Case Study Daqin Coal Line, China EN 430.08 KB

Case Study Improvement of Track Quality at Daqin Coal Line, China

Reduction of maintenance costs

Elongation of tamping cycles

Increase of life time of the track Improvement of track quality and lower deterioration rates

Project Description

The heavy haul network in China is Based on the breakthroughs imple- improved load distribution over the expanding fast. With total mileage mented in this line, China was able to rail. of 653 km the DatongQinhuangdao make substantial progress in heavy (short: “Daqin”) coal line is the ma- haul railway transportation. Adding elasticity to the superstructure jor corridor for transporting coal prevents individual components from from the west (Shanxi and Shaanxi Cost drivers on the open track being overloaded. Elastic Rail Pads un- provinces and the Inner Mongolian der the rail foot significantly improve Autonomous Region) to Qinhuang- Heavy haul route operators are faced the load distribution. Under Sleeper dao, China's largest coal-exporting with a number of challenges. With its Pads can amplify this effect and also seaport. very high frequency of trains (100 to increase the contact area between the 130 trains per day with daily gross ton- sleeper and ballast. Using Under Bal- Increased track availability, espe- nage up to 1.3 MGT), the operators re- last Mats is another way of introduc- cially in heavy haul railway lines, quire a highly durable superstructure. ing a defined level of elasticity into the is the target of many research and Damages to the components and in- superstructure. In addition, they re- development projects on and off the creased wear caused by heavy traffic lieve the interface between the ballast track for many years. Using elastic would reduce availability of the route, bed and hard subgrades. polyurethane components in the bal- increase the maintenance require- lasted track system reduces track ments and drive up operating costs. maintenance and therefore increas- Also, destruction of ballast is common es the availability of the line. on heavy haul lines due to the excep- tionally high loads. This causes dam- aquin’s double-track electri- age to many essential superstructure Advantages Dfied line with an axle load of 25 components such as breaking of rail tonnes opened in december 1992 and clips and sleepers. Only if the ballast, — Better track availability is capable of transporting a total vol- which is the weakest link in the bal- and less track possessions ume of 450 MGT/year. To ensure that lasted track, remains intact, the qual- — Lower deterioration rates the superstructure would be able to ity of the entire system is preserved therefore decrease of cope with these high numbers, an and superstructure components such maintenance requirements extra-wide subgrade and significant- as rails and sleepers are subjected to — Operation of a durable ly stronger rails (75 kg/m) were used less stress. track system with lower to ensure proper load distribution. life-cycle costs (LCC) The technology meets international Reducing loads on ballast — Positive influence on the standards: it was China's first heavy lateral track resistance haul railway to use a computerised Decreasing the load on the ballast can — Less damage to centralised traffic control system and be achieved in two ways: by increasing superstructure components the first line in the country to use an the size of the contact area between — Track quality and optical fibre communication system. the sleeper and ballast and through geometry at a high level Destroyed ballast, rail clips and sleepers due to inhomogeneously embedded sleepers

By conducting comprehensive statistics and analyses of the track geometry maintenance costs were reduced and several positive effects were witnessed since the application of Getzner USPs.

The Getzner solution unpadded section had been tamped maintenance activity was dramati- twice during major maintenance un- cally reduced. This saves money Installation of elasto-plastic dertakings, whilst the padded section and significantly increases the track Under Sleeper Pads (USPs) showed no need of tamping or main- availability. Until today the padded tenance at all. On top of this, no oth- track needed no tamping with USPs o counteract degrading super- er defects such as fractured sleepers (compared to four times without), Tstructure, Getzner approached or rail clips, white spots or hanging even after more than 1000 MGT. The several heavy haul networks within sleepers could be detected within use of USPs in the track superstruc- China to install and test elasto-plastic the padded section. The track quality ture enables the operation of a dur- USPs. Along the Daqin coal line, two and geometry were kept at a very able low life-cycle cost track system sections were selected and in 2016 high level. for China's heavy haul network. the Taiyuan Railway Bureau applied polyurethane USPs to both tracks Durable and economical track (loaded and unloaded directions). system The loaded, padded section has a total length of 1.46 km at the mileage With the installation of polyurethane of km 296 + 700 ~ km 298 + 160. The USPs of types SLB 2210 G and section includes a curve, three bridg- SLB 1510 G on the Daqin coal line, es (total length 375.9 m) and three tunnels (total length 277 m). In order to prove the benefits of the elastic superstructure, this track with fre- quent changes of subgrade conditions (open track/tunnels/bridges) was predestined. The elasto-plastic SLB 2210 G and the slightly more elastic SLB 1510 G USP types were carefully selected by Getzner’s engi- neering department, keeping in mind all boundary conditions of the test track.

No damages or maintenance

Fourteen months after the installation, the total tonnage amounted to 519 MGT. Within this time the AUSTRIA JAPAN oain: Berlin (DE),Munich (DE),Stuttgart (DE),Lyon (FR), Amman(JO), Tokyo (JP), Bürs (AT) Railway, construction, industry 490 (360 inBürs) EUR100.3 million 1969 (as asubsidiary of Getzner, Mutter &Cie) Locations: Headquarters: (at thetransition, 25 m ateach side) Ing.JürgenBusiness Rainalter areas: 2018 turnover: Employees: Chief Executive Officer: Foundation: 25 metric tons andtotal tonnage of 1000 MGT Taiyuan Railway Bureau UnderSleeperPads of type SLB1510 GandSLB2210 G Getzner Werkstoffe GmbH heavy freight line: Axle loads onthe Material used: 1.46 km of UnderSleeperPads Operator: the material was installed): Line mileage (over which Facts andfigures ai feprs 93 % Ratio of exports: Daqin Line — Tokyo — — Bürs —Bürs Baotou Shenmu

INDIA —Pune INDIA GERMANY

Hohhot Shenchi — Berlin — Munich —Stuttgart —Munich —Berlin

Xinzhou CHINA —Beijing CHINA Pune (IN),Beijing (CN), Kunshan (CN), Charlotte (US), Decatur (US)

USA —Charlotte USA Datong

Jining Shuohuang

FRANCE — Lyon —

N Railway Beijing Daqin Line JORDAN JORDAN ww w.getzner — Amman .com .com Cangzhou Tianjin

Huanghua Qian‘an Qinhuangdao Bo Hai