CN116917571A - Method for cleaning ballast beds of a track - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for cleaning a ballast bed (4) of a track (2) by means of an on-track machine (8, 18, 21), wherein the ballast (1) located below a track row (5) is removed by means of a ballast removal device (10) by means of the cleaning machine (8), and subsequently the cleaned and/or new ballast (1) is laid on the track (2) a plurality of times by means of a ballast laying device (11) and a ballast train (15) with respect to the working direction (12), and the laid ballast (1) is compacted by means of a tamper (18) and a stabilizer (21), wherein the new and/or cleaned ballast (1) of all layers is laid by means of the ballast laying device (11) and the ballast train (15) before a first tamper operation, and the ballast bed (4) is compacted at different depth layers by means of a deep-layer tamping unit (22) during the first tamper operation, and then the track (2) is stabilized by means of the stabilizer (21), and subsequently the track row is stabilized at the same depth as the second tamper operation (18) and the other tamper operation is carried out in the same track row (2) or immediately after the second tamper operation.

Description

Method for cleaning ballast beds of a track

Technical Field

The application relates to a method for cleaning a ballast bed of a track by means of an on-track machine (gleisgebundener Maschinen), wherein ballast located below the track section is removed by means of a ballast removal device by means of a cleaning machine, after which the cleaned and/or new ballast is layered in the track relative to the working direction by means of a ballast laying device and a ballast train, and the laid ballast is compacted by means of a tamper and a stabilizer.

Background

The track with ballast has characteristics that enable the railway to run safely and efficiently. The main requirement of a track with ballast is to absorb both static and dynamic loads. For this reason, the ballast must have sufficient stability and flexibility thanks to its proper particle distribution and good adherence between the individual ballast particles. A low proportion of fine particles and a high edge sharpness are decisive factors for meeting this requirement.

Dynamic operating loads and weather effects cause the ballast to gradually lose its characteristics over time. To restore the complete ballast bed, the ballast must be screened, added or replaced in its entirety. For example, a machine for ballast cleaning is known from AT 520989 A1. The ballast located below the lifted track section is continuously removed by a ballast removal device designed as an endless digging chain and fed to a screening system. The cleaned and/or new ballast is then laid on the existing ground by means of a ballast laying device.

Ballast bed cleaning on monorail routes of Schilling r.10, 10, 2005 (Schilling r.: schotterbettreinigung auf eingleisigen Eisenbahnstrecken, ZEVrail Glasers Annalen, 129, hanocar) pages 414-422 describe all preparation and major work in the ballast cleaning process. For compacting the ballast laid after the screening, several machines called mechanized maintenance trains are used. Such trains include a tamper, a ballast plow and a dynamic track stabilizer.

According to the prior art, the first ballast compacting process is performed immediately after the screen scarifier. Subsequently, new ballast is discharged onto the track panel by means of a ballast train consisting of ballast self-discharging trailers. The track panel is lifted and new ballast is compacted under the ties by the mechanized maintenance train. This process of providing new ballast, lifting the track and compacting is repeated to obtain a ballast bed having the desired height.

This common practice is described in detail with reference to fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows a known method with four working phases, of which only a single working unit is shown for the sake of clarity. These units are provided on a not shown screen cleaner and on the frame of a mechanized maintenance train.

The above figures show the first working phase of excavating and laying ballast during lifting of a track segment. Ballast is removed from beneath the elevated track panel using an excavating chain. The digging height is typically 300mm. The removed old ballast is screened and sharpened. This portion of the screened ballast is returned to the track by the ballast conveyor and the ballast is distributed by plow to a maximum initial height of 150 mm. The maximum initial height is specified by regulations of various railway infrastructure authorities (e.g., french national rail companies). The ballast is then immediately compacted by means of a stabilizing device, wherein the ballast bed height is reduced to about 130mm, as specified.

In the second working phase, new ballast is laid by the ballast train and distributed by the plow. The track panel was then lifted 80mm while tamping the lifted tie. Subsequent stabilization may cause the track panel to settle. The remaining height of the ballast bed below the tie is approximately 205mm.

The third working phase is a repetition of the second working phase, in which the rail panel is lifted further by 80mm and is settled to approximately 280mm. The ballast in the track is generally sufficient for the final tamping treatment in the fourth working phase. However, it may also be necessary to discharge new ballast in front of the tamper.

In the last process, the tamper brings the track panel to a predetermined geometry, wherein the lift is 20mm to 25mm. Subsequent stabilization will lower the ballast bed to an original height of about 300mm. In the last working step, the ballast bed is shaped and cleaned to remove ballast particles from the sleeper.

