Inspection Crews (TIC) 80 120 2 RCR Track Inspection Vehicle

Bridge Inspection Crews (BIC) 40 80 2 RCR Bridge Inspection Vehicle

In the following table, we summarize the expected unit productivity for GRC and RFD vehicles as well as our recommendations for testing frequency.

Table 3-11 Summary of Inspection Staff and Vechicles Recommended

Testing Equipment Annual track-km tested per unit per year

Recommended testing frequency (Million Gross Tons (MGT)

Geometry Evaluation Car (GRC) 75,000 25

Rail Flaw Detection (RFD) 30,000 6

Figure 3-9: Example of Inspection Record Keeping System that References Right of Way Images by Location and Asset Type


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This information will be used to establish resource requirements under various scenarios of mechanized track maintenance implementation as discussed in chapter 8. Requirements for Portable Track Geometry Measurement Systems and Ride Quality Accelerometers (RCA) is more complicated in that there needs to sufficient scale to justify the investments.


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4Track Maintenance

Key Messages

• Chapter 4 identifies international best practices for maintenance processes and technologies and includes specific recommendations for BR;

• Infrastructure maintenance at BR is currently undertaken in a very rudimentary manner in the way that has been done for some time.

• Our recommendations are for an increased uses of technology and mechanization; and maintenance plans grounded in accurate and timely information on the condition of assets and solid engineering fundamentals of component degradation.


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4.1 Introduction

Underlying good maintenance practices are accurate and timely information on the condition of assets; collection of this information was the subject of the last chapter. As critical is how this information is analyzed and utilized to develop and continuously enhance maintenance practices and programs. Maintenance is often categorized by the degree and nature of the planning that precedes it. At the one extreme is corrective or reactive maintenance. It is maintenance that is undertaken to restore assets to a specified condition by repairing or replacing items. Corrective maintenance (CM) will occur after damage to track or track component; or as a result of the detection of a defect or near-defect after visual inspection or application of an inspection technology (such as track geometry recording cars and rail flaw detection cars). In both cases, the antecedent to maintenance being undertaken is infrastructure condition.

Preventive maintenance (PM) typically involves maintenance undertaken to assure satisfactory operating condition by providing for systematic inspection, detection, and correction of incipient failures either before they occur or before they develop into major defects. In effect, it is work undertaken to avoid component failures by way of regular and routine actions in order to prevent failure. Tests, measurements, adjustments, parts replacement, and cleaning, performed specifically to prevent failures from occurring are often considered forms of preventative maintenance. Thus, much of the infrastructure maintenance done by railways can be considered to be preventative maintenance.

Predictive maintenance are techniques used to determine the real-time condition of track and track components in order to predict when maintenance or renewal should be performed. This approach promises cost savings over preventive maintenance, because tasks are performed only when warranted. It requires the collection of accurate and complete data on infrastructure collected over an extensive period of time and then precise models that link the data to component condition and a maintenance and renewal strategies. It is important that from the outset for BR to reliably collect, verify and store data on infrastructure condition from visual and automated inspections for use in predictive maintenance in the future.

A well-documented maintenance policy encompasses all forms of maintenance: corrective, preventive and predictive. It describes the approach to maintaining and renewing railway infrastructure and is an essential building block towards best practice asset management. Policies for each asset category (track, signalling, engineering structures etc.) explain the mechanisms for wear and deterioration and should set out the most economic solutions for managing the assets according to the underlying business objectives. This should define how maintenance and renewal interventions are balanced on different types of route in order to achieve the optimum whole life cost.

Our recommendations are based on practice of North American class 1 railways in that maintenance is undertaken by a combination of:

• Local gangs with local territories responsible for basic (day-today) maintenance, and

• Regional gangs with larger territories responsible for specialized work such as track tamping.


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In addition, the intention is also to outsource the capital renewal of track components such as rail, sleepers and ballast. These both form the basis our recommendations for infrastructure maintenance included in this chapter.

In the following section, we present our recommendations for resources required for maintenance on the line as well as organization of the resources. In the final two sections, we present best practices and recommendations pertaining to rail grinding and lubrication. Development of rail grinding and lubrication programs for BR are beyond the scope of our study. Appendix A includes a summary of the latest thinking on mechanisms of wear and deterioration of railway components.

4.2 Maintenance of Infrastructure

It is our recommendation that local gangs be located at section headquarters and responsible for the following activities on their respective territories:


• Remedial action for defects and near-defects identified by inspection personnel and automated testing equipment;

• Emergency response to derailments, system outages, and infrastructure damage.

We also recommend that 4 gang types be located at section headquarters:

• Track Maintenance Gangs (TMG)

• Rail Maintenance Gangs (RMG)

• Material Distribution Gangs (MDG)

• Civil Maintenance Gangs (CMG)

Each gang will have its clear unique responsibilities and will be led by a foreman. All foremen will report to the Senior Assistant Executive Engineers (SAEE). As needed, the SAEE will combine the gangs together or move employees across gangs as dictated by work demands (such as to undertake a task requiring more manpower than in any single gang). Day-to-day maintenance activities include:

• Track Maintenance Gangs (TMG)

o Casual replacement of isolated sleepers when damaged or defective

o Re-spacing and squaring of sleepers

o Fish plates, bolts and other fittings and fastenings checked and tightened, where needed

o Fish plates and bolts lubricated

o Picking of slacks - Isolated cross-level and alignment correction

o Ballast dressing at isolated locations (such as locations of trespassing)

o Casual replacement of defective or broken rail, switch points or frogs

o Lubrication and adjustment of switches and switch expansion joints


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• Rail Maintenance Gangs (RMG)

o Grinding and welding of switches and frogs;

o Treatment and removal of rail defects;

o Temporary and permanent closure of rail plugs;

o Thermite welding of joints

o Monitoring of temperature induced stress in rail and maintaining in a stress-free state; and

o Removal and replacement of defect welds

• Material Distribution Gangs (MDG)

o Distribution of material to work sites in advance of activities maintenance activities performed by Track and Rail Maintenance Gangs.

• Civil Maintenance Gangs (CMG)

o Drainage Clearance

▪ Clear blocked cross culverts and toe and crest open drains

▪ Take proactive measures to reduce the likelihood of future blockages

o Vegetation Maintenance

▪ Removal of brush and other obstacles that restricts sightlines at crossings

▪ Management of vegetation along right-of-way that prevents effective drainage of ballast section

▪ Management of vegetation within the ballast section

o Earth and Rock Stabilization

▪ Take measures to assure earth banks and rock cuts remain stable

▪ Where failures occur, take quick actions to address

4.2.1 Gang Consists

It is our recommendation that all gangs be equipped with rail-cum-road (RCR) vehicles furnished with equipment, tools and seating space for the proposed gang size. Expected workloads were estimated based on the quantity of infrastructure (mainline route-km, mainline turnouts, and mainline track-km) and applied against expected employee productivities. Our estimation of gang and employee requirements is summarized in the following table.


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Table 4-1 IMD Maintenance Gang and Employee Requirements

Gang Employees per Gang

Double Track Route-km per

Gang

Single Track Route-km per

Gang

Track Maintenance Gang (TMG) 6 40 60

Rail Maintenance Gang (RMG) 3 80 120

Material Distribution Gang (MDG) 3 80 120

Civil Maintenance Gang (CMG) 5 80 120

On double track, gangs will be organized as per the following schematic.

Figure 4-1 Local Gang Territories on 160 km of Double Main Track

Figure 4-2 Local Gang Territories on 240 km of Double Main Track


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All gangs will be led by a foreman and Track Maintenance Gangs and Civil Maintenance Gangs will also have an assistant foreman. The assistant foreman will take over for the foreman when the gang is split into two for work assignments or to replace the foreman when he is not available. It should be the long-term goal of training and qualifying all maintenance employees with the skills to act as a foreman. Although, all employees will likely not be able to qualify, the process will enhance the capability of all employees; and will identify those with the skills for advancement.

Table 4-2 Employees by Position

Foreman* Assistant Foreman

Track Maintainer

Welder Total

Track Maintenance Gang 1 1 4

Rail Maintenance Gang 1 2

Material Distribution Gang 1 2

Civil Maintenance Gang 1 1 3

* Welding Foreman on RMG; all else Track Maintenance Foreman.

It is recommended that Track Maintenance and Civil Maintenance Gangs be scheduled to provide coverage 7 days per week.

4.2.2 Vehicles

As previously stated, it is our belief that rail-cum-road (RCR) vehicles are essential for effective mechanized track maintenance. However, we do believe it essential for every vehicle to be RCR equipment. We see it necessary for TMG, RMG and MDG vehicles be RCR given the nature of the work is almost always on the track and normally requires track occupancy in one form or another.

Table 4-3 Maintenance Vehicle Requirements

Gang RCR equipped

Seating Capacity

Boom Other Equipment

Carrying capacity

TMG Yes 6 Yes – 400 kg at 5 metre reach

Hydraulic Power Pack

• Hydraulic and hand tools; and

• 2 rails of 4 metres in length or

• 2 sleepers

RMG Yes 4 Yes – 250 kg at 5 metre reach

Welding and Grinding Equipment

• 2 rails of 4 metre in length; and

• Hand tools

MDG Yes 4 Yes – 600 kg at 10 metre reach

Generator • Magnet, grapple or hooks; and

• 20 sleepers; or

• 2 rails of 10 metres

CMG Not necessary

6 No • Hand tools


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Figure 4-3 Typical RCR Track Maintenance Gang (TMG) Vehicle

Figure 4-4 Typical RCR Rail Maintenance Gang (RMG) Vehicle


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Figure 4-5 Typical RCR Boom Truck

Figure 4-6 Typical Civil Gang Vehicle (RCR version shown but not essential for BR)


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4.3 Track Geometry Maintenance

The quality of track geometry is instrumental in maximizing the life of rail and sleepers, minimising the related operating costs and minimizing outages, speed restrictions and derailments on the track infrastructure. Geometry maintenance programs are typically based on a variety of inputs of which the most important is the Track Quality Index (TQI) which is based on measurements from the track geometry evaluation car. Also considered in the plan are the visual inspection records especially related to observed defects and imposed speed restrictions.

Heavy haul railways undertake mechanical surfacing of track in the form of both reactive (in the form of track surfacing) and preventive maintenance (in the form of Continuous Action Tamping (CAT) surfacing). Each is discussed below.

Roney, 20158 identifies five levels for surfacing cycles from the shortest term to longest term focus, as follows:

• Responses to speed restriction or regulatory defects that may lead to speed restrictions.

• Addressing the roughest track conditions on average every 3 years.

• Out-of-face production surfacing to restore ballast resiliency.

• Tamping done within or behind track programs to restore line and surface of disturbed track.

• Tamping done in conjunction with ballast renewal programs to restore curve design geometry

4.3.1 Geometry Maintenance Planning

A very common practice throughout the world is to use models to convert the metre-by-metre track geometry data (surface, alignment, cross-level, etc.) from a track geometry evaluation car to a single Track Quality Index (TQI) for the analysis segment. TQIs are usually a statistical parameter such as a standard deviation or mean, depending on the behaviour of the specific geometry measurement. The TQIs can then be projected over time (or traffic) to show a rate of degradation and a corresponding time to perform maintenance, when the TQI goes beyond a user defined threshold or maintenance limit.

The TQI is the principle tool for planning spot surfacing programs.

4.3.2 Track Surfacing

Track surfacing undertaken as part of one of two programs:

• Spot Surfacing – Based on TQI, and reacting to speed restrictions, regulatory defects and the roughest track sections. Depending on the nature of track, terrain, traffic, levels, sections will need to be surfaced annually or not at all as part of a spot surfacing program. An average of all track is typically a three year cycle.

8 Presentation: Planning and Execution of Track Renewal Programs, Canadian Pacific, October 17, 2015


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• Track Renewal – done in conjunction with programs to restore line and surface of disturbed track. A typical cycle is about every 12 years.

Tamping speed for conventional tamping machines on track with PCS concrete is currently about 1000 metres per productive hour.

4.3.3 Continuous Action Tamping (CAT)

Relative to conventional track tamping machines, Continuous Action Tamping (CAT) machines are designed for much higher productivity and tamping speed. They are not designed to correct geometry defects (but can handle less severe defects without hampering productivity) but for the main purpose of restoring resiliency to the ballast. In addition, given their longer wavelength, they are also effective at correcting deficiencies in vertical geometry. They typically operate on a 6 year cycle on heavy haul rails.

Tamping speed for Continuous Action Tamping (CAT) machines on PSC sleepers currently averages about 2500 metres per productive hour.

4.3.4 Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit (MTMU)

We recommend the formation of one or more Mechanized Track Maintenance Units (MTMU) to maintain track geometry. We propose that the unit include 4 gang types, as follows:

• Conventional Track Tamping Gang (CTTG)

• Continuous action tamper (CAT) gang (CATG)

• Switch Tamping Gang (STG)

• Ballast Distribution Gangs (BDG)

Each is discussed below.

Conventional Track Tamping Gang (CTTG)

For the sake of our analysis, we have estimated the quantity of track covered by a conventional tamping machine (or production tamper), as per the following table.

Table 4-4 Calculation of Requirements for Conventional Tamping Gang

Metrics Quantity unit

Maintenance Block per day 4 hrs

Travel / set-up time per day 1 hrs

Productive time per day 3 hrs

Hourly productivity 500 metre/hr

Production per day 1500 metre/day

Production days per year 220 days/yr

Track surfaced per machine per yr 330 track-km

Surfacing cycle 3 years

Track-km covered by one machine 990 track-km


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Route-km covered by one machine (double track territory) 495 route-km

Route-km covered by one machine (single track territory) 990 route-km

The distance that a single tamping machine could cover is 495 route-km on double track and 990 route-km on single track.

We propose that the Conventional Track Tamping Gang (CTTG) include the following equipment:

• 1 Conventional Tamping Machine

• 2 ballast regulators

• 1 track stabilizer

Gang consist will include 1 foremen, 4 operators and 2 track maintainers. Vehicles will include a RCR track inspection vehicle (as used by track inspectors) and a crew cab truck (RCR not required).

CAT Gang (CATG)

We have estimated the quantity of track covered by a continuous action tamper (CAT), as per the following table.

Table 4-5 CAT Gang Calculations





Hourly productivity 1500 metre/hr

Production per day 4500 metre/day


Track surfaced per machine per yr 990 track-km


Track-km covered by one machine 1980 track-km



The distance that a single CAT could cover is 3960 track-km which greater than the length of either corridor. We propose the assignment of a CAT gang to each Corridor.

We propose that the CAT Gang include the following equipment:

• 1 CAT Tamper

• 1 ballast regulator



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Gang consist will include 1 foremen and 3 operators. Vehicle assignment will be a RCR track inspection vehicle (as used by track inspectors).

Switch Tamping Gang (STG)

We have estimated the quantity of track covered by a switch tamping gang, as per the following table.

Table 4-6 Switch Tamping Gang Calculations





Production per day 0.75 switches/day


Annual production 165 switches/yr


Switches covered by one machine 825 switches

Mainline Switches per mainline track-km (estimated) 0.5 switch/ track-km

Track-km covered by machine 1650 Track-km



As indicated, we estimate that a switch tamper could cover a territory of 825 route-km of double main track and 1650 route-km of single track main track. We propose Switch Tamping Gangs be composed of:

• 1 Switch Tamper



Gang consist will include 1 foremen, 3 operators and 3 track maintainers. Vehicle assignment will be two crew cab trucks (RCR not required).

Ballast Distribution Gangs (BDG)

To support tamping gangs, we propose dedicated gangs to distribute ballast ahead of the gangs. We propose that the Ballast Distribution Gangs (BDG) include the following equipment:

• Railcar mover,

• 12 Ballast wagons.

Gang consist will include 1 foremen, 1 operator and 4 track maintainers; and a crew cab truck (RCR not required).


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It is our recommendation that sites be used for stockpiling and loading of ballast into ballast wagons at designated stations at a spacing of no more than 160 route-km on both single and double track. Most of the ballast required will be for the Conventional Track Tamping Gang (CTTG). As such, we recommend the same territory size as allowed for CTT gangs (495 route-km on double track and 990 route-km on single track). These gangs will be able to meet ballast requirements for the CTTG as well as the other surfacing gangs.

It is also recommended that BR contract with third parties to produce ballast, transport to and store at designated sites, and load into ballast wagons. The ballast wagons can be picked up loaded and dropped off empty at the designated sites; or work train can be used to move the ballast wagons between the designated sites and the work sites (where the ballast will be unloaded).

It should be noted that we have allowed for a railcar mover for unloading ballast. An alternative would be to use a work train. There are pros and cons for both options.

4.3.5 Reporting

It will be important to have a well-defined process in place for RMMU operators or foreman to report on daily productivity and equipment performance. Items to be collected would include:

• Planned and actual maintenance block times and location;

• Actual travel time, work time and down time for gang;

• Gang productivity (such as km of track surfaced);

• Performance of individual machines.

Data would be submitted electronically daily (or at least weekly) to the central data warehouse on each corridor (as discussed elsewhere in the report).

4.4 Rail Grinding

Rail grinding is the removal of a thin surface layer of metal from the rail surface by grinding machines in order to correct or maintain the rail profile. It is a common practice on railways throughout the world. Rail is the most expensive track asset and the purpose of grinding is to prolong rail life while helping to control the risk of rail fracture. This is accomplished when the rail is replaced because it has reached the wear limits for safe operation rather than failing due to fatigue. The aim of grinding is to maintain optimal contact conditions between the rolling stock wheels and the rails while removing fatigued rail surface metal to control cracks. By doing so, grinding of rail provides the following benefits:

• Reduces rail wear,

• Controls rail surface and sub-surface fatigue,

• Controls rail surface plastic deformation,

• Improves truck steering, improves the dynamic stability of rolling stock and

• Improves rolling stock wheel life.


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4.4.1 Corrective versus Predictive Grinding

Grinding is either classified as corrective or preventive.

• Corrective grinding is undertaken to remove deep rail surface defects (such as squats, corrugation, spalling, or shelling) or correct severe plastic deformation of the rail. It involves the removal of large quantities of metal (relative to preventive grinding) and typically requires multiple passes of large rail grinding machines operating at slow grinding speeds.

• Preventive grinding is typically performed with a single pass of a large rail grinding machines at higher grinding speeds operating on a tightly controlled grinding cycle. The purpose is to remove smaller quantities of rail metal to:

o Maintain rail profiles; and

o Control the development and propagation of initiating rolling contact fatigue (RCF) cracks and corrugations.

By completely removing all short cracks, preventive grinding addresses surface defects before they enter the stage of rapid growth. Preventive grinding restores the “optimal” profile on the rail, reduces the contact stress, improves wheelset steering, and retains a good protective layer of work-hardened material.

Cracks start to grow through a process called “ratchetting”. The rail surface metal is shearing and moving plastically and where the moving metal shears against the stationary metal underneath, shear cracks start (Figure 4-7). The cracks grow in small increments through fracture mechanics, as the stresses around the crack want to shear the two sides of the crack, or apply torsion to the tip of the crack.

Crack growth has three phases, as shown in

Figure 4-9. The initiation of cracks is called Phase I, when cracks start at a shallow depth around 0.05 mm and grow almost parallel with the rail surface. In Phase II they can slowly turn down to grow vertically into the rail, and crack growth speeds up (See Figure 4-8). At the end of Phase II, and the start of Phase III, cracks may be 5 mm deep in premium rail steels and 10 mm deep in standard rails. Beyond this point, cracks grow faster, deeper and start to branch out more to other directions.

