EP2004910B1 - Method and device for the continuous renewal of railway track - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a device for continuous rail rail renewal.

It is particularly suitable for the renewal of railway tracks, in particular for taking into account the temperature differences between old rails and new rails when replacing old rails with new rails, and for balancing at a given temperature called release temperature of the new rails.

In general, we know that a railroad renewal site is realized with heavy equipment such trains called "works" up to 750 meters in length, autonomous machines, locomotives, and a large workforce in charge of complex operations.

In addition, railway operating constraints make it imperative not to disrupt rail traffic in the long term, to adapt to seasonal traffic as much as possible and to take advantage of local seasonal weather conditions.

In a more precise way, the yard works in general on interception with contiguous road circulated; which means that outside the actual hours of operation, the commercial trains run on the renewed track and that during these same hours of intervention, other trains can circulate on the contiguous track.

It is also known that the organization of such projects must be able to evolve in order to integrate new regulations, particularly concerning the environment and safety; it must be able to respond to new demands on productivity; Finally, it must take into account new technical data, for example concerning higher slowing speeds, partial renewal of materials, etc.

The current technical response is to operate special trains that cross the long new welded rail stored in track at an outdoor temperature or on a storage ream, also at outdoor temperature, with the old long welded rail. In this case, the release operation after the rail replacement phase is essential. It requires the use of various small equipment to position on the track to perform the homogenization operations and to bring the rail to its release temperature. The means used to bring the rail to the release temperature are usually gas burners that operators slide on the parts of the rail to release, or more recently hydraulic tensioners, which, once positioned in the center of the release zone , allow to lengthen the long welded rail of the desired length. The current state of the art concerning the grouping of the replacement site of the long welded rail and the liberation operation is on a train which, starting from the new welded rail located at the center of the track, substitutes the long welded rail formerly wearing the new long welded rail at the release temperature. In fact this train replaces the old welded rail and at the same time heats the new welded rail by means of heating tunnels equipped with induction furnaces. Upstream of this train, the new rail is at the outside temperature, then it is brought to its release temperature and is rested on the track. The major disadvantage of such a method is the preparation of the new welded rail in track, that is to say its welding in the center of the way so as to obtain during the whole of this phase of construction site a long welded rail continued. In addition, instant induction heating by induction poses two major problems: on the one hand, the control the liberation temperature at heart in the mushroom and the pad of the new welded rail can not be achieved easily, therefore the release temperature is known only by taking information on the skin of the rail; on the other hand, punctual heating in heating tunnels does not seem to guarantee acceptable continuity and thermal homogeneity in the rail over the entire length of these tunnels. In addition, the stops of the entire train can interfere with the good propagation of heat in the rail which in this case can have a completely inaccurate release temperature. Even with several specific heating systems, stop management remains a problem.

Of FR 2 104 489 a method is known for controlling and adjusting the temperature of welded rails during the laying operation by length measurement, however the length measurement is performed once the rails are laid and the heating device is not on a rail transport car.

Of EP 1 433 901 a method of laying or renewing rails is known, but which does not include a heating operation of the rails.

The object of the invention is therefore more particularly to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks.

• le stockage et la mise en température dite de libération d'éléments de rails neufs, et
• après stabilisation desdits éléments de rails neufs à température dite de libération :
• le contrôle de l'allongement des susdits longs rails neufs, à température dite de libération,
• la désolidarisation entre les susdits longs rails anciens et les traverses en voie,
• la dépose des susdits longs rails anciens et la pose des susdits longs rails neufs, à température dite de libération,
• la solidarisation aux traverses des susdits longs rails neufs, à température dite de libération,
• la réalisation de longs rails neufs par soudure des susdits éléments de rails neufs, à température dite de libération,
• le stockage des susdits longs rails anciens.

It therefore proposes a continuous rail rail renewal process by substituting the old welded long rails with new welded long rails and releasing the new welded long rails, which process comprises:

• the storage and the so-called release temperature of new rail elements, and
• after stabilization of said new rail elements at so-called release temperature:
• controlling the elongation of the aforementioned new long rails at a so-called release temperature,
• the separation between the aforementioned long old rails and the rails on track,
• the removal of the aforesaid long old rails and the installation of the aforesaid new long rails, at so-called release temperature,
• the fastening to the crosspieces of the aforementioned new long rails, at so-called release temperature,
• the production of new long rails by welding the aforementioned new rail elements, at so-called release temperature,
• the storage of the aforementioned long old rails.