The described multilayer laying of ballast requires a long time for occupying the track. If necessary, the orbit work must be performed several times; during this time, the track can only be re-opened to rail traffic at a greatly reduced speed.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present application is to improve a method of the above-mentioned type such that the track occupation time for all work can be shortened compared to the prior art. The mass of the compacted ballast bed should meet the railway infrastructure management regulations.

According to the application, this object is achieved by the features of independent claim 1. The dependent claims show advantageous embodiments of the application.

In the present application, the new and/or screened ballast of all layers is laid by the ballast laying apparatus and ballast train prior to the first tamping process. Wherein during a first tamping process ballast beds are compacted at different depth levels by deep-level tamping units provided on the tamper, and then the track is stabilized by a stabilizer, and subsequently, in a second tamping process, the track panel is immediately tamped in only one depth level by the same tamper or another tamper, and after the second tamping process the track is stabilized by the same stabilizer or another stabilizer. This eliminates the need for separate ballast laying by another train of ballast and subsequent tamping and stabilizing treatments, as compared to known methods.

The new method has the advantage that more cleaned ballast can be reused in addition to the reduced necessary track occupation time compared to the known methods. The ballast is laid on the track immediately after screening by means of a ballast laying device and does not have to be temporarily stored or replaced with new ballast.

By adopting the novel method, only one train of ballast trains is needed for the screening work site. Additional fresh ballast may be brought to the job site, if necessary, using a material conveyor and hopper unit (MFS) coupled to the screen scarifier. In the conventional method, the material conveyor and the hopper unit are towed empty to the job site and filled with reject.

Another advantage is that the tamping process is reduced, which protects the ballast. In addition, the process of the ballast plow and the track stabilizer is also eliminated. This reduction in work processing means fewer people are needed on the track. This reduces labor costs and contributes to the safety of the track job site.

In general, the length of the job site is reduced by eliminating the previously required machinery and ballast dump trailers. Thus, the amount of work required to protect the workplace is also reduced. Fewer security personnel and fewer security devices are required. In addition, the route limiting the travel speed is shortened on adjacent tracks, allowing more trains to travel through the work site.

Advantageously, in the method according to the application, the ballast bed is removed at a high-definition of at least 300mm. This does not lead to any losses compared to conventional methods, wherein the desired compaction quality can be achieved by means of a deep-tamping process.

Further improvements describe: ballast is laid at a bed height of at least 200mm, in particular at least 250mm, by means of a ballast laying device. This ensures that the original height of the ballast bed can be reached in the remaining lifting process without affecting the compaction quality.

For the first lifting treatment after ballasting by the ballast train, it is advantageous to lift the track section by at least 50mm, in particular by at least 70mm. This means that only a small lift is required for the final second tamping process in order to produce the predetermined track geometry.

Advantageously, during the second lifting process the rail is lifted with a lift in the range between 15mm and 25mm, in particular in the range between 20mm and 25mm. This provides a sufficient range for producing a predetermined track geometry without loosening the ballast bed.

The method is further improved by an advantageous deep-layer tamping process, wherein after the first lifting process, a first tamping process is performed in the lower deep layer of the ballast bed by means of a deep-layer tamping unit with vibrating and pressing tamping picks, and a second tamping process is performed in the upper deep layer of the ballast bed by means of the same tamping pick. During the tamping process, the track panel is held in place by the lifting unit.

The efficiency of the method according to the application is further improved if the tamping process is performed after the second lifting process by means of a multi-sleeper tamping unit. In this way, the second tamping process can be completed at a faster operating speed.

The maintenance speed is further increased if the tamping work is performed using a tamper integrated in the screening train. In this case, the screening process and the corresponding compacting process are synchronized with each other by a higher level control system. Furthermore, the energy supply of the integrated machine is optimized by the shared power car of the screening train powering all units.

Drawings

Hereinafter, the present application is explained by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following diagrams are schematic:

fig. 1 is a method according to the prior art.

Fig. 2 is a method according to the application.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows the method described at the beginning, in which cleaned and/or new ballast 1 is layered into a track 2. The ballast 1 located on the ground layer 3 forms a ballast bed 4 for a track section 5, the track section 5 consisting of sleepers 6 and rails 7 fastened to the sleepers 6. The rail-mounted screen 8 serves for screening the ballast bed 4. For clarity, the rail screen is only shown in dashed outline and comprises several frames supported on the rail travelling mechanism. The means and units for handling the track 2 are arranged on a frame.

The track panel 5 is lifted and held in place by the lifting device 9, while the ballast removal device 10 removes the ballast 1 at a removal height h1 (e.g., 300 mm). The defined removal height h1 extends from the formation 3 to be exposed to the lower edge of the sleeper 6 supported in the ballast bed 4. Of course, ballast 1 located between the sleepers 6 is also picked up. Generally, the ballast removal apparatus 10 includes a rotating endless digging chain that continuously picks up the ballast 1 while moving forward, and transfers the ballast to a conveyor for transfer to a screening unit.