The best time to grind is before cracks are starting to accelerate and drive deeper into the rail. This has usually been set as a crack depth of 0.25 mm. This would correspond to the “knee” in Figure 4-10. In North American practice with 32.5 tonne axle loads, this usually takes a single grinding pass every 75 million gross tonnes of traffic in tangents and 25-40 MGT in curves. In Germany, preventive grinding has been supplemented by a high speed grinder capable of grinding at up to 100 km/h, which can work within normal traffic flows. This type of grinding can remove up to 0.1 mm with three passes and does not reshape the rail. But is can be used to extend preventive grinding cycles. It is particularly suited for heavy traffic lines with new rails, where cracks are in the initiation stages.


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Usually crack growth is controlled by setting a regular grinding interval. A pre-grind visual survey may call for additional grinding passes if the grinding inspector notes obvious RCF issues. Eddy current measurements are also available on some rail grinders. In the past, they have not been able to distinguish between the depth and the extent of surface cracks. But recent tests on the Norfolk Southern Railroad and at the Transportation Test Center are seeing improvements in the equipment’s ability to measure crack depth.

Figure 4-7: “Ratcheting” Process

Source: Guidelines to Best Practices for Heavy Haul Railway Operations, IHHA, 2009

Figure 4-8: RCF Crack



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Figure 4-9: RCF Cracks


Figure 4-10 – Generic RCF Growth Curve


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4.4.2 Optimal Rail Profile

An optimal rail profile is targeted when both corrective and preventive grinding are undertaken. The objective is always to achieve profiles to specified tolerances. Railways typically use multiple profiles depending on the rail (high, low or tangent), the track geometry and condition, traffic levels and patterns, and rail weight and condition. For example, in a study done for the South Central Railway region of Indian Railways9, Canada’s National Research Council engineered two rail profiles for tangents and low rails and two others for high rails. But to optimise the wheel/rail contact, it was also necessary to re-design the wheel profile with a thicker wheel throat to improve steering and a steeper flange angle to reduce the tendency for wheel climb. According to Guidelines to Best Practices for Heavy Haul Railway Operations - Infrastructure Construction and Maintenance Issues10, engineered profiles are designed with the help of computer-aided software packages that generate rail profiles with the goal of:

• Maximizing the stability of bogies running in tangent track,

• Minimizing the contact stress of wheels on rail in curves and

• Improving the steering of bogies in curves.

Best Practice calls for these profiles to be conformal between wheels and rails, with a 0.2-0.4 mm undercutting of the high rail gauge corner to provide relief of gauge corner cracks, dependent upon the track curvature. Rail profiles should also call for rail grinders to ensure a small amount of material is removed from the lower gauge corner at each grinding cycle (at 70 degrees from the plane of the top of rail). These optimised rail profiles are used as targets and to establish the appropriate combinations of passes, patterns, and speeds of the rail grinder to achieve this desired profile.

Development and management of the profiles is a critical element of a Rail Maintenance Plan requiring experts and systems with very specialized field expertise.

4.4.3 Grinding Quality Index

The Grinding Quality Index or GQI is a measure of how close a rail profile matches the optimal ail profile. It is used for evaluation of the effectiveness of the rail profile grinding, and as the basis for developing a detailed grinding plan. As explained in Use of Profile Indices for Quality Control of Grinding, the GQI is “an indicator of the degree of difference between the actual rail profile and the desired (target) rail profile or template. By comparing the pre- and post-grinding GQIs as determined from rail profiles measured by the grinder, the effectiveness of the rail grinding at any defined location can be quantified and recorded. In addition, by calculating Grinding Quality Indices for numerous track segments, the future grinding segments can be prioritized and scheduled based on grinding necessity as defined by the relative magnitudes of the GQIs.11”

9 Sroba, S., P. Garg & R. Caldwell, “Rail Grinding on the South Central Railway Region of Indian Railways”, in Proceedings of the 10th International Heavy Haul Association Conference, Vol. 1, New Delhi, February, 2013. 10 International Heavy Haul Association, Copyright © 2009 11 Joseph W. Palese, Euston, Zarembski for 2004 AREMA


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4.4.4 Best Practices to Achieve Grinding Quality Assurance

Guidelines to Best Practices for Heavy Haul Railway Operations - Infrastructure Construction and Maintenance Issues12 states that rail is considered ground to best practice standards if the following conditions are satisfied:

• The optimised transverse profile is obtained within the specified tolerance range.

• The predicted minimum depth of material is removed from the rail to control rolling contact fatigue defects.

• Corrugation is addressed so that residual irregularities are within the specified limits.

• The specified surface finish is achieved.

• The grinding operation is conducted as productively as possible, either, in optimised operating hours or optimised pass kilometres.

• Work results are continuously monitored and documented on site for quality future records.

4.4.5 Grinding Cycles

Preventive grinding cycles are the tonnage-based grinding intervals between applications of preventive grinding. Rail Grinding Best Practices13 provides a summary of grinding cycles and metal removal rates utilized by North American railways in 2002. Typical preventive rail grinding cycles are in the range of every 50 million gross tons in tangents and mild curves and every 25 million gross tons for curves sharper than 1400 m R. This information is presented in Table 4-7 and Table 4-8.

Table 4-7 tabulates the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance Association’s recommendations for rail grinding metal removal at different angles relative to the plane of the top of the rail. A positive angle is towards gauge and a negative angle is towards the field side of the rail.

Table 4-8 illustrates the International Heavy Haul Association’s recommended rail grinding intervals in the far right column, for different radii of curvature and types of rail metallurgy. These are compared with Australian Heavy Haul standards and FMG Australia’s heavy haul practice. The IHHA standards are the recommended rail grinding cycles, but metal removal depth and cycles will ultimately be established by which “magic wear rate” is successful at controlling rolling contact fatigue. This should be scrutinized by a technical committee.

12 International Heavy Haul Association, 2009 13 Peter Sroba, National Research Council of Canada and Mike Roney Canadian Pacific Railway, Presentation to the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association Annual Conference 2004.


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Table 4-7 – AREMA Optimal Metal Removal Rates

Table 4-8: IHHA Recommended Optimal Preventive Rail Grinding Cycles

4.4.6 Delivery of Grinding Services

Most (if not all) productive rail grinding throughout is undertaken by a dedicated and self-contained grinding train typically owned by one of a few companies under a multi-year contract to solely provide grinding services to a railway or group of railways. Key suppliers included, as follows:

• Loram Maintenance of Way, USA

• Vossloh Rail Services, Germany

• Harsco Corporation, USA

Typically, the grinding program is managed and supervised jointly by contractor and the supplier with pre-defined responsibilities and obligations.


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4.4.7 Recommendations

Most railways in North America and Australia undertake preventive grinding and less so corrective grinding. We recommend that BR implement a proactive strategy of preventive grinding. The ideal time to get into preventive grinding is when rails are early on in their service lives and rail surface condition is still good. The grinding program needs to be part of holistic maintenance strategy not the least of which includes proper lubrication and maintenance of track geometry (in particular, wide gauge, as it causes “false flange”, resulting in very high contact stresses and the rail is dished). For the preventive grinding strategy to be successful, BR must have optimal rail profiles designed to reduce the wheel / rail contact stress. These rail profiles will significantly increase rail life, improve train stability and curving. Rail corrugations will thus be kept under control. However, if they are severe, they must be completely removed to minimize damage to the track structure.

The challenge for BR will be to acquire a sufficient capacity of rail grinding to execute a preventive grinding program at an interval that will keep rail profiles and rail surface crack depths under control. To determine the number of rail grinders, BR will need to know the factors contained in Table 4-9 below.14

Table 4-9: Calculation of Rail Grinder Size for a Specific Railway

Item Description Units / Calculation

A Tonnage per year now & near future mgt

B Km of Track type (curves of mild, medium, sharp radius and tangent) now and near future

kph

C Km of Rail type used (standard, intermediate, premium) now and near future

kph

D Estimated grinding interval for B & C (mild, medium, sharp, tangent) now and near future

mgt

E Calculated metal removal for Optimised profiles for B & C

mm2

F Selected grinder metal removal per pass mm2

G Grinder passes per km per interval E/F

H Average grinding speed kph

I Grinding intervals per year (B & C) now and near future

A/D

J Grinding hours per interval G/H

K Grinding hours per year I/K

L Average grinding hours per shift hours

M Total grinding shifts per year K/L

In the application of this table, the railway projects the annual tonnage by line segment into the future. The length of track in the corridor and the selected rail grinding interval will then determine the number

14 IHHA, “Guidelines to Best Practices for Heavy Haul Railway Operations: Management of the Wheel and Rail Interface’, June 2015.


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of annual grinding cycles required. The expected depth of cut that establishes the “magic wear rate” is then compared to the capabilities of candidate rail grinders to determine rail grinding speeds and the annual number of pass-km required.

Then the railway must estimate how many annual track occupancy blocks will be available for grinding and how many average hours per shift will be available for production rail grinding. This will allow the rail authority to determine the number of rail grinders required. Because of the extensive length of BR corridors, the authority will likely need to look at the largest production rail grinders and size needs on this basis. Switch and crossing grinders are more precise and smaller and the same type of exercise will need to be done to size switch and crossing grinding.

This means that BR will need to have some guidance on the average metal removal rates and grinding intervals that will be required. The world class consulting provided to the South Central Railway by National Research Council in 2009-2010 and an evaluation of its implementation would be a good place to start. We recommend that in the future, BR form a team of rail maintenance experts to develop a rail maintenance strategy and program and a procurement plan for rail grinding services. The team need not be more than three or four individuals and should include BR employees and Indian and international technical experts.

4.5 Rail Lubrication

In curves tighter than 800 m radius, wheels cannot simply use their conicity to negotiate curves, so flanging action is required for curve negotiation. Lubrication reduces the friction between the wheel and the rail thus producing two distinct but related benefits:

• Reducing the amount of tractive effort needed to overcome the friction reduces energy usage; and

• Reducing the wear and tear to the wheel/rail contacting surfaces leads to longer life for both rail and wheels.

In addition, lubrication also reduces noise generated by the contact of wheel and rail on curves. It is important to note that not all of the friction can nor should be eliminated as some friction is necessary to permit adhesion between the rail and wheel necessary for acceleration, braking and negotiating curves in an effective manner. Guidelines To Best Practices For Heavy Haul Railway Operations – Infrastructure Construction and Maintenance Issues15 reports that “Rail and wheel lives can vary by an order of magnitude or greater when high friction levels are controlled to optimal levels, and fuel consumption can improve by 3–20% based upon a number of case studies.” As indicated in Table 4-10, tests have determined that 32% savings in fuel consumption can be generated with appropriate lubrication. 16

Fuel Consumption Test Data

Table 4-10: Fuel Consumption Data

15 International Heavy Haul Association, Copyright © 2009 16 ‘Greasing’ the way to Savings, Zarembski


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System Tested Fuel Consumption (Gallons/MGT)

Dry Track-No Lubrication 5,900

Trackside-Full Lubrication 4,100

Lubrication Car-High Graphite Grease 4,800

Lubrication Car-Low Graphite Grease 5,300

Hi-Rail-High Graphite Grease 5,500

On-board (Locomotive) System-Small Nozzle 6,950 *

On-board System Large Nozzle 5,140

Source TTC Technical Note TTC-008 (FAST-TN84), June 12, 1984

It is important to note that in the case of vertically-separated railways, the benefits of a lubrication program flow to both parties:

• Railway service providers in the form of energy savings and longer wheel life

• Railway infrastructure company in terms of longer rail life and lower rail maintenance costs

There are three general methods of lubrication, as follows:

• On-board lubrication

• Rail cum Road Vehicle (RRV) Application

• Wayside Lubrication


4.5.1 On-board Lubrication

With this type of application, the lubricant is applied to the wheels from an assembly mounted on a locomotive or other piece of railway equipment used in a regular train service. There are two types of on-board lubrication:

• Lubricant stick where a dry solid polymeric lubricant is applied to the locomotive wheel flange

• Spray lubrication where a standard or biodegradable lubricating grease is sprayed on the locomotive wheel flange

Solid stick lubrication is environmentally friendly (compared to other techniques) as the lubricant is benign and also because there is little wastage. It has a low up front cost, as the mounting assemblies are simple. On the other hand, very little material is consumed, so the protection can be minimal beyond the front part of the train. It is most often used in urban or commuter rail applications where trip lengths are short, and the equipment is in the depot on a frequent and routine schedule.

Spray lubrication is more suitable for long-haul operations in that the spray assemblies typically do not require scheduled maintenance for up to 3 months but still require regular filling of the lubricant reservoir. As such, it is an effective way of protecting the complete route, and of achieving fuel savings in tangent track, as opposed to wayside devices, which typically are clustered on or near curves.


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Solid stick lubrication is not suited for BR application given the maintenance and servicing requirements. If BR is willing to commit, spray lubrication may be a suitable option.

4.5.2 Rail cum Road Vehicle (RCR) Application

With this type of application, standard or biodegradable lubricating grease is sprayed from rail cum road vehicles outfitted with a simple delivery system. A key benefit of this system is that flow of lubricant can be manually controlled by an operator or by an automatic sensing system; thus best assuring that lubricant is applied where needed. The technique is low cost from a capital and operating perspective. However, the lubrication is typically burned off by 1 to 3 long trains. Given the high volume of traffic on the BR lines and the fact that maintenance blocks will be relatively short (4 hours), this does not appear to be a viable option.

4.5.3 Wayside Lubricators

The most common method used by railroads internationally for many years has been wayside lubrication. Wayside lubricators include a mechanical applicator system, such as a wiping bar, to apply a predetermined amount of lubricant to each passing wheel flange. The wheel flange in turn carries the lubricant along and applies it to the rail for a known distance.

Wayside lubricators installed are the best technique to protect highly curved territory as they best ensure delivery of a sufficient lubrication in these critical areas. The disadvantages are that:

• Mobile forces are needed to maintain and service the lubricators;

• Modern electronic wayside lubricators need a source of power; and

• The lubricators are vulnerable to vandalism.

In addition, the relative benefits relative to disadvantages as compared to vehicle-based lubrication becomes much lower where the rail line has few curves (especially high degree curves) and the relative benefit of fuel savings outweighs longer rail and wheel life. There are three types of wayside lubricators, as follows:

• Hydraulic lubricators

• Mechanical Lubricators

• Electric Lubricators

Hydraulic lubricators and mechanical lubricators are of simple design and operate on similar principles in that lubricant is delivered by the action of the wheels passing over and depressing a mechanical plunger at the field side of the rail head. No power supply is needed from an external source. The significant disadvantage of these lubricators is that there is little control over grease delivery rates, and this results in grease waste to the track, and contamination of the top of the rail. These units are installed on the high rail side at the transitions to left- and right-hand curves, and therefore have to be removed before each grinding cycle to prevent damage to the units.

Electric lubricators are the latest generation lubricators, with precise electronic control, based on axle or wheel count via the sensors mounted beside the rail. On this account, they have better application


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accuracy and less lubricant waste than mechanical and hydraulic lubricators. They can be either powered by solar, wind turbines or grid power.

4.5.4 Top of Rail Friction Management

In curves tighter than 580 m radius, in addition to wheel flanging, wheelsets are subjected to higher angles of misalignment to the radial orientation to the curve. This causes higher lateral and longitudinal creepage forces in the wheel/rail contact with the top of the rail. With higher creepage forces, surface metal flows plastically and cracks are more likely to develop. Lateral forces are also higher, leading to gauge spreading, fastener stresses and higher energy consumption. This is particularly true where the top surface of the rail is dry, particularly in desert-like conditions.

While rail gauge face lubrication is effective at protecting the wear of the sliding surfaces, it does not mitigate the lateral forces. In higher curvature environments, many heavy haul railways have added lubricators to apply top of rail friction modifiers to wheels and hence to provide a third body layer to control friction levels within a range that reduces lateral forces, while continuing to provide adequate friction for traction and braking. The optimal friction level between the wheel and the head of the rail is between µ = 0.3-0/4.

Top of rail friction modifiers can be applied from wayside units, which are similar to gauge face lubricators except that the friction modifiers are applied by wiper bars mounted on the field side of the rail head. Top of rail wayside applicators would usually be placed in clusters of curves between 2 and 7 km apart, as friction modifiers do not travel as far as curve lubricants. They would have a good business value supplementing gauge face lubricators in clusters of curves tighter than 580 m R, and should be considered for these sites.

4.5.5 Recommendations

Given the benefits of lubrication, we recommend that BR study options for lubrication. It may be useful to include a recognized tribology expert on the team. We recommend that electric wayside lubrication be used as a minimum, at locations of heavy curvatures. As much as possible, lubricators should be located where they can be accessed by road for service and maintenance; and where they would be less likely exposed to and damaged by the public. For lubrication outside of heavy curvature areas, we recommend looking at, in addition to electric wayside lubrication, on-board spray lubrication. However, this should only be considered an option if BR is committed to the approach and is willing to make the necessary investment in equipment and resources for appropriate servicing and maintenance.

Once the decision has been made as to whether on-board spray lubrication will be used in addition to wayside lubrication, the working group will need to develop a detailed lubrication plan consisting of:

• Target friction coefficient for top of rail and gauge face

• Designs, application rates, lubricant type and positioning of wayside lubricators

• Plan for servicing and maintaining wayside lubricators

• Locomotives to be installed with spray lubrication equipment and practices needed to assure proper servicing and maintenance of equipment


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• Operating plans and processes to assure that mainline track is lubricated to schedule by locomotives equipped with lubrication equipment.

• Processes to monitor lubrication application and assess effectiveness.

4.6 Summary of Resources for Maintenance

In the following tables, we present the staffing and territory for local gangs and for regional gangs.

Table 4-11 Local Gang Staffing and Territories



Gang


Gang





Table 4-12 Regionall Gang Staffing and Territories


Double Track Route-km per Gang


Gang

Conventional Track Tamping Gang (CTTG) 7 495 990

CAT Gang (CATG) 7 990 1980

Switch Tamping Gang (STG) 7 825 1650

Ballast Distribution Gangs (BDG) 6 495 990

This information will be used to establish resource requirements under various scenarios of mechanized track maintenance implementation as discussed in Chapter 8.

Rail grinding and lubrication programs are very important to the longer maintenance of track infrastructure (especially rail). It is recommended these be further studied by BR. There is no further consideration of these in this report.


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5Machinery and Vehicle Maintenance

Key Messages

• Machinery and vehicle maintenance is critical to maximize return on investment in mechanization and technologies

• We recommend that the machinery be undertaken that much routine maintenance of track machinery be undertaken in the field by Operators working with Field Mechanics who be integrated in the mobile gang.

• Four depots are to be established for more significance maintenance. Rebuilds and upgrades to equipment is best contracted to a third party (ideally an equipment maker).

• Automotive repairs are to be outsourced locally with the exception of hi-rail equipment and specialized on-board equipment (such as cranes and hydraulic) which will be maintained in-house.

• Machinery and vehicle maintenance will be responsibility of System Engineering.


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5.1 Introduction

In this chapter, we present our analysis and findings on resource requirements to maintain machinery used in the maintenance of track and permanent way. Resources are estimated based on the work being done in house (with the exception of component rebuilds). We started by classifying machinery into six categories, as follows:

• Track Maintenance Machinery - Conventional Tamping Machines, Switch Tampers, Continuous Action Tampers, Ballast Regulators, Track Stabilizers, Rail Car Movers

• Booms - RCR Track Maintenance Vehicles, Rail Maintenance Gang Vehicles, RCR Boom Trucks, RCR Bridge Inspection Vehicles

• Hydraulic Power Packs - RCR Track Maintenance Vehicles

• Welding & Grinding Equipment - Rail Maintenance Gang Vehicles

• Generators - RCR Boom Trucks

• RCR Equipment – RCR vehicles

• Portable Track Geometry Measurement Devices

Inspection and maintenance requirements will need to adhere to schedules provided by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s). We propose that inspection and maintenance be undertaken in depots and in the field. Field mechanics would be assigned to Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit (MTMU) gangs and would undertake basic inspection and routine maintenance with the machine operator. In addition, more arduous scheduled inspections and maintenance requirements (both scheduled and unscheduled) would be undertaken in depots.

