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CEs CIRCULAR NO.

2/ 2001
MAINTENANCE OF CONCRETE SLEEPER TRACK
Preamble:
Concrete sleeper Track is generally maintained by
deployment of on track machines for bringing the surface and alignment to a high
degree of perfection. In order to ensure this quality soon after tamping and also
their continued retentivity, there is need to carry out allied activities to make the
track machine worthy. While track tamping machines address the need of track
geometry improvement, manual maintenance for ensuring structural integrity of
track can not be forgotten. Inadequate attention to this aspect leads to early
failure of track components including Rail/ Weld, which may affect safety.
Therefore various activities to be carried out in an annual cycle are described in
this circular for implementation.
1.1
Regular Track Maintenance on conventional track consisting of through
packing (by manual means) involves following operations
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)

Opening of the road


Examination of rails, sleepers and fastenings
Squaring of sleepers
Slewing of track to correct alignment
Gauging
Packing of sleepers
Repacking of joint sleepers
Boxing of ballast section and tidying.

1.2 In case of track laid with concrete sleeper, regular track maintenance is
done for surfacing and lining of track with on track tampers. However, tampers
do not perform all the eight sequence of operations mentioned above (performed
manually). It is therefore necessary that these activities, not performed by on
track tampers are done through a regular maintenance scheme. Such of these
activities to be performed by sectional gangs are explained in detail in this
circular. These instructions are in amplification of Paras.226, 228 & 1411 of
Indian Railways Permanent Way Manual.
2.
Following activities are to be planned, assigned and got
executed through the sectional maintenance gangs from one end of the gang to
the other during the year, as systematic maintenance for machine maintained
track.
2.1

Examination of rails/sleepers and fastenings:.

Detailed visual examination of track and its components shall be done to


identify missing/ broken components, corrosion, cracks and any unusual feature
and Supervisor/P.Way or the Gangmate shall record the details of defects,
locationwise, observed in the Gang Diary.
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Precise identification of a track location ( with defect) is essential for all


maintenance activity. For this purpose sleeper nos. should be painted at every
10th sleeper (on the top of the sleeper), commencing serially at every kilometre.
Hectometer posts as per standard drawing should be erected at 100 m intervals.
Distance from each Hectometer post should be marked on the inside foot of the
rail (10, 20 etc.) These references should be used while recording the details of
defect observed.
2.1.1 Examination of rail:
Rails are to be examined with respect to the following:(i)

Corrosion on web, foot and underside of the rails and welds.

(ii)

Examination of weld collars and bolt holes around the welds


by using magnifying glasses to locate hair-cracks.

(iii)

Wear of rail profile, extent of battering and hogging of rail ends.

(iv)

Rail surface damages such as wheel burns and scabs, cupped


welds, high/low weld joints and kinks and bends in the rail or weld.

(v)

Care should be taken to observe the following defects ,


during the visual examination.
(a) Hairline cracks (at right angles to the running surface).
(b) Discoloration (or bleeding, which may be because of internal
rusting),
(c) Hair line cracks at upper gauge corner of the rail head,
(d) Horizontal hair line cracks on the side of the rail,
(e) Hair line cracks emanating from shelling.

Rail examination over special track locations, such as switches and


crossings, SEJs, LCs and over bridges including approaches shall be done with
great care.
2.1.2

Examination of locations provided with fish plates

At all locations where joggled fish plates (or normal fish plates with
fish bolts) are provided for REM locations or suspected defective rail/welds, the
fish plates should be opened and the rail/weld examined for existence of crack.
If the crack has developed, immediate action should be taken by the gangmate to
impose a speed restriction of 20km/h and advise the subsection P.Way Engineer,
who will carry out temporary/permanent repairs expeditiously.

Hogged & battered fish plated joints, cupped & misaligned welds
and rails should be identified and recorded in the gang diary and JE/P.Way shall
organize rectification/ elimination of these defects.
2.2.

Examination of PSC sleepers:


Sleepers should be examined for breakages, cracks and broken inserts.
The serial number of such sleeper should be noted in the gang diary to
facilitate verification and taking follow-up action by the Permanent way
Engineer.

2.3.

Examination of fastenings.

2.3.1

ER clips and the liners should be removed and the rail flange
should be examined for corrosion/crack in the liner contact area and
relevant entries made in the gang diary. If there are corrosion pits in liner
contact area, the thickness of such pits shall be recorded. Liners should
be examined for cracks/ breakage, dent marks, corrosion and whether
fitted in proper position.
ER clips seized with the inserts are to be identified and recorded in
the diary, giving reference to the sleeper number, for follow up action of
removal and replacement.
Grooved rubber pads should also be removed and examined for
their serviceability or otherwise.
All ineffective grooved rubber pads, broken liners and ER clips
should be replaced and record of such replacements entered in the gang
diary. Grooved rubber pads found displaced should be reset to their
correct position.
The gang should carry sufficient quantity of elastic rail clips ,
liners and grooved rubber pads to enable replacement of
unserviceable/ missing and broken fastenings.