The other conveyor conveys the screened ballast 1 to the ballast laying device 11. A first layer of cleaned ballast 1 is laid by the ballast laying device 11 against the exposed stratum 3 immediately after the removal device 10, with respect to the working direction 12. The plow 13 is used to distribute the paved ballast 1 over the formation 3 at a desired first bed height h2 (e.g., 150 mm).

The track segments 5 laid on the newly formed ballast bed 4 are put into vibration under load by means of the stabilizing units 14. This stabilization controls the settling of the ballast bed 4 in advance. The result is a reduced bed height, a second bed height h3 (e.g., about 130 mm) is obtained.

In the second working phase, another layer of ballast is poured onto the track 2 by means of the ballast train 15. The ballast plow 16, which is preferably designed as a separate machine, distributes the ballast 1 via an adjustable coulter 17. This means that there is enough ballast 1 on the ties 6 and between the ties 6 for the first tamping process.

The tamper 18 provided for this purpose comprises a lifting unit 19 and a tamping unit 20. The lifting unit 19 lifts the track panel 5 to a third bed height h5 (e.g., 210 mm) with a first lift h4 (e.g., 80 mm). Then, a stabilizer 21, also called dynamic orbit stabilizer, is used. The stabilizer is either designed as a separate machine or coupled to the tamper 18. The function of the stabilizing unit 14 is to compact the ballast bed 4 to a fourth bed height h6 (e.g. 205 mm).

The working steps of the second working phase are repeated in a third working phase, wherein third layer of ballast is laid in the track 2 by means of a ballast train 15. Subsequently, the track panel 5 is first lifted to a fifth bed height (e.g., 285 mm) with a second lift h7 (e.g., 80 mm). After being fixed by the tamping unit 20, the height is reduced slightly again to a sixth bed height h9 (for example 280 mm) by the stabilizing unit 14.

Subsequently, in the third tamping process, the track panel 5 is brought to a predetermined track geometry with a third lift h10 (for example, 20mm to 25 mm). After final stabilization by the stabilizing unit 14, the final track position is set. The ballast bed 4 updated in this way has approximately the same height as before the screening process. A disadvantage of this known method is that a large number of working steps are required due to layered ballast laying, including ballast compaction.

The method according to the application reduces the working steps but does not reduce the quality of the ballast bed 4 after cleaning. A new sequence of working steps is described with reference to fig. 2.

As previously described, the cleaning of the ballast bed 4 is started by the screen cleaner 8. The lifting unit 9 of the screen scarifier 8 lifts the partial track panel 5 to be treated. For this purpose, the lifting unit 9 comprises roller clamps which clamp the respective rail heads of the rails 7 and roll along the rails 7 when the screen 8 is moved forward.

The ballast removal apparatus 10 having the cross beam extends under the lifted partial track section and picks up the ballast 1 at a predetermined removal height h1 (e.g., 300 mm). In particular, the ballast is picked up by an endless digging chain surrounding the track segment 5. The digging chain conveys the removed ballast 1 up through a lateral passage to a first conveyor, not shown. In this way, the ballast 1 is fed to a screening unit provided on the screen scarifier 8.

The ballast 1 is screened in a screening unit. The edges of the ballast are then sharpened, if necessary, in an impact mill. The screened ballast 1 is conveyed by another conveyor to the ballast laying device 11. If there is not enough ballast 1 treated, a new ballast 1 is used for make-up. For example, the new ballast 1 is carried in a storage unit of the screen scarifier 8. It is also possible to carry new ballast 1 with a so-called material conveyor and a hopper unit (MFS). These units are rail vehicles coupled to the screen scarifier 8 and are used to pick up the reject generated during ballast cleaning.

According to the application, the ballast laying device 11 of the screen scarifier 8 lays substantially more ballast 1 in the track 2 than before. The ballast layer, which is flattened by the plow 13 of the screen cleaner 8, advantageously has a first bed height h2' of 250mm, measured from the exposed ground layer 3 to the lower edge of the tie 6. The stabilizing unit 14 integrated in the screen saver 8 compacts the ballast bed 4 to a second bed height h3' (about 230 mm).

In the second working phase, new ballast 1 is discharged onto the track 2 via the ballast train 15. The ballast plow 16 distributes the ballast 1 for subsequent tamping processes. In this case, the lifting unit 19 of the tamper 18 advantageously lifts the track panel 5 by 70mm with a first lift h4'. This achieves a third bed height h5' of about 300mm.