It is our recommendation that automotive maintenance of vehicles (both RCR and road) should be outsourced to local mechanical under a long-term service contract.

5.2 Depots

It is recommended that no less than two machinery maintenance depots be located in each Zone and that they be located so that entire network is within 200 km of a depot by either road or rail. As needed, depots should be able to accommodate both broad and metre gauge equipment. Our recommendations for locations of track machinery maintenance depots are, as follows:

• Parbatipur Junction

• Ishardi Junction

• Akhaura

• Chittagong/Pahartali

These locations were recommended not only because jointly they meet the mandate of proximity to all parts of the network but also as they can utilize existing BR land and facilities.


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Depots and field mechanics will be the responsibility of Mechanic Supervisors who will report to the Manager, Machine Maintenance within the System organization. Road float movement of equipment by road would be completed by trucking contractors, and coordinated by depot staff.

Railways typically do not integrate maintenance of track machinery with that of rolling stock on account of significant differences in the technologies. Also, rolling stock depots are best located at major nodes typically near the end of lines whereas track machinery depots are best suited to be central to the network. In addition, a large component of track machinery maintenance will be undertaken in the field (with mechanics integrated with gangs) which is quite different than how maintenance is undertaken with rolling stock.

5.2.1 Spare parts inventory management

The availability of maintenance spare parts of right quality and quantity will be necessary for efficient utilization of track machinery and RCR vehicles. A system of order processing and inventory control is necessary for effective supply chain management. The inventory management system should operate in the following manner:

• Stock levels are fixed in liaison with operations staff.

• Stock levels should not fall below minimum level.

• Stock levels should not go above maximum level

• Reorder points are set between maximum and minimum level.

• Orders are placed in such a way that the materials arrive before minimum level

The system should be largely automated and assure that spare stocks never fall below a set minimum nor above a maximum. These levels will need to be set and then fine-tuned overtime based on spare utilization rate and realistic lead times. The inventory management system should be integrated with key accounting systems (such as purchase orders and accounts receivable).

5.3 Machinery Maintenance

In the following table we present our estimates of days per year for scheduled and unscheduled maintenance (including inspections) to be undertaken at depots.


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Table 5-1: Calculation of Maintenance Requirements

Units Schedule maintenance days per year

Unscheduled maintenance days per year

Track Maintenance Machinery 10 5

Booms 5 3

Hydraulic Power Packs and tools 2 0.5

Welding & Grinding Equipment 4 2

Generators 3 0.5

RCR Equipment 4 1

Portable Track Geometry Measurement Devices 5 5

In addition, we propose field mechanic be assigned to Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit (MTMU) gangs and would undertake basic inspection and routine maintenance with the machine operator. Field mechanics would have mechanics trucks (RCR not necessarily required) equipped with significant stowage space for tools, fluids and spare parts.

Figure 5-1 Typical Field Mechanic Vehicle

5.4 Automotive Maintenance

It is our recommendation that automotive maintenance of vehicles (both RCR and road) should be outsourced to local automotive garage under a long-term service contract. Vehicle maintenance coordinators will be required to manage automotive pools. One coordinator should be able to manage


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a pool of about 100 vehicles. Coordinators will report to the Vehicle Management Supervisor, who will be within System Engineering. He or she will be responsible for contract negotiation and management, day-to-day supervision of coordinators.

5.5 Operation and Maintenance of Testing Equipment

It is our assessment that responsibility for operation and maintenance of testing equipment (with the exception of Portable Track Geometry Measurement Devices) be within System Engineering specifically the Additional Chief Engineer - Testing. They will be responsible for developing and managing testing schedules, staffing testing equipment, and assuring equipment is maintained. It is our recommendation that maintenance be completed by OEMs. We have based our analysis herein on BR owning and operating testing equipment. However, consideration should also be given to outsourcing; in particular to OEMs.

It will be necessary to have the following employees to plan, schedule and coordinate daily testing operations. In addition, it will be necessary to validate test data (as well as inspection data from track and bridge inspectors and maintenance personnel); assure that it is properly stored so that it is available for the purposes of audits or developing maintenance or renewal plans. The positions will be within the organization of the Additional Chief Engineer - Testing on each corridor.

Table 5-2 Summary for Coordinators for Testing Equipment per Corridor

Position Function

GRC Coordinators Plan, schedule and coordinate GRC

RFD Coordinators Plan, schedule and coordinate RFD

Data Analysts Collect and manage test and inspection data


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6Management

Key Messages

• System engineering will be led by System Chief Engineer (SCE) and each Zonal engineering will be led to Zonal Chief Engineers (ZCE)

o System Chief Engineer (SCE) will lead organization responsible for shared resources, automated testing, and machinery and vehicle maintenance as well as policy and standards; and

o Zonal Chief Engineers (ZCE) will lead organizations responsible for visual inspections and work planning and execution.


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6.1 Function

In this chapter, we recommend how the infrastructure maintenance organization should be structured with full implementation of MTMU across the organization. It is our recommendation that when fully implemented, responsibility for planning and execution of maintenance work be undertaken under in manner that largely puts:

• Responsibilities for visual inspections and work planning and execution on Zonal Chief Engineers; and

• Responsibilities for shared resources, automated testing, and machinery and vehicle maintenance as well as policy and standards on the System Chief Engineer.

Organizations for Chief Engineers for both West and East Zone, would be as per the following structure. Section 6.2 provides additional details on the organization.

Organizations for the System Chief Engineers would be as per the following structure. Section 6.3 provides additional details on the organization.

Figure 6-1: Chief Engineers – Zone (East, West) Organization Chart

Chief Engineer -East, West

Additional Chief Engineer- Track

Additional Chief Engineer - MTMU

Additional Chief Engineer - Bridge

Assistant Executive Engineer (2)

Administrative Assistant to CE


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6.2 Zonal Chief Engineers

Chief Engineers (East, West Zones) will be responsible for all track and civil work and visual inspections undertaken on their Zones. The organizations will include reporting 3 Additional Chief Engineers (ACE) are which are described in following sections.

6.2.1 Additional Chief Engineers – Track

Additional Chief Engineers (ACE-T) will be responsible for day-to-day maintenance on his Zone; which essentially means all local gangs. Each Zone will be divided into four divisions; each led by Division Engineers.

Figure 6-3: Organization of Additional Chief Engineer – Track

ACE- Track

Division Engineer -Div 1




Assistant Executive Engineer

Administrative Assistant

Chief Engineer -System

Additional Chief Engineer - Testing

Additional Chief Engineer - Machinery

& Vehicles

Additional Chief Engineer - Policy &

Standards


Administrative Assistant to SCE

Figure 6-2: Chief Engineer-System Organization Chart


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Reporting to Division Engineers will be three to four Senior Assistant Executive Engineers (SAEE). SAEE’s will be responsible for the territories and employees of two section headquarters. Track Maintenance Foremen (for both Track Maintenance Gangs and Distribution Gangs), Welder Track Maintenance Foremen and Track Inspectors will report to SSAE’s.

6.2.2 Additional Chief Engineer - MTMU

Additional Chief Engineer - MTMU (ACE-MTMU) will be responsible for work undertaken by the mechanized track mechanized gangs including planning, scheduling and managing annual work programs. Reporting to each of the ACE-MTMU will be Executive Engineer- Planning (planning and monitoring the progress of work programs)and Executive Engineer – Production (executing work programs). EE- Planning engineers will have a staff of two engineers to assist with developing and monitoring work programs. EE-Production will have four Assistant Executive Engineers – Production who will be responsible for mechanized track maintenance gangs.

Division Engineer

Senior Assistant Executive Engineers

Senior Assistant Executive Engineer

Senior Assistant Executive Engineer

Assistant Division Engineer Administrative Assistant

Figure 6-4: Organization of Division Engineers


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Figure 6-5: Organization of Additional Chief Engineer - MTMU

6.2.3 Additional Chief Engineer – Bridges

Additional Chief Engineer – Bridge (ACE-Bridges) will be responsible for maintenance of bridges, structures, culverts and right-of-ways; planning and supervision of work programs; and provision of technical expertise with respect to bridge design and load capcity rating. The proposed structure follows:

ACE- MTMU

Executive Engineer -Planning

Assistant Executive Engineers - Planning (2)

Executive Engineer - Production

Assistant Executive Engineers Production (4)

Admin Assistant

Assistant Executive Engineer Admin Assistant


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Figure 6-6: Organization of Additional Chief Engineer - Bridges

6.3 System Chief Engineer

The System Chief Engineers (SCE) will be responsible for resources shared across the Zones as well as policy and standards. He will report to the Additional Director General (ADG) – Infrastructure and will work in close coordination with Chief Engineers of East and West Zones. He is to report on progress and status of track maintenance works and support zonal system as on when asked by General Managers of Zones. The organizations of the reporting three Additional System Chief Engineers (ASCE) are provided in the following sub-sections. The SCE will be supported by technical and administrative assistants.

6.3.1 Additional Chief Engineer - Testing

The Additional Chief Engineer – Testing (ACE-Testing) will be responsible for the operation of the Geometry Recording Vehicles (GRV) and Rail Flaw Detection (RFD) units. They will also be responsible for collecting and organization of test data; and completing analysis for use by Planning Engineers in planning work programs. They will also collect information on remedial actions of observed defect; and assuring remedial work has been completed and proper processing complete. Another responsibility for the group is monitoring temporary speed restrictions and taking action to best assure they are minimalized and within a tolerable threshold.

ACE- Bridges

Exective Engineer -Bridge Planning

Assistant Executve Engineer - Bridge

Planning (2)

Executive Engineer - Bridges

Assistant Executive Engineer - Bridges

(4)

Technical Assistant

Executive Engineer - Bridge Design and Rating

Assistant Executive Engineer - Design

and Rating (2)

Assistant Executive Engineer Admin Assistant


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Figure 6-7: Organization of Additional Chief Engineer - Testing

The AEE - Data will be responsible for the collection, verification, and organization of test data; and for making it available for use within the organization. The AEE - Testing will schedule, supervise and oversee testing vehicles and staff.

6.3.2 Additional Chief Engineer - Machinery & Vehicles

Additional Chief Engineer - Machinery & Vehicles (ACE-M&V) will be responsible for maintenance of machinery and vehicles; as well as procurement and disposal of them. He will be responsible for allocation of track machninery to local gangs on the two Zones.

The organization will be structured as per the following diagram.

ACE-Testing

Assistant Executive Engineers – Data

(2)

Assistant Executive Engineers – Testing

(2)

Admin Assistant


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Figure 6-8: Organization of Additional Chief Engineer – Machinery and Vehicles

6.3.3 Responsibilities for each of the Executive Engineers are as follows:

• Executive Engineer & AAE - Machine Planning & Procurement - All elements of machinery procurement including specification/tender/contract development, negotiations, and contract management

• Executive Engineer - Machine Maintenance – Development of plans and allocation of track machinery to zones; management of depot and field maintenance

• Executive Engineer – Vehicles - Oversee automotive maintenance of vehicles (RCR and road vehicles) through third parties; and manages all elements of procurement of vehicles.

Reporting to the Executive Engineer – Machine Maintenance will be Senior Assistant Mechanical Engineer – Machine Maintenance and Senior Assistant Electrical Engineer – Machine Maintenance. Engineers filling these positions will be on assignment from the Mechanical and Electrical departments. They should be in the positions long to learn the intricacies of the position and add value to the organization. While in their position, they should maintain regular contact with their functional department and after their term is over, they would return there. Given their dual reporting, they should be expected to be central liaisons between the Infrastructure Department and the Mechanical and Electrical Departments and tasked with identifying and nurturing opportunities for improved cooperation between the departments.

ACE - M&V

Executive Engineer -Machine Planning &

Procurement

Senion Assistant Executive Engineer -

Machine P&P

Executive Engineer - Machine

Maintenance

Senior Assistant Mechanical Engineer –

Machine Mtce

Senior Assistant Electrical Engineer – Machine Mtce

Assistant Executive Engineer – Allocation

and Planning (2)

Executive Engineer Vehicle Planning &

Procurement

Senior Assistant Mechanical Engineer

– Vehicles

Assistant Executive Engineer - Vehicle Management (2)

Administrative Assistant



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6.3.4 Additional Chief Engineer – Policy and Standards

The ASCE – Policy & Standards along with two supporting civil engineers will develop and communicate policies pertaining to track and bridge standards and policies; and develop and implement training, as required.

Figure 6-9 Organization of Additional Chief Engineer – Policy & Standards

6.4 Summary

In Table 6-1 below we present the total staff count for management and administrative positions with full implementation of MTMU (and other recommendations) on the entire network. This exercise is academic as this will not occur for many years. In Chapter 8, we present proposed organizations and management teams for various stages of implementation.

ACE-P&S

Executive Engineer – PolicyExecutive Engineers –

Standards


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Table 6-1: Summary of Zonal Management and Administrative Staff

EAST ZONE WEST ZONE

Position Senior Management Middle Management

Admin Support

Total Senior Management

Middle Management

Admin Support

Total

Chief Engineer - East, West 1 1 1 1

Assistant Executive Engineer 2 2 2 2

Admin Assistant to Zonal Chief Engineer 1 1 1 1

ACE - Track 1 1 1 1

AEE - Track 1 1 1 1

Admin Assistant 1 1 1 1

Division Engineers 4 4 4 4

Senior Assistant Executive Engineers 14 14 15 15

ACE - MTMU 1 1 1 1

AEE - MTMU 1 1 1 1


EE - Production 1 1 1 1

AEE - Production 6 6 6 6


EE - Planning 1 1 1 1

AEE - Planning 3 3 3 3

ACE - Bridges 1 1 1 1

AEE - Bridges 1 1 1 1


EE - Bridge Planning 1 1 1 1

AEE - Bridge Planning 2 2 2 2

EE - Bridges 1 1 1 1

AEE - Bridges 4 4 4 4

EE - Bridge Design and Rating 1 1 1 1


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EAST ZONE WEST ZONE

Position Senior Management Middle Management

Admin Support

Total Senior Management

Middle Management

Admin Support

Total

AEE - Design and Ratting 2 2 2 2

Total 13 36 5 54 13 37 5 55


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In Table 6-2, we present a summary of system senior and middle management and administrative support staff.

Table 6-2: Summary of System Staff

Position Senior Management

Middle Management

Administrative Support

Total

Chief Engineer, System 1

1

AEE - System

1

1

Admin Assistant

1 1

ACE Testing 1

1

Admin Assistant

1 1

AEE - Data

2

2

AEE - Testing

2

2

ACE - Machinery & Vehicles 1

1

AEE - M&V

1

1

Admin Assistant

1 1

EE - Machine Planning & Procurement

1

1

AEE - Machine Planning & Procurement

2

2

EE - Machine Maintenance

0

SAME - Machine Maintenance

1

1

SAEE - Machine Maintenance

1

1

AEE - Allocation & Planning

2

2

EE - Vehicle Planning & Procurement

0

SAME - Vehicles

1

1

AEE - Vehicle Management

2

2

ACE - Policy & Standards 1

1

EE - Policy

1

1

EE Standards

1

1

Total 4 18 3 25


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7Equipment and Vehicles

Key Messages

This chapter provides summarized information on track machinery, vehicles and testing equipment requirements as well as approximate costs and leading suppliers of the equipment and vehicles.


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7.1 Introduction

In this chapter, we provide summaries of work equipment, vehicles and testing equipment requirements as well as approximate costs and leading suppliers of the equipment and vehicles. Prices exclude taxes and customs.

7.2 Track Machinery

Table 7-1 presents information on track machinery for mobile production gangs and Table 7-2 presents the same for mobile distribution gangs.

Figure 7-1 Matisa ballast regulator


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Table 7-1: Mobile Gang Machinery

Equipment Purpose Unit

Price

($M)

Potential Suppliers &

Manufacturers

Conventional

Tamping

Machine

To correct track alignment,

cross-level and profile on the

main line and secondary tracks.

Tamping speed on PCS sleepers

is typically about 1000 metres

per productive hour.

$1.25 Plasser

Harsco Track Technologies

MTH Prada A.S.

MATISA

Switch Tamper To correct track alignment,

cross-level and profile on

turnouts. Typically, production

is one switch per 4 productive

hours.

$1.35 Plasser


MTH Prada A.S.

MATISA

CAT Tamper To restore resiliency to ballast

and correct deficiencies in

vertical geometry. Tamping

speed is typically about 2500

metres per productive hr.

$2.00 Plasser


MTH Prada A.S.

MATISA

Ballast Regulator To spread and level track

ballast uniformly along the

track. Normally operated in

conjunction with tamper.

$0.75 Plasser


MTH Prada A.S.

MATISA

Knox Kershaw Inc.

KERSHAW (Progress Rail

Services)

NORDCO

Dynamic Track

Stabilizer

To stabilize track bed after

surfacing and ballast regulating

$1.35 Plasser


MTH Prada A.S.

Totals


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Table 7-2: Distribution Gang Equipment


Price

($M)


Manufacturers

Rail Car Mover Used for distribution of

material cars by Track

Maintenance

$0.50 VAIA CAR

TRACKMOBILE

SHUTTLEWAGON (NORDCO

Rail Services)


BRANDT Roar Rail Corporation

Stewart & Stevenson (Rail

King)

Ballast Wagons To deliver and distribute

ballast

$0.15 United Industrial (China)

Braithwaite & Co Limited

Modern Industries (India)

CNR Corporation China)

MATISA

Plasser

Herzog

7.3 Vehicles

Table 7-3 presents information on vehicles referenced in prior chapters.

Table 7-3 Vehicle Requirements

Vehicle Purpose Unit

Price

($M)


Manufacturers

RCR Track

Inspection

Vehicle

(c/w Hi-Rail

Attachment)

To be used for inspections

and day-to-day

transportation of Track

Inspectors and Mobile Gang

Foreman. Will be ordered as

RCR Vehicles with seating

capacity for 2 or 4 persons.

$0.100 Harsco Track

Technologies

G & B Specialties Inc.

FLEET BODY EQUIPMENT

Aquarius Railroad

Technologies Ltd.

RCR Track

Maintenance

Vehicle

(c/w Hi-Rail

Attachment &

Crane)

To be used for day-to-day

transportation by the Track

Maintenance Gangs. These

Units will be ordered as RCR

Vehicles c/w 5 Ton crane

attached to deck, hydraulic

power pack and storage

compartments. Seating

capacity for 6 persons.

$0.125 Harsco Track

Technologies



Aquarius Railroad

Technologies Ltd.


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Vehicle Purpose Unit

Price

($M)


Manufacturers

RCR Welding

Vehicle

(c/w Hi-Rail

Attachment &

Crane)


transportation by the

Welding Gangs. These Units

will be ordered as

Automotive vehicles

equipped with hi-rail gear

and crane.

$0.180 Harsco Track

Technologies

Brandt Road



Aquarius Railroad

Technologies Ltd.

RCR Boom

Trucks

(c/w Hi-Rail

Attachment &

Crane)

To be used for transporting

and distributing rail plus

sleepers and other track

material for maintenance

and to support mobile

gangs. Vehicles will be

equipped with hi-rail gear as

well as 7500 lb crane.

$0.300 Harsco Track

Technologies

Brandt Road

Aspen Aerials.

MOOG GmbH Under-

Bridge Access

Aquarius Railroad

Technologies Ltd.