Advantageously, storage and release temperature of the new rail elements will be carried out by means of special wagons equipped with heating means and temperature measuring means.

The heating means may consist of pulsed hot air generators and / or hot water generators.

The temperature measuring means may be of the contact type (semi-conductive junction or thermocouple probes) or of the radiation type (infrared detection).

Advantageously, the combination of two special wagons will be achieved by means of flexible joints and thermally insulating; of course the number of special wagons will be a function of the length of said new rail elements.

• par comparaison avec un rail étalon situé à l'extérieur des susdits moyens de chauffage à air chaud pulsé,
• par comparaison avec un rail étalon situé à l'intérieur des susdits moyens de chauffage à air chaud pulsé,
• par comparaison avec la loi théorique de dilatation de l'acier.

Advantageously, the control of the elongation of the aforementioned new long rails may be carried out in various ways, namely:

• in comparison with a standard rail located outside the aforesaid hot air heating means,
• in comparison with a standard rail located inside the aforesaid hot air heating means,
• by comparison with the theoretical law of expansion of steel.

Rail lengths can be measured via ultrasonic sensors; an ultrasonic transmitter will be located in the vicinity of the anchored portion of the long welded rail, and an ultrasonic receiver will be located in the vicinity of the free part of the long welded rail; the length of the rail is a function of the travel time of the ultrasonic wave.

The length of the rail can also be measured by laser interferometry.

• de porter le long rail soudé neuf à la température de libération et de le maintenir à cette température sur une rame prévue à cet effet, laquelle rame roule sur le long rail soudé ancien,
• de déterminer ladite température de libération au moyen d'une mesure précise de l'allongement du long rail soudé neuf et de la comparer avec la longueur de référence d'un rail étalon,
• de maintenir le long rail soudé neuf à la température de libération durant la désolidarisation et la dépose du long rail soudé ancien et ce jusqu'à la solidarisation du long rail soudé neuf en lieu et place du précédent long rail soudé ancien,

et ainsi, de permettre le renouvellement de rail ferroviaire par une substitution en continu du long rail soudé ancien par un long rail soudé neuf, et ce en supprimant toute opération de libération postérieurement à cette opération de substitution.Thus, the method according to the invention will allow:

• to bring the new long welded rail to the release temperature and to maintain it at this temperature on a train provided for this purpose, which train rolls on the long old welded rail,
• determining said release temperature by accurately measuring the elongation of the new welded rail and comparing it with the reference length of a standard rail,
• to maintain the new welded rail at the release temperature during the separation and removal of the old long welded rail until the joining of the new welded rail in place of the previous old long welded rail,

and thus, to allow rail rail renewal by continuous substitution of the old long welded rail by a new long welded rail, and this by eliminating any release operation subsequent to this substitution operation.

• la figure 1 est une représentation schématique d'un train de substitution de long rail soudé ancien par un long rail soudé neuf,
• la figure 2 est une représentation schématique longitudinale d'un wagon de stockage et de mise en température de libération d'éléments de rails neufs,
• la figure 3 est une représentation schématique transversale d'un wagon de stockage et de mise en température, et
• la figure 4 est une représentation schématique longitudinale des moyens de liaison entre deux wagons de stockage et de mise en température.

Of course, the invention also relates to an apparatus for implementing the method described above and an exemplary embodiment of which will be described below, by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• the figure 1 is a schematic representation of a long welded long rail replacement train by a new welded rail,
• the figure 2 is a schematic longitudinal representation of a storage and release heating car of new rail elements,
• the figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of a storage and heating car, and
• the figure 4 is a longitudinal schematic representation of the connection means between two storage and heating cars.

