GB2342677A

GB2342677A - Improvements in or relating to tracks for railway type vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2342677A
Application number: GB9822408A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Cope
Original assignee: TARMAC UK Ltd; Tarmac Heavy Building Materials UK Ltd
Current assignee: TARMAC UK Ltd; Tarmac Heavy Building Materials UK Ltd
Priority date: 1998-10-15
Filing date: 1998-10-15
Publication date: 2000-04-19
Also published as: DE69916641D1; WO2000022234A1; AU6218299A; EP1121489A1; GB9822408D0; EP1121489B1; DE69916641T2

Abstract

A track (10) for railway type vehicles includes a foundation (11), a track pavement (12) on the foundation (11), and a pair of rails supported by the track pavement (12) , characterised in that the track pavement (12) includes a plurality of pre-formed sections (13) laid end to end and connected together.

Description

I 1 2342677

Title: Improvements in or Relating to Tracks for Railway Type Vehicles Description of Invention

This invention relates to tracks for railway type vehicles such as trains and trams.

Conventionally tracks have comprised a pair of rails on which the vehicle wheels run, the rails being supported in spaced relationship by sleepers on a base. The sleepers conventionally have rested on a base of ballast.

Such conventional tracks require frequent maintenance as the motion of vehicles tends to settle the ballast resultina in the rails becoming out of level and line.

It has been proposed to provide a track pavenient in a settable material such as concrete or macadam, and to lay the rails on the pavement. The rails have been secured relative to the pavement either on sleepers which each support a pair of rails, or on discrete blocks for individual rails, which sleepers or blocks have been secured to the pavement e.g. by grouting. Alternatively the rails have been secured to the pavement by an elastic adliesive. The pavement has been supported on a prepared base.

A track pavement provides an advantage over conventional arrangements in which rails are supported on ballast, in terms of reduced maintenance as loadings imposed on the track as a train or other railway vehicle travels along the track, and particularly peak loadings, are dissipated into the base by the pavement.

However there are drawbacks too, not in the least the necessity for the pavement to be accurately laid so that the rails subsequently supported by the pavement conform to the track engineer's specification of line, level and rail

0 2 positions. Once laid, it is very difficult to modify the pavement subsequently, for examples to realign the track and/or to change the cant of the track.

A,nother substantial problem is to lay the pavement when only short interruptions in normal railway traffic (possessions) can be tolerated. Ideally a roadway is required adjacent the site where the track is to be provided to allow for delivery of materials for layirig the pavement. Alternatively it is necessary 0 to use an adjacent track as a delivery route for materials, which may be acceptable for laying new track, but presents substantial difficulties where possession tirne available may be short. When forming a pavement on site there may be insufficient time for the concrete/inacadam or other material which is laid to produce the pavement, to set.

According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a track for railway vehicles including a foundation, a track pavement on the foundation, and a pair of rails supported by the track pavement, characterised in that the track pavement includes a plurality of preformed sections laid end to end and connected together.

Thus a track may be provided which has all the advantages of a track having a track pavement, but the track may be installed simply and quickly, even where only short possessioiis are available. The pre-forined sections can be conveniently delivered by road or by a delivery vehicle using an adjacent track and lifted into position from the lorry or railway delivery vehicle using a suitable crane or other lifting means.

Most conveniently the sections are generally of channel shape comprising a base in which the rails are supported, and a pair of upstands. Thus the upstands, or at least one of the upstands, may be used for various purposes such as for example only, to accommodate services, such as pipes and/or cables, in which case the upstaiid May include a suitable hollow such as a duct or pathway for such services.

The hollow may be open or may be closed by a cover.

3 Alternatively or additionally, the upstands or other part of the preformed sections may be adapted, e.g. with opening or supporting formations, to support a sign, sensor and the like.

The pre-formed sections may be adapted to support sound deflecting or sound absorbing or sound attenuating members e.g. baffles, which reduce sound emanating from the rail interface with the wheels of a railway vehicle.

