Use of Long Welded Rail in point and crossing area of a track

A step towards enhanced track safety

Prayagraj: North Central Railway maintains and operates on 53% of Delhi- Howrah and 24% of Delhi-Chennai super saturated Grand Chord routes. It also runs the highest speed train of India, the Gatiman Express at 160kmph while Vande Bharat the first train set of the country has average speed of 104kmph on NCR territory which is best on IR. All Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains on NCR territory have an average speed of more than 90 KMPH which is best among all zonal railways.  This massive and high-speed operation calls for a robust track structure and innovative maintenance practices to ensure safety and mobility in train operations.

As a step towards improved safety, riding quality and better maintainability one Long Welded Rail through Point & Crossing has been laid in Chamrola yard in the Gaziabad-Tundla section of North Central Railway on Allahabad division.

Provision of continuous long welded rail in point and crossing zone has reduced the number of joints in track structure making it more robust and ensuring better riding comfort through joint less movement of wheels over it. The provision of long welded rail requirement of In-situ welding in point and crossing zone has also reduced which will further add to safety and comfort in train operations. This will also add to the reliability of permanent way assets as the number of glued joints will reduce which are prone to failures leading to detentions in train operation.

This pioneering and innovative work of providing jointless continuous rail in point and crossing zone of railway track has been inaugurated on 28.09.19 by Rakesh Goyal, Additional Member, Railway Board in presence of Shri Sharad Mehta, Principal Chief Engineer, N. C. Railway, B. P. Awasthi, Executive Director, Railway Board, and A. K. Dadariya, Chief Track Engineer, N. C. Railway. North Central railway plan to provide this item on its entire stretch based on performance and in a phased manner.