2.3.2.

While replacing defective fastenings in LWR, care should be taken


to disturb the track to the minimum. Highlights of provision in LWR manual
in this connection are summarised below.
i)

Fastenings not requiring lifting of rails, shall be renewed on not


more than one sleeper at a time. In case fastenings of more than
one sleeper are required to be renewed at a time, then atleast 15
sleepers in between shall be kept intact. Work shall be done atleast
under supervision of keymen.

ii)

Renewal of fastenings requiring lifting.


Fastenings requiring lifting of rails i.e. grooved rubber pads etc.
shall be renewed on not more than one sleeper at a time. In case
fastenings of more than one sleeper are required to be renewed at
a time, then atleast 30 sleepers in between shall be kept intact.
Work shall be done atleast under supervision of gangmate.

2.4

Painting of web and foot zone of the rails in identified corrosion prone
areas should be carried out where ever required. In addition, liner contact
area at the bottom flange and weld collar zone should also be painted at
all locations.

2.5

Elastic rail clips should be cleaned and applied with a coat of grease
(conforming to IS408-81) around the central leg where the elastic rail clip
fits into the insert. The eye of the insert should also be cleaned and
greased.

3.

Spacing, squarring of sleepers and gauging.

3.1.

SPACING: Normally, concrete sleeper track should be laid as LWRs over


which spacing of sleepers should be uniform. At the vicinity of fish plated
joints, spacing between two sleepers should not be less than 450mm.
The adjustment of sleeper spacing will not be required every year on a
regular measure in case this work is done in a satisfactory manner in the
first round of systematic maintenance.

3.2.

SQUARING OF SLEEPERS: After adjusting the spacing of sleepers on


one side, the squareness of each sleeper should be checked with the aid
of T-square and out of square sleeper should be shifted so as to bring it
perpendicular to the rail. Special care should be taken in ensuring uniform
spacing and perfect squaring, since defects in this aspect will result in
tamping tools damaging the PSC sleepers.
For carrying out spacing and squaring of sleepers, ballast in the
crib should be removed up to the bottom of the sleeper on the side in
which the sleeper has to be shifted. After shifting the sleeper to the
correct position, packing should be done with the help of crowbars or
portable off track tamper and the ballast to be put back and compacted.

3.3.

GAUGING: Once the fittings are provided correctly, there should be no


need for regauging. However regauging if required, should be carried
out as detailed below.
Sleepers should be adjusted so as to ensure that rails are located
central to the sleeper seat. (In case of 52 kg rails laid over sleepers to
suit 60kg rails, the rails are not central to the space in between the inserts
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and proper positioning of the rail is to be ensured by providing correct


combination liners on the inside and outside).
a)

Open shoulder ballast to the required extent on the required side.

b)

Remove fittings like ERCs and liners from the sleeper.

c)

Apply crowbars resting against the end of sleeper and push the sleeper to
bring the rail in correct position between the two MCI inserts on the rail
seat and put all the liners in proper position.

d)

Drive the ERCs to correct position.

e)

Put back the shoulder ballast & pack.

4) BOXING AND TIDYING.


After completing the preceding operations in sequence, clean
ballast should be worked in with ballast forks or rakes. The ballast section
should be dressed to the specified dimensions, a template being used for
the purpose. Hemp cords 6 mm. dia. of sufficient length should be used
for lining the top and bottom edges of the ballast section. Where the
quantity of ballast is inadequate, full section of ballast should be provided
near the rail seat, the deficiency, if any, being at the centre of the track and
not under the rails or in the shoulders. The shortage of ballast should be
recouped from the excess ballast stacked on cess and the ballast
unloaded to the extent of annual recoupment. Thereafter the shoulder
should be consolidated using suitable hand ballast rammers particularly
on outside of curves.
While boxing, care should be taken to ensure that ballast does not
cover fastening, rail flanges and should match with the profile of sleeper
top. Care should be taken to ensure that the ballast does not come in
contact with the foot of the rail in track circuited locations.
5)

Assigning of work to gangs and maintenance of records.

5.1.1)(i)
Day-to-day work for the maintenance gang should be set by the
P.Way Engineer of the sub-section (preferably in vernacular language) for
the mate to understand the nature of work, specifically indicating nature of
defect and rectification to be carried out. Work should be set in advance
for each week.
(ii)
While setting the work, priority should be assigned for attention to
defects in special track locations based on the observations during
inspections. Indication of specific defects in such locations (with suitable
abbreviations as per para 5.3.2) also should be given in the gang diary.

5.1.2)

Actual work done by the gang will be entered in the relevant


columns in the gang diary each day by the mate together with the no. of
men present.

