RAIL SYSTEM FORUM SECTOR «ROLLING STOCK» SECTOR «INFRASTRUCTURE» Facing the winter challenges for railways in Europe - Winter & Railways Fact Sheet Root Causes Rolling Stock and Infrastructure UIC Survey Evaluation Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer (UIC) Rail System Forum (RSF) c/o Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer (UIC) 16, rue Jean Rey 75015 Paris France Version 1.0 Paris, October 20 th, 2010 Author: Enno Wiebe (UIC) Co-Author: Lutz Friedrich (DB) 1 / 8
Rolling Stock Geographical Coverage The framed country on the right handed map provided information about challenges with the rolling stock during the winter season 2009/2010. Overview Root Causes Impact of frozen infrastructure on trains 34% Train Design 58% Current collection 4% Maintenance logistics 4% 2 / 8
Root Causes Country Specific Information Slovakia Missing reliable snow ploughs to be installed on some locomotives Frozen fuel pipes and frozen petrol Low insulation state in electric equipment Frozen outside air pipes and pressure vessel Misting of the windscreen Frozen main brake distributor Germany Trains picking up ballast, lost ballast and generated heavy damages by rail track ballast (Bogie equipment, aerials, reservoirs gear units and underframe areas, all kind of equipments) Foldaway steps packed with snow and blocking Failure of start-batteries by icing conditions Failure of start- batteries through the ingress of melted snow Spring brake actuator has malfunctions by icing condition Electrical connectors corrosion Fan damaged by icing condition Earth faults problems by ingress of melted snow 3 / 8
Norway Central coupling. Coupling trains together, grease hardened in cold temperature HVAC over temperature Toilets freezing Belgium Snow ingress and subsequent malfunctioning of electronics (safety equipments, electronics, measurement devices ) Pantograph carbons damaged by heavy arcing on frozen overhead line Snow ingress and subsequent damage to main converters Breaking driver cab windows U.K. Frozen brake rigging (especially leading ends), Frozen air drier equipment Rock salt used to defrost platforms caused obstructions in sliding door runners High Speed Circuit Breaker failures as a result of melting snow Sliding Door Rubbers frozen together Intermediate cabs packed with snow (caused problems when formation subsequently split) Carriage washing machine water (that had been heated) subsequently freezing causing rolling stock unreliability Automatic Drop Device interventions as a result of ice on the OHLE Water ingress into on-board Hot Axle Box Detection equipment Frozen isolation cock on Central Door Locking System Tilt valve failures as a result of packed snow and ice Switzerland Cracks in windscreens by extreme temperature changes and Ice shards Poor adhesion Defects of the tilting technology trough snow and ice Increased wear on the pantograph contact strip Reduced speed trough ice damper suspension Disturbances of automatic couplings by ice, snow and melted water Odometrie of the ETCS has been influenced through snow Increased wear through poor lubrication at lower temperatures Leaks and moisture in the air system 4 / 8
Infrastructure Geographical Coverage The framed country on the right handed map provided information about challenges with the rail infrastructure during the winter season 2009/2010. Overview Root Causes Equip. Low Temp. 11% Rails and welding 20% Equip. Snow clearance 29% Signalling 3% Catenary 9% Switches and crossing 27% 5 / 8
Root Causes Country Specific Information Finland Human and Machine resources were planned according last 10 years, were too low Switches working problems because of snow and ice Insufficient practical competence to handle high snow levels in the south of Finland Lack of track capacity for snow removing work New constructions for e.g. passenger platforms were not suitable for snow removing Romania Extension of running times between stations Traffic management delays because of train delays Delays for waiting connections with a delayed train Diverted train routes Denmark Inspections of especially track difficult or impossible Less possibility for entrepreneurs to dig in the ground witch meant postponed production start for "earth works" for 1-2 months The Netherlands Registration insufficient Peak of failures Ice blocks falling off trains Time to repair insufficient 6 / 8
Time to be on location Austria Staff resources too low in case of heavy snow falls Lockings of modern switches sometimes too exact Italy Overhead contact line aspects, with dysfunctional risks valid also for switches manoeuvres, contact line sectioners, switches. Belgium Typical problem after the low temperatures: slopes instability and track geometry quality degradation due to de-freezing of soil. Organisation problems for clearance of snow on the platforms: due to reorganisation, it is not always good defined who is responsible Poland Failures of overhead power lines feeding (directly or indirectly) traction substations seasonal availability of snow clearing machines or snow removers Slovakia Failing sensors, transformers and heating rods of heating systems Salt on level crossing caused failures of signalling Salting of roads parallel with railways caused failures of insulators OCL Welding during winter is not executed Equip. Low Temp. 11% Rails and welding 20% Equip. Snow clearance 29% Signalling 3% Catenary 9% Switches and crossing 27% 7 / 8
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