To prevent the, particularly but not exclusively channel shaped, preformed sections becorning waterlogged, the pre-formed sections may be formed such that precipitation drains from the sections when laid. Tl1e or at least some of the pre-formed sections may be provided with drainage means which permit water to flow from the pavement, e.g. to the side of the foundation on which the pavement is laid, or to a drain.

To enable the sections conveniently and quickly to be coupled together, the pre-formed sections may Include COUplin" means to facilitate their coupling to adjacent pre-formed sections. However the sections may rely on running rails spanning several sections to connect the sections together.

-In a preferred embodiment, each pre-fornied section includes ballast. Thus the levelling of the rails laid on the pavement may be facilitated. Of course to prevent the ballast spilling from the pre-formed sections e. g. as they are lifted into place froin a delivery vehicle, soine ballast retaining means is required. For example a temporary Closure means which is removed as the section is laid and connected to an adjacent section may be provided, or a ballast glue.

In each case to prevent the concrete or other material from which the preformed sections are made from abrasion by the ballast, if desired a membrane is provided bemeen the material of the pre-fornied sections and the ballast.

4 Instead of ballast, the pre-formed sections inay include alternative means to facilitate the subsequent laying of rails. For example, the rails may be embedded in and/or supported oil a bed of inacadain or like suitable material.

The pre-formed sections inay include support sleepers, or blocks, the sleepers or blocks having fixing means to which the rails may be secured e.g. by grouting, bolting, welding or any other appropriate means, the sleepers or blocks in use lying on or in e.g. the ballast.

To enable the positions of such sleepers or blocks in the sections to be determined during manufacture and retained during transport and handling of the sections, each pre-formed section may include temporary alignment means secured to the sleepers or blocks and relative to the sections to retain the sleepers or blocks in a set position prior to laying of the pre-formed sections on Z the foundation, which teniporary alionment ineans are adapted to be removed prior to the rails beinCY secured to the sleepers or blocks. For example such means may include lenaths of service rail, or timber or plastic strips for example, which may be replaced when the running rails on which the vehicle runs, are laid along the track pavenlent.

C> Although the pre-fonned sections inay be made from any suitable material, preferably the pre-forined sections are made of reinforced and/or prestressed concrete. However the sections may be inade of and/or contain other materials.

The foundation may be inade of and/or be a ballast foundation of a conventional track, the rails and sleepers of which have been removed. The foundation oil which the track pavenlent is provided inay thus include ballast and there may be provided bem,een the fOL111dation and the concrete pavement, a membrane to protect the underside of the track pavenient from abrasion by the ballast of the fOUndation.

Accordina to a second aspect of the invention we provide a method of providing a track for railway vehicles oil a base, characterised in that the method includes laying end to end a plurality of sections of track pavement on the base, the sections each being pre-formed, and connecting the sections together to provide a track pavement, and supporting a pair of rails by the track pavement.

A track made by the method may have any of the features of the track according to the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect of the invention we provide a pre-formed section for a track according to the first aspect of the invention.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of a pre-formed section of track in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing there is shown a track 10 for a railway vehicle such as a train, train or the like which may be used to transport passengers and/or goods.

The track 10 includes a foundation I I which could be a foundation laid for the track 10, or an existin-, foundation of for example, a conventional railway track. The foundation I I may thus comprise ballast which may be levelled as necessary to receive a track pavement 12 as hereinafter described, so that the track 10 is at a desired level.

The track pavement 12 comprises a plurality of pre-forined sections 13, which are laid end to end, and preferably are connected together. Thus the preformed sections 13' are generally elongate and in this example are of generally channel shape in cross section, having a base 14, and a pair of upstands 15,16.

At each end of each pre-formed section 13), there are provided connectors 18 (only shown illustratively in the drawing) by means of which the pavement sections B may be connected to adjacent pavement sections 13.

The sections B are pre-formed in a settable material such as concrete, reinforced or supported macadam or the like, iii the channel shape, and the ends of the channels are closed by temporary closure means, such as the closure 6 boards 20 shown in the drawing. These boards 20 are removed from the sections 13 when the sections 13) are laid on the foundation 11. Their purpose is to retain within the channels of the sections B, ballast 22.

