S&C Maintenance Problem Identification Ian Bostock – Principal Engineer (S&C) Network Rail – ST&E

Introduction

About me Ian Bostock

Why am I talking about maintenance?

Overview

Maintenance, why bother?

Key principles of S&C

What good looks like

Problems, cause and effect

Planning the right solution

Challenges - How can we all help

Maintenance: why bother?

Cost Whole life Purchase cost Maintenance cost

Failure

Implications Safety

Expected life

Key principles of S&C

Provides wheel guidance and wheel transfer •  Geometry •  Correct gauge •  Switch and crossing profiles

Provides support to vehicles Provides a reliable switching operation Provides security of all the above

Know your asset

S&C design type Unit Size POE Geometry If you don’t know the above, how can you assess the asset

Geometry

What does good looks like

• Standard geometry • Non-standard geometry

• Relationship between through and turnout route

Wheel transfer - crossings

Wheel transfer switches (& alignment)

Gauge

Position of rails, switches & crossings Other factors

Wear Machining Switch closed or open

Support

Components Bearers Ballast Formation Overall stiffness

= Load / displacement

Security of Geometry – Alignment & Support

Correct and effective components Ballast condition and levels Lateral support

Aggressive Wear

• Cause • Correct S&C materials • Correct maintenance regime

Cause or effect

The effect is usually the most obvious The cause needs to be established Look further away Determine the root cause

Questions to ask

• What should the S&C look like?

• Maintenance history?

• Is the S&C correctly specified, supplied, installed?

• Is there an inherent design issue?

• Is another factor causing the problem?

Complex S&C

A specialism (Treat it as such)

Challenges – New Technology

• Develop products and systems that need less maintenance • Develop more efficient and effective maintenance solutions • Implement them • Refine them • In all cases manufacture and install them to the required standards

Challenges – Knowledge & Competency

Encourage sharing of knowledge about S&C •  Principles •  Old designs •  Latest technology

Develop and formalise S&C competence •  Design •  Construction •  Maintenance

Challenges – Maintenance Philosophy

Develop strategies for effective and timely maintenance Provide the resources Treat S&C as a system Deliver the right solutions

Short term Medium term Long term

Re-invest the benefits in more of the same Remember S&C does not have an infinite and maintenance free life

Final comment

Quote from: PWI British Railway Track (Volume 5) Switch and Crossing Maintenance

Dr D.L. Cope & J.B. Ellis June 2002