The High Speed line in the Netherlands recently underwent a major overhaul. In collaboration with BAM Infra Rail, the old rails were exchanged for brand new ultra long-welded rails. An extensive logistical operation, especially considering the fact that loading and unloading rails on a viaduct is a challenging job. This is an example of how a great collaboration resulted in successfully finishing this job in two days.
The HS-Line between Amsterdam and Paris is in many ways a unique railway. The trains reach a maximum speed of 300 km/h on these tracks. A large part of this railway consists of a slab track, also called Rheda concrete track. The HS-line follows a shorter route than the main line from North to South, and, in addition, has fewer stopping points. This results in shorter traveling time. However, the HS-line also requires railway maintenance in order to preserve it in the best and safest way possible. So what is the best approach?
One of the solutions was found in the application of ultra-long-welded rails. In our Rail Service Centre we flash butt welded 3*120 meter rails and created 360 meter long rails. The advantage is that longer rails do not require a great deal of welding activities in difficult places in the tracks. This saves the contractor a lot of time. In addition, these flash butt welds are of high quality. An understandable choice for manager Infraspeed and contractor BAM Rail in regards to this viaduct on the HS-line.
We delivered a total of 2.482 meters of new rails with our Robel train and unloaded them straight into the tracks, both left and right. And the 2.482 meters of old rails were loaded immediately and taken back for recycling.
Combining the unloading system of BAM Infra Rail and the usage of our Robel crane made the loading and unloading process so much easier. BAM Infra Rail uses an unloading system that allows rails to slide independently off a wagon, immediately placing them on the sleeper in the track. And it is because of this (un)loading system that rails of up to 360 meters can now as easily be loaded on the Robel train.
Are you interested in loading and unloading rails in a simple and quick way and would like to know more about the possibilities? Please contact our BU Manager Rail Logistics & Rail Equipment, René Harkema or our international sales department.
| The length of the HS-line in the Netherlands, also known as the HSL-Zuid, is 90 km longs and stretches in a double track from Schiphol to Antwerp, Belgium. This railway was placed between 2000 and 2006. It is the first Dutch high speed railway. The HS-line was created by the ministry of Infra structure and Water, with a purpose of having more high speed trains travel between Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris. High speed trains reach a maximum speed of 300 km/h on these tracks. Approximately 269 trains travel in high frequency over the HS-line on a daily base. (Source: www.ns.nl) |
