Switch protection using KELTRACK®

Addressing and actively reducing the wear rate of the switchblade provides infrastructure owners with the improved life of switchblades and lower costs of asset ownership, while at the same time reducing the potential for unscheduled maintenance. The relatively low cost of deploying KELTRACK® switchblade protection equipment and the marginal cost of replenishing the consumable provides infrastructure owners and operators with a very short payback, even without taking into account costs associated with disruption to the network due to failures of switches.

Benefits

• Improved wheel path through turnouts
• Protection of the switch drives due to reduced switching forces
• Reduced wear and damage caused to switch rails
• Elimination or reduction of the need for weld repairs to switches
• Reduction in the lifecycle costs due to reduced maintenance needs
• Reduced need for track inspections
• Increased switchblade and asset life
• Reduction of train delay risk
• Improved reliability and availability
• Application developed in collaboration with Network Rail
• Reduced noise due to vehicle wheels passing through the switch area.

When applied to the rails on the approach to switch and crossing units, KELTRACK® improves the vehicle steering behaviour through the switch area, reducing wheel flange contact, wear and damage of the switchblade. It is deployed using our standard trackside equipment installed in advance of the switch and crossing unit for the predominant direction of travel.

KELTRACK® is proven not to compromise traction and braking and is compatible for use at junctions where these are close to signals and stations. It is approved for use on both rails as it does not affect vehicle braking or traction. As switches and crossings have complex geometries with reverse curves both high and low rails need to be treated in the same manner.

Live trial video:

Below you can see the benefits of Keltrack application in our live trial.

Download our switch protection datasheet: