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Railway track damage is an extremely serious safety hazard that can potentially lead to train derailment, with devastating consequences. In recent decades, railway track damage—caused by an accumulation of wear and tear and resulting in broken rails, missing fasteners, and worse—hasshown an alarming increase in both frequency and severity. The most common causes of railway track damage include: corrosion of rails, joints, and other track components; faulty track geometry due to incorrect installation procedures; inadequate maintenance and inspections; and extreme weather conditions.
The major consequence of neglecting railway track damage is the potential for derailment. Derailment occurs when a train is traveling along a route and the wheels of one or more of its carriages leave their track and the train is forced to travel along an alternate route, resulting in much greater friction and resistance between the wheels and the rail than is assumed under normal circumstances. This, in turn, can cause severe damage to the track, and can even lead to catastrophic derailment, resulting in massive property losses and even death.
Railway track damage can also lead to unreliable performance in terms of speed, timeliness, and rider comfort. Damaged tracks can cause trains to reduce their speed significantly, resulting in delays and reduced service levels. Moreover, trains running over compromised tracks can lead to an uncomfortable ride, with passengers being jostled by jerky and sudden movements of the train.
Because of the potentially catastrophic consequences that can result from railway track damage, significant effort is taken to prevent, identify, and repair any damage. Employing Statistical Process Control (SPC) data can allow railroads to identify hidden faults in tracks before they become dangerous. In addition, railroad organizations, such as the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-Of-Way Association (AREMA), recommend regular maintenance and inspections of all railway tracks, especially during the wintry months when the freezing-thawing cycle may lead to ground subsidence and rail buckling.
The most effective way of preventing derailment due to track damage, however, is to institute rigorous repair and maintenance processes within the rail organizations themselves. The inspection and maintenance process begins with visual inspection of the track and its components. This should be followed by measuring the track geometry and taking measurements at specific points along the track. Any irregularities should be remedied as soon as possible. A mechanical tester should be used to assess the level of wear and tear on the track and to identify any damage that may have occurred.
Finally, an extensive program of preventive maintenance should be in place for the railway track. This includes periodic inspections to check for abrasion, broken pieces, fractured welds, and other forms of damage; ensuring proper drainage on slopes and curves; and reinforcing or replacing weak components. The goal of a preventive maintenance program is to reduce the risk of train derailment by identifying and repairing any weaknesses in the track before they become serious enough that there is a risk of derailment.
To summarize, railway track damage poses an extreme safety hazard and should be given the highest priority when it comes to preventative maintenance. Regular inspections and maintenance should be carried out to identify and repair any damage as soon as it is identified. Moreover, employing SPC data to identify irregularities prior to catastrophic failure is an effective way of preventing derailment due to track damage. Finally, an extensive program of preventive maintenance should be adopted, with the ultimate aim of reducing the risk of derailment due to damaged track components.