In an alternative arrangement, instead of providing boards 20 temporarily to close the cliannel ends, the ballast may otherwise be prevented from spilling from the section 13 while the section 13 is transported to and laid on the foundation 11, for example by applying a glue to the ballast at least adjacent the channel ends. The ballast 22 may be pre-compacted in any event to facilitate its retention in the sections 13.

The track pavement 12 further comprises sleepers 25 on the ballast 22 within the channels of the pre-forined sections 13, on which in use, rails on which railway vehicles I-1111, are Supported. The sleepers may be made of concrete, steel or other inetal, or even timber as desired. Steel or the like is preferred as less ballast will be required. As seen in the drawings, there are provided ternporary service rails 26, 27 which extend only substantially over the length of the section 13. These service rails 26, 27 may be temporary secured to the sleepers 25 so as to maintain the sleepers 25 in their factory set positions during transport of the sections D to site, and laying of the sections I') on the foundation 11. The service rails 26, 27 may need to be secured relative to the sections 13 as the sections 13 are transported and laid. Once the pavement 12 is laid, the service rails 26, 27 are removed, and proper running rails (not shown) which inay extend for a SUbstaimal Iminber of pre- formed sections 13 lengths, may tlieil be laid oii the pavement 12, witli the running rails beina secured to the sleepers 25.

Any suitable kiiid of fixinos inay be provided to fix the running rails to the sleepers 25, such as clips, grouting, welding or the like.

Instead of providing sleepers 25 in the channels or otherwise of the track C> pavement 12, blocks, pads or other means inay be pro,ided within or on the track pavement 12, to support the 111111111111 rails. Instead of providing temporary 7 service rails 26, 27 any other means to retain the sleepers 25 or other running rail support means in factory set positions of the pavement 12 may be provided, such as timber or plastic strips. Such temporary means need not be removed if this is not a requirement for laying the running rails.

Where the pavenient sections 13) are made of concrete, the concrete may be reinforced and/or pre-stressed for strength. If desired, parts of the sections 13, or the entire sections 13) may be made from other materials such as macadam, steel or other metals, or a combination of such materials. For one example of an alternative construction, the base 14 of the channel may be made from concrete, and the upstands 15, 16 from metal, but in each case the section 133 is pre-forined in a factory environment, preferably complete with ballast 22, sleepers 25 or other rail Supports.

To allow for drainage of water from the charuiels of the sections 13, each section 13 may incorporate a fall in level along the base 14 so that water e.g. as a result of precipitation, may flow along the pavement 12 to drainage o enings (not shown) provided in at least sorne of the sections 13. Such P C, drainage openings may be connected to a drain or slinply allow such water to soak/flow away.

It will be appreciated that as the track 10 is subject to loadings in use as a result of railway traffic passing along the pavement, the concrete may become worn by the ballast of the foundation I I and/or the ballast 22 within the channels. Accordingly, a protective membrane may be interposed between the pavement 12 and the foundation I I and/or between the ballast 22 of the pavement 12 and the pre-fonned sections 1-3). The ballast 22 of the pavement 12 will be prevented froin settling by the upstands 15, 16 of the sections 13.

If desired, because the sections D' are pre-forined, the sections 13 may be formed in a factory envii-oninent with additional features. For example the pavement 12 may be provided,N,itli a hollow formed by ducts along the sections, in which services SLICII as pipes and/or cable may be laid. Such hollow 8 may be provided within an upstand 15, 16 of the pavement 12, and the hollow may be closed with covers for protection from"the weather and tampering. Such covers may span a single or a plurality of the pre-formed sections as desired.

Additionally and/or alternatively, the pavement 12, e.g. in one or each of the upper surfaces 30, 31 of the upstands 15, 16, there may be provided formations, such as openings, to receive railway equipment, such as bases to support signs, signalling or control equipment such as sensors, adjacent the running rails, and/or baffles or other sound attenuating or absorbing members which being located close to the running rails, will be operative to affect sound produced as railway vehicles pass over the track 10.

The upstands 15,16 or other parts of the pavement 12 may be adapted e.g. by the provision of liffing hooks or the like, to facilitate the laying of the pre-fon-ned sections b lifting the sections 13 from a delivery vehicle and y lowerina them into position.