RCR Bridges

Inspection

Vehicle

(c/w Hi-Rail

Attachment &

Crane)


transportation by the Bridge

Inspection and Maintenance

Gangs. These Units will be

equipped with hi-rail gear,

welder/generator, crane

and storage.

$0.180 Harsco Track

Technologies


Brandt Road

Aspen Aerials.

MOOG GmbH Under-

Bridge Access

Field

Mechanic

Vehicle


transportation by the

Equipment Field Mechanics.

These Units will be ordered

as road vehicles with

storage, hydraulic power

pack and storage.

$0.125 Harsco Track

Technologies

G &B Specialties Inc.


Aquarius Railroad

Technologies Ltd.

General

Purpose Road

Vehicles

These Units will be used for

day-to-day vehicles for

managers and for

transporting employees to

work sites. Seating and

storage space will vary

according to purpose of

vehicle.

$0.050 Land Rover

Toyota

Ford

General Motors

Chrysler

Tata

Nissan

7.4 Testing Equipment

Table 7-4 presents information on testing equipment.


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Table 7-4: Testing Equipment


Price

($M)

Potential Suppliers

& Manufacturers

Geometry

Recording Vehicle

(GRV)

To measure the track

geometry parameters

such as; gauge, cross-

level, alignment, twist,

warp, and surface.

5.00 Holland Company

Nordco

Mermec

Andian

Rail Flaw

Detection (RFD)

Vehicle

To identify internal rail

defects. The ultrasonic

probes are operated in

pulse-echo mode.

These are ±70° angle

beam probes used for

the railhead, ±35°

angle beam probes

used for the rail web

and rail foot as well as

0° normal probes also

used for coupling

check.

6.00 Sperry Rail Service

(SRS)

Dapco Industries, Inc.

(NORDCO Rail Services)

Speno Rail Services

Geismar Rail Services

Portable Track

Geometry

Measurement

Device

To be routinely

installed on the RCR

inspection vehicles of

alternating inspection

crews to supplement

visual observations.

0.07 Geismar Rail Services

Harsco Track

Technologies

ENSCO

7.5 Existing Equipment and Facilities

Track maintenance is largely done by manual labor in the same way it has been done since the inception of the rail network in the second half of nineteen century. This system is based on a calendar system in which track maintenance is done cyclically on a year basis by permanent way gang. Planned work is scheduled between October and May in order to avoid the monsoon season.

Maintenance gangs are equipped with basic hand tools as well as push lorries or push trolleys. Some gangs have power tool such as rail saws, drills, and jacks but none were observed during inspections of hand work. Employees generally walk to work sites. Gang cars with trailers are also available in both the zones which are used for transportation of permanent way materials from one place to another for maintenance of railway track. Motorized deep lorries are shared among gangs for moving materials (rail and sleepers) to work sites.


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Wooden and steel trough sleeper territories are maintained manually. Maintenance is currently hampered due to acute shortage of manpower.

In recent years, BR has procured tamping machines for use on concrete sleeper territory. In the East Zone, there are four metre-gauge tamping machines based at the bridge workshop at Kadamtoli, Chittagong. In the West Zone, there are two broad-gauge machines; one stationed at Joydebpur and the other at Parbatipur. They work on both dual and broad gauge track. Five units are Plasser & Theuer 08-16M and one is Mark-VI of Harsco Rail. Units were purchased between 1996 and 2014.

At most times, all machines are not workable due to lack of parts and experienced/skilled technical maintenance personnel; and the oldest unit is classified as “out of order”. Depending on condition, most units could be used as part of MTMU. However, they would require detailed inspection and repair; and their expected remaining life and performance would need to be factored into maintenance plans.

In addition to the tamping machines, BR has:

• 11 heavy duty gang cars with trailers (7 in the East and 4 in the West Zone)

• 1 Hydraulic Portal Crane (Model PTH 350)

• 1 Geometry Track inspection/ recording car (out of order),

• Track relaying machine.

It is unlikely that any of the machines beyond that gang cars/trailers and possibly the crane will be out of value under the MTMU regime; but detailed inspections are needed to verify this.


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8Phased Implementation

In addition to 3 different track gauge configurations (metre, broad and dual), the railway network of Bangladesh is composed of track of:

• Three different sleeper types (PCS, steel trough, and wooden);

• Two rail sections (75A and 90 A) laid as long welded rail (LWR); short welded rail (SWR) and jointed; and

• Track of varying states of condition especially as it relates to the quantity and quality of ballast.

Sleeper type does in no manner preclude the use of mechanized maintenance; though slightly different equipment is required for some work (largely due to differences in type of fastening). Rail section and whether jointed, SWR or LWR has no significant bearing on equipment used for mechanized maintenance. However, it is necessary to have sleepers in reasonable condition and sufficient quantities of quality ballast in place; especially cushion ballast which should be at least 250 below the bottom of the sleepers.


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Source: Bangladesh Railway

Figure 8-1 Gauges and Number of Tracks of the Bangladesh Railway Network


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Source: Bangladesh Railway

Figure 8-2 Sleeper Type


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8.1 Phase 1 Implementation

In general, the lines in better condition are those with PCS sleepers. As such, we recommend that mechanized maintenance and all of the recommendations of this report be implemented initially on lines of PCS sleepers. In order to implement mechanized maintenance, it will be necessary to increase the ballast cushion to at least 250 mm (10”). Ideally, at the same time, missing or damaged sleepers should be replaced (but this is not essential for implementation).

In the tables that follow, we present the lines we propose for phase 1 implementation. We recommend that Phase 1 implementation include no lines that are isolated from the rest of the lines of Phase 1 so to best assure effective implementation. Following phase 1 implementation, as new lines are introduced and existing one are rehabilitated to PCS sleepers and minimum ballast requirements, mechanized maintenance be implemented.

Table 8-1 East Zone – Phase 1 Implementation

Section Length

(route-km) Gauge Tracks Rail Sleepers Ballast

Cushion

2 Dhaka to Tongi 22.94 Dual Double 90A PCS 0-6” U&D line

3 Tongi to Bhairab Bazar 64 Metre Double 75A/90A

PCS 0-8” U line / 0-10” D line

4 Bhairab Bazar- Akhaura 33 Metre Single 75A PCS 0-6”U&D line

5 Akhaura to Laksam 71.24 Metre Double 75A PCS 0-6”U&D line Ongoing 0-10”

6 Laksam to Chandpur 51 Metre Single 75A PCS 0-8”

8 Laksam to chinkiastana 60.78 Metre Double 75A / 90 A

PCS 0-6”U line / 0-10”D line

9 Chittagong to Chinkiastana 68.62 Metre Double 75A PCS 0-6”U&D line

12 Foteabad to Nazirhat 23.33 Metre Single 75A PCS 0-8”

13 Sholashahar to Dohazari 40.6 Metre Single 75A PCS 0ngoing 0-8”

14 Faujderhat to CGPY 10.75 Metre Single 75A PCS 0-6”

15 Tongi to Joydebpur 11.27 Dual Single 90A PCS 0-6”

17 Mymensing to Jamalpur 53 Metre Single 75A PCS 0-8”

22 Tarakandhi to BanghaBandhu bridge/East

37.6 Metre Single 75A PCS 0-4”

27 Akhaura to Sylhet 176 Metre Single 75A PCS 0-5”


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Table 8-2 West Zone – Phase 1 Implementation

No Section Length

(route-km) Gauge Tracks Rail Sleepers

Ballast Cusion

3 Parbatipur to Panchaghar 132.39 Dual single 90A PCS 0-8”

4 Kanchan to Birol 6 Dual single 90A PCS 0-8”

10 Chilahati to Saidpur 52.47 Broad single 90A PCS 0-8”

11 Saidpur to Parbatipur 15 Dual single 90A PCS 0-4"

12 Parbatipur to Ishardhi 174.4 Dual single 90A PCS 0-8”

13 Ishardhi to Jamtoil 42.7 Dual single 90A PCS 0-8”

14 Jamtoil to Joydebpur 130.7 Dual single 90A PCS 0-8”

The following two tables present summaries of the lines proposed for phase 1 implementation:

Table 8-3 Summary of Lines Proposed for Phase 1 on East Zone

Tracks Metre Dual Broad Total

Single 425.28 11.27 0 436.55

Double 264.64 22.94 0 287.58

Total 689.92 34.21 0 724.13

Table 8-4 Summary of Lines Proposed for Phase 1 on West Zone

Tracks Metre Dual Broad Total

Single 0 501.19 52.47 553.66

Double 0 0 0 0

Total 0 501.19 52.47 553.66


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Figure 8-3 Lines Included in Phase 1 Implementation


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8.2 Rehabilitation Requirements for Phase 1 Implementation

To implement mechanized track maintenance on phase lines, it will be necessary to increase the depth of clean ballast below the sleepers so there is at least a 10” (250 mm) cushion. In the following tables we categorized the lines into the amount of ballast required (6”, 4” and 2”). Before commencing with the work, it is recommended to replace defective (and missing) sleepers, rail and fasteners.

Table 8-5 Rehabilitation Work for Phase 1 Implementation – East Zone

Priority 1

No Section Length (route-km)

Gauge Tracks 6" ballast upgrade

22 Tarakandhi to BanghaBandhu bridge/East 37.6 Metre Single 37.6

27 Akhaura to Sylhet 176 Metre Single 176

TOTAL 213.6

Priority 2



2 Dhaka to Tongi 22.94 Dual Double 45.88

4 Bhairab Bazar- Akhaura 33 Metre Single 33

5 Akhaura to Laksam 71.24 Metre Double 71.24

8 Laksam to chinkiastana 60.78 Metre Double 60.78

9 Chittagong to Chinkiastana 68.62 Metre Double 137.24

14 Faujderhat to CGPY 10.75 Metre Single 10.75

15 Tongi to Joydebpur 11.27 Dual Single 11.27

TOTAL 370.16

Priority 3



3 Tongi to Bhairab Bazar 64 Metre Double 64

6 Laksam to Chandpur 51 Metre Single 51

12 Foteabad to Nazirhat 23.33 Metre Single 23.33

13 Sholashahar to Dohazari 40.6 Metre Single 40.6

17 Mymensing to Jamalpur 53 Metre Single 53

TOTAL 231.93

Table 8-6 Rehabilitation Work for Phase 1 Implementation – West Zone

Priority 1



11 Saidpur to Parbatipur 15 Dual single 15

TOTAL 15


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Priority 3



3 Parbatipur to Panchaghar 132.39 Dual single 132.39

4 Kanchan to Birol 6 Dual single 6

10 Chilahati to Saidpur 52.47 Broad single 52.47

12 Parbatipur to Ishardhi 174.4 Dual single 174.4

13 Ishardhi to Jamtoil 42.7 Dual single 42.7

14 Jamtoil to Joydebpur 130.7 Dual single 130.7

TOTAL 538.66

This work could either be outsourced or the mechanized track maintenance unit implemented and this assigned as the first task. Our analysis is based on the latter.

8.2.1 Track Machinery Required for Upgrades

For a 2” lift, we have used daily tamping machine production of 1500 m (as per section 4.3.4). On account of additional tamper passes being required, we have used daily production rates of 1250 metres and 1000 metres for 6” and 4” lifts respectively. The estimated tamper-days are 619 days and 420 days respectively for metre and broad/dual gauge lines. Based on 220 production days per year, three tampers will be required for metre gauge and two for broad/dual gauge in order to complete the work within 1 year. This is our recommendation.

Table 8-7 Summary of Upgrades for Phase 1 Implementation

Rehabilitation work Metre – track-km

Broad or Dual – track-km

Tamper Production (metres/day)

Total Days - Metre

Total Days - Broad or Dual

6" ballast lift and track tamping

213.6 15 1,000 214 15


313.01 57.15 1,250 250 46


231.93 538.66 1,500 155 359

Total 619 420

Each of the five tamping machines will be part of Conventional Track Tamping Gang (CTTG) which will consist of:

• 1 Conventional Tamping Machine

• 2 ballast regulators


Gang consist will include 1 foremen, 4 operators and 2 track maintainers. Vehicles will include a RCR track inspection vehicle (as used by track inspectors) and a crew cab truck (RCR not required).


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Each CTTG will need to be accompanied by a Ballast Distribution Gangs (BDG) consisting of

• Railcar mover,

• 12 Ballast wagons.

Gang consist will include 1 foremen, 1 operator and 4 track maintainers; and a crew cab truck (RCR not required).

Lastly, as switches will need to be lifted along with the track, we recommend that a Switch Tamping Gang (STG) also be procured and activated on both metre and broad/dual gauge lines. Switch Tamping Gangs will be composed of:

• 1 Switch Tamper



Gang consist will include 1 foremen, 3 operators and 3 track maintainers. Vehicle assignment will be two crew cab trucks (RCR not required).

Table 8-8 Gang Requirements for Phase 1 Upgrades

Gang Metre Gauge Broad/Dual Gauge

Conventional Track Tamping Gang (CTTG) 3 2

Ballast Distribution Gangs (BDG) 3 2

Switch Tamping Gang (STG) 1 1

The total estimated cost to procure equipment to upgrade the tracks is USD 40.6 M including 4 equipped Field Mechanic Vehicles for field mechanics to support the gang.

Table 8-9 Track Machinery Requirements for Phase 1 Upgrades

Equipment Unit Price (M USD) Quantity Estimated Cost (M USD)

Conventional Tamping Machine $1.25 5 $6.25

Switch Tamper $1.35 2 $2.70

Ballast Regulator $0.75 12 $9.00

Dynamic Track Stabilizer $1.35 7 $9.45

Rail Car Mover $0.50 5 $2.50

Ballast Wagons $0.15 60 $9.00

RCR Track Inspection Vehicle $0.10 5 $0.50

General Purpose Road Vehicle $0.05 14 $0.70

Field Mechanic Vehicle $0.125 4 $0.50

Total $40.6

It is our recommendation that during upgrades the gangs work in close proximity at all times and only from one line to another when work is completed.


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8.2.2 Ballast Required for Upgrades

The estimated costs for quarrying and delivery of ballast to a railhead and loading into ballast cars is $31.2 M as detailed below.

Table 8-10 Ballast for Phase 1 Upgrades

Rehabilitation work Metre (km) Broad or Dual (km)

Cost per km (metre gauge)

Cost per km (broad gauge)

Total Cost (M USD)


213.6 15 $40,500 $47,250 $9.4


313.01 57.15 $27,000 $31,500 $10.3


231.93 538.66 $13,500 $15,750 $11.6

Total $31.2

8.3 Resource Requirements on Phase 1

8.3.1 Phase 1 Network Size

In the following tables, we present summarizes of the lines that will be included in phase 1.

Table 8-11 Phase 1 (track-km)

Zone Metre Dual Broad Total

East 1048.56 57.15 0 1105.71

West 0 501.19 52.47 553.66

Total 1048.56 558.34 52.47 1659.37

In prior chapters, when describing recommended practices and technologies, we presented requirements as a function of the amount of mainline track. In the following section, we apply the quantities for phase 1 to derive resource requirements.

8.3.2 Track and Bridge Inspection Crews

Track crews were determined to be required for every 80 route-km of double mainline track and every 120 route-km on single mainline track for a total of 13 crews (8 metre gauge and 5 on broad/dual gauge) for phase 1.

Table 8-12 Track and Bridge Inspection Crews

Crew Metre Gauge Broad or Dual Gauge

Track Inspector Crews required

Single Mainline Track 519.28 565.93 9

Double Mainline Track 264.64 22.94 4

Total 8 5 13


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As indicated, we also recommended a single Portable Track Geometry Measurement Devices shared between three or four Track Inspection Crews. As such, we are recommended a total of five units (three and two for metre and broad gauge respectively).

Each crew will be composed of two men. We recommend for track inspection crews, three inspectors be staffed for each crew to permit for seven days per week of inspections and allow for vacations and holidays. Total inspectors required is estimated to be 39 track inspectors. Each crew will require a RCR vehicle; though we recommend no less than two spare track inspection vehicles for metre gauge and one for broad gauge to permit inspections to occur while vehicles are in for maintenance.

Bridge inspection crews were determined to be required for every 80 track-km of mainline track resulting in a total of 22 Bridge Inspection Crews for Phase 1. Each crew will be composed of two men and be equipped with an RCR vehicle for a requirement of 44 bridge inspectors and 22 bridge inspection vehicles.

Investment requirements are estimated to be $5.81 as summarized below. Included in the cost of vehicles will be communications and computer technology for reporting and receiving reports on infrastructure condition.

Table 8-13 Inspection Vehicles and Equipment Required for Phase 1

Vehicle Units

Required

Unit Price

($M)

Total Cost

(SM)

RCR Track Inspection Vehicle 16 $0.100 1.60

RCR Bridges Inspection Vehicle 22 $0.180 3.86

Portable Track Geometry Measurement Device 5 $0.07 0.35

Total 5.81

8.3.3 Testing and Monitoring

Geometry Rail Car (GRC) and RFD (RFD) vehicles can test approximately 75,000 and 30,000 track-km per year. A single unit of either for metre and/or broad gauge will allow testing frequency far in excess of required for the mainline. The question then becomes one of whether the acquisition should be made at Phase 1 or when more lines (or perhaps the whole network) have MTMU implemented. It is our opinion that investment should made at phase 1 as the equipment can be used on lines that have yet to be upgraded and MTMU not implemented. However, the primary focus should be testing of lines that have had MTMU implemented. As such, we recommend one GRC and RFD vehicles both metre and broad gauge at Phase 1 for a total estimated investment costs of $22M.

Table 8-14 Phase 1 Testing Equipment

Equipment Units Unit Price

($M)

Total Price ($M)

Geometry Recording Vehicle (GRV) 2 5 10

Rail Flaw Detection (RFD) Vehicle 2 6 12

Total 22


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We have not included for Ride Quality Monitoring units but do recommend that BR fit one newer locomotive for metre gauge and broad gauge with the equipment in the foreseeable future.

8.3.4 Local Maintenance Gangs

Maintenance gangs will be based along the main track at intervals of 40 or 80 km on double main track and at 60 and 120 on single main track. These were used to estimate gang, manpower and vehicle requirements.

Table 8-15 Territories of Maintenance Gangs



Gang


Gang





Table 8-16 Phase 1 Territory (route-km)

Zone Double Track Single Track Total

East 287.58 530.55 818.13

West 0 553.66 553.66

Total 287.58 1084.21 1371.79

Maintenance employee requirements were estimated to be 299 using this methodology.

Table 8-17 Maintenance Gangs, Employees and Vehicle requirements for Phase 1

Gang Gangs Employees Vehicles





Total 299 65

We have allowed for four spare track maintenance vehicles and two spares each for the other three vehicle types. As such, seventy-five vehicles are estimated to be required at an anticipated costs of $11.7 M.


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Table 8-18 Vehicle Requirements for Maintenance Gangs in Phase 1

Gang No. of Vehicles

Type of Vehicle Unit Cost ($M)

Total Cost ($M)

Track Maintenance Gang (TMG) 30 RCR Track Maintenance Vehicle 0.13 3.75

Rail Maintenance Gang (RMG) 15 RCR Welding Vehicle 0.18 2.7

Material Distribution Gang (MDG) 15 RCR Boom Trucks 0.30 4.5

Civil Maintenance Gang (CMG) 15 Crew Cab Truck 0.05 0.75

Total 11.7


Equipment and vehicles procured for Conventional Track Tamping Gang (CTTG), Switch Tamping Gang (STG) and Ballast Distribution Gangs (BDG) to be used in the rehabilitation of Phase 1 lines exceed the requirements for Phase 1 maintenance. As such, there has been now allowance for equipment and vehicles for these gangs. However, CAT Gangs will be required for metre gauge and broad gauge. Total estimated procurement cost is $6.30 M.

