1 November 2005 :
Following recent adverse weather conditions, Translink engineers have re-doubled efforts to combat the elements in order to keep rail services on the move and on time.
High winds and heavy rain have accelerated levels of autumn leaf fall onto the rail lines. When crushed as trains travel over the track, a Teflon-like substance or ‘mulch’ forms, causing poor adhesion between train wheels and the railway line, which ultimately causes trains to be delayed.
“Unfortunately, due to the seasonal weather conditions and levels of leaf fall at this time of year, poor adhesion is a universal problem faced by rail networks across the UK and further afield in Europe,” explained Translink Infrastructure Manger, Clive Bradberry. “It’s also a constant running battle, as the residue often reforms as quickly as it is cleared.
“The coating causes the same sort of problems black ice causes for cars, and it can prove to be difficult to remove. Essentially it causes ‘wheelslip’ which in turn makes it difficult to get trains moving and keep moving, or to slow down and stop. Just like driving on icy roads, train drivers apply defensive driving techniques, which invariably mean reduced speeds of operation and increased braking distance allowances. As a result it is difficult to keep trains operating to the timetable during the leaf fall season.
“Over the past number of years we have identified the blackspots and will be using a combination of specialised equipment and products to keep trains and passengers moving safely this autumn.
“We will be closely monitoring the entire rail network, indeed our specialist cleaning machine which uses high pressure water jets to clean away the leaf residue is travelling along the tracks every night.
“We will also be using a new gel and grit compound specifically developed to address this issue which is applied by mobile squads at known trouble spots and other areas as problems arise. Our ultimate goal is to ensure safety and punctuality for our passengers.
“In addition, all 23 of our new C3K trains feature automatic sanding devices and wheel slip protection. Like the traction control systems available on many modern cars, these ‘smart sanders’ actually detect wheel slip and automatically release sand to help traction. Wheel slip protection has also been fitted on Enterprise trains, and driver operated sanders, which are the rail equivalent to miniature gritting lorries are fitted to all remaining class 450 trains.
Clive went on to explain that cold weather brought other difficulties.
“To combat the problem of points freezing at track junctions we have fitted sensors to key points on our tracks, which trigger warming devices when the temperature is about to reach freezing - preventing the points sticking and keeping the network moving.“
Other measures implemented by Translink include a year-round programme of vegetation management to minimise leaf fall onto tracks.
Ends
For further press information contact Christopher Carson at Morrow Communications tel: 028 9039 3837 email: c.carson@morrowcommunications.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Stumbleupon