• une première unité motrice UM₁ située en amont du train de substitution T,
• un premier wagon de stockage WS₁ de rails neufs, représenté partiellement, tracté par l'unité motrice UM₁,
• un n-l^ème wagon de stockage WS_n-1 de rails neufs, représenté partiellement,
• un n^ème wagon de stockage WS_n de rails neufs,
• un wagon WA de démontage de tire-fonds et de stockage de petit matériel ancien,
• un wagon WB générateur d'énergie, de soudure de rail, de dépose du rail ancien et de pose du rail neuf,
• un où éventuellement plusieurs wagons WC de mise en place de petit matériel neuf et de montage de tire-fonds,
• un ensemble de wagons WD₁, WD₂, WD₃ de ramassage du rail ancien,
• un premier wagon de stockage WE₁ de rails anciens, représenté partiellement,
• un n^ème wagon de stockage WE_n de rails anciens, représenté partiellement, et
• une seconde unité motrice UM₂ située en aval du train de substitution T.

In the example shown on the figure 1 , the substitute train T comprises from upstream to downstream:

• a first motor unit UM ₁ located upstream of the substitution train T,
• a first storage car WS ₁ of new rails, partially shown, towed by the power unit UM ₁ ,
• a nl ^th WS _n-1 storage car of new rails, partially shown,
• a ^nth storage car WS _n of new rails,
• a wagon for dismounting lag bolts and for storing old material,
• a WB power generator, rail solder, old rail removal and new rail installation,
• one where possibly several wagons WC of establishment of small new equipment and mounting of bolts,
• a set of wagons WD ₁ , WD ₂ , WD ₃ old rail pickup,
• a first storage car WE ₁ old rails, partially shown,
• a ^nd storage wagon WE _n of old rails, represented partially, and
• a second motor unit UM ₂ located downstream of the substitution train T.

Thus, according to this configuration, the upstream part of the aforesaid substitute train T circulates on the old rail, and the downstream part of the aforesaid substitute train T runs on the new rail, storing the new upstream rail elements and the old downstream rail elements.

• la 1^ère partie constituée de l'unité motrice UM₁, et des wagons WS_n, WA, WB,
• la 2^nde partie constituée des wagons WC_n, WD_n, WE_n et de l'unité motrice UM₂.

In order to regulate the yields on the entire train by avoiding the stops due to the cutting of the old welded rail for storage, a "work" configuration in two parts of the replacement train can be considered:

• 1 ^st part consisting of the drive unit CU _1, and WS _n cars, WA, WB,
• the 2 ^nd part consisting of WC wagons _{n, n} WD, WE _n, and the drive unit ₂ UM.

Advantageously, the aforementioned distinct parts may be driven in one direction by a power unit and in the other direction by a so-called reversibility cab system equipped with a radio control that will control the drive unit and the necessary onboard signaling imposed by the legislation to borrow the type of line on which the renewal takes place.

Furthermore, the type of path taken to arrive in the construction zone may be of the "high-speed" or "classic" type. In ¹ case, the WB and WC wagons will be equipped on-board signaling system "TVM430"; in the 2 ^nd case, they will have to be equipped with the systems imposed by the regulation for the classic lines such as "RSDAAT", "RST", "KVB", "IV" and recorder of events of conduits.

Storage cars WS ₁ , WS _n-1 , WS _n will be described in detail below; they essentially comprise a thermal enclosure E ₁ , E _n-1 , E _n , for storing the new rail elements, and heating means C _n-1 , C _n , to raise their temperature to reach the so-called release temperature.

The determination of the temperature of the new rails will be described hereinafter in detail; this determination of the temperatures is based in particular on the precise measurement of the length of the rail, which requires that it is integral at its upstream end of an anchor point PA, located upstream of the aforesaid storage car WS ₁ , and can expand freely by resting on idle rollers mounted on mechanical bearings.

Moreover, in order to keep the temperature of the new rail elements constant, the aforementioned storage cars WS ₁ , WS _n-1 , WS _n are connected by connection means L _n-1 , L _n , L _{n + 1} , flexible and thermally insulating; the connecting means L _n-1 is located between the storage car WS _n-1 and the storage car WS _n ; the connecting means L _n is located between the storage wagon WS _n and the wagon WA dismantling of bolts and storage of old small equipment; the connecting means L _{n + 1} is located between the wagon WA dismantling lagoon and old small equipment storage and the wagon WB energy generator, rail welding, removal of the old rail and installation of the new rail.