Table 8-19 Mechanized Machine Requirements for Phase 1

Equipment Unit Price (M USD) Quantity Estimated Cost (M USD)

CAT Tamper 2.00 2 4.00

Ballast Regulator 0.75 2 1.50

Dynamic Track Stabilizer 1.35 2 2.70

General Purpose Road Vehicle 0.05 2 0.10

Total $6.30

8.3.6 Maintenance Headquarters

We have recommend that inspection crews and maintenance gangs be based at headquarters spaced at every 80 km on double track and every 120 km on single track. The headquarters should include building that include rooms for rooms for computers, washrooms and lunchrooms. There should be spaces for parking of ten vehicles as well as siding track (of about 100 metres) off the mainline for parking of track machinery. The entire site will need to be fenced in and well-lit for reasons of security. We have estimated a unit cost of $0.5 for a total cost of $6.5 M for the 13 headquarters.

8.3.7 Maintenance Depots

We recommend that two maintenance depots be established for Phase 1 at Ishurdi Junction and Chittagong. The Ishurdi depot will be used for broad gauge equipment and vehicles and the Chittagong depot will be used for metre gauge equipment and vehicles. We estimate a costs of $5M per depot for structures, facilities and equipment based on the depots being built on land owned by BR and currently used for railway purposes.

8.3.8 Management Structure

It is not essential to implement the entire recommended organization for successful implementation of Phase 1. However, we recommend to implement the structure at Phase 1 and then manage the lines


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not included in Phase 1 within the structure though with adjustments to reflect the more rudimentary and traditional maintenance techniques until MTMU is implemented. In due course, the complete organization and management regime will be put in place as new and rehabilitated lines are put in place.

It will be necessary to update the technologies of BR to be able to collect and manage data from inspection vehicles as well as visual inspection records from track and bridge inspectors. In addition, the technology needs to have the functionality to provide real-time information to field personnel on infrastructure condition and maintenance requirements. Lastly, the systems will be used to develop maintenance plans and permit monitoring performance against them. For this, we have budgeted $2M. Telecommunications and computers for vehicles, track machinery, testing equipment, maintenance depots and maintenance headquarters are included in the budget for these items.

8.4 Implementation after Phase 1

After Phase 1, mechanized track maintenance and other recommendations of this report will be implemented on lines once they have been constructed or rehabilitated with precast concrete sleepers (PCS) and a minimum clean ballast cushion of 250 mm. The schedule and budget for this work is included in the masterplan. In the next section, we identify the resource requirements for implementation on the entire existing network (once upgraded to acceptable standard). As new lines are introduced, it will be necessary to acquire new track machinery and vehicles for use on the lines.

8.5 Resource Requirements for Implementation on Existing Network

8.5.1 Existing Network Size

In the following tables, we present summarizes of the lines that size of the existing network and will be used to calculate resource requirements.

Table 8-20 Network in Route-km

Zone Metre Broad Dual Total

East 1205.5 0.0 34.2 1239.7

West 386.2 654.0 501.2 1541.3

Total 1591.6 654.0 535.4 2781.0

Table 8-21 Network in Track-km

Zone Metre Broad Dual Total

East 1438.3 0.0 68.4 1506.7

West 386.2 735.0 501.2 1622.3

Total 1824.5 735.0 569.6 3129.1


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Table 8-22 Network Size in Route-km


East 267.1 972.6 1239.7

West 81.0 1460.3 1541.3

Total 348.1 2433.0 2781.0

8.5.2 Bridge and Track Inspection Crews

Track and inspection crews were determined to be required for every 80 route-km of double mainline track and 120 route-km of single mainline track resulting in a total of 25 Track Inspection Crews, as follows.

Table 8-23 Calculation of Track Inspection Crew Requirements

Crew Metre Gauge Broad or Dual Gauge

Track Inspector Crews required

Single Mainline Track 519.28 565.93 21

Double Mainline Track 264.64 22.94 4

Total 14 11 25

In addition, we recommend bridge inspection crew territories of 80 track-km for bridge inspection crews for a total of 40 crews as follows.

Table 8-24 Calculation of Bridge Inspection Crew Requirements

Crew Territory (track-km)

Metre gauge Required

Broad/Dual Gauge Required

Bridge Inspection Crews 80 23 17

As indicated, we also recommended a single Portable Track Geometry Measurement Devices shared between three or four Track Inspection Crews. As such, we are recommended a total of nine units (five and four for metre and broad gauge respectively).

Each crew will be composed of two men. We recommend for track inspection crews, three inspectors be staffed for each crew to permit for seven days per week of inspections and allow for vacations and holidays. Total requirement is estimated to be 75 track inspectors and 80 bridge inspectors; an additional 36 and 36 respectively after Phase 1.

Each crew will require a RCR vehicle; though we recommend no less than three spare track inspection vehicles for metre gauge and two for broad gauge to permit inspections to occur while vehicles are in for maintenance. Investment requirements are estimated to be USD 10.8M as summarized below.


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Table 8-25 Inspection Vehicles and Equipment Required for Phase 1

Vehicle Units

Required

Unit Price

($M)

Total Cost

(SM)

RCR Track Inspection Vehicle 30 $0.100 3.00

RCR Bridges Inspection Vehicle 40 $0.180 7.20

Portable Track Geometry Measurement Device 9 $0.07 0.63

Total 10.83

There are an additional 14, 18 and 4 units required after Phase 1 for a total additional investment of $5.02 M.

8.5.3 Testing and Monitoring

Geometry Rail Car (GRC) and RFD (RFD) vehicles can test approximately 75,000 and 30,000 track-km per year. A single unit of either for metre and/or broad gauge will allow testing frequency far in excess of required for the mainline of the existing mainline. This is the same number as recommend for acquisition for Phase 1 so no additional units should be required after Phase 1.

We have allowed for two operators on both GRC and RFD equipment. To allow time for travel, vacation and training, three operators per unit be required on staff. Total will be twelve operators.

Scheduling of the testing equipment as well as verification and maintenance of test data will be done centrally. We recommend three data analysts each for GRC and RFD testing equipment for a total of six. Data from visual inspections (by track and bridge inspectors) will also be verified and managed centrally by two analysts for each zone. As such, a total of ten data analyst will be required.

8.5.4 Local Maintenance Gangs

Maintenance gangs will be based along the main track at intervals of 40 or 80 km on double main track and at 60 and 120 on single main track. These were used to estimate gang, manpower and vehicle requirements.

Table 8-26 Territories of Maintenance Gangs



Gang


Gang





Table 8-27 Phase 1 Territory (route-km)



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East 267.1 972.6 1239.7

West 81.0 1460.3 1541.3

Total 348.1 2433.0 2781.0

Maintenance employee requirements were estimated to be 575 using this methodology. This is an additional 276 employees from Phase 1.

Table 8-28 Maintenance Gangs, Employees and Vehicle requirements for Phase 1

Gang Gangs Employees Vehicles





Total 50 575

We have allowed for eight spare track maintenance vehicles and four spares each for the other three vehicle types. As such, 145 vehicles are estimated to be required at an anticipated costs of $22.6 M. This is an additional $10.9 M from the Phase 1 investment.

Table 8-29 Maintenance Gang Vehicle Requirements for Phase 1

Gang No. of Vehicles

Type of Vehicle Unit Cost ($M)

Total Cost ($M)

Track Maintenance Gang (TMG) 58 RCR Track Maintenance Vehicle 0.13 7.25

Rail Maintenance Gang (RMG) 29 RCR Welding Vehicle 0.18 5.22

Material Distribution Gang (MDG) 29 RCR Boom Trucks 0.30 8.70

Civil Maintenance Gang (CMG) 29 Crew Cab Truck 0.05 1.45

Total 22.62


Mechanized track maintenance equipment and vehicles procured for Phase 1 will be sufficient for full implementation on the entire current network. As such, no additional investment will be required in machinery and vehicles.

Table 8-30 MTMU Gang Positions

Gang Metre Gauge Gangs

Broad Gauge Gangs

Employees per gang

Employees

Conventional Track Tamping Gang (CTTG) 3 2 7 35

CAT Gang (CATG) 1 1 4 8

Ballast Distribution Gangs (BDG) 3 2 6 30

Switch Tamping Gang (STG) 1 1 7 14

Total 87


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Staffing for Phase 1 and afterwards will consist of 87 position plus 18 spares to allow for training, vacation and illness.

8.5.6 Maintenance Headquarters

Fully implemented, we estimated a total of 25 section headquarters will be required; this is an addition of 12 to the 13 required for Phase 1. We have estimated a unit cost of $0.5 for a total cost of $6.0 M for the 12 headquarters.

8.5.7 Maintenance Depots

Two additional maintenance depots will need to be established in addition to those required for Phase 1. The locations will be at Parbatipur Junction for and Chittagong/Pahartali receptively for broad gauge equipment and vehicles and for metre gauge equipment and vehicles. The total additional depots are estimated to costs $5M.

Depot staff will include five mechanics and one mechanic foreman per depot for a total of 24 staff at full implementation. Two MTMU gangs will be assigned to a field mechanic; thus seven field mechanics for the 14 gangs.

8.5.8 Management Structure

It is not essential to implement the entire recommended organization for successful implementation of Phase 1. However, it is our recommendation to implement the structure at Phase 1 and then manage the lines not included in Phase 1 within the structure though with adjustments to reflect the more rudimentary and traditional maintenance techniques until MTMU is implemented.

As per section 6.4, we proposed a total 55 staff for zonal management and administration; and 25 for system management for system management and administration.

8.5.9 Staff Levels at Full Implementation

The table below provides a summary of staff requirements at full implementation on the existing network.

Table 8-31 Staff Level at Full Implementation

Classification Employees

Track and Bridge Inspectors 200

Testing Equipment Operators and Data Analysts 32

Local Mechanized Gangs 575

Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit (MTMU) 105

Equipment and Vehicle Maintenance Depots 31

Management and Administrative 80

Total 1023

Staff levels as presented here will be used in benchmarking against international railways.


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8.6 Summary of Investment Requirements

In the table that follows, we present the investment requirements. It should be noted we have excluded investments for maintenance depots for machinery and vehicles as this is the focus of a related study.

Table 8-32 Investment Requirements

Investment Item Estimated

Investment ($ M)

Approximate

Year

Phase 1 Upgrades

Mechanized Track Maintenance Machines & Vehicles 40.6 1-2

Ballast 30.2 1-2

Phase 1 Implementation

Inspection Vehicles and Equipment 5.81 2-4

Testing Equipment 22.0 2-4

Local Maintenance Gang Vehicles and Equipment 11.7 2-4

Mechanized Track Maintenance Machinery & Vehicles 6.3 2-4

Maintenance Headquarters 6.5 2-4

Maintenance Depots 10 2-4

Central Telecommunications and Computer Technology 2 2-4

Post-Phase 1 Implementation

Inspection Vehicles and Equipment 5.03 >5

Local Maintenance Gang Vehicles and Equipment 10.9 >5

Maintenance Headquarters 6.0 >5

Maintenance Depots 10 >5

Sub-total 167.0

Taxes and duties – 40% 67.0

Total 234.0


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9Implementation Plan

9.1 Implementation Roadmap

We suggest that a team be formed to develop the roadmap and the lead all phases of implementation. The implementation team should be led by a strong leader who has the necessarily railway knowledge and credibility but is also open to new ways and to leading change. In fact, it will be necessary to balance railway and BR knowledge with an openness to change and ability to envisage how things can be done in ways different from the “BR way”. Expertise that will be needed to be part of the team will include:

• Technical (track, bridges, machinery);

• Procurement;

• Financial and budgetary;

• Organizational change; and

• Human Resources (retrenchment, training; recruitment and selections).

Although not critical, it may be prudent to engage Consultants, at least with the more critical aspects or where the necessary expertise is not available at BR.

Once the implementation plan has been prepared, it will be critical to execute it in an orderly manner; and that will involve executing the plan to script and updating the plan as circumstances dictate. However, the most important element will be effective communications. Effective communications starts with internal communications between team members; and also includes continuous and two-way dialogue with political and railways champions of the plan. But most importantly, it must focus on communications to employees (those most effected by the change) and railway customers, suppliers and other stakeholder in addition to the general public.


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As implementation is undertaken in phases, team members should become part of the permanent maintenance organizations as they will have the background and commitment which will be important to implementation. As such, it will be necessary for the implementation to be dynamic permitting the continued inflow of new approaches and ideas as phased implementation is rolled out. Some of the key participants in the group could include people from operations, maintenance, human resources, training, establishment, finance & accounts etc.

Critical elements of the roadmap include:

• Procurement of necessary machinery, vehicles and technologies as well as depots and section headquarters; and eventually commissioning and testing of same;

• Recruitment and selection of the new maintenance staff from current roster of employees and external candidates;

• Development and execution of training programs;

• Funding and financing for equipment (machinery, vehicles, and technologies), depot facilities and human resource programs (training, retrenchment and recruitment/selection).

Each is discussed in the following sections.

9.2 Procurement Plan

The recommendations in this in this report largely consist of equipment to be acquired for the sole use of the staff of Bangladesh Railway. However, we have recommended that certain services be outsourced (as per section 4.2) including:

• Ownership, operation and maintenance of specialized equipment such as ultrasonic rail flaw detection, rail grinding train and off-track re-railing cranes;

• Storage and delivery of materials and spares;

• Maintenance of station buildings, depot facilities; and

• Major works to bridge and structures.

• Automotive maintenance of RCR and road vehicles.

In addition, for a number of services, although we have assumed that they would be undertaken in-house, we have recommended that consideration also be given to outsourcing these (Section 2.3). They include:

• Ownership, operation and maintenance of specialized equipment such as geometry evaluation vehicles, rail lubrication equipment, continuous action tampers and under-cutters


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• Maintenance of track machinery and equipment (RCR equipment, booms, hydraulic power packs).

We recommend that as a first step, Bangladesh Railways issue a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEOI) or pre-qualification process for the services referenced above. This will provide a low cost and quick way to test the level and nature of interest of potential international and Bangladeshi private sector participants. It is our opinion that advertising the opportunities in Bangladeshi and international newspapers, magazine and trade journals will not be sufficient to generate interest. It is recommended that BR contact railway suppliers and service providers to assess their specific interest in the Bangladesh rail sector. Equipment suppliers to be contacted include Plasser, Matisa, Brandt Road Railer, Holland Company and Knox Kershaw Inc. (to name a few). Rail speciality service providers to be contacted include Loram Maintenance Of Way Inc., Sperry Rail Service (SRS), Dapco Industries, Inc. (NORDCO Rail Services), Speno Rail Services and Geismar Rail Services (to name a few). By engaging these companies before the issuance of the RFEOI will permit tailoring it to attract most interest. In addition, engaging them through the process will best assure Expressions of Interest (EOI) are submitted.

After the EOI, decisions will need to be made as to procurement structures for equipment and services. This could range from procurement of equipment by BR (with operations and maintenance and operations by them) through to a service contract (such as for rail flaw detection (RFD)) where equipment is owned, operated and maintained by the service provider. Between the two schemes, there remains a few others.

Service contracts could be used for all types of infrastructure testing and for major rehabilitation work such as surfacing, component renewal, and ballast improvements. They would reduce BR’s initial investment but result in higher operating costs. They also offer the potential of significantly reducing staff levels.

For maintenance facilities and even stations, even higher levels of private sector participation can be considered. It is possible that public–private partnership (PPP, 3P or P3) can be used for the delivery and ownership of maintenance facilities. It is possible to bundle maintenance and operation of these facilities into the PPP. A very similar structure can be utilized for facilities and services for the storage and delivery of materials and spares.

It is impossible at this stage to make recommendations as to how to procure the identified services and equipment. This can only be done once there is an understanding of the degree and nature of interest of possible private sector participants; relative to BR’s appetite for engaging them. At this time it will be necessary to undertake analysis to assess how to optimally package equipment and services. This could range from small procurements of specialized services or equipment through to large packages covering multiple services and equipment.

ProcurementProcurement

with maintenance contract

Procurement with maintenance

and operations contract

Service Contract


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9.3 Recruitment and Selection Plan

A detailed staffing plan will be required to manage the deployment needs of staff across the entire project of mechanised maintenance. Some of the aspects to critically assess, evaluate and deliver include:

• Current levels and quality of staffing in the existing sections/units where mechanisation is envisaged

• Impact of mechanisation – proposed numbers as referenced above versus the existing staff levels including skill levels and retirement considerations

• Assessment of skill gaps, mobility, interest levels, motivation and reskilling requirements of BR employees impacted by the transition

• Creation of a staffing plan in line with the procurement and deployment plan so that trained and motivated manpower is available for the success of the initiatives

• Creation of a redeployment plan for employees who have been rendered surplus in the transition to mechanised maintenance and absorbing them in other departments of BR specifically looking at skills, interests, motivation and mobility.

Specific recommendations include the following –

• Recruitment & Selection Process – should include the following aspects:

o Analysing the requirements of each job

o Attracting employees to that job – first internally and then if unfilled externally

o Screening and selecting applicants, hiring

o Induction and handholding for Integrating the newly hired employees in to the existing organisation

• Flexible Staffing Options – it is important for BR to be flexible in staffing critical skill sets which need specialist attention and open to hiring on contract so that in medium term further internal staff capability can be built.

• Talent Pool – to enhance the talent pool both internally and externally there is a need to effectively communicate the process through various channels. Care must be taken to communicate and attract within the current recruitment policies of BR. Also opportunities for staff deputations from other Government agencies should be equally explored where the skill sets identified could be readily available.

• Assessment Methodologies – it is imperative that identification of the right people for the positions is important. So sufficient emphasis has to be put on assessment methodologies, both technical and behavioural. Specific trade tests and psychometric


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instruments should be used to enhance the effectiveness of the process. Additional help from OEM/Technical Partners can also be taken in designing assessment tools specific to the needs of the jobs.

• Strong Project Management –strong project management is critical to ensure that activities which are envisaged are performed in line with the requirements of the change/transition. Specific care should be taken to build in lead times for administrative processes, procurement, technology up gradations, training and related activities.

• Change Management Specialist/Cell – for successful implementation of this initiative, a specialised change management specialist/cell is recommended to help BR in the transition. The position/cell can be in place the entire duration of the project of transition. It will be responsible for initiatives such as communication, training, and getting stakeholder buy-in.

9.4 Training Plan

In line with the assessment and recommendations for strengthening of the Railway Training Academy and WTUs (which were submitted in a separate addendum to this study), additional emphasis has to be given to provide the training plan for successful implementation of mechanised maintenance. In Appendix B, we present successful international case studies of training program for mechanized maintenance. From these, we have drawn a list of recommendations, as follows:

• Design of a contextual and relevant training curriculum factoring in existing skill levels and desired skill levels on the job

• Integration of the current skill levels at assessment, and design of a customised training plan at individual level

• Separation of the training needs for new recruits and redeployed staff from manual maintenance/ other functions

• Design of end of course assessment tests to ensure that trained and certified professionals are deployed on the specific jobs. These tests would need to be designed assess the individuals on their skill development after the training

Specific recommendations include the following –

• Centre of Excellence (CoE) – a specific CoE should be created in the Railway Training Academy to focus on this initiative. This CoE will play a nodal role for future training & development in this area. The CoE to be staffed at a Chief Training Officer level, with sufficient support being provided with 2 Senior Training Officers, and 2-3 full time Instructors.

• Integration with OEMs/Technical Partners – The training organisation should get involved in the process very early and start participating in discussions with OEMs/Technical


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Partners even before procurement process begins so as to be able to institute best practices into the training systems and processes.

