Model to estimate infrastructure damage costs for different train types

Abstract

Generally, rail has been losing its market share of bulk freight transport. Australian railways have an opportunity to improve the performance and meet the freight transport challenges of the twenty-first century, but a particular challenge is older infrastructure and networks with lower utilisation. Railway systems constructed in the 1800s, included numerous small radius curves, steeper grades and sub-standard formation, which would nowadays likely require additional maintenance funding to ensure the track is maintained at the required standard. As each train type applies a different quantifiable level of track damage for a given track geometry, and as the cost to repair/maintain this track is known, then it is possible to develop a transparent cost model to estimate the incremental infrastructure costs for each train type. Therefore, a wear/damage model was selected based on data derived from train simulations and track degradation analysis. This model provides an indication of the expected infrastructure maintenance budget based on train types (train configurations, vehicle axle loads, bogie parameters and wheel profiles), operational requirements (volumes, speeds) and the local track characteristics (track geometry, sleeper type, ballast/formation parameters and rail profiles). While, track damage models are currently available for railway vehicles on passenger networks, comprehensive heavy haul track damage models are still in their infancy. This paper publishes a summarised review from the first phase of this project.

Keywords:

• Railway
• track damage model
• rail wear
• track settlement
• maintenance planning

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the support of the Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation, the Centre for Railway Engineering at Central Queensland University and the industry partners that have contributed to this project.