Various Types of Track Maintenance

The following are the main types of support:

1. Contact rail

It consists of a grinding machine that moves on a track with a whetstone, which rotates the stone or oscillating stone in a longitudinal direction, to scrape the surface of the rail. 

Rail grinding is performed to correct rail wrinkling, fatigue, and metal flow, and to re-contour rails. Many agencies like RailroadtracUSA provide track maintenance and construction services according to your needs.

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2. Splint replacement

This can be done to upgrade the track to a higher gauge rail or to replace the same rail due to defects, wear or damage to the rails.

3. Pounding

This is done to adapt the longitudinal profile, transverse plane, and track alignment. Multiple bearings are simultaneously raised to the correct level in the ballast by vibrating seal teeth.

4. Track stabilization

The track stabilizer vibrates the track laterally with a vertical load to ensure controlled oscillation. Compression and compaction of the ballast under the bearing reduce cross-travel resistance. Track stabilization can return lateral resistance to its original level.

5. Ballast injection

To improve the longitudinal profile, injection of ballast or rockfall is performed. Additional stone is introduced into the surface of the existing ballast bed, while the stable compact ballast bed remains undisturbed.

6. Cross replacement

For most types of bar defects, corrective action cannot be taken and the bars must be replaced. Faulty bearings can result in the loss of the correct gauge, which can lead to the slipping of the rolling stock.