NL1044181B1

NL1044181B1 - Railway Fauna Passage

Info

Publication number: NL1044181B1
Application number: NL1044181A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Hendrik Veldsink Gerrit; Jelte Annee Bos Ir; Kampfraath Paul
Original assignee: Kampa B V
Priority date: 2021-10-13
Filing date: 2021-10-13
Publication date: 2023-05-11

Abstract

Railway fauna passage comprising sleepers and rails supported by said sleepers, wherein two special steel sleepers constitute a wild life passage covered by a grid that is placed higher than the bottom of the rails and, and wherein a trough is placed between the special steel sleepers in order to increase the internal height of the fauna passage. Protruding steel strips on the inner edge of the special steel sleepers enable the ballast to be excavated deeper than the level of the bottom of the sleepers without affecting the stability of the track. 10 The rail fastenings on top of the special steel sleepers can be adjusted in height to restore the support of the rails when settlement of the ballast below these special sleepers has occurred.

Description

- 1 ~-

RMO96438 ~ 001

Railway Fauna Passage

The invention relates to a rallway comprising a fauna passage below the rails and between two successive sleepers sup- porting the rails, wherein both sleepers are provided with a hollow space in the side along the passage and wherein the top of the passage is covered with a grid.

It is a known problem of single or multi-track railways that they hinder fauna such as reptiles and small mammals. In order to prevent fragmentation of the fauna, small fauna tunnels or amphibious tunnels are being constructed at least 1.8 meter below the railway. Due to limiting restrictions such as high ground water level, standard tunnels cannot be realized any- where. Por these cases, a fauna passage can be created between two successive special steel sleepers in the tracks when the ballast that normally lies between the sleepers is removed,

It is a known problem with this type of fauna passages that mechanical track maintenance like tamping the ballast under the sleepers is made more difficult by the presence of the fauna passage which is covered with a grid between the sleepers.

It is also a known problem with this type of fauna pas- sages that the special sleepers that form the passage tend to sag when trains travel over the track due to the settlement of the uncompacted ballast under the newly installed sleepers, cre- ating cavities under the sleepers, also known as hanging sleep- ers.

It is another known problem of fauna passages of this type that the internal height of the passage is limited because the ballast cannot be excavated deeper than the level of the bottom of the sleepers, while the top is bounded by the grid which is usually at the level of the top of the sleeper. Due to the limited height of these fauna passages, they cannot be used by larger animals such as badgers.

After all it is a known problem of fauna passages of this type that small animals when passing through the passage can freeze to the steel sleepers when it freezes,

It is an object of the invention to address the above mentioned problems, simplifying track maintenance and making the fauna passage accessible to larger animals.

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The railway comprising a fauna passage of the invention is embodied with the features of one or more of the appended claims.

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, the underside of the sleeper on the side of the passage is extended with a strip which protrudes downwards deeper into the ballast,

This feature of the invention has several benefits. A first benefit of the downward protruding strip is that the bal- last between the sleepers can be excavated deeper than the level id of the bottom of the sleeper without affecting the stability of the track. This makes it possible to create a greater internal height of the fauna passage. Another advantage of the downwards protruding strip on one side of the sleeper is that it suffices to tamp the track from the outside of the passage only. Tamping the ballast between the slespers that form the fauna passage is no longer necessary.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, the space between the sleepers is provided with a trough, the sides of which are attached to the sleepers and prevent ballast from contaminating the trough thereby reducing the interior height of the fauna passage,

In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, the grid does not extend below the rail but is positioned higher and interrupted by the rail, in accordance with a forth aspect of the invention, the inside of the fauna passage is covered with a plastic sheet in an angle profile to prevent animals from freezing to the steel sleepers.

In accordance with a fifth aspect of the invention, the special steel sleepers have electrically insulated rail fasten- ings that can be adjusted in height to compensate for settlement of the ballast below these sleepers, for instance the rail fas- tening that is known from EP2888408,

The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention that is not limited as to the appended claims.

In the drawing: “figure 1 shows a 3D view of a railway according to the invention;

figure 2 shows a upper view of a railway according to the invention: “figure 3 shows a cross section through the center of the passage according to the invention: ~figure 4 shows a cross section through the sleepers in the center of the railway track according to the invention, in- cluding the ballast of the track in which the sleepers are em- bedded;

Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.

In the embodiment of the invention now discussed with reference to figures 1 - 4, the track consists of rails 1 and sleepers 2 resting on ballast 3. The fauna passage according to the invention is formed by the special steel sleepers 27 and 27, the trough 4 and the grid b.

The functionality hereof will becoms apparent from the following disclosure,

The view of figure 1 shows the rails 1 supported by the sleepers 2. Two consecutive special steel sleepers 27 and 2% be- tween which the ballast has been removed, constitute the upper half of the sides of the fauna passage. The trough 4 forms both the lower half of the sides and bottom section of the passage.

The bottom section 1s covered with a rubber mat 8 preferably consisting of recycled rubber that is water permeable, prevent- ing ice formation. The steel sleepers 27 and 27 are covered with a plastic liner 6 that prevents animals from freszing to the steel sleepers when the temperature is below zero degrees Celsi- us.

The view of figure 2 shows the passage from above.

The: view of figure 3 gives an impression of the inter- nal height of the passage extending from the top of the rubber mat 8 to the bottom of the grid 5.

The view of figure 4 shows a longitudinal section through the center of the track, including the ballast 3 between and under the sleepers 2, 27and 27. In this view the downward protruding strip 7 is clearly visible that holds back the bal- last 3. In this view also the rail fastenings 9 are visible that enable height adjustment of the rail support.

Although the invention has been discussed in the fore- going with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the railway fauna passage of the invention, the invention is not restricted to these particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the gist of the invention.

The discussed exemplary embodiments shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith.

On the contrary, the embodiment ig merely intended to explain the word- ing of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment.

The scope of protection of the inven- tion shall therefore be construed in accordance with the append-

ed claims only, wherein any possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this embodiment.

Claims

CONCLUSIONS

1. Railway fauna passage comprising rails (1) supported by sleepers {2} in a ballast bed (3), in which two special steel sleepers (27) and (27) are provided with a recess in the side and the top of which is covered by by means of a grid (5), characterized in that a vertical steel spot (7) on the underside of the sleepers (2°) and (27) protrudes into the ballast on the side of the passage.

Railway fauna passage according to claim 1, characterized in that the space between the special steel sleepers (27) and (27) is provided with a gutter (4) which is deeper than the underside of the sleepers and forms a recess between these sleepers. and prevents ballast (3) from lowering the floor,

Railway fauna passage according to claim 2, characterized in that the gutter (4) is provided with a rubber mat (8) which is permeable to water.

Railway fauna passage according to claim 1, characterized in that the grid (5) is interrupted between the special girders at the location of the rails (1) and is placed higher than the underside of the rail.

Railway fauna passage according to claim 1, characterized in that the recess in the side of the special steel sleepers (27) and (27) is provided with a plastic lining (6) which prevents animals from freezing.

Railway wildlife passage according to claim 1, characterized in that the special steel sleepers (27) and (27) are equipped with electrically insulated rail mountings (9) the height of which is adjustable so that the support of the rail (1) for vertical settlement of the ballast under these girders can be compensated.