The wagon disassembly wagon and old small material storage wagon basically comprises three work stations, respectively P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ .

The workstations P ₁ , P ₂ , located on the side of the storage wagon WS _n , correspond to the operation of disassembling the bolts of the fasteners that hold the old rail; operators may have electrical equipment suspended from the frame of wagon WA.

The workstation P ₃ , located downstream of the posts P ₁ , P ₂ , corresponds to the operation of collecting all the old equipment, previously released from the old rail by the operators of the positions P ₁ , P ₂ ; this user equipment is then stored in appropriate bins ST, located on the upper part of the wagon WA, by means of handling means, such as a treadmill TR.

The wagon WB energy generator, rail welding, old rail removal and new rail installation, is the main element of the T substitution train.

It consists essentially of a central beam of sufficient length allowing upstream to circulate on the old rails and downstream on the new rails.

Thus, the wagon WB is driven by BM ₁ upstream motor bogies, and BM ₂ downstream motor bogies.

Furthermore, the wagon WB comprises a plurality of hydraulic cylinders V ₁ , V ₂ , V ₃ , V ₄ , V ₅ , V ₆ , V ₇ , equipped with clamp and for gripping the old and new rails so as to position them precisely.

The control of this plurality of jacks is performed by the station P ₄ , located upstream of the wagon WB.

Thus, from upstream to downstream, the cylinders V ₁ , V ₂ , V ₃ make it possible to lift the long old welded rail by removing it from its housing on the sleepers and to disengage it in the direction of the outer edge of the sleepers. that is to say on the flanks of the track; as for the cylinders V ₄ , V ₅ , V _6, V ₇ , they make it possible to position the new welded rail on the sleepers, in order to put it in the empty housing of the sleepers, from their initial position defined by the aforementioned wagons WS ₁ , WS _n-1 , WS _n .

Note that during the handling operation of the new welded rail, it is maintained at its so-called release temperature.

The topological downstream arrangement of said plurality of jacks is as follows: V ₄ , V ₁ , V ₅ , V ₂ , V ₆ , V ₇ , V ₃ .

In addition, a second station P ₅ corresponds to the operations of collecting worn soles.

A welding station of the new rail elements, not shown is located upstream of the wagon WB; it allows to connect the new rail elements with a stop relative to the welding time; this connection eliminates any welding on the track and allows the installation of the new welded rail without discontinuity, that is to say without temporary splicing.

Of course, the wagon WB comprises various components, such as an alternator, hydraulic pumps and the electronic control and control equipment, and a control station located downstream of the wagon WB, allowing this car to be driven when it is being transported to the replacement site.

The wagon WC for installing new small equipment and mounting of lag bolts essentially comprises three work stations, respectively P ₆ , P ₇ , P ₈ .

The workstation P ₆ , located on the side of the wagon WB corresponds to the operation of setting up the new small equipment taken from unrepresented storage bins.

The work stations P ₇ , P ₈ , located downstream of the station P ₆ , correspond to the mounting operation of lag bolts fasteners that maintain the new rail; operators may have electrical equipment suspended from the chassis of the WC wagon. In order to obtain high yields and especially to secure the new welded rail to its release temperature to the sleepers as quickly as possible, and without a drop in productivity, the workstations P ₆ , P ₇ and P ₈ can be distributed over several wagons WC _n .

The wagons WD ₁ , WD ₂ , WD ₃ , old rail collection allow to remount said old rails from their position on the side of the track to the storage position on the storage cars WE ₁ , WE _n .

They include an access ramp facilitating the handling of the old rail.

Prior to storage on said storage cars WE ₁ , WE _n , the old long welded rail will be cut into sections.

• la 1^ère avec l'unité motrice UM₁, et les wagons WS_n, WA et WB,
• la 2^nde avec les wagons WC_n, WD_n, WE_n et l'unité motrice UM₂.

