I arrived into Euston a few days ago on a 730, I was in the front carriage and as we were coming to a stop the train started shaking. Looking at the tracks there were rumble strips on the tracks. What are these for? I haven't noticed them at any other London terminus!
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What are those train shakers at London Euston for?
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Many would say it's to aid traction under braking to stop trains hitting the buffers.
It's not, it's to help train detection with track circuits. For instance, if trains didn't approach close to the stops for a while and the railhead got dirty or contaminated, a train near the stops in the future might not be detected.
It's not, it's to help train detection with track circuits. For instance, if trains didn't approach close to the stops for a while and the railhead got dirty or contaminated, a train near the stops in the future might not be detected.
Aren't they usually a way of ensuring that track circuits get activated where there is otherwise a danger that rail contamination means they wouldn't. Often at buffer stops so that the loco which had brought a train in but had been uncoupled from it would continue to be detected when its train had gone. Of all the London termini, Euston would have been one of the last to have that happen on a regular basis, so it probably just means that that track has been there for a long time.
Eutectic being what the railway calls them, whereas I think that they are just a special stainless steel chosen for its relatively low melting point, presumably easier to get to bond to the underlying rail steel. Having said that, I have seen places where it has come off...
(Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutectic_system shows that the rest of the world is unaware of this application!)
London Underground used to have more prominent ones in sidings, with a zig-zag-pattern across the rail head, but later seem to have given these up, they looked more like metal strips rather than a pattern applied with a welding rod. The sidings east of Farringdon, among others, were fitted with them.
Ploughman
Established Member
Can be found on some crossovers that are not in regular use.
At Ealing Broadway there used to be a track connection between the District and Central Lines which had these prominent zig-zags. On 02/09/79 I was on a 1967 Tube Stock Railtour which traversed it and as might be expected it was a very rough and noisy experience!
sprinterguy
Veteran Member
And at the best part of any other terminal platforms at major UK stations, for that matter.These also exist at Manchester Piccadilly
Newcastle and Carlisle come to mind local to me, to name a couple.
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Manchester Airport has them, not a place which sees light locomotives on anything other than an exceptional basis.
DynamicSpirit
Established Member
Interesting. I don't ever recall noticing a train shaking as I arrived into Euston, and I would have thought that if trains did generally shake on arriving, that would be something that the general public would notice (To be fair, I'm pretty much never in the front carriage, which on Avanti would be the first class). Reading the replies, I'm also puzzled why a system to help train detection would make a train shake. Anyone care to elaborate on what's going on here?
Mcr Warrior
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When used on trackwork approaching the very end of a line, how far from the buffer stops do the 'zig zags' usually extend out to?
DelW
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There's a zig-zag pattern of rust resistant weld metal (ref post #4) which means the leading wheels are running on a rougher than usual surface.
You would generally need to be in the front vehicle and quite possibly near the front bogies depending on the length of track so treated to notice anything. Even then I would suggest it's more of a rumble and vibration than shaking exactly.
There's a decent example of this on Reddit:
(Link to a Reddit thread which has a good image of the zig zag pattern that's been described)
Or standing on an adjacent platform as a train departs. The noise it makes is quite distinctive. (It’s more noticeable for departures, as the train is at higher speed)
Yes that's a good point, very noticeable when a train comes in or departs on track like that.
I was in on P11!
Sun Chariot
Established Member
My grey cells are happily transported back to seeing, feeling and hearing Euston's strips!
A sound etched in my memory as strongly as the class 310 EMU's "hiss-sigh" when its brakes were released.
I have a vague recollection of seeing the strips on Preston's south-facing bay - but I might be wrong on that.
CarltonA
Member
I recall these strips on the turnback siding at Wembley Stadium, unfortunately the buffer stop got demolished by an errant train a while back.
Deepgreen
Established Member
Waterloo used to have them at the stops on the low-numbered platforms, but I think they went with track renewal years ago. They used to cause a rumble, but no 'shaking'.
When I was there, London Underground had them towards the ends of less used but track-circuited sidings which were inclined to get rust on the railhead. They were just a zig-zag of weld bead for about a car length out from the buffers. It was to ensure the train wheels completed the track circuit. I don't think they were of stainless steel or anything else exotic because just the increased pressure (as in psi) of the train weight on the narrow beads was enough to ensure electrical contact got through. No "shaking" even in the end cab, just a rumble.
davetheguard
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Dawlish Warren on the facing crossover from the down line to the reversible up line at the country end of the station.
devon_belle
Member
Is this what Preston has on the bay platforms? I was there for the first time recently and the vibration / noise was very noticable on the train as well as from an adjacent platform.
driver9000
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Yes it is.
Steddenm
Established Member
Carlisle has them on the Tyne Valley/Settle bay platforms and I think Manchester Piccadilly has them as well.
Don't all terminating platforms (ie non-through lines) have them or have had them in the past?
Don't all terminating platforms (ie non-through lines) have them or have had them in the past?