• Training Schedule – a detailed training schedule should be created in line with the needs for mechanisation and maintenance including inspection, testing and monitoring of infrastructure; the wear and failure of railway components and infrastructure; organization of maintenance and inspection activities under a modernized maintenance organization; and introductions to mechanised machinery, vehicles and testing equipment.

• Training Contents – should include a mix of theory/classroom and practical training followed by on-the-job training. Sufficient care should be taken to create courses for all modules in both English and Bengali so that the training plan can be implemented successfully.

• Train the Trainer – approach is recommended to ensure that the effectiveness of the training delivery and sufficient organizational capacity to take this initiative forward. A list of interested and motivated staff who want to be trainers should be identified and trained extensively both in Bangladesh and abroad so that they can further replicate these programs to larger audiences.

• Practical Training – for this to be successful sufficient emphasis has to be placed on models, working templates, live demos and other miniatures available for ensuring that the training provided is effective to manage the needs of the transition. Additionally OEMs should be effectively used to deliver on-the-job, equipment specific training.

• Training Unit for MTMU – The implementation of MTMU will include the introduction of modern track machinery, testing equipment, rail-cum-road vehicles and power tools. In order to assure proper utilization, it will be necessary that employees have comprehensive training on use and maintenance. Some of the training could be general to all MTMU employees and some will be developed specifically for each class of employees. Due to the complexity of the training program, it is recommended that Bangladesh Railway establish a separate training unit for the MTMU; and do so well in advance of procurement of MTMU equipment.

9.5 Funding and Financing Plan

Funding refers to the sources of revenue or other income that can be used to pay for a project or service. It includes but not limited to:

• Revenue streams from delivery of rail services, ancillary revenue

• Other income from committed funding sources

• Non-repayable government grants or subsidies from Government or a multilateral development bank (MDB)


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Even under the leaner maintenance organization espoused in this document, Bangladesh Railways will be unable to recover its capital costs with revenues. As such, funding will be needed in the form of non-repayable government grants or subsidies from Government or a multilateral development bank (MDB) such as the Asian Development Bank.

The total expenditure to implement the recommendations are estimated to be $284 M as presented in the following table:

Table 9-1 Total Estimiated Expenditure – MTMU Implementation

Item Cost (USD M)

Equipment, vehicles and depots (as presented in this report) including tax and duties 234

Training Design and Delivery 12

Centre of Excellence 2

Recruitment and Selection Plan Implementation 18

Redeployment Contingencies including any redundancy payments 18

Total 284

Financing refers to the financial tools that can be used to access money to pay for a project or service based on income from revenue or other sources of income. It includes various forms of debt, equity, capital leasing, etc. PPPs are NOT a funding mechanism. They are a project delivery mechanism which typically include a financing component. PPP’s may hold some promise for financing specialty services such as ultrasonic rail flaw detection and depot delivery, operation and maintenance. However, this will be relatively small in relation to overall investment of $284M.


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10 Benchmarks

Key Messages

• The implementation of MTMU will lead to a reduction in track and civil employees from 4000+ to about 1000.

• Benchmarking against the maintenance organization of international railways indicates that not all benefits be realized in early years.

• In the long term, BR should target ratios of railways with similar traffic levels and mix; and similar operating characteristics.


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10.1 Projected Staff Levels

The following tables present projected staff levels for maintenance of track and structures including machine and vehicle maintenance as well as senior management.

Table 10-1: Staff Projections by Department

Classification Employees

Track and Bridge Inspectors 200

Testing Equipment Operators and Data Analysts 32

Local Mechanized Gangs 575

Mechanized Track Maintenance Unit (MTMU) 105

Equipment and Vehicle Maintenance Depots 31

Management and Administrative 80

Total 1023

In the following table, we present projected staff ratios for infrastructure maintenance employees with mechanized track maintenance and other recommendations of this report implemented.

Table 10-2 Projected Staff Statistics

Projected Employees Route-km Employees per route-km Track-km Employees

per track-km

1023 2781 0.37 3129 0.33

10.2 Benchmarking Projected Staff Levels against International Railways

10.2.1 Class 1 Railways in the USA

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) is an independent adjudicatory and economic-regulatory agency charged with resolving railway rate and service disputes and reviewing proposed mergers in the USA. In addition, it collects and publishes performance and financial statistics of Class 1 Railway on annual basis.17

The table that follows presents maintenance of way and structures employees per route-km and track-km.

Table 10-3 Maintenance of way and structures employees per route-km and track-km on US Class 1 Railways

BNSF CSX GTC KCS NS UP Ave.

Per Route-km 0.28 0.24 0.20 0.12 0.23 0.28 0.22

Per Track-km 0.22 0.20 0.18 0.12 0.20 0.23 0.19

17 https://www.stb.dot.gov/econdata.nsf/f039526076cc0f8e8525660b006870c9?OpenView


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The comparative figures are 0.37 employees per route-km and 0.33 employees per track-km projected for BR with full implementation. This is more than 50% higher than the average for the US Class 1 Railways. It is also important to note that the US Class 1 figures include maintenance of signal and telecommunication systems (and some OHLE); whereas the BR figures do not.

10.2.2 High Speed Passenger Railways

The International Union of Railways (UIC) in their 2010 Report on Maintenance of High Speed Lines included comprehensive operating and maintenance statistics for high speed passenger lines in the world. In the table, we summarize what we consider the most relevant.

Table 10-4 Maintenance Metrics for High Speed Passenger Railways

Country Route-km (all double track)

Maximum Operating Speed (kph)

Ave territory per mtce base

(route-km)

Daily track possession for maintenance (hours)

Track & Civil Maintenance employees per route-km

Italy

(4 lines)

640 300 44 Daytime – none

Overnight 5.5 (both tracks)

0.15

Spain

(4 lines)


Overnight 4.0 (both tracks)

0.144

Taiwan

(1 line)


Overnight 4.5 (1 track)

0.26 (includes building

maintenance)

France

(Paris-Lyon)

389 300 78

Daytime – none Overnight – 5.5 (both tracks)

n/a

Belgium

(4 lines)

210 260 – 320 70 Daytime - 1 hour during day

Overnight - 6 (1 track) or 4 (both tracks)

0.23

All lines are ballasted track except Taiwan which is largely slab track. The degree of contracting out is largely in line with what we have proposed for BR except most of the railways also contract out geometry and ultrasonic testing of rail. In addition, Taiwan also contracts out track surfacing (tamping). Train service is purely passenger on all lines with daily trains typically about 70 to 100 in Taiwan and a few others over 100.

The comparative figures are 0.37 employees per route-km projected for BR. Given train speeds, train volumes and nature of train (passenger), at first glance, it seems that BR should have staff ratios in line with or better than these high speed lines.

10.3 Conclusion

The implementation of MMTU will lead to a reduction in or track and civil employees from 4000+ to about 1000. This may same seem extremely daunting but it is important to recognize that this will still


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leave Bangladesh Railways with significantly more employees per route-km (and even more so per track-km) than the railways of North America and Europe even with the same levels of mechanization, technology and contracting out. In addition, traffic levels are relatively light on BR compared to railways of these regions. However, Bangladesh Railways has significant challenges given the multiple gauges and variations in track structures and conditions.

Other aspects of this study recommend increases in staff, both for enhanced rolling stock maintenance and to allow for increased freight and passenger traffic. It is possible, with proper planning, to retrain and incorporate into other departments many of the staff made redundant by the introduction of MTM.

Figure 10-1 Benchmarking: Infrastructure Maintenance Employees per route-km

* Much higher traffic levels than Bangladesh Railways

Figure 10-2 Benchmarking: Infrastructure Maintenance Employees per route-km

* Finnish and US Class 1 Railways include maintenance of S&T and electrical

0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00

BR (projected)

BR (current)

Indian Railways*

0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40

BR (projected)

Finnish Railways*

US Class 1 average*

Italian HS Lines

Spanish HS lines

Infrastructure Maintenance Employees per route-km


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Appendix A - Mechanism of Component Deterioration & Wear

In this appendix, we present the latest thinking and best practices pertaining to mechanisms of wear and deterioration of railway components; specifically rail, sleepers and ballast in that order,

A.1 Rail Maintenance

Rail is the biggest or one of the largest expenditure items to railways in the long term; and failure of rail is one of the leading causes of derailments. Rail failures occur on account of rail wear or rail fatigue. Both are discussed below.

A.1.1 Rail Wear

Rail wear is a loss of rail head section, such that the rail head size (and its associated strength) is diminished and the rail is replaced when it is no longer adequate to support the traffic. Rail wears most significantly on the gauge face of the high rails due to the lateral loads and high creep applied by the wheels. In addition, wear of the head of the rail of both high and low rails of curves and on tangent track occurs due to normal wheel/rail interaction and also on account of rail maintenance activities such as rail grinding. Rail grinding and lubrication are two key measures that will reduce the rate of rail wear; especially wear on the gauge face of high rails. These are discussed in Section 0 and 0 respectively.

Rail wear is typically measured and monitored by track inspectors as part of their inspection regime. Most railways replace rail when it meets thresholds for wear of gauge face, head and combination head and gauge face. Technologies exists for measuring and recording rail wear measurements and are often included on track geometry evaluation cars, as discussed in Section 0.

The rail wear rates and factors have been the subject of a great many studies. Factors influencing the rate of rail wear with accumulated traffic levels (typically measured in accumulated gross tons) include:

• Gradient;

• Radius of curvature and curve geography (especially superelevation (or cant) imbalance);

• Rail metallurgy (especially hardness);

• Axle loads and train speeds;


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• Friction levels between the wheel and the rail; and

• Use of mitigation measures such as rail grinding and lubrication.

Correlations between rail wear rates and operating conditions in a commercial railroad18 proposes the following wear rates (WR):

Table A- 1: Rail Wear and Operating Conditions

Classification Wear Rate

(mm/M gross tons)

Mild <0.06

Medium Between 0.06 and 0.2

Severe >0.2

Source: J.F Santa, Toro, Lewis (Tribology International)

Mild rates of rail wear are typically seen on the top of rails, where creep or relative sliding in the wheel/rail contact patch is low. Medium rates of rail wear are seen on the rail gauge face in curves that have some natural or imposed lubrication. Severe rates of rail wear indicate a combination of sharp track curvature (< 1400 m R), dry friction conditions, or poor vehicle steering.

The objective of rail lubrication and grinding are to reduce the rate of rail wear; particularly on sharp curves where the severe rate is typically experienced without rail lubrication and grinding program.

A.1.2 Rail Fatigue

Rail fatigue is the failure mode in which defects in the rail develop and grow such that they reduce the strength of the rail. If these fatigue defects are not removed, they will result in failure (fracture or breaking) of the rail section. The IHHA19’s Guidelines to Best Practices for Heavy Haul Railway Operations 20categorizes rail defects in the following manner:

a. Rolling Contact Fatigue, referred to as RCF

b. Thermal and traction defects

c. Other


a. Rolling Contact Fatigue

Rolling contact fatigue (RCF) includes a range of defects which develop on account of excessive shear stresses at or close to the wheel/rail contact interface. RCF damage starts as rail surface cracking and then grows to manifest itself as surface defects such as gauge corner checking, shelling, and squats and also as subsurface defects (eg. deep seated shell). Surface defects may lead to differential rail flow and dynamic conditions such as rail corrugations, but are not a substantial risk unless they grow unchecked into deeper defects or branch into the transverse plane of the rail. Typically, the vast majority of defects

18 J.F Santa, Toro, Lewis (Tribology International, Volume 95, March 2016, Pages 5–12). 19 International Heavy Haul Association, 2009 20 Section 3.2 Rails by Stone, LoPresti, Marich, Zahkarov, and Naumov


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that require removal from the track or lead to derailments are of this type. Measures that can be adopted to reduce the proliferation of RCF defects, and, consequently, the associated potential risk of rail failure include:

• Rail of high strength and clean steel with a minimum of non-metallic impurities.

• Rigorous ultrasonic testing regimen

• Effective rail lubrication practices

• Wheel and rail profiles developed to maintained a conformal wheel/rail interface

• Rail kept within a stress-free state (free of higher thermal stresses)

b. Thermal and traction defects

The IHHA21’s Guidelines to Best Practices for Heavy Haul Railway Operations 22 explains that these defects “are associated with a combination of thermal and traction/creep/slippage effects that can develop at the wheel/rail interface in any track section, and under all types of operating conditions”. They indicate that there are two main types: engine burns and squat defects.

Engine burns are defects are caused by the continuous slipping of the locomotive wheels on the rails, such as when trains proceed from a signal at stop. They occur when the slipping action of the wheels increases the temperature near the surface of the rails to very high values. The subsequent fast cooling causes the rail material to transform to a hard and brittle martensite phase, which in severe cases can extend to depths of 4-6mm below the running surface. The main factors that contribute to wheel slip are excessive track grades, poor train handling, and contamination of the running surface of the rails (including with rail lubricant).

Engine burns can best avoided by assuring proper train handing techniques to avoid wheel slip and an effective lubrication regime to avoid excessive of lubrication on the head of the rail. Track inspection forces need to be able to identify and monitor the condition of engine burns. Finally, regular ultrasonic rail testing procedures must be capable of detecting the transverse defects below the wheel burns before they reach a critical size, which may cause rail failure.

Squats are subsurface laminations which initiate at small cracks, thought to be at the rail surface. These cracks extend diagonally downwards, at an angle of about 20°-30° from the horizontal, until they reach approximately 4-6mm below the surface, then spread laterally and longitudinally across and along the running surface. Squats are indicated by a darkened area in the contact band, which results from a depression in the rail surface and reduced polishing by train wheels. There is often a double sided kidney shape, notably running surface squats.

Historically squats have been classified as part of the RCF defects family. However, more recent work has clearly shown that the majority of defects are actually initiated from a “white etching,” hard and brittle layer, which is most commonly found on infrequently ground rail, can be up to 0.1 mm deep, and

21 International Heavy Haul Association, 2009 22 Section 3.2 Rails by Stone, LoPresti, Marich, Zahkarov, and Naumov


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can have a hardness of up to 750–780 HB. The “white etching” layer can form on the rail surface because of adiabatic (low temperature/high strain rate) shear between the rail and wheel surfaces, caused by the microslip of the locomotive wheels that are under traction. Hence, special care is required particularly with vehicles that can sustain higher applied traction levels.

In other words, the development of squats is very similar in nature, but not in degree, to the development of wheel burns, which are of course associated with the much more severe final stage of the slip mechanism. This leads to much higher temperatures, and much greater depths of transformation and hardening (up to 4–6 mm, rather than the 0.1 mm observed with the squats).

Furthermore, the other characterizing difference between squats and wheel burns is that the former develop only on one rail, whilst the other rail remains relatively unaffected. However, following their initiation the further growth of squat defects does occur by a rolling contact fatigue mechanism.

c. Other Rail Defects

Several other rail defect types can develop under heavy haul operations, including:

• Vertical and horizontal split heads, generally associated with poor steel quality and adverse wheel/rail contact characteristics

• Shatter cracking or hydrogen flaking and detail fractures in the rail head, which are generally associated with poor steel making practices

• Horizontal split webs, which generally are associated with poorly executed aluminothermic welds and adverse wheel/rail contact characteristics

• Localised dipping at rail welds, which generally occurs in poorly maintained, designed and/or produced aluminothermic welds

• Corrosion, particularly in the rail foot region, which occurs in tunnels, bulk operations due to spillage or stray currents in electrified lines

• Stochastic surface defects, which are random in nature, with the damage being caused by a range of factors, including transport, installation (hammer blows), derailments, and maintenance operations (tamping)

A.1.3 Rail Renewal Planning

More than any other track component, rail benefits most from modern testing and monitoring technologies, effective preventive maintenance, and from maintenance of the asset that supports it. It has been the subject of extensive efforts to develop life-predicting models. The most common failure modes for rail are:

• Rail fatigue is where defects develop and grow such that they reduce the strength of the rail. If not removed, the defects will result in failure due to fracture, or breaking of the rail section.


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• Rail wear is loss of rail head section at the top and/or flange face, such that the rail head size (and its associated strength) is diminished and the rail is replaced when it cannot safely support train loads.

a. Rail Fatigue

The most commonly used rail fatigue forecasting models analyze the rate of fatigue defect propagation with traffic accumulation using Weibull statistical analysis. The Weibull distribution is an extreme value distribution that plots the cumulative percentage of rails that have shown detected or service failures against the cumulative gross tonnage recorded over the rails. The Weibull distribution function is applied as a transfer function to the cumulative measured percent of rail defects. Zarembski23 has shown that the log of the Weibull transferred cumulative defect probability relationship, when plotted against the log of the tonnage accumulation, can produce a linear relationship such as is shown in Figure A-1. When a linear regression is performed on the plotted points, a slope and intercept term can be calculated.

Figure A- 1: Probability of Rail Defect with Accumulated Tonnage


When the slope and intercept are then inserted into the Weibull equation, the equation yields a predicted rate of occurrence of rail defects at any point into the future, albeit with broadening plausibility limits at increasing tonnages extrapolated beyond current tonnage accumulation experience.

The equations to perform Weibull extrapolation of rail defects are included in International Heavy Haul Association’s “Guidelines to Best Practice for Heavy Haul Railway Operations: Wheel and Rail Interface Issues” pg.5-16, published in May 2001. The accuracy of the projections are greater if track can be grouped and analyzed separately for homogeneous conditions, such as the same curvature class and rail metallurgy.

Figure A- 2: Defect rate with Accumulated Tonnage

23 Section 6.4 Ballast Maintenance, International Heavy Haul Association, 2009


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Figure A-2 clearly demonstrates that as rail ages, the expected rate of defect occurrence increases non-linearly. The decision when to remove a section of rail from mainline service and sell it, scrap it, or cascade it to a less severe operating environment is not a simple one. Railways typically use a threshold of 2 to 3 fatigue-related defects (such as transverse defects and vertical split heads) per rail-km for rail to be considered for replacement. Other factors such as time-frame of defect proliferation, rail wear, lubrication and grinding programs, and the overall demand for second hand rail removed from the track are also considered when making a decision on rail replacement. It will be important for BR to have a policy in place to dictate replacement of rail sections on account of defects. It is very important that they accurately collect and record information on defects as they occur. This information will be useful in understanding the relationship between defect proliferation and controllable and uncontrollable factors.

b. Rail Wear

Rail wear is the loss of rail metal due to the abrasive action of the wheel. The two most commonly used measurements are head (H); and gauge (G) wear. Railway regulations, manufacturer’s recommendations, or railway policy dictate the thresholds of “wear limits” for head wear, gauge and combined head and side wear.

In heavy haul railways, rail wear is usually collected with laser-based optical imaging systems. These data are processed to establish a level of wear for each curve or tangent rail segment. This is then plotted against accumulated tonnage such as is shown in the following Figure A-3. Rail wear usually progresses in a linear fashion with tonnage, but the slope can change with increasing head loss in standard carbon rails. The computer program is designed to project the year in which rail wear is expected to reach the specified maximum rail wear limits. These same programs can keep track of the slopes of the rail wear vs. tonnage lines. If for a particular curve class and rail metallurgy, the wear slope is steeper than would be expected, computer programs can be coded to prompt a maintenance intervention such as adjustment of curve cant or curve lubrication.

BR track geometry evaluation cars should be equipped with technologies to measure rail wear and it is recommended that these data on rail be collected from railway commencement. The information is essential to understanding the relationship between rail wear and key factors (such as rail


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characteristics; traffic levels and axles loads; and track geometry, to name a few). In addition, it is essential to schedule annual grinding and lubrication programs; and to develop a long-term rail replacement program.