5.1.3)

Inspecting officials
should check the work set as well as
corresponding work done. They should verify

i)

Whether the work done is commensurate with the no. of men present and

ii)

The quality of work done.

5.2

Presence of lead wires, bond wires in electrified/ TC areas obstruct


tamping by inches. At such locations, the bond/ lead wires are to be fixed
a per P.O.O No. W.508/24/GS, dt: 06.12.99. This should be programmed
for execution form one end to other.

5.3

GANG CHART. Every gang should be provided with a gang chart, which
should be produced during field inspections.

5.3.1 All the activities assigned for execution by the gang on each day should
be set by the Permanent Way Engineer in charge of the subsection . For
easy identification of the work set and the work done in the gang charts,
the markings as indicated in the enclosed typical gang chart should be
adopted.
5.3.2 Details of special track locations are to be indicated in the gang chart and
following abbreviations are to be adopted to enable the mate to
understand the exact location where the attention is required to be carried
out.
(i)

Curve. ( Radius, cant and Transition length are to be indicated)

(ii)

Level crossing.
Manned/ Engineering or traffic.
Unmanned

M(E)
UM

Bridge
Girder Bridge
(No. and length
PSC girder Bridge
of each span PSC/RCC slab bridge
to be indicated
Arch Bridge
in Bracket)
Pipe Culvert
RC Box
Turnout and angle

GB
PSC
RC
A
C
B
T/ o (12,16 or 81/2)

(iii)

(iv)

M(T)

(v)

loop Lines. ( km/ Hectometer of commencement and end of each


loop line together with track structure)

(vi)

Location of SEJs and Glued Joints.


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SEJ

G/J

5.3.3.

Track structure ( similar to that in the track diagram) indicating type


of rails, whether LWR or SWP., type of sleepers and fastening.

5.4.

After every Track recording car run, JE/ P.WAY shall enter the TGI
or CTR values of each
block or km in the respective gang charts
against the relevant dates. Peak values exceeding 0.20 g in each OMS
run should also be indicated in the appropriate location in the gang chart.

5.5.

Works carried out by other than normal maintenance gangs also


should be indicated in the gang chart and an indication showing the
agency through which such works are executed should be made in the
remarks column on relevant dates.

6.

It may be noted that some of the activities listed above are required
to be done as pre tamping activities. When performed in a systematic
manner from end to end of the gang length in an annual cycle, this will
result in achieving better results.

6.1.

In addition to attention to track as listed in para 2 to 4, following


activities connected with machine maintenance should be carried out just
prior during the deployment of track machine and immediately there after.

6.1.1.

Pre-tamping.

(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)

Field survey to determine amount of slew/lift.


Ensuring adequate ballast in shoulders and cribs.
Training out of ballast to the extent required for annual recoupment.
Removing obstructions for tamping such a fixture of S & T and OHE,
check rails at level crossings, joggled fish plates and wooden blocks at
welds, guard rails etc.

v)

Identifying locations where tamping may not be possible such as SEJs,


glued joints, fish plated joints and planning for attending to these spots
manually the same day.

6.1.2.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

During Tamping.
Identifying beginning and end of circular/transition curve.
Marking the required slew/lift on the top of the sleeper to enable easy
identification by the operator.
Identifying locations of ramp in and ramp out based on previous day work
and suitably marking.

(iv)

Checking the cross level, alignment and surface in rear immediately


after tamping and intimating the operator of variations if any for immediate
rectification.

6.1.3.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

Post tamping.
Checking and tightening loose fittings and replacing broken fittings.
Dressing the ballast profile (in case ballast regulator is not deployed)
Manual consolidation of ballast with the help of wooden hammers (in
case DTS is not deployed).

6.1.4.

Record of track parameters after tamping: A record of track


parameters (at intervals of every 10 sleepers)
should be
maintained in manuscript and an abstract maintained to identify
exceedences as under.

PARAMETER
Alignment

NOT MORE THAN10


PEAKS PER KM
EXCEEDING THIS VALUE.
+4mm

Cross level
Unevenness

+6mm
6mm

ANY PEAK EXCEEDING THIS


VALUE
+6mm(Location&Reference
To Sleeper No./ Hectometre)
10mm

(N. ARAVINDAN)
CHIEF TRACK ENGINEER
for CHIEF ENGINEER.

SOUTHERN RAILWAY
Headquarters Office,
Works Branch,
Chennai - 600 003.
No.W.506/14/Circular

24.04.2001

Copy forwarded to: Sr.DENs/MAS PGT TVC SBC MYS TPJ & MDU for information and
necessary action
Principal/SRCETC/TBM for information.
CAO/CN/BNC for kind information
CE/SWR/SBC for kind information
CTE, CTE/TP, CBE, CGE & CPDE for kind information.

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