Improvement of Track Quality at Daqin Coal Line, China

With total mileage of 653 km the DatongQinhuangdao (short: “Daqin”) coal line is the major corridor for transporting coal from the west (Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces and the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region) to Qinhuangdao, China's largest coal-exporting seaport. Increased track availability, especially in heavy haul railway lines, is the target of many research and development projects for many years. Using elastic polyurethane components in the ballasted track system reduces track maintenance and therefore increases the availability of the line.

The challenge

High frequency of trains (100 to 130 trains per day with daily gross tonnage up to 1.3 MGT)
Damages to the components and increased wear caused by heavy traffic
Destruction of ballast due to exceptionally high loads
Short tamping intervals
Decreased track availability

The Getzner solution

To counteract a rapidly degrading superstructure, Getzner approached heavy haul networks within China to install and test elastoplastic USPs. Along the Daqin coal line, two sections were selected and in 2016 the Taiyuan Railway Bureau applied polyurethane USPs to both tracks (loaded and unloaded directions). With the installation of polyurethane USPs of types SLB 2210 G and SLB 1510 G on the Daqin coal line, maintenance activity was dramatically reduced: the length of tamping intervals was more than doubled. This saves money and significantly increases the track availability.

Railway track curving to the right, ballast bed, overhead lines, trees and mountains.

Advantages for the customer

Better track availability and less track possessions
Operation of a sustainable track system with lower life-cycle costs (LCC)
Positive influence on the lateral track resistance and thus higher safetyand thus higher safety
Less damage to superstructure components
Track quality and geometry at a high level for a longer time

By conducting comprehensive analyses of the track geometry and maintenance records, we could verify a significant reduction of maintenance costs and numerous positive effects on the track were witnessed since the introduction of Getzner USPs.