Paint markings on track

[Tumbleweed]

Hi all

Was at Pontyclun station earlier and I noticed some of the sleepers had been painted yellow and the connectors between the sleeper and the rail have been sprayed blue, what does this mean? I don't think its a new form of rail art

 

[GB]

Were the sleepers fully painted or more like blobs of paint? If its the latter it probably to indicate that area needs pway attention.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Were the sleepers fully painted or more like blobs of paint? If its the latter it probably to indicate that area needs pway attention.

The sleepers with yellow paint were fully painted. There were blobs of blue paint on the connectors between the rail and sleeper on a different line.

 

[Ploughman]

Yellow would be either Top or Bottom of a Cant transition.
This is the amount that the track is tilted in superelevation on curves.

Blue on fishplates is likely to be IBJs (Insulated Block Joints) that have been checked for insulation integrity.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Ah I get your meaning, thank you!

 

[high camera]

There is a section of rail between davenport and stockport that has painted all white rails, what is this for ??

 

[alex17595]

There is a section of rail between davenport and stockport that has painted all white rails, what is this for ??

It's normally to stop the rail overheating and buckling.

Assuming there isn't another meaning.

 

[edwin_m]

The yellow blobs are dropped by track recording coaches when a significant but non-critical fault is detected, to help the repair staff to locate it. I believe they will drop red paint if a really bad fault is found.

 

[david_VI]

Sleepers are often painted in depots to show where to stop and avoid fouling other lines too.

 

[DarloRich]

The yellow blobs are dropped by track recording coaches when a significant but non-critical fault is detected, to help the repair staff to locate it. I believe they will drop red paint if a really bad fault is found.

i dont think they do any more

 

[edwin_m]

i dont think they do any more

Yellow or red? I've certainly seen the yellow ones within the last couple of years, at regular intervals almost certainly indicating cyclic top. I don't recall ever seeing red ones but they would be much rarer anyway.

 

[Boodiggy]

i dont think they do any more

It's not done where I work on west coast south where we have a most of the track recording vehicles in use.

 

[Ships]

The yellow blobs are dropped by track recording coaches when a significant but non-critical fault is detected, to help the repair staff to locate it. I believe they will drop red paint if a really bad fault is found.

This hasn't been the case for a good few years. The equipment was removed some years ago as it fairly inaccurate.

 

[edwin_m]

OK, I had a little to do with track recording vehicles 20 or so years back, but things have evidently changed since then.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
OK, point taken. I had a bit to do with track recording coaches but it was 20+ years ago and things have evidently changed since then.

 

[The Informer]

If you see YELLOW stripes on the track its from a Stoneblower. It drops a paint stripe every 50m whilst measuring for reference points should they encounter any issues. Should any problems arise they simply run back to the last stripe and re-sync.
BTW stoneblowers are those big machines that do mechanical measured shovel packing with chippings filling the voids under the sleepers.

 

[The Snap]

A lot of the S&C is painted white at Norton Bridge on the fasts - any ideas why?

 

[The Informer]

It will be to keep the rail temperatures down in hot weather. Painting them white can take 7deg off, which can be the difference between a buckle or not!

 

[higthomas]

When I was in North Wales in February, just after the line had been re-opened as far as Barmouth, the both rails were seemingly painted yellow on top for at least the few miles of them that I saw. Any idea why that might have been?

Doubt it was to cool it down, this being midwinter.

 

[Muzer]

A lot of the S&C is painted white at Norton Bridge on the fasts - any ideas why?

The Settle & Carlisle?

 

[GB]

Switch and crossing in this context I reckon.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Is Pontyclun station due for an overhaul soon?