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ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGYENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

Coal Line Longitudinal Rail Stress Project

Coal Line Longitudinal Rail Stress Project

2

The Challenge

Perway Incidents 2006 (% of total minutes delayed / reason)

Animals4%

Block Joints4%

Broken Rail23%

Other3%

Sets13%

Ultrasonic28%

False Alarm2%

Fire0%

Geometry23%

50 – 60 % of all Perway train delays are stress relat ed

The Longitudinal Rail Stress Project provides a sol ution:• to significantly reduce incidents and delays relati ng to rail

stress and • reduce required occupation time for testing and rep air

Solution

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What is Rail Stress

T E N S I O N

COMPRESSIONTension and Compression forces cause Rail Stress that may lead to a Rail Break or Kick Out

A Solution is required for Early Detection of Rail Stress

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Project Purpose

• To develop a wayside system that will monitor longitudinal rail stress in real

time to enable better management of Continuously Welded Rail (CWR)

• The system should be able to warn against possible kick-outs and rail breaks

• The system should be a tool to plan and execute CWR maintenance

• The system should prevent…

……Derailments

5

CWR Measurement Methods currently in use

1. Cutting the Rail

2. Lifting Frame

3. Strain Gauging

• Accurate if measurements are done correctly• Timeous operation –occupation is required• Closure rail and welding is required• Weakening the track structure

• Extremely accurate with Digital measurements• Usable in any stress condition• High skill level required for initial installation• Expensive

• Accurate if used properly• Timeous procedure of loosening & fastening clips and requires occupation of selected section of line

• Only useable in tension conditions• Frame upgraded to enhance accuracy and performance

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Olifants River Bridge – Ore Line

Strain Gauging in use since early 80’s

HBM UPM60 Scanning Unit

• 16 Force measurement channels

• 2 Rail Temperature channels

• 2 Air Temperature channels

• 2 Concrete Temperature channels

• 4 Expansion gap deflection

channels

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Olifants River Bridge – Ore Line Force & Temperature

• Continuous measurement of Rail Force and Air & Rail Temperatures

• Constant and Real Time monitoring allows operations to take action proactively – reduce train speeds or stop trains at alarm levels

• No derailments occurred since installation

• Outdated technology expensive to maintain

• Technological developments have improved Strain Gauge technology• Enabled wayside recordings from multiple locations• Improved methodology applied to Coal Line Pilot Project

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Coal Line Pilot

Site Selection

• Phase 1

Line 1: Vryheid – Richards Bay

� 98 Sites

Line 1: Overvaal Tunnel

� 7 Sites

• Phase 2

Line 1: Ermelo – Vryheid

• Phase 3

Line 2: Remainder of Coal Line

Site Selection Criteria

Sites were selected on a priority

basis:

1. Tunnel entrances and exits

2. Kick-out and Rail break areas

3. Turnouts before/after deviations

4. Long bridges

5. Inside two tunnels (for

comparison)

6. Additional sites

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Coal Line PilotWayside Intelligent Long Stress Management System

ROCLA concrete cubicle containing Test Equipment

Rail force and temperature measurement devices installed on tracks

Instruments covered with panels to protect against vandalism & on-track damage

Test Equipment Pilot Site

Operations takes action for train speeds and movement

Infrastructure takes action for prioritising maintenance

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DISPLAY

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Installation / Rollout

• The Track Technology Centre is

installing the system (start date:

September 2006)

• A total of 26 Engineers and

Technicians are utilized for the

installation

• Coal Line Engineering Technicians are

assisting and are trained in the

operation and functionality of the

system and its components

• A Coal Line signalling technician will be

utilized for power supply purposes

• Target date for full operation of the

system: July 2008

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Coal Line PilotInstallation Overview

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Test Results: 15 days (Left Rail)

Date

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iCOMS Main screen display

NormalWarningAlarm

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iCOMS Forecasting

24/06/2006Prediction date 35°CMax air temp 46°CEst. Rail temp

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System Benefits

System Users

• Coal Link Operations

Centre

• Maintenance Managers

• Depot Engineers and

Technicians

• Production Managers

• Technology

Management (TTC)

• Viewer that will access

data on the main

server

Safety

• Assist in derailment prevention

• Warning system

• Rail break / kick-out detection

• Supporting data in the unfortunate event of an derailment

Maintenance

• Intelligent maintenance

• Continuous CWR long stress measurements

• Maintenance management

• Maintenance cost savings

Progress

• Continuous research possibilities due to system

expandability

• Better understanding of track behaviour and CWR

• Expandability to instrument line 2 with minimal capital

outlay

• Advantages to other maintenance actions (e.g. tamping &

placing closures)

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Technological Development

World first development : For future installations the Rocla concrete box is to be replaced by a smaller device mounted on mast poles or rail with own solar powered batteries

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HARDWARE

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Decision Required

• Coal line project will be fully functional by July

• 2008

• Require ROE and Regional Infrastructure participation

in determining next priority routes / corridors for

rollout in subsequent phases

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The End

Thank you for your attention

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0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105

Km Distance

Tunnels Dev Turnouts Open Track

Vryheid East

Tintasdrift

Dassieshoogte

Lenjanedrift

Engogweni

Komvoorhoogte

Bloubank

Nhlazatshe

IzolofUloliw

e

Eqwasha

Measurement site breakdown

T1 T2 T7T6T5T4T3

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Measurement site breakdown

105 110 115 120 125 130 135 140 145 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 200 205 210

Km Distance

Tunnels Dev Turnouts Open Track

UlundiILangakazi

Intsamanzi

Enqolothi

Umunywana

Isangoyana

Emakwezini

IDondotha

Elubana

RCBNsese

T8

T10/11

T16T14/15T12/13

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Measurement site breakdown

Number of Longstress measurement sites per 10Km

2

4

3

5 5

4

6

8

6

4 4

7

6 6

5 5

4 4 4

3 3

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

km 0

-10

km 1

0-20

km 2

0-30

km 3

0-40

km 4

0-50

km 5

0-60

km 6

0-70

km 7

0-80

km 8

0-90

km 9

0-10

0

km 1

00-1

10

km 1

10-1

20

km 1

20-1

30

km 1

30-1

40

km 1

40-1

50

km 1

50-1

60

km 1

60-1

70

km 1

70-1

80

km 1

80-1

90

km 1

90-2

00

km 2

00-2

10

Nu

mb

er o

f st

atio

ns

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Coal Line PilotInstallation Overview

25

HARDWARE

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Maintaining WILMA

• Development of a complete maintenance plan

• Monitoring of warnings and alarms TTC and then NOC

• Maintenance of field equipment by contract