According to the application, the fixing of the rail section 5 in this lifted position is carried out in two steps by means of the deep-layer tamping unit 22. Such a unit 22 is disclosed in another patent AT 522237A1 by the present inventors. The deep-level tamping units 22 have a greater vertical extent of movement for the tamping tool carrier than the conventional tamping units 20. In addition, a longer tamping pick 23 is used.

In a first step, the tamping pick 23 of the deep tamping unit 22 penetrates the lower deep layer of the ballast bed 4 and presses there in a vibratory manner. In this case, the upper edge of the pick plate at the end of the tamping pick is at least 100mm below the lower edge of the tie 6. Advantageously, the vibrations are generated by means of a rotating eccentric shaft connected to a hydraulic pressing cylinder. The squeezing movement and vibration can also be superimposed in the corresponding hydraulic cylinders; a corresponding actuation with integrated displacement measurement will be provided.

In order to achieve a predetermined pressing force and pressing time, it must be ensured that the pressure exerted by the pressing cylinder is regulated during deep-level tamping. The pressure setting must be adjusted to achieve the same force and time during deep tamping as during subsequent normal tamping. If necessary, the tamping pick 23 is set to vibrate only during the first compaction step, the overall compaction result may be positively affected. The extrusion process is eliminated.

This is followed by a second compaction step in which the tamping pick 23 is lowered into the upper depth layer of the ballast bed 4. There, the extrusion treatment is carried out under the influence of vibration. The upper depth layer is located between the previously compacted lower depth layer and the lower edge of the tie 6. In this way, the ballast bed 4 is compacted over the entire bed height h5' by the deep-layer tamping unit 22. The stabilization treatment is followed by using a stabilizer 21, while a slightly reduced bed height h6' (about 295 mm) is obtained.

The final geometry of the track 2 will be produced in the final working phase. In the process, the track 2 is handled using the same or another tamper 18. The lifting unit 19 lifts the track panel 5 by a slight excess lift compared to the predetermined track geometry. This allows for subsequent track settling during stabilization. The second lift h7 'is in the range of 20mm to 25mm and is therefore significantly lower than the first lift h4'. Furthermore, the track segments 5 are laterally aligned.

The tamping units 20 for simultaneously tamping several ties 6 shortens the maintenance time of this working phase. The tamping units 20 may be located on the same tamper 18, or on separate tamper 18, in addition to the deep layer tamping units 22. In the first case, the same lifting unit 19 is advantageously used for all lifting steps. Finally, stabilization is performed by the stabilization unit 14. The stabilizing unit 14 is provided in a separate stabilizer 21 or on a frame coupled to the tamper 18.

The new method of operation is not limited to the exemplary conventional screening method shown. In particular, the method according to the application is applicable to a screening train with integrated tamper 18, stabilizer 21 and coulter 17 (if necessary). The method can also be used for cleaning or replacing the turnout. The application also makes it possible to lay down ballast up to a bed height h2' of 250mm at a time and then to compact the ballast at one time by deep-layer tamping, normal tamping and stabilizing.

Claims (8)

1. Method for cleaning a ballast bed (4) of a track (2) by means of an on-track machine (8, 18, 21), wherein the cleaned and/or new ballast (1) is layered in the track (2) by means of a cleaning machine (8), the cleaned and/or new ballast (1) is subsequently compacted in different depth layers by means of a ballast laying device (11) and a ballast train (15) by means of the ballast laying device (10), and the laid ballast (1) is compacted by means of a tamping machine (18) and a stabilizing machine (21), characterized in that, before a first tamping process, the new and/or cleaned ballast (1) of all layers is laid by means of the ballast laying device (11) and the ballast train (15), during which the ballast bed (4) is compacted in different depth layers by means of a deep tamping unit (22), and then the track (2) is stabilized by means of the stabilizing machine (21), in the same track (2) is stabilized by means of the same tamping machine (18), or in the same layer (2) is stabilized by means of the other stabilizing machine (2).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the ballast bed (4) is screened at a removal height (h 1) of at least 300mm.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that ballast (1) of a bed height (h 2') of at least 200mm, in particular at least 250mm, is laid by means of the ballast laying device (11).

4. A method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that in a first lifting process the track panel (5) is lifted by at least 50mm, in particular at least 70mm.

5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that during the second lifting process the rail panel (5) is lifted with a lift in the range between 15mm and 25mm, in particular in the range between 20mm and 25mm.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that after the first lifting process, a first tamping process is performed in the lower depth layer of the ballast bed (4) by means of a vibrating and pressing tamping pick (23) and a second tamping process is performed in the upper depth layer of the ballast bed (4) by means of the same tamping pick (23), by means of the deep tamping unit (22).

7. A method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that the tamping process is performed after the second lifting process by means of a multi-sleeper tamping unit (20).

8. A method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that tamping work is performed using a tamper (18) integrated in the screening train.