Provided the foundation I I is well prepared, a track 10 may rapidly and relatively easily be provided with all the advantages of a track having a pavement, but without the installation difficulties of conventional pavements which are cast or other-wise formed on site.

By virtue of the pavement being forined by coupled sections 13, adjustment of the track is facilitated because each section 13 can be adjusted individually, uncoupling a section 13) from adjacent section 13, "If necessary. Thus for example the level and/or cant of the track may be adjusted. On initial installation, final adjUstment of the track level etc. may be achieved by tamping, as is conventional with conventional ballast and sleeper tracks.

Various other modifications may be n3ade without departing from the scope of the invention.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed ftinction, or a method

9 or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof

Claims

1. A track for railway vehicles including a foundation, a track pavement on 0 the foundation, and a pair of rails supported by the track pavement, characteiised in that the track pavement includes a plurality of preformed sections delivered to site and laid end to end and connected toaether.

0

2. A track according to claiiii I characterised in that the sections are generally of channel shape comprising a base on which the rails are supported and a pair of upstands.

3. A track according to claiii-i 2 cliaracterised in that at least one of the upstands includes a hollow to acconiniodate services.

4. A track accordina to clairn ') characterised in that the hollow is closed by a cover.

5. A track according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that pre-formed sections are adapted to support a sign, sensor and the like.

6. A track according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in 0 that the pre-formed sections are adapted to support sound deflecting or sound absorbina or sound attenuatina mernbers which reduce sound emanating from C) 0 the rail interface Nvith the wheels of a railway vehicle.

7. A track accordilia to any one of the preceding clainis characterised in C> C> that the pre-formed sections are formed such that precipitation drains from the sections when laid.

8. A track according to claim 7 characterised in that the pre-formed sections, or at least some of the pre-formed sections are provided with drainage means which permit water to flow from the pavement.

9. A track according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in 0 that the pre-formed sections include coupling means to facilitate their coupling to adjacent pre-fornied sections.

10. A track according to any one of the pyeceding claims characterised in 0 0 that each pre-formed section includes ballast.

11. A track according to claim 10 characterised in that means are provided to prevent the ballast spilling from the pre-formed section prior to the section being laid.

12. A track according to claim 11 characterised in that the means which 0 prevent the ballast spilling from the pre-forined section comprises a temporary Z.I:l closure means which is removed when the section is laid.

1 A track according to any one of claims 10 to 12 cliaracterised in that a 0 membrane is provided between the material of the pre-formed sections and the ballast.

14. A track accordinG to any one of the preceding claims characterised in C) C) that the pre-forined sections iIICIUde SLII)I)01't sleepers, or blocks, the sleepers or blocks havincy fixim, means to -vvhIch the rails may be secured.

C 0

15. A track according to claiin 14 characterised in that each pre-formed section includes temporary aliannient means secured to the sleepers or blocks C) 12 and relative to the sections to retain the sleepei-s or blocks in a set position prior to laying of the pre-fon-ned section on the fOLIndation, which temporary alignment means are adapted to be removed prior to a rail being secured to the sleepers or blocks.

16. A track according to claiin 15 characterised in that the alignment means includes lengths of service rail seCLIred to the sleepers or blocks and relative to the sections.

17. A track according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the pre-formed sections are made of reinforced and/or pre-stressed concrete.

18. A track according to clairn 17 characterised in that foundation includes 0 ballast and there is provided between the foundation and the concrete pavement a membrane.

19. A track substantially as hereiribefore described with reference to and as shown in that accompanyina dravvilIC's.

0 0

20. A method a providing a track for railway type vehicles on a base, characterised in that the niethod includes laying end to end a plurality of sections of track pavenient on the base, the sections each being preformed, and connecting the sections together to provide a track pavement, and supporting a pair of rails by the track pavement.

21. A method according to claiiii 20 characterised in that the track has any of the features of the track accordino to any one of clainis I to 19.

0 13

22. A method of providing a track substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

0 23). A pre-formed section for a track according to any one of claims I to 19.

24. Any novel feature or novel combination of features shown herein and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.

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