L'ensemble constitué des wagons WD₁, WD₂, WD₃, WE₁, WE_n, peut être dissocié du susdit train de substitution T et ainsi entraîné par la seconde unité motrice UM₂ en fonction de l'état du stock de rails anciens.When traveling on site and in order to limit the length of the substitute train, it can be split into two distinct parts:

• the 1 ^st with the drive unit CU _1, and WS _n cars, WA and WB,
• the 2 ^nd with toilet wagons _{n, n} WD, WE _n, and the drive unit ₂ UM.

The assembly consisting of the wagons WD ₁ , WD ₂ , WD ₃ , WE ₁ , WE _n can be dissociated from the aforesaid substitute train T and thus driven by the second motor unit UM ₂ as a function of the state of the rail stock old.

In the example shown on the figure 2 , wagon WS _n storage and release temperature of new rail elements includes a particular thermal enclosure allowing to store the new rail elements, and heating means C _n , to raise their temperature so to reach the so-called release temperature.

An operator P _n can access the thermal enclosure En by means of removable insulating panels located in the upper part of said thermal enclosure E _n .

• d'effectuer la mise en température des éléments de rails neufs jusqu'à l'obtention de la température dite de libération,
• de permettre l'allongement sans contrainte des éléments de rails neufs,
• de contrôler et de maintenir cette température dite de libération indépendamment des conditions climatiques,
• de maintenir cette température de libération durant la soudure des éléments de rails neufs et jusqu'à la solidarisation dans un premier temps partielle puis totale sur WC₂ et WC₃ du long rail soudé neuf en lieu et place du précédent long rail soudé ancien.

The objective sought by this apparatus is to allow:

• to warm up the new rail elements until the so-called release temperature is reached,
• to allow the unconstrained elongation of the new rail elements,
• to control and maintain this so-called release temperature regardless of climatic conditions,
• to maintain this release temperature during the welding of the new rail elements and until joining in a first partial and total time on WC ₂ and WC ₃ of the new welded rail in place of the previous old long welded rail.

This supposes that the aforesaid storage wagon WS is equipped with means for storing, heating and controlling this temperature; moreover, this supposes that the aforesaid wagons WS may be associated with each other by connecting means, depending on the length of the new welded rail while respecting the objectives defined above.

Of course, all of this equipment must be able to borrow radii of curvature close to 100 meters.

Thus, the rail elements are arranged parallel to each other and rest on idle rollers mounted on mechanical bearings, inside a thermal enclosure.

This thermal enclosure, of length close to that of the storage car, consists of a plurality of compartments; each compartment is accessible via at least one removable insulating panel located in the upper part of said compartment.

Each compartment is secured to the tray of the storage car and comprises along the main axis of the storage car a bridge allowing the operator to move on all of said compartments and to access each of them for opening at least one panel located on either side of said gateway.

The thermal sealing between the different compartments and in the vicinity of the panels is ensured by adequate joints.

The fixed and movable walls constituting each of said compartment can be made of multilayer composite material.

For example, three new rails can be arranged on either side of the main axis of the storage car.

Advantageously, an additional compartment will be made in the vicinity of the bridge for housing a standard rail whose function will be described later.

In addition, a second new welded long rail storage stage may also be added on wagon WS _n .

The heating means essentially consist of a forced-air fuel oil boiler, integral with the storage car, to provide the calories necessary for the temperature rise of the new rails stored in the thermal enclosure.

These heating means are arranged in the vicinity of one end of the storage car.

Thus the hot air is adequately distributed in the thermal enclosure by means of pipes and calibrated nozzles distributed throughout the thermal enclosure.

Moreover, temperature measurement sensors, located in the vicinity of the rails, associated with regulation means, allow from a set temperature to maintain at a constant value the temperature of said rails; this temperature will be the so-called release temperature.

In the example shown on the figure 3 , six rails R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ , R ₄ , R ₅ , R ₆ , rest on lip rollers in the thermal enclosure En; three hot air supply pipes, C ₀ , C ₁ , C ₂ , are respectively disposed in the vicinity of the center of the thermal enclosure and on either side of the main axis.

Furthermore a conformation of said enclosure allows the vicinity of the main axis to house a standard rail R ₀ , whose function will be described later.

Note that this warming of the new rails must meet the essential requirements of excellent uniformity in the mass of the rail, knowing that the general shape of the rail is elongated and that its section is not uniform.

