RTR Eurailpress

RTR 4/2010 24 Fig. 1: The RU 800 S combined track-relaying and ballast-cleaning machine The RU 800 S has made a reality out of the potential for very considerable savings compared with conventional methods. That being so, the machine fully satisfies the specifications laid down for its development by Swietelsky in cooperation with Plasser & Theurer. It has indeed managed to avoid those working processes that are avoidable within its fully mechanised procedure, with the aim of saving both time and money. 1 How the RU 800 S works The new rails are laid on the ends of the sleepers ready to be threaded into the RU 800 S (Fig. 1 and diagram), and the track fastenings are removed over the machine’s setup length depending on operational circumstances. Next, the necessary working gap for the excavation chain is created. The RU 800 threads in and picks up the ends of the rails, pushes the old rails out to the sides and removes the old sleepers. These are then loaded onto the sleeper wagons, which are at the front of the working convoy. The excavation chain (Fig. 2) removes the old ballast over a width of 3-4 metres as required and transports it to the screening unit. The ballast tailings are transported away for disposal in the MFS 100 materialRU 800 S – performance comparison after three years It was in April 2006 that the RU 800 S was used for the first time on the networks of the Austrian Federal Railways and Deutsche Bahn. In the course of its first three years of operations, this machine has successfully relaid more than 400 km of track. Manager, Munich branch Swietelsky Baugesellschaft mbH, Munich fred.beilhack@swietelsky-bahnbau.de Fred Beilhack transport and hopper units, which are attached to the rear of the convoy. The track substructure is then smoothed and the ballast that has been cleaned in the screen is applied as the lower layer and ploughed into place with beams. This is followed by the creation of the bed for the new track, which is compacted with an array of plate consolidators. At the same time, new sleepers are carried from the sleeper wagons through the machine and positioned on the prepared ballast bed. Further back, the shoulder trimmer picks up the excess ballast from the ends up to a width of 6.50 m, and this is also transferred to the screening unit. This cleaned ballast too is returned to the track through flexible chutes. The new rails are forced inwards and fixed in position by the machine’s assembly unit (Fig. 3), while the old rails are deposited on the ends of the sleepers. Once this has been done, the track is immediately ready for use by works trains. The mean advance rate per shift is 2000 metres. The working method just described produced very considerable savings and minimises risks. RU 800 S Tailings from old ballast Ballast excavation Recovery of cleaned ballast Fresh ballast New sleepers via gantry crane Old sleepers Sleeper wagon Propulsion unit Ballast excavation chain Application and compaction of cleaned ballast Rail lifter for new rails Edge trimmer for excavating the old ballast beyond the ends of sleepers Removal of old sleepers Insertion of new sleepers Gantry crane for sleepers

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