Railway companies have to keep their train rails in top condition for safety reasons – badly damaged rails can cause catastrophic accidents at worst, and service delays at best. But what causes rails to become damaged and how can thermal spray coatings help protect rails from deterioration?
In this post we are going to look at the causes of rail deterioration, the consequences of badly maintained rail lines, how rail coating services can slow wear, and finally, some real-life examples and tests.
Rails Explained And How They Can Deteriorate Over Time
The most basic explanation of train rails is they consist of lengths of steel welded together, supported by sleepers underneath them to form the track a train will run along. Sleepers used to be made from different varieties of wood but concrete is now widely used for sleepers (hence why you see so many wooden railway sleepers in reclamation yards!)
In the early days of trains, rail could be made from wood or iron but since the 1870’s, rails have been made from steel in almost all cases. Steel is the metal of choice for rails because it is strong, dependable and can withstand the high stresses of carrying railway carriages. The use of steel revolutionised rail travel because it allowed trains to travel faster, rail travel to become safer, and provided a longer lasting solution. Steel rails are flexible and keep their shape well, even when the metal expands, meaning they provide a dependable base for rail cartridge wheels to travel along.
However, every material has its limits and steel is no exception. Although steel is favoured not just in rail, but across many applications for its qualities, it also has some downsides too.
Steel, when used for rails is prone to rust, corrosion, and wear, just the same as any other setting. Steel rails are supposed to last around 30 years but are often maintained and replaced sooner than that depending on the rail use and their location.
But what are the causes of rail deterioration and how can it be stopped?
Deterioration of rails can occur for a number of reasons and may be accelerated in some situations.
Corrosion and rust can occur on all rail tracks but may happen much sooner in specific conditions – on coastal railway tracks, for example, rails may have a very short life span before they start to corrode because of sea spray, salt and the humid conditions they are in.
Wear is also another significant cause of rail deterioration, tracks don’t last forever and wear may be more significant on freight lines than it is on passenger lines. Wear can also be more significant on a bend or corner section of tracks.
Some specific parts of rail are also more susceptible to corrosion and damage because of their location – for example, the rails at level crossings also have cars travelling across them and may have more surface contaminants because of road treatments such as salting or gritting. Surface contaminants can also be high on freight lines that carry loads such as coal, for example. Coal dust buildup on the line can increase corrosion and damage.
Rail Maintenance & Outcomes
Because rails are prone to damage such as wear and corrosion, they have to be maintained and inspected routinely by rail companies. This is ongoing work around the clock as damaged sections of the track are a serious safety risk.
Although the majority of rail accidents occur due to human error, rail deterioration or defects can, and has caused accidents in the past.
Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that rails are maintained to a high standard and issues are tracks are found quickly and treated.
Rail maintenance is also costly. Because steel rails do deteriorate they must be replaced or treated and this costs rail companies thousands of pounds. This is why, it is the rail company’s best interest to find ways of treating rails in order to extend their lifespan.
This brings us to what we do at Alphatek.
Can Rail Deteriotion Be Slowed?
The good news for rail companies is that rail deterioration can be slowed, rail lifetime extended, and costs of replacement reduced.
Our rail coatings are designed to protect rails from corrosion and environmental damage thus extending their lifespan.
We have supplied coated rails to suit a variety of situations and conducted tests with clients to determine the effectiveness of our coatings.
One example is the Hyperloy M1034 rail installed extensively in the Severn Tunnel back in 2008 which is still going strong today. Rails in tunnels are prone to more corrosion because tunnels are often permanently damp and more humid.
Another situation where we have provided solutions to suit atmospheric conditions is the coated clips we provided for the Dawlish coastal line – a line that is extremely prone to fast corrosion due to its coastal location and resulting salt deposits on the line.
We have also provided coated rail sections for crossings on the East Coast main line and the Leeds – Doncaster line. These level crossings suffered more corrosion than other track sections meaning they needed to be replaced sooner. Our coated rails provide a longer-term alternative. This was particularly true for the crossing at Ings Road where rails had to be replaced every two years due to excessive corrosion from road treatments and debris from delivery vehicles going over the crossing.
Alphatek
Alphatek work extensively in the rail industry helping rail companies update and protect rails. We have worked with numerous large rail networks to tailor solutions that meet their high demands.
Based in Ramsbottom, Lancashire, we are experts when it comes to thermal spray coatings and their various applications, we also work with companies to develop new solutions to meet a variety of demanding requirements.
If you would like to speak to us about a project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