A first variant of the method described above is to spray the hot water rail through pipes and injectors arranged above the rails.

A second variant of the previously described method consists of heating the base of the rail by means of electric heating resistors.

In order to maintain thermal homogeneity over the entire new welded rail, connection means are arranged between the storage cars.

In the example shown on the figure 4 , L _n-1 connecting means are located between two storage wagons, respectively WS _n-1 and Ws _n , partially represented.

These connecting means consist essentially of a flexible thermal enclosure, made of a synthetic material with high thermal resistance, integral in a thermally sealed manner, enclosures E _n-1 , En, respectively associated wagon WS storage _{n- 1} , WS _n .

The precise knowledge of the temperature of the new rail is a determining factor in the process of replacing old rails with new rails and in particular when balancing the new rail at a so-called release temperature.

Assuming that the temperature of the rail considered is uniform over its entire length and homogeneous in its section, the simple linear relation between its elongation due to the expansion of the material constituting the rail and the increase of its temperature makes it possible to determine the final length of the rail. rail corresponding to the so-called release temperature of the rail, from the initial conditions, namely the length of the rail before raising the temperature and the initial temperature of the corresponding rail.

Under these conditions, the elongation of the new rail corresponding to a rise in temperature to reach the release temperature, can be measured by known means having taken care to provide an anchor point for one end of the rail to be considered the point of origin of the measurement of the length of the rail.

As indicated above, the real time measurement of the length of the rail during its elongation can be carried out either by a measurement of the propagation time of an ultrasonic signal, either by laser interferometry measurement.

Of course, the anchor point will be made of a thermally insulating material so as to avoid a loss of calories thus creating a cold spot near the end of the corresponding rail.

• par comparaison avec un rail étalon situé à l'extérieur des moyens de chauffage du rail neuf,
• par comparaison avec un rail étalon situé à l'intérieur des moyens de chauffage du rail neuf,
• par comparaison avec la loi théorique de dilatation de l'acier.

Three processes for checking the elongation of the new rail can be envisaged, namely:

• in comparison with a standard rail located outside the heating means of the new rail,
• in comparison with a standard rail located inside the heating means of the new rail,
• by comparison with the theoretical law of expansion of steel.

According to the first proposed process, the standard rail, located outside the heating means, has a given length and its temperature is determined by sensors located in the mushroom and the pad at different distances; under these conditions, the measured temperature is that of the outside temperature.

Thus, the length comparison between the length of the standard rail at the outside temperature and the length of the new welded rail at the storage ambient temperature, i.e., the length difference after heating and the difference in length before heating measured at the internal temperature of the new rail between the length of the standard rail and the measured length of the new rail, gives a precise indication of the expansion rate and therefore the elongation of the rail, and therefore the temperature called release.

According to the second proposed process, the standard rail, located inside the heating means, has a given length and its temperature is determined by sensors located in the mushroom and the pad on different distances; under these conditions, the measured temperature is that of the storage ambient temperature.

Under these conditions, the measurement of the so-called release temperature of the new rail, is carried out by analogy from the measurement of temperature performed inside the standard rail located inside the heating means.

According to the third proposed process, the length of the new rail is controlled by comparison with the theoretical law of expansion of the steel from the initial conditions, namely the initial length of the rail and its initial internal storage temperature.

• de porter le long rail soudé neuf à la température de libération et de le maintenir à cette température sur une rame prévue à cet effet, laquelle rame roule sur le long rail soudé ancien,
• de déterminer ladite température de libération au moyen d'une mesure précise de l'allongement du long rail soudé neuf,
• de maintenir le long rail soudé neuf à la température de libération durant la désolidarisation et la dépose du long rail soudé ancien et ce jusqu'à la solidarisation du long rail soudé neuf en lieu et place du précédent long rail soudé ancien,

et de permettre ainsi, le renouvellement de rail ferroviaire par une substitution en continu du long rail soudé ancien par un long rail soudé neuf, et ce en supprimant toute opération de libération postérieurement à cette opération de substitution.In conclusion, the method according to the invention allows:

• to bring the new long welded rail to the release temperature and to maintain it at this temperature on a train provided for this purpose, which train rolls on the long old welded rail,
• determining said release temperature by means of a precise measurement of the elongation of the new welded rail,
• to maintain the new welded rail at the release temperature during the separation and removal of the old long welded rail until the joining of the new welded rail in place of the previous old long welded rail,

and thus to allow the renewal of railway rail by a continuous substitution of the old welded rail by a new long welded rail, and this by eliminating any release operation subsequent to this substitution operation.

