Performance and Economics of New Generation Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment

This paper presents the performance characteristics and comparative economics of a new generation of track laying and maintenance equipment to include: Track Renewal Train, New Track Construction Train, and new generation surfacing equipment. Over the last decade, a new generation of track laying and maintenance have been developed that allow for more efficient renewal of key track components such as rails, ties, and surfacing in an out-of-face production mode as well as allowing for complete track renewal or new construction. This new generation equipment, in addition to having reduced installation or maintenance costs, also has increased rate of installation with a corresponding significant reduction in track occupancy requirements, a key issue in high density corridors. This paper will examine both the performance characteristics of these machines together with the comparative economics of this new generation of high production machines vs. conventional track laying or maintenance gangs. This is to include Track Renewal Train for complete or partial (rails only, ties, only, pad and insulators, etc) track replacement and New Track Construction Train for installation of new track.