Figure A- 3: Sample Plot of Rail Vertical, Gauge Face and Combined Wear vs. Cumulative Tonnage, with Extrapolation to Allowable Combined Limits (Circled)

Source: Lutch, R. H, Harris D. K. and Ahlborn T. M. (2009)24 ,

A.2 Sleeper Maintenance

A.2.1 Purpose

Sleepers are essentially transverse beams resting on ballast support serving the following purposes:

• Support the rail and maintain the track gauge;

• Withstand vertical and longitudinal movement of rails;

• Transfer and distribute loads from rail to ballast;

• Act as the anchorage platform for the fastening system; and,

• Provide insulation between parallel rails.

24 “Pre-stressed Concrete Ties in North America.” Proceeding of AREMA Annual Conference, 1–39. Chicago, USA.


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A.2.2 Failure

A study by Lutch et al. (2009)25 determined that the three primary failure mechanisms of Pre-stressed Concrete Sleepers (PCS) were:

• Rail seat abrasion (RSA),

• Flexural cracking (due to centre binding) and

• Rail fastener failure.

A.2.3 Rail Seat Abrasion (RSA)

Rail seat abrasion (RSA) is the most common failure mode of PCS’s on heavy haul railways. RSA is the gradual wear of the cement paste in the sleepers at the rail seat below the fastener and rail. Factors contributing to rail seat abrasion include the presence of water, heavy axle loads (axle loads exceeding 25 tonnes) steep grades, and curves exceeding than two degrees. Regions with freeze-thaw cycles are much more prone to rail seat abrasion and at an accelerated rate. Much study has been undertaken on the topic and manufacturers have introduced many solutions to reduce the damage and mitigate the impacts.

Rail seat abrasion can be best avoided by good ballast maintenance practices including maintenance of proper drainage, regular tamping and removal of degraded ballast when required. The challenge with rail seat abrasion is that it is very difficult to visually detect (especially early on) as it is typically hidden by the rail and ballast. As such, it is very important that inspectors are trained to be able to identify the early signs and monitor effectively until timely measures to mitigate or remedy are implemented.

A.2.4 Flexural Cracking

Although, this is much less of a problem with improvements in PCS design, flexural cracking continues to be a prominent mode of failure on heavy haul railways. The underlying cause is negative moment on the sleeper resulting from ballast condition below the sleeper. Over time, repeated loading applied to the track causes sleepers to oscillate and deform vertically within the track structure. This deformation produces pumping action which ultimately allows ballast to abrade the bottom of the tie and pulverize the ballast beneath the sleeper. Depressions will develop in the pulverized ballast beneath the ends of the sleeper and this alters the support condition of the sleeper. The ballast remains less disturbed at the center of the sleeper, and it becomes the main support for the sleeper in the manner of fulcrum. This is known as “center binding”. Once loaded, large negative moments occur at the sleeper center, resulting in cracking and sleeper failure as the flexural capacity is exceeded.

To prevent “center binding” regular maintenance of ballast is essential. This includes:

• Regularly tamping of the track

• Promptly addressing any blockage that leads to water ponding in the ballast bed

25 Lutch, R. H, Harris D. K. and Ahlborn T. M. (2009), “Pre-stressed Concrete Ties in North America.” Proceeding of AREMA Annual Conference, 1–39. Chicago, USA.


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• Prompt undercutting of the track to remove deteriorated ballast.

In addition, inspectors should be trained to identify the early signs of flexural cracking and also the conditions that lead to the condition.

A.2.5 Rail Fastener Failure

The third most common form of sleeper failure on heavy haul lines is related to fastener failure. The main causes of failure are fatigue of fasteners (especially spring clips) and abrasion and premature wear of polymer insulators both due to cyclic loading. The latter exacerbating the problems associated with rail seat abrasion.

The main way to combat problems related to fastener failures is proper inspection practices and routine replacement regimes of worn insulators and missing or fatigued clips. Fastener wear is relatively easy to monitor visually compared to rail seat abrasion which is typically hidden by the rail and ballast. It should also be noted that fastener fatigue requires long periods of time and is typically a secondary failure mechanism when compared to the rail seat abrasion and center binding failures.

Fasteners are also damaged by derailed wheels or dragging equipment of trains, or during maintenance activities such as unloading equipment or materials. Wayside equipment for monitoring rolling stock and proper maintenance procedures will best minimize such damage.

A.2.6 Technologies for Monitoring PSC Sleeper Condition

There have been a number of recent technological developments for monitoring the condition of PCS’s. One such technology is the “Smart Sleeper” by Sateba. 26 A “Smart Sleeper” appears as a standard track sleepers and is installed in track to withstand the normal rigors of traffic, environment and track maintenance. However, the sleeper is a surveillance tool that permits long-term monitoring of strain measurements of the sleeper. By monitoring the bending moment of the sleeper at centre section, it is possible to tell whether the sleeper rests uniformly on the ballast or is centre bound. As such, it holds promise as tool for predictive maintenance. Another study 27considered installing sensors in a greater number of sleepers that records information on sleeper construction and even traffic levels and conditions.

A.2.7 Sleeper Life Forecasting and Maintenance Planning

After rail, sleepers represent the next most expensive component of the track structure. There are generally two tie replacement models:

• An “average” sleeper life modeling approach which determines an “average” tie life for a given set of conditions; and

26 http://www.sateba.com/ 27 Dr. Ying Lie and Peter Gould, Multiple Access Communications Ltd. “Embedding Wireless Sensors in Railway Sleepers”, August 2014

http://www.sateba.com/


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• A statistical sleeper life approach, which predicts the actual number of ties failed each year.

For the purposes of defining sleeper life, the average sleeper life model is most relevant, since it relates the tie life to the key track and traffic operating parameters including curvature, environmental conditions, axle load, traffic levels geometry and train speed. However, it is known that sleepers, even when installed at the same time under identical operating conditions, do not all fail at once. Rather, there is a statistical distribution of sleeper failure and hence replacement around an “average” sleeper life is suggested.

BR has little reliable information beyond conceptual models for forecasting sleeper life. It is recommended that BR closely monitor and record tie condition information; so that it can be used in future years for modelling purposes.

A.3 Ballast Maintenance

It is well known to everyone associated with the maintenance of track, the key is “drainage, drainage, drainage”. It is most often viewed that ballast is a “cheap fix” relative to the track structure for which it supports. As such, railways have traditionally focused much of their labour effort keeping the ballast dry and clean; and in more recent years, innovative technologies have been introduced to effectively and efficiently maintain ballast. In this section, we provide a brief overview of the causes and implications of ballast failure; and then introduce best practices in ballast maintenance.

A.3.1 Ballast Failure

The main purpose of ballast is to support the sleepers both vertically and laterally and to spread the vertical loads from the track structure onto the formation. It is also facilitates drainage and keeps vegetation away from the track structure. Ballast also facilitates adjustment of the track geometry. The ballast system degrades by way of:

• Creation of fines (caused by dynamic track movement under traffic and mechanical maintenance)

• Ingress of fines from above (caused by spillage from trains and windborne material);

• Ingress of plant life; and

• Ingress of material from the formation (often resulting from improper track construction).

The result of these failures is poor drainage and ultimately, the failure of the track to hold proper geometry and deteriorated ride quality. However, other implications include loss of lateral stability, thus increasing the risk of track buckling and accelerated damage to the formation and track sleepers resulting from the ponding of water.

A.3.2 Methods of Ballast Maintenance

Methods of ballast maintenance include:

• Ballast cleaning


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• Shoulder cleaning

• Weed spraying

• Regulating or profiling of ballast

• General drainage maintenance

Traditionally, these activities were done in a manual manner but most railways now undertake these activities with modern technologies (in addition to the manual methods). Discussion on ballast cleaning and shoulder cleaning follows. Track geometry maintenance is dealt with in Section 4.6.

A.3.3 Ballast Cleaning

Ballast cleaning involves the removal and cleaning of the ballast bed. The goal is to remove fines and restore the ballast bed with ballast with desirable quality and strength characteristics. The challenge is often determining when it is the right time to undertake ballast cleaning. The ERRI criteria states that “when the ballast contains more than 30 percent of fines sized less than 22 mm sieve, ballast cleaning becomes appropriate, if there are more than 40 percent, then ballast cleaning is inevitable”. 28 The most certain technique for determining ballast quality is to undertake an appropriate number of ballast sample and completing sieve analysis. However, in recent years, ground penetrating radar (GPR) has been used to assess ballast conditions. Balfour Beatty Rail Inc. has plans to introduce the Rail Asset Scanning Car (RASC) which in addition to assessing ballast condition, will capture basic track geometry measurements and evaluate sleepers with a single pass. It is recommended that BR consider GPR in future years as the technology develops and issues develop regarding the quality of ballast and sub-ballast in track.

Alternatively most railways typically rely on:

• Visual indicators such as presence of wet (or mud) spots as well as of white spots (ballast dust) and rounded ballast; and

• History of geometry defects and track (or ride) quality indexes.

Three techniques for ballast cleaning are summarized in Table A-2. The techniques are largely equal in terms of the quality of the finished product.

Table A- 2: Ballast Cleaning Techniques

Technique Undercutting Vacuuming Track Removal

Methodology Excavating chain on a cutter bar is used to remove all ballast below and adjacent to sleepers

Suction is used to remove ballast and water

Track is removed; ballast removed and replaced; and track re-installed.

28 Rainer Wenty - Section 6.4 Ballast Maintenance, International Heavy Haul Association, 2009


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Technique Undercutting Vacuuming Track Removal

Benefits Well-developed technology with many suppliers; adaptions to all maintenance mandates and operating environments; high production.

Well-suited where fibre-optic cable is buried in or near right-of-way; works equally well at turnouts; not as limited by physical infringements on right-of way

Good for small, unique or standalone situations or when under-cutter and vacuum are not available; can be done with earth excavators.

Weaknesses High capital cost of machinery

High capital cost of machinery; newer t

Slow. Requires more maintenance and track time than alternative techniques.

Usage Throughout world in high and moderately mechanized railways

Developing technology used in Europe and North America

Typically limited to low density or less mechanized railways.

Service or Equipment Providers

Herzog, Plasser, Loram, Knox Kershaw and more

Loran

Productivity Output of 1000 to 1500 m3 per hour (two or three screening unit machines).29

Source: CPCS

A.3.4 Shoulder Cleaning

Shoulder cleaning is undertaken when drainage is blocked by contaminated ballast shoulders; with the goal to restore the drainage of the ballast bed. Typical situations demanding shoulder cutting are:

• Track that is subjected to heavy foot traffic or encroached development;

• Tracks subject to spillage from passing or stopped trains

• Tracks with other contamination from outside (blows sand as an example)

Shoulder cleaning is a wide spread practice throughout the world.

It is important when shoulder cleaning to cut the full shoulder down to the subgrade. Partial cleaning will not improve the drainage and may cause more damage by creating a water trap.

A.3.5 Suggested Frequencies

The IHHA30 Guidelines to Best Practices for Heavy Haul Railway Operations31 estimates the following cycles for undercutting and shoulder cleaning for annual traffic levels of 80 mgt on heavy haul track with PSC sleepers (based on experiences on North American Class 1 railways) for both solid and weak subgrades.

Table A- 3: Suggested Frequencies (years) for Undercutting and Shoulder Cleaning

29 Rainer Wenty - Section 6.4 Ballast Maintenance, International Heavy Haul Association, 2009 30 International Heavy Haul Association, 2009 31 Rainer Wenty - Section 6.4 Ballast Maintenance


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Solid subgrade Weak subgrade

Undercutting 12.5 3

Shoulder cleaning 3 1.5

Source: IHHA Guidelines to Best Practices for Heavy Haul Railway Operations


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Appendix B – International Case Studies of Mechanized Maintenance and Training

In this Appendix, we present case studies of training programs for mechanized track maintenance on two state-owned railways of the world. In South Africa, Transnet have completely outsourced their mechanized maintenance activities since 1995 and focus on their core business of transporting freight and passenger traffic. Contrasting Transnet is Indian Railways where most maintenance activities are done by in-house staff on machinery owned by the railway. Indian Railways has extensive training practices which are described in the case study.

B.1 Mechanized Track Maintenance in South Africa 32

About Plasser South Africa

Based in Austria, Plasser & Theurer was established in 1953 and is the recognised world leader in the design and manufacture of heavy on-track maintenance machinery. Today this market is supported by Plasser & Theurer’s partner firms and many agencies which have so far supplied over 14,000 machines to more than 100 countries.

Plasser South Africa is the local partner and agent for Plasser & Theurer machinery. Depending on circumstances, the company can either manufacture Plasser machines locally, import machines directly from Plasser & Theurer or a combination of the two. It provides full after sales service and technical support to machine owners.

Providing mechanised track construction and maintenance solutions for:

• Track condition measuring

• Ballast tamping

• Ballast cleaning & spoil removal

• Ballast distribution and profiling

• Rail planning and grinding

• Flash butt rail welding

32 http://www.plasser.co.za/pdf/historical_overview_of_mechanised_track_maintenance_rev_02.pdf

http://www.plasser.co.za/pdf/historical_overview_of_mechanised_track_maintenance_rev_02.pdf


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• Track construction

• Track renewal

• Turnout replacement

• Formation rehabilitation

• Overhead traction equipment maintenance and construction

Background

Since the delivery of the first machine to South Africa from Plasser & Theurer of Austria in 1957, mechanised maintenance machinery ownership, operating and contracting has gone through a number of evolutionary steps to become one of benchmarks for successful and productive systems.

Since 1995, the railways have completely outsourced their mechanised maintenance activities and rather focused on their core business. They generally no longer lease, hire or own any heavy on-track maintenance machines as they did in the beginning but contract the full service to contractors specialising in this area. This led to efficiency that made mechanised maintenance cost in South Africa, a benchmark around the world.

The historical process was dictated by various factors including very low availability figures achieved in the beginning and the rapid technological advances in mechanised maintenance making the machines very sophisticated which required specialised knowledge from highly qualified, trained and skilled artisans and technicians. Unlike its partner firms in the rest of the world, Plasser South Africa had to adapt to these market demands and became a contractor that owns, operates and maintains an extensive fleet of mechanised track maintenance machines today.

These subsequent sections will provide a gist of the lessons learned relevant for BR.

Stages in Adoption of Mechanization

1. Machinery Owned, Operated and Maintained by the Railway

2. Machines Owned and Operated by the Railways and Maintained by the Original Equipment Manufacturer

3. Machines Owned by the Railways and Operated and Maintained by the Original Equipment Manufacturer

4. Machines Owned Operated and Maintained by the Original Equipment Manufacturer or Contractor, Railways Provide Support Resources and Manage the Execution of the Work

5. Railways Move Away from “Plant Hire” Type Contracts and Outsource All the Work, Including Support Resources and Site Supervision


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Reasons for Success

• Economies of Scale

The South African mechanised maintenance market is very small compared to the rest of the world. The total number of mechanised maintenance machines in South Africa is less than 100 whereas in the relatively small Europe there are machines running into the thousands. Additionally South African machines are built for Cape Gauge, making their spares fairly unique and requiring huge local stockholding.

Geographically South Africa is also a relatively large country with major cities and very large uninhabited rural areas in-between with poor industrial development and support. South Africa is isolated and components are only available if the OEM is established in South Africa. Alternatively components have to be imported at great cost and long lead times from overseas. Mechanised maintenance contractors in South Africa therefore have the burden of having to carry a large support structure to make up for the shortcomings mentioned above. Plasser South Africa’s approximately 50 machines on contract have the advantage of economy of scale. Whether the company has 50 or 10 machines on contract, it will make only a small difference to the size of the infrastructure required which means that the costs of the machines will increase exponentially as the number of machines on contract reduces. This is also the partly the reason why despite many foreign contracting companies trying for several decades to enter the South African market, they have not been able to do so competitively.

• Training

Operating and maintenance of track maintenance machinery is highly specialised and not comparable to any other industry. Experienced machine operators, artisans and technicians are therefore not available on the labour market and have to undergo intensive training before they can work independently on a machine. The training is equally specialised as such, Plasser South Africa provides in-house training in its own TETA accredited training facility in accordance with a formal curriculum for each equipment category. Classroom training is presented by skilled technical staff and practical training is provided on site by machine supervisors. Assessments are carried out by in-house by accredited assessors. Development of the curricula, training material, training facilitators and assessors has taken many years.

If the economy of scale is lost or Plasser South Africa becomes exclusively a machine and component supplier and no longer a contractor, this facility and experience will be lost. Foreign companies and/or the railways will not be able to fill this gap for several years. It will diminish the pool of qualified operators and fitters to the point where there will not be enough operators and fitters to continue with the business of mechanised maintenance. This will negatively affect the availability and productivity of mechanised maintenance machinery and increase the overall cost of track maintenance.


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• Optimization of Staff

Optimisation of Staff Specialisation is the key to efficiency and creativity. Under a contracting arrangement, machine staff is optimised due to the fact that operating and maintenance staff work as one team and often have a dual function. Splitting of these functions between different contractors will require additional machine staff. There will also once again be split accountabilities with one party blaming the other for breakdowns. There is also the issue of availability where one party does not arrive for work the other party must still be paid regardless whether the machine is working or not.

• Technical Support

Mechanised track maintenance machines consist of sophisticated hydraulic and electronic circuits working under severely harsh conditions. It is therefore an international challenge to achieve reasonable availability of the machines to ensure that production targets can be achieved and maintained so as to limit the number of maintenance windows and machines required.

Because the economy of scale allows it, Plasser South Africa supports its machines through various activities, systems and programmes. These include:

o A technical call centre which is on call for emergency assistance 7 days a week despite the level of training and experience on the machines.

o Annual and bi-annual inspections and random audits to detect machine problems and avoid unexpected machine breakdowns.

o Structured pro-active maintenance plans are prepared.

o A replacement program of major machine components is prepared annually to improve predictability and avoid machine breakdowns.

When major components require replacement, Plasser South Africa have specialised equipment to do so safely together with specially trained teams to carry out this work in the field.

Even if a contractor has one machine only, this support will still be required but would be excessively expensive. This service can only be provided by the OEM if its business is sustainable but due to the small size of the South African market this is unlikely unless the service can be offered at a very high cost, much higher than the current overhead costs carried by a company like Plasser South Africa who can rely on the economy of scale.

• Conclusion

For over 50 years Plasser South Africa has been much more than just a supplier and contractor to the railways of South Africa. If one considers the level of commitment, sacrifice and cooperation over these years, Plasser South Africa cannot be seen as anything other than a partner.


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Over the years the partners have grown together and learned many valuable lessons regarding mechanised maintenance ownership, operating and maintenance. Due to mutual commitment and trust, these lessons have culminated into the most successful and internationally recognised mechanised maintenance system in the world by which the railways are still great beneficiaries.

B.2 Training for Permanent Way Staff – Indian Railways – Case Study33

About Indian Railways

Indian Railways (reporting mark IR) is an Indian state-owned enterprise, owned and operated by the Government of India through the Ministry of Railways. It is one of the world's largest railway networks comprising 115,000 km (71,000 mi) of track over a route of 67,312 km (41,826 mi) and 7,112 stations. In 2015-16, IR carried 8.101 billion passengers annually or more than 22 million passengers a day and 1.107 billion tons of freight in the year. In 2014–2015 Indian Railways had revenues of ₹1.709 trillion (US$25 billion) which consists of ₹1.118 trillion (US$17 billion) from freight and ₹451.26 billion (US$6.7 billion) from passengers tickets.

Indian Railways in its permanent way manual has extensively looked at Mechanisation and its impact of training of staff. The following sections summarise the practices in Indian Railways for training of Permanent Way staff to address the changing mechanised maintenance needs.