Claims (14)

1. Method for the continuous renewal of railway track by replacing the old long welded rails with new long welded rails and the releasing of new long welded rails, characterised in that it comprises:

   - storing new rail elements and bringing them to the so-called release temperature, and

   - after said new rail elements are stabilised at the so-called release temperature:

   - controlling the lengthening of the aforementioned new long rails, at the so-called release temperature,

   - separating the aforementioned old long rails from the track sleepers,

   - removing the aforementioned old long rails and laying the aforementioned new long rails, at the so-called release temperature,

   - securing the aforementioned new long rails, at the so-called release temperature,

   - making new long rails without any discontinuity by welding the aforementioned new rail elements, at the so-called release temperature,

   - storing the aforementioned old long rails.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the storing of new rail elements and the bringing of them to the so-called release temperature, are carried out by means of at least one special car (WS₁, WS_n) provided with means of heating (C_n) and with means for measuring the temperature.
3. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that the aforementioned means of heating (C_n) are comprised of at least one pulsed hot air generator.
4. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that the aforementioned means of heating (C_n) are comprised of at least one hot water generator.
5. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that the aforementioned means for measuring the temperature are of the contact and/or of the radiation type.
6. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the aforementioned controlling of the lengthening is carried out by comparing with a standard rail located outside of the aforementioned means of heating (C_n).
7. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the aforementioned controlling of the lengthening is carried out by comparing with a standard rail located inside the aforementioned means of heating (C_n).
8. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the aforementioned controlling of the lengthening is carried out by comparing with the theoretical law of expansion of steel.
9. Equipment for the continuous renewal of railway track by replacing the old long welded rails by new long welded rails and the releasing of new long welded rails, calling upon a train for replacing (T), characterised in that it comprises:

   - a first motive unit (UM₁) located upstream of said train for replacing (T),

   - a plurality of special cars for storing new rails (WS₁, WS_n),

   - a car for the disassembly of coach screws and for storing small old equipment (WA),

   - an energy generating car, for rail welding, for removing the old rail and for laying the new rail (WB),

   - a car for setting up small new equipment and disassembling coach screws (WC),

   - a plurality of cars for picking up old rail (WD₁ WD₂, WD₃),

   - a plurality of cars for storing old rails (WE_n), and

   - a second motive unit (UM₂) located downstream of said train for replacing, and

   in that each one of said special cars for storing new rails (WS₁, WS_n) comprises means of heating (C_n) and means for measuring the temperature.
10. Equipment according to claim 9,
    characterised in that the aforementioned plurality of special cars for storing new rails (WS_n) are connected by thermally sealed connecting elements (L_n).
11. Equipment according to claim 9,
    characterised in that the entire train for replacing (T) is split into two separate portions:

    - the 1^st portion comprised of the motive unit (UM₁), and of cars (WS_n, WA, WB),

    - the 2^nd portion comprised of cars (WC_n, WD_n, WE_n) and of the motive unit (UM₂).
12. Equipment according to claim 11, characterised in that the aforementioned separate portions are controlled in one direction by a motive unit and in the other direction by a so-called reversibility cab system provided with a control radio that controls the motive unit and the required on-board signalling imposed by law in order to use the type of line on which the renewal is carried out.
13. Equipment according to claim 12, characterised in that the cars (WB, WC) are provided with the on-board signalling system indispensable for circulation on high-speed lines of the "Track-to-Train Transmission" type.
14. Equipment according to claim 12 or 13, characterised in that the cars (WB, WC) are provided with systems imposed by law for the conventional lines such as the "Repetition of Signals", the "Automatic Train Stop Detection", the "Track-to-Train Radio", the "Speed Control by Beacons", and conducting event recorder.

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