Optimal service life of switch rail crossings

The article discusses the issues of assessing the optimal service life of 1/11 switch rail crossings. The article evaluates the average proportions of the most common 1/11 switch type installed on different types of tracks at stations using the example of four track sections (PCh T, PCh B, PCh Kar, PCh Kam) located along the Trans-Siberian and Central Siberian railways. For example, the average share of switchings on main tracks is 48%, on receiving and sending tracks 17%, on access tracks 11%, etc.

The shares of the average annual demand for new and old-year crossings of switchings of the 1/11 brand, with the existing level of the standard service life of crossings in 80 million tons and the doubled service life of crossings in 160 million tons, have been determined. From the condition of resource-saving rational distribution of old-year cross-pieces of switch-gears, the limit levels of cross-pieces after the first service life are determined.

The actual dependencies of the decrease in the average share of cross-pieces of switch-gears on the increase in their service life are established, for the operational conditions of the I and II tracks of the Trans-Siberian and Central Siberian railways. The ratios of the average design life of new cross-pieces and the optimal level of the coefficient of reuse of new cross-pieces after the first service life Ks (the minimum level of the share of fitness), including taking into account the variation of the average level of the service life of old cross-pieces, have been determined.

According to the presented methodology for determining the optimal (standard) level of service life of switch elements, the levels of the estimated service life of new crossings have been determined to ensure a rational ratio of the average annual demand for new and old crossings. The optimal estimated level of service life of 1/11-type switch crossings, in order to maintain a rational level of their suitability while ensuring an optimal ratio of the area for laying new and old switch elements, is 200-220 million tons.

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