Problems associated with Spring Setting Device (SSD) Provision of SSD is mandatory with thick web switches.

It is provided at Junction of rail heads (JOH at the location of third followin! stretcher bar. In thick web switch with throw as "#$ mm% the left and ri!ht ton!ue rail do not always move simultaneously. In case of a &H turnout% if the point is to be set for turnout side% first &H ton!ue rail will move #$ mm towards left with no movement in 'H ton!ue rail% then both &H and 'H ton!ue rails shall move "$$ mm towards left simultaneously and lastly the 'H ton!ue rail will move #$ mm towards left without any movement in &H ton!ue rail. (herefore% it is not possible to provide stretcher bars in case of thick web switch. )s per drawin!% no stretcher bar is provided in thick web switch% only SSD is provided at JOH. *ut% provision of SSD is not mandatory with over+ridin! switches. Over+ridin! switch has a throw of "", mm and is provided with leadin! stretcher bar and three followin! stretcher bars. In this case% both 'H and &H ton!ue rails move simultaneously. In absence of SSD% the housin! of ton!ue rail with stock rail is not upto JOH resultin! in inade-uate flan!e way clearance on open side of ton!ue rail (i.e. !ap between stock rail and non+!au!e face of ton!ue rail . (his also leads to ti!ht !au!e from )(S to JOH in floatin! condition. One of the conse-uences of above is rubbin! of wheel flan!e with non+!au!e face of ton!ue rail resultin! in rattlin!. It is not established whether such rubbin! has any affect on service life of ton!ue rail. *ut investi!ation of cause of fractures of ton!ue rail of " in ". over+ridin! switch near JOH in /0& in .$"" revealed that inade-uate settin! of ton!ue rail with stock rail mi!ht result in such failure. 120 investi!ation of fractured ton!ue rail pieces revealed that the fractures were initiated from machined ed!e of the under+cuttin! portion of ton!ue rail which becomes very sharp due to rubbin! action with stock rail. (he possible cause of above phenomenon has been analy3ed by &DSO and it has come to li!ht that in case of overridin! switch not provided with SSD (sprin! settin! device % the ton!ue rail does not butt fully with the stock rail. In such situation% the !au!e remains ti!hter to the e4tent of "$+.$ mm in floatin! condition. Durin! movement of wheel over the ton!ue rail% the ton!ue rail is pushed towards the stock rail which !ives rise to frictional force at the interface of top of foot of stock rail and bottom of under cuttin! portion of machined ton!ue rail. Due to this frictional force% with time% the undercuttin! portion becomes sharper at ed!e of foot. (hereafter burr is formed and the breaka!e of burr results in stress concentration location from where the fracture may initiate. In fact% in all such incidences in /0&% the fracture was initiated from some dent mark5fati!ued location from the sharp ed!e of the under+cuttin! portion of the (on!ue rail. (he issue of fracture of ton!ue rail was discussed under item ".$# in 6. nd (S0 and it was recommended that SSD should be provided on over+ridin! switches too which was approved by &ailway *oard. Still there is little appreciation of the conse-uence of not providin! SSD in the field.

) letter was sent to P07 of all 8onal &ailways to share their e4periences of use of SSD in field. It was re-uested to spell out the problems in the use of SSD why there was reluctance in field for its usa!e. /0& has pointed out followin! problems9 ". :hen most of the trains pass throu!h one route ; main line or turnout% SSD does not work properly when point is set for other route resultin! in problem of housin!. (he same has also been noticed by &DSO<s officials durin! inspection of SSD in field. SSD increases the force re-uired by point machine for chan!in! the position of switch from normal to reverse and vice versa resultin! in increase in failure. (herefore S2( staffs are reluctant for the use of SSD in case of over+ridin! switches. Shaft desi!ned to house in the annular tube inside sprin! often !ets stuck outside preventin! SSD to chan!e its position. (he connection arran!ement of SSD with switch has semi+circular head on shaft housed in a metal case due to which it wears after some time creatin! play which in turn results in malfunctionin! of SSD.

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S& has spelt out followin! problems in SSD provided with thick web switches 9 ". Housin! of switch and track !au!e are not proper. (he !au!e measured from )(S to JOH in both normal and reverse settin! varies from ?= to ;... It has been su!!ested to provide "st and .nd followin! stretcher bars which should have slotted holes of si3e "=, mm and "$, mm to maintain proper curvature in the switch. )bove action of providin! "st and .nd followin! stretcher bar has improved housin! and track !au!e.

.. (he base plate of SSD is fi4ed with the tie plate by means of bolts and nuts throu!h the slotted hole of >$ mm 4 .$ mm provided in the base plate. Due to thrust of sprin!% these bolts become slack resultin! in misali!nment of SSD. It has been su!!ested to make dowel arran!ement in the sleeper itself for fi4in! SSD with the tie plate by means of plate screw. =. Insulatin! plate provided at ton!ue mouth for fi4in! with ton!ue rail !ets broken due to thrust of sprin! and re-uires fre-uent renewal.

It has also been stated that SSD manufactured departmentally to Drawin! /o. &DSO5(+ #@>, at 7n!ineerin! :orkshop 5)rakkonam for layin! with over+ridin! curved switches has performed well.

(he issue has been discussed with 0S(7 of D1&0 where SSD supplied by Aoestalpine% )ustria has been in use with thick web switches for standard !au!e in Phase+II. (he followin! problems have been noticed by 0S(75D1&0 9 ". (o be!in with % there have been problems in installation of SSD even in case of ballastless track used in D1&0. (he layin! of switch as well as ali!nment of SSD should be perfect. )lso skilled personnel are a must for proper installation. It functions with a thrust which has an affect on point machine. (herefore% it is not popular with Si!nal staff. &e!ular intensive monitorin! and attention re-uired for continued proper functionin! which is !enerally lackin! in field. 7ven the maintenance work re-uires skilled personnel.

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In comparison to SSD% double drive used for proper settin! and housin! of ton!ue rail with stock rail works very smoothly. In this case% the point machine is installed near )ctual toe of switch ()(S with second drive rod placed at Junction of rail heads (JOH . (he second drive is operated by the same point machine. /o problem in maintenance has been noticed in double drive which has been in operation from Phase+I itself for *B " in ". switches. /ow% D1&0 is not !oin! for SSD at all% they are puttin! second drive wherever re-uired.