The technical condition of the track switches in difficult operational and seasonal climatic conditions of the West Siberian Infrastructure Directorate

The track switch is one of the most critical elements of railway track infrastructure, ensuring safe and uninterrupted train operations. The statistics of the West Siberian Railway since 2019 show a downward trend in failures of technical equipment, while the number of track switch failures has increased significantly, and by the beginning of 2025, almost half of the failures are accounted for by this element. As part of the implementation of the research work ‘Extending the standard service life of track switches operated in harsh climatic conditions’, an analysis of failures of track switches operated in the conditions of the West Siberian Directorate of Infrastructure for the period from 2018 to 2024 was carried out. The article highlights the research of domestic scientists in the field of track switches standard service life prolongation. The distribution of switch failures by reasons and months is described. It was revealed that about 70 % of failures are associated with violations of the norms of the transfer rate, in particular: the lag of the wit from the frame rail by 4 mm or more, violations of critical distances in the area of the crosspiece, deviations in the content of the transfer curve in ordinates. The distribution of failures by defective metal parts of the switchboard for the period under review is presented, indicating the most common defects identified on the switches of the West Siberian Directorate of Infrastructure. Among the defects in the metal elements of the switch, peeling and discoloration of the core and guardrails of the crosspiece prevail. The highest frequency of failures for these reasons is observed in spring (March – May) and in the period from late summer to mid-autumn (August – September). A significant increase in refusals for violations of the standards for the maintenance of switches occurred in the period from 2021 to 2023. The research findings can optimize switch maintenance and operation practices in challenging climatic conditions.

1. Tregubchak P. V. Development of switch crosspieces for heavy and heavy traffic conditions: specialty 2.9.2 Railway track, survey and design of railways. Dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Engineering. Tregubchak

2. Pavel Vladimirovich. Moscow; 2024. 150 p. (In Russ.).

3. Vitásek S., Měšťanová D. Life Cycle Cost of a Railroad Switch. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:646–652. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.08.053.

4. Litherland J., Andrews J. A reliability study of railway switch and crossing components. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F. Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit. 2023;237(2):205–217. https://doi.org/10.1177/09544097221100672.

5. Titarenko M. I., Gluzberg B. E., Tregubchak P. V., Kuznetsov S. V. P65 type switches of the 1/11 mark in the conditions of handling trains of increased mass and length. Track and Track Facilities. 2024;(12):7–10. (In Russ.).

6. Gluzberg B. E., Titarenko M. I. Ensuring reliable operation of a switchboard in conditions of increased loads. Track and Track Facilities. 2024;(6):23–25. (In Russ.).

7. Karpushchenko N., Komardinkin R. Lifecycle cost evaluation of turnouts on a re-enforced concrete base for especially heavy-duty track sections. E3S Web of Conferences, Saint Petersburg, September 19–21, 2023. Saint Petersburg: EDP Sciences; 2023. Vol. 460. P. 06017. DOI 10.1051/e3sconf/202346006017.

8. Gluzberg B. E. Switch switches to ensure heavy train traffic. II International Scientific Conference. Railway: the Way to the Future. Proceedings of Aspirants and Young Scientists Dedicated to the 80th Anniversary of Postgraduate Studies and the Scientific Center ‘Economics of Integrated Projects and Tariff Formation’, Railway Research Institute, Moscow, April 18, 2024. Moscow: Infra-M; 2024. Р. 497–502. (In Russ.).

9. Gluzberg B. E., Titarenko M. I., Tregubchak P. V. Ensuring the transportation process under loads on switches exceeding design and regulatory criteria. Bulletin of the Scientific Research Institute of Railway Transport. 2024;83(3):205–214. (In Russ.).

10. Tregubchak P. V. Designing the construction of monoblock crosspieces for severe operating conditions. Bulletin of the Scientific Research Institute of Railway Transport. 2023;82(2):146–156. (In Russ.).

11. Tregubchak P. V., Berezovsky M. E. Increasing the resource of switch crosspieces in modern conditions. Transport Construction. Proceedings of the Fourth All-Russian Scientific and Technical Conference, Moscow, April 12–14, 2023. Moscow: Pero Publishing House; 2023. Р. 147–153. (In Russ.).

12. Tregubchak P. V. Increasing the resource of krestovines by strengthening the blast wave energy at Novosibirsk Switch Plant JSC. II International Scientific Conference. Railway: the Way to the Future. Proceedings for graduate students and young scientists dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the graduate school and the scientific center for Economics of Complex Projects and Tariff Formation of Railway Research Institute, Moscow, 18.04.2024. Moscow: Scientific Publishing Center Infra-M; 2024. Р. 523–528. (In Russ.).

13. Sevostyanov A. A., Kochetkov A. S., Strelkov D. S. Analysis of the impact of trains on the railway track in the conditions of the Central Siberian run. The Siberian Transport University Bulletin. 2020;(55):26–33.

14. Pevzner V. O., Lisitsyn A. I., Grin E. N. [et al.]. Deformability of the track in the areas of circulation of heavy trains. Railway Transport. 2019;(9):36–41. (In Russ.).

15. Bobkova O. The service life of the switch elements has been doubled. Gudok: [site]. 2024. March 29. No. 10. (In Russ.). URL: https://gudok.ru/zdr/180/?ID=1663451.