Local to me N.R. are replacing 10 sets of points over the Christmas period. Brand new wooden sleepers were delivered to the site and when I enquired why I was told that they have to use a wooden sleeper where the points join standard track. Does anyone know why, please?
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Wooden Sleepers
- Thread starter Lewis
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Hydro
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Edit: disregard.
Old Timer
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The decision as to whether to use concrete or wooden sleepers will come down to the type of S&C and the track category. It is not normal to install wooden S&C on main and secondary passenger lines except where there is a weight issue or there is some other specific reason as to why concrete should not be used.
That said Network Rail have been down-specifying track for a while now, and I understand that they have pretty much stopped installing UIC 60 series rail S&C.
That said Network Rail have been down-specifying track for a while now, and I understand that they have pretty much stopped installing UIC 60 series rail S&C.
Trog
Established Member
There is a requirement to install four timber sleepers between steel sleepered and concrete sleepered track.
Where timber and concrete sleepered track meet at a rail joint or weld the change in sleeper type should be at least two sleepers from the joint in the rail. So if putting new concrete bearer S&C into older timber sleepered plain line you would finish the last new panel with a couple of new timber sleepers.
There may also be an underbridge with only a thin layer of ballast between the underside of the sleepers and the bridge deck. More unusually in a tight circular tunnel it may be nessesary to chamfer off the underside of the sleeper ends.
What they should not be used for is shortended sleepers at catchpits, better to have the manufacturer cut the ends short on some concretes for you so all the sleepers match. Such sleepers were standard items in BR days, but need to be arranged specially these days.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Only the smaller sizes, now done in CEN56 vertical on concrete.
Where timber and concrete sleepered track meet at a rail joint or weld the change in sleeper type should be at least two sleepers from the joint in the rail. So if putting new concrete bearer S&C into older timber sleepered plain line you would finish the last new panel with a couple of new timber sleepers.
There may also be an underbridge with only a thin layer of ballast between the underside of the sleepers and the bridge deck. More unusually in a tight circular tunnel it may be nessesary to chamfer off the underside of the sleeper ends.
What they should not be used for is shortended sleepers at catchpits, better to have the manufacturer cut the ends short on some concretes for you so all the sleepers match. Such sleepers were standard items in BR days, but need to be arranged specially these days.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Only the smaller sizes, now done in CEN56 vertical on concrete.
The information that I was given by Colas/Amey was wrong. This morning I met the guy from Network Rail responsible for points and he informed me that the new wooden sleepers were being installed at the entrance to Didcot Railway Centre as part of the new pointwork there. Makes a lot more sense!
Old Timer
Established Member
Not an unusual ocurrence I am led to believe.
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