Yellow track fastners

[badger1badger]

Hi standing at new pudsey station I noticed that the track clips which fasten the track to the sleeper ( not sure of the technical name ? ) every fifth one was painted yellow I know it may be trivial but if anyone knows then please reply

Paul

 

[LE Greys]

Hi standing at new pudsey station I noticed that the track clips which fasten the track to the sleeper ( not sure of the technical name ? ) every fifth one was painted yellow I know it may be trivial but if anyone knows then please reply

Paul

They're called Pandrol clips. I was recently surprised to see that the MBTA in Boston use them, unlike the traditional American 'spike'. However, I don't know they might have been painted that colour. One theory is that they were replacements for some reason. Could you tell if they were new?

 

[badger1badger]

They did not appear to be new just painted ? But very regular in the spacing ?

 

[Old Timer]

Pandrol clips have been used extensively in the US and elsewhere in the Americas for some years now, and will be found on the high speed Amtrak lines, as well as heavily used freight lines.

Painted clips at the spacing indicated suggests a tamping run through the station or alternatively a track geometry survey through the platforms.

 

[Trog]

Is it on a transitition where the track is changing from straight to curved?
If so the yellow painted clips may indicate each 5mm step as the cant rises.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Of relevant interest, I noticed at Sutton on saturday that a Pandrol on the recently laid track ( it's on the up Epsom / Tulse Hill, half way along the platform ) had a laminated note attached to it by one of those single use strips of plastic like those used to secure the seats down on older tube trains.

Why would a laminated note be fixed to the track?

Is it a note of a minor defect to be checked during the next possession, or is it a note identifying a pre-formed track panel which simply got left behind after it was installed?

 

[paul1609]

Panderol clips can only be fitted in one direction. Right hand entry clips are normally coloured yellow to differentiate them from left hand entry clips which can be a variety of different colours depending on type.

 

[Trog]

Panderol clips can only be fitted in one direction. Right hand entry clips are normally coloured yellow to differentiate them from left hand entry clips which can be a variety of different colours depending on type.

Most types of PR and e series Pandrol clips are available in both left and right handed forms. The yellow clips are just one type among several, and the colour does not just denote the hand of the clip.