Ballast tamper

A ballast tamper or tamping machine is a machine used to pack (or tamp) the track ballast under railway tracks to make the tracks more durable. Prior to the introduction of mechanical tampers, this task was done by manual labour with the help of beaters. As well as being faster, more accurate, more efficient and less labour-intensive, tamping machines are essential for the use of concrete sleepers since they are too heavy (usually over 250 kg) to be packed into the ballast by hand.

Early machines only lifted the track and packed the ballast. More modern machines, sometimes known as a tamper-liner or tamping and lining machine, also correct the alignment of the rails to make them parallel and level, in order to achieve a more comfortable ride for passengers and freight and to reduce the mechanical strain applied to the rails by passing trains.

Functions of tamping machines

* Packing of ballast under sleepers
* Correction of cross level
* Correction of Longitudinal Level
* Driving
** Run Drive
** Work Drive
* Special Functions
** Twist Corrections
** Track Settlement
** Laser Lining
** Automatic Data Feeding by Computer
** Recording of Track Parameter

Types

Ballast Tampers are built in many different varieties depending on their purpose:;Tamping machines
* Straight track tamping machines:
** Universal tamping machines (U.T.)
** Unomatic
** Duomatic
** Continuous action tamping machines (C.S.M.)
** Tamping Express
* Points and crossing tamping machines (UNIMAT )
* Multi-purpose tamping machines (M.P.T.)
;Non Tamping Machines
* DTS (DGS), Direct Track Stabilizing Machine
* Points And Crossing Relaying Machine (P&C T-28)
* Track Relaying Train (T.R.T.)
* Straight Track Laying Machines (P.Q.R.S.)

General arrangement

The majority of track machines are powered by a diesel engine. This provides power to the driving wheels via a cardan shaft, allowing the machine to propel itself to and around a work-site. The engine also drives an hydraulic pump to provide power for the various tools.

Tamping units

For each rail there is a tamping unit attached to the main frame by means of vertical guide columns and a lifting / lowering hydraulic cylinder. The tamping unit consists of tamping tools (arms or "tines"), a vibration motor (hydraulic motor), a vibration shaft and an eccentric flywheel. For each sleeper, a tamping unit is provided with four pairs of tamping arms: one each side of the sleeper, i.e., 16 tamping arms are used for tamping a single sleeper.vague To process several sleepers simultaneously, a tamping unit may have 32 arms (for two sleepers), leading to the derivation of machine type numbers: "16" indicates 16 tines, enough for single sleeper, "32" for two sleepers, etc.

Tamping units of a Unimat have swivelling tamping arms to pack points and crossings.

Special units are available for use with third-rail electrified track.

Universal tamping machine

This type of straight-track tamping machine is the oldest of the varieties. It uses a two-chord lining system for alignment of track (for slewing the track to left or right, as-and-when required). This type of lining is controlled mechanically. The machine has four bogies, one at the front, one at the rear, a third in the centre and a fourth in between the centre and the rear. They are called: "front-tightening", "rear-tightening", "lining bogie" and "measuring bogie", respectively.

The measuring bogie determines the amount of slewing required and measures the subsequent adjustments applied by the lining bogie. The lining bogie also lifts the track to make it level. The tamping bank behind the lining bogie has a vibrating motor and four arms for each rail.

A tamping cycle comprises three operations:
#Penetration – the arms are pushed down vertically into the ballast either side of a sleeper
#Squeezing – the arms squeeze the ballast under the sleeper, packing it together
#Moving – the arms are lifted and the machine is moved to the next sleeper to repeat the cycle.

The operations are controlled from the control cabin by an operator using three foot pedals, while the lining bogie holds the track in its lifted and slewed position.

Two Chord Lining System

CSM

A "Continuous Tamping Machine" (CSM) can pack two sleepers at a time in a continuous mode and can pack (tamp) about 1.2 km of track per hour.

BCM

A "Ballast Cleaning Machine" (BCM) carries-out deep screening of ballast, which is an important maintenance activity to improve drainage and the resilience of the track. The cutter blades of the BCM dig out ballast from under and around the sleepers, and a conveyor belt transfers it to the on-board cleaning equipment where the ballast is passed over screens which remove fine debris. The clean screened ballast is returned to the track and the fine screened residue is ejected to one side, usually into a hopper wagon on an adjacent track.

A BCM can deep-screen 650 cubic metres of ballast per hour of working, and proceed at up to two miles an hour, but must be followed by a tamper/liner to restore the correct track geometry.

DGS / DTS (Dynamic Track Stabilising)

Tamping and cleaning operations have the adverse effect of reducing the resistance of the track to lateral movement. The resistance gradually recovers with the passage of trains, but may require a speed restriction imposed for the duration. This 'consolidation' can be achieved faster and in a more controlled manner using mechanised equipment known as the Dynamic Track Stabiliser (DTS).

A DTS will normally be used only after a stretch of track has been tamped and aligned. D.G.S. has a vibrating unit which holds the track in position and applies a vertical vibration to simulate the passage of trains. The track parameters (or "cross levels"), before and after stabilising, can be viewed through bogies in the front and rear.

Dynamic Track Stabilising has the following advantages, resulting in enhanced safety:
# Increases the resistance of the track to lateral movement;
# Creates a homegenous bed of ballast;
# Permits earlier relaxation of speed restrictions;
# Eliminates non-uniform initial differential settlements caused by rail traffic;
# Retains correct track geometry for a longer period than was achievable using tamping machines alone.

* Vibration frequency: 30–35 Hz
* Working speed: 1–2 km/h
* Vertical pressure applied: 100 kg/cm²

The stabilisation achieved by one pass of a D.G.S. is equal to that achieved by 100,000 tonnes of traffic, and allows a speed restriction of 20 km/h to be relaxed to 40 km/h

Dynamic stabilisation is usually avoided on bridges or around overhead structures since there is a risk of damage to foundations.

References

*"Indian Railway Track Design, Construction, Maintenance & Modernisation" – M.M. Agarwal (former Chief Engineer, Northern Railway, New Delhi) Hony. Adviser, Institution of P.way Engineers (India), Railway Board Office, New Delhi -- ISBN 81-900613-1-3

ee also

* Maintenance of way