MODERN MACHINES FOR MODERN RAILWAYS
Plasserail's wide range of track maintenance machinery and the extensive experience of its staff makes it possible to deal with almost every aspect of mechanised track maintenance
The data obtained from the IM2000 Infrastructure Measuring Car allows railway management to plan their maintenance effectively according to line priority and availability. The highly sophisticated contactless laser system measures various track geometry parameters at speeds of up to 100 km/h. Smaller railway systems use the mobile EM301 road/rail system which uses similar systems and can produce track condition data of equal accuracy.
High production mainline tamping machines satisfy the requirement for low unit cost of tamping and high production. These machines are used on busy lines such as the iron-ore line where the maximum number of sleepers must be tamped in the short available maintenance windows. The 09-3X continuous action tamping machine tamps three sleepers at a time using a total of 48 tines at a production rate of up to 60 sleepers per minute. Other machines in this category are the 09- 32 and 09-16 continuous action tamping machines.
Universal tamping machines are specialised high speed turnout tamping machines for turnouts, slips and diamond crossings with a mainline tamping production ability similar to other single header machines at the same quality. Advanced universal tamping machines such as the the 09-DYNA-C.A.T. combine high production continuous action tamping with specialised high speed turnout tamping, using single or double header splithead units, third rail lifting and integral dynamic track stabilising all into one machine. Other universal tamping machines are the Unimat and BWOM.
Spot tamping machines are low production machines which offer low cost tamping where short distances must be tamped without compromising on durability and quality. These machine may have various other auxiliary features to carry out a variety of track maintenance functions.
Stabilising machines eliminate temporary speed restrictions as it produces controlled track consolidation after ballast maintenance. This improves the track’s resistance to lateral and vertical displacement thus enhancing the safety of passing traffic and extending maintenance intervals.
Ballast must be kept free of fine 
material to fulfill its functions of providing resiliency to the track and drainage to prevent water from ponding in the subgrade. Ballast cleaning machines such as the RM74 and high production RM900 excavate the ballast bed, separate the fine material and return the re-useable ballast to the ballast bed at production rates of up to 750 m3 per hour.
Depositing of spoil adjacent to the track during ballast cleaning is only possible to a limited extent. Apart from it being environmentally unfriendly, this may not be possible in areas such as cuttings where it has to be loaded onto MFS (spoil removal wagons / machines ) for removal to suitable dumping sites. The strength of this high sided 40 m3 hopper with floor mounted conveyor belt is its fast transferring, slewing and discharging ability.
Ballast distribution and profiling machines are an efficient mechanised method used to redistribute ballast across and longitudinally to the track and to restore the required ballast cross-section. Applying this maintenance method on a regular basis prevents uneconomical widening of the ballast profile and prevents track buckling. The large quantities of ineffective ballast that are recovered by the machine bring about huge savings in ballast material and labour costs making this machine a highly cost effective maintenance tool. Depending on the model, these machines can be equipped with a variety of equipment such as regulating and shoulder ploughs, sweeper unit and hopper unit.
The elimination of rail joints through flash-butt welding and the control of rail wear through rail planing ensures a long rail life. In addition, maintenance costs are reduced. The butt welding process has a limited change to the metallurgical character of the rail, therefore reducing the possibility of loss of running smoothness dramatically and producing a very high quality continuous welded rail.
Electric traction is a cost effective and environmentally friendly form of propulsion. Easy and safe access to the overhead electrification structure using OHTE machines during construction or maintenance contributes to a predictable service.