Specific Initiatives

Permanent way staff needs to be trained for their jobs both through theoretical classroom training and practical work at site using the tools and equipment of the particular trade. Training is a continuous process right from the time of recruitment. The following four types of training courses should be organized in the Training Institutes run by the Railway Administration:

• Initial/Induction Courses - Initial Courses are for new entrants and should include induction course as well. It is meant for directly recruited categories such as Gangmen, Permanent Way Mistries and Apprentice Permanent Way Inspectors. The syllabi and the training programme for the initial course are drawn up by the Railway Administration

• Promotional Courses - The course for promotional training will be necessary in the case of staff promoted from a lower to a higher status by a process of selection and is applicable in the following cases :

o Promotion from Gangmen/Gatemen/Keymen to Mates.

o Promotion from Keymen/Mates to Permanent Way Mistries.

o Promotion from Permanent Way Mistries to Permanent Way Inspector Grade III

33 Chapter XV - http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/civil_engg/downloads/acs_irpm/irpwm-i2.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reporting_mark

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State-owned_enterprise

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_India

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Railways_(India)


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• Refresher Courses - It will be necessary to conduct Refresher Courses to enable the staff to keep themselves abreast of the latest rules and techniques. Keymen, Mates, Permanent Way Mistries, and Permanent Way Inspectors should be sent for Refresher Courses once in five years. In the Refresher Courses, all subjects pertaining to the concerned categories shall be dealt with as enumerated under promotional courses but the extent of coverage will be on a limited scale. The duration of the Refresher Courses is two weeks.

• Special Courses - In addition to the regular courses mentioned above, special courses on any of the following subjects should also be arranged periodically to increase a sense of awareness of the staff on these subjects - Points and Crossings, Maintenance of SWR and LWR, Welding techniques, Track renewals, Ultrasonic Testing of rails, High Speed Track, Track recording, Curves and Reclamations of Permanent way materials.

All the above subjects should be for Permanent Way Inspectors Gr. III and for other categories of staff. It is desirable that the staff posted for the maintenance of welded track and on sections maintained by Machines, should be given a special training on the relevant subjects pertaining to their duties in a short course arranged for the purpose before they are posted on these areas.

B.2.1 National Technical Seminar on Mechanization of Track Maintenance in IR - Conclusions34

• Track maintenance requires the correct machinery and trained manpower. With modern track structure, there is no other option but to switch over to mechanised maintenance & laying practices. Counseling/training of the users at the grass root level, solving the field problems, proper maintenance and repairing infrastructure at divisional level are the key points to enhance the acceptability of mechanised system of maintenance and laying of track.

• Proper training at the time of supply of machine - All railways have been instructed to compulsorily arrange training by the manufacturer at the time of supply of machines.

• Training of trackmen has to be worked out in great details. Whether, the requirement of semi-skilled and skilled workmen is to be met with by fresh recruitment or by training of existing gang men is to be determined. The re-deployment of surplus unskilled labour shall have to be thought of.

• Promotion aspect of the trackmen, working in various categories should be decided in advance

34 http://www.ipweindia.com/design/html/technicalpapers2005.pdf


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Appendix C – Job Descriptions for Non-management Positions

The proposed maintenance organization will require employees with a different skill set than that offered by current employees in the maintenance organization at Bangladesh Railways. This is on account of the significantly greater use of technologies and mechanization. Inspectors will need to be well versed in track maintenance standards and condition assessment as well as capable of recording details of inspections on mobile computers as well as using them for quickly assessing information on information on infrastructure condition. Track Maintenance foreman will also need to be well-versed in track maintenance standards and practices and capable of directing small teams of trained and specialized employees to safely and efficiently complete the task at hand. Operators will need specialized training and to be qualified for each machine they operate. This will require technical training or a strong technical background on machine operations and maintenance.

In this Appendix, we present job descriptions for 13 non-management positions, as follows:

Table C- 1 Non-Management Positions

Position

1 Track Inspector

2 Track Maintenance Foreman

3 Track Maintainer

4 Welder / Welder Foreman

5 Operator

6 Mechanic Foreman

7 Mechanic

8 Bridge Inspector

9 Bridge Foreman

10 Bridge Maintainer

11 GRC/RFD Operator

12 GRC/RFD Data Analyst

13 Vehicle Maintenance Coordinators


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Each is described below.

1. Track Inspector (Senior Assistant Engineer)

Position Purpose To routinely inspect the track for safety and integrity; assure appropriate action to observed defects; and record details of inspections on mobile computer.

Desired Educational Qualifications

Technical Diploma though high school degree suitable with appropriate track maintenance experience should be considered

Desired Experience Depends on educational qualifications, but minimum of 5 years of track maintenance experience

Key Responsibilities Getting track access; operating RCR vehicle; identifying rail, geometry, ballast and roadbed defects; correcting minor defects; assuring appropriate action to all defects; communicating to foreman details of defect and follow-up action; using computer to access information on the track inspected and to record details of inspections.

2. Track Maintenance Foreman

Position Purpose To provide leadership to gangs of track maintenance employees; and to assure work undertaken is in accordance to standards and procedures.


Technical Diploma (preferred) or high school degree suitable with appropriate railway experience/training.

Desired Experience Minimum of 5 years of track maintenance experience

Key Responsibilities Getting track access; operating RCR vehicle and in some cases RCR boom truck; directing gang to undertake track maintenance, production work or distribute materials; using computer to access information on the track and to record details of work undertaken.


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3. Track Maintainer

Position Purpose To undertake physical work as part of local or mobile gang.


High school or less with appropriate experience

Desired Experience Nil

Key Responsibilities Physical labour covering all elements of track maintenance work using both hand and hydraulic tools; operating RCR vehicle and trolley car.

4. Welder/Welder Foreman

Position Purpose To maintain the condition of rail with special focus on welded joints, rail defects and turnouts and maintain the rail in a stress-free state.


High school degree with welding qualification* and training on track basics.

Desired Experience Ideally some rail experience but likely not possible to find such candidate

Key Responsibilities Thermite welding of rail; grinding and welding of switch points, frogs and surface defects; maintaining rail in stress-free state; using computer to record of work undertaken and to manage the internal stresses of the rail.

*Welding training is typically undertaken by railway. However, there are some intuitions in North America offering such programs.

5. Operator

Position Purpose Operate and undertake light maintenance on track machinery of various sizes and complexity


High school degree with heavy equipment operator training*

Desired Experience Nil….every machine (or machine) will require specialized training and qualification (to be provided internally)


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Key Responsibilities Operating equipment and undertaking light maintenance (such as changing fluids) under supervision of mechanic.

*Operator training is typically undertaken by railway. However, it would be preferred if hires have some training.

6. Mechanic Foreman

Position Purpose To provide leadership to mechanics working in the field and depots.


Licensed heavy-duty mechanic or lesser with appropriate railway experience/training.

Desired Experience Minimum of 10 years mechanic experience

Key Responsibilities Directing mechanics as to work priorities; assuring work targets are met; using computer to access information on the machinery and to record details of work undertaken.

7. echanic

Position Purpose To undertake maintenance work on track machinery and provide direction to operators undertaking light maintenance on machinery.


Licensed heavy-duty mechanic or lesser with appropriate railway experience/training.

Desired Experience Minimum of 5 years mechanic experience

Key Responsibilities Maintain track machinery of various types in the field and in depots; diagnose mechanical problems, identify solutions and implement them; and provide direction to operators undertaking light maintenance on machinery; using computer to access information on the machinery and to record details of work undertaken.

8. Bridge Inspector

Position Purpose To inspect bridges for safety and integrity; assure appropriate action to observed defects;


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and record details of inspections on mobile computer.


B.Eng – Structural/Civil or Technical Diploma in Structural/Civil Engineering though high school degree with appropriate railway bridge experience should be considered

Desired Experience Depends on educational qualifications but minimum of 2 years of railway experience with B.Eng; 5 years with Technical Diploma; and 10 years with high school degree.

Key Responsibilities Getting track access; operating RCR bridge inspection vehicle; physically inspecting all elements of bridge and other structures; identifying structural defects; assuring appropriate action to defects; communicating to foreman details of defect and follow-up action; using computer to access information on the bridge inspected and to record details of inspections.

9. Bridge Foremen

Position Purpose To provide leadership to gangs in the maintenance of civil works; and to assure work undertaken is in accordance to standards and procedures.


Technical Diploma (preferred) or high school degree suitable with appropriate railway experience/training.

Desired Experience Minimum of 5 years of civil maintenance experience

Key Responsibilities Getting track access; operating RCR vehicle; directing gang to undertake civil maintenance work including light bridge maintenance; earthwork stabilization, drainage clearance, and vegetation control; using computer to access information on the locations worked and to record details of work undertaken.


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10. Bridge Maintainer

Position Purpose To undertake physical work as part of civil gangs.


High school or less with appropriate experience

Desired Experience Nil

Key Responsibilities Physical labour covering all elements of civil maintenance work using both hand and hydraulic tools; operating RCR vehicle and trolley car.

11. GRC/RFD Operator

Position Purpose To operate GRC and RFD equipment


Technical diploma or degree in computer technology.

Desired Experience Some railway experience preferred but not required.

Key Responsibilities Operate and assure proper maintenance of testing equipment. Assure integrity of test equipment and results; and that they are promptly provided to local track maintenance foemen; and all records are communicated to data analysts and local track supervisor daily.

12. GRC/RFD Data Analyst

Position Purpose To test, maintain and analyze test data


Technical diploma or degree in computer technology.


Key Responsibilities Receive data on a daily basis and verify completeness and correctness. Assure data is properly for future use. Make data to planning engineers and other management staff in desired format; and undertake analysis as directed.


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13. Vehicle Maintenance Coordinators

Position Purpose To make arrangement for automotive service of vehicles and payment for services.


Degree in business or mechanical diploma.


Key Responsibilities With person responsible for vehicle make arrangements for automotive service at pre-approved garages. Assure appropriate service and payment. Follow up to assure quality of service and take appropriate action if not. Arrange payment.


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Appendix D – Organisation of Maintenance & Inspection Activities

As we understand it, Bangladesh Railways will continue to be a vertically-integrated railway in line with the Class 1 railways of North America. However, for the sake of analysis of the organisation of maintenance and inspection activities, we can look to structures and practices at both vertically-integrated and vertically-separated railways equally. Differences in how railways organize maintenance and inspection activities lie within three related spectrums:

• The degree of centralization of maintenance planning and control;

• The degree to which inspection and maintenance work is undertaken by local versus mobile employees; and

• The degree to which work is carried out in-house versus outsourced.

These are discussed in sections D.1, D.2 and D.3 below.

D.1 Degree of Centralization

With momentous improvements in communications, inspection technologies, employment mobility and maintenance mechanization over the past 50 years, modern railways have significantly centralised the planning and control of maintenance and inspection activities. Data collected by sophisticated testing equipment (such as rail flaw detection (RFD) and Geometry Recording Vehicle (GRV)) and gathered through visual inspections can centralized gathered and analyzed for the development of long-term maintenance plans. In addition, it has permitted to move from reactive (or corrective) maintenance to preventive and predictive maintenance. This has resulted in more effective use of railway resources and higher levels of infrastructure utilization and safety. However, it requires an organization with reliable and effective inspection and testing processes as well as engineers and analysts with the necessary knowledge skills to develop effective maintenance programs based on the vast array of maintenance knowledge.

On modern railways, planning is centralised so to best assure optimal resource utilization and productivity. This includes capital budgeting and planning; schedules for track machines, rail grinders, and major testing equipment (such as the geometry evaluation cars and ultrasonic rail detection).


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D.2 Local versus Mobile Employees

What does vary across modern railways is the degree to which employees are localized versus regional. In a traditional, labour-intensive railway organisation, maintenance employees are generally local and not typically well-equipped. With improvements in communication technology and track maintenance equipment, railways have become more mechanized and employees are more centralised and mobile.

Local employees typically have a geographic track territory for which they are responsible for identified maintenance and inspection activities. In earlier times and currently on many rudimentary railways, this included all (or least most) inspection and maintenance activities. On some modern railways, the role of local employees has diminished. The benefits of local employees are pride of ownership of their own territory; local ingenuity and detailed knowledge of the intricacies of their territory, availability of employees to attend to emergencies, track failures and service disruptions; and development of relationships with local contractors and labour forces to assist as needed with projects.

Mobile employees are typically functionally organised (surfacing gangs, turnout maintenance or rail grinding train as examples). Relative to local employees, they tend to be more specialised in their expertise and prior training. Mobile employees tend to be more productive (given they are organized by function and more specialised but tend to be higher overall costs (due to living expenses and often higher wages). In addition, there is the added logistics challenge of having employees who are continually on the move. In general, junior or newer employees prefer regional gangs as they tend to provide more opportunities for learning, advancement and training. However, as employees age, there is more of focus on family and stable local work becomes more appealing. Railways are now beginning to consider these life factors in recruitment and selection of maintenance employees.

As with most railways with rudimentary maintenance and inspection practices, Bangladesh Railways undertakes maintains and inspects railway infrastructure with local employees who are distributed across the network and responsible for known territories.

D.3 In-house versus outsourced

Among the modern railways of the world, there are differences in the degree to which maintenance and inspection activities are outsourced versus completed with in-house forces. On the one extreme are the Class 1 railways of North America where virtually all maintenance work is carried out in-house. At the other extreme are the railways of Europe where significant elements of their maintenance and renewal programmes are outsourced and a major private sector industry has developed as a result.

The reason for the difference in maintenance organisations is generally explained by how the railways have evolved over many years, adapting in different ways to national objectives, ownership, and legislation and funding arrangements. As such, there is no evidence that there is any ‘best practice’ organisation model. In the following table we present how key maintenance and inspections are typically handled on modern railways.


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Table D-5 Ownership and operation of specialized railway equipment under service contract

Equipment International Practice

Geometry evaluation vehicles Mix of in-house and out-sourced

Ultrasonic rail flaw detection Outsource

Rail grinding train Outsource

Rail Lubrication Typically in-house

On-track re-railing cranes In-house

Off-track re-railing cranes Outsource

Continuous Action Tampers Both are used

Production Tampers In-house

Undercutters Both are used

Table D-6 Operation of depots and/or provision of specialized services

Service International Practice

The maintenance of track machinery and equipment

Generally in-house but often mixed with specialized contracted service

The maintenance of rail cum road equipment Generally in-house

Automotive maintenance of road and RCR vehicles Generally in-house

Storage and delivery of materials and spares Generally in-house

Table Dappend-7 Maintenance of Civil Works

Building/Structure International Practice

Station buildings Generally in-house with use of local tradesmen

Depot facilities Mix

Major Bridge Work Generally in-house

D.4 Recommendations

Mechanized track maintenance units (MTMU) are by their very nature, mobile and centrally planned. This is on account many of the technologies and track machinery that comprise a MTMU have high productivity levels; and investment in them can only be justified by using across significant infrastructure. Also on account of the specialized nature of the equipment and work it performs, we recommend a two-tiered maintenance organization, as follows:

• System Engineering will largely be responsible for policy and strategy; infrastructure testing (RFD and GRV); and maintenance and allocation shared resources (track machinery and vehicles).

• Zonal Engineering (Eastern and Western) will develop plans and execute maintenance and renewal programs; undertake visual inspections of infrastructure, and respond to incidents and in-service failures; and supporting regional gangs.


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In the tables that follow, we detail key elements of the maintenance and inspection planning and execution, and identify each tiers’ responsibilities.

Table 10-8 Visual Inspections

System Engineering Zonal Engineering

Policy and standard governing inspection frequencies and reporting requirements

✓

Routine visual inspections & record entry ✓

Special Inspection & record entry ✓

Ownership and maintenance of inspection record database

✓

Auditing of inspection records ✓

Table 10-9 Geometry Evaluation Vehicle and Ultrasonic Defect Detection


Policy and standard governing inspection frequencies and reporting requirements

✓

Scheduling of Vehicles ✓

Staffing and supervision of vehicles (if not outsourced)

✓

Response to observed defects ✓

Recording of detected defects and remedial actions

✓ ✓

Ownership and maintenance of inspection record database

✓

Table 10-10 General Maintenance


Observed Defect Remediation ✓

Rail/Sleeper/Ballast Maintenance ✓

Joint Maintenance / Thermite Welding ✓

Turnout Maintenance ✓

Rail De-stressing ✓

Maintenance of wayside lubricators ✓

Table 10-11 Supporting Activities


Management of Materials and Spares ✓


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Management, staffing and supervision of Permanent Way Trains

✓

Ballast loading and transport ✓ Ballast unloading (major programs and maintenance)

✓

Maintenance of track machinery ✓

Maintenance of Rail cum road vehicles ✓

Long-term and daily planning of maintenance blocks

✓

Table 10-12 Major Programs Planning


Policy and standards governing requirements for rehabilitation and renewal

✓

Annual Budget Appropriation and Assignment ✓

Program Schedule ✓

Resource Allocation ✓

Table 10-13 Major Programs Execution


Rail Relay ✓

Tie Replacement ✓

Undercutting / shoulder cleaning ✓

Turnout Replacement ✓

Continuous Action Tamper ✓

Spot Tamping ✓

Table 10-14 Emergency / Incident Response


Response to non-mainline incident or derailment

✓

Coordination of response to mainline outage / derailment

✓

Control and staffing of re-railing cranes ✓ Response to minor mainline outage / derailment

✓

Response to major mainline outage / derailment

✓

Table 10-15 Civil Inspection and Maintenance


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Bridge Inspections and Maintenance ✓

Culvert and Drain Inspection and Maintenance ✓

Maintenance of Station and Section Buildings ✓ Maintenance of Other Depots ✓

To most effectively leverage the benefits of MTMU while retaining the value that come from local ownership and pride, we recommend distinct split between work to be undertaken by local gangs versus mobile gangs where:

• Local gangs have fixed headquarters and territories for which they be responsible for all day-to-day maintenance and inspection activities; and

• Mobile gangs will be specialized in nature and will responsible for scheduled, centrally-planned activities across the Zone. They will include surfacing gangs and component renewal.

Both local and mobile gangs will be part of the Zonal organizations.

With respect to outsourcing, we recommend that BR adopt the North American approach and undertake core maintenance activities in-house and outsourcing activities that are either non-core or too specialized.

• Day-to-day maintenance

• Major programs (with some possible exceptions)

• Testing of infrastructure (with some exceptions)

• Visual inspections

• Management of database inspection logs, defect records, and information condition data

• Planning of major programs

• Ballast delivery

This leaves a fair number of work elements that could be outsourced by way of service contract.

Table 10-16 Ownership and operation of specialized railway equipment under service contract

Equipment Recommendation for BR

Geometry evaluation vehicles In-house but outsource could be considered

Ultrasonic rail flaw detection Outsource

Rail grinding train Outsource

Rail Lubrication In-house but outsource could be considered

On-track re-railing cranes In-house

Off-track re-railing cranes Outsource using local contractors


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Equipment Recommendation for BR

Continuous Action Tampers In-house but outsource could be conidered

Production Tampers In-house

Undercutters In-house but outsource could be considered

Table 10-17 Operation of depots and/or provision of specialized services

Service Recommendation for BR

The maintenance of track machinery and equipment In-house but outsource could be considered

The maintenance of rail cum road equipment In-house but outsource could be considered

Automotive maintenance of road and RCR vehicles Outsource

Storage and delivery of materials and spares Outsource

10.1.1 Maintenance of Civil Works

Building/Structure Recommendation for BR

Station buildings Outsource

Depot facilities Outsource

Major Bridge Work Outsource

Where we have indicated that “In-house but outsource could be considered”, our recommendations here are based on these activities being done in-house. However, in section 14.1.6, we provide discussion on outsourcing these activities.

Documents

Technical Assistance Consultant’s Report€¦ · Appendix B – International Case Studies of Mechanized Maintenance and Training ... B.2 Training for Permanent Way Staff – Indian