Concrete sleeper
Encyclopedia
A concrete sleeper is a railroad tie
made out of steel reinforced concrete.
and Bamberg
.
.
Slab track consists of a continuous concrete roadbed without division into separate sleepers, and these are most often used in tunnels.
Austrak has developed a concrete Timber Replacement Sleeper that can be inter-dispersed with timber sleepers. These sleepers have a similar profile to the timber but have the benefits of concrete - especially when it comes to holding gauge.
clip bases or other fittings are inserted into the moulds. Pretensiled steel wire are installed in these moulds, and then the concrete is poured. It takes several days for the concrete to cure, after which the sleepers are removed from the moulds and cut into individual sleepers. The bottom of the mould is marked with the logo of the manufacturer and a datestamp.
Occasionally sleepers are made with conduits for track circuit
wiring, or extra fixtures for guard rails.
Sleepers can be made using a Long Line method or a Short Line method; each method has its advantages and disadvantages.
(1898 to 1935) in North Devon, experimented with concrete sleepers at a number of locations along the line. Currently unknown why experiment was not continued.
Some concrete sleepers can now be seen on display at Woody Bay Station www.lynton-rail.co.uk
Chaired bullhead concrete sleepers have been around since at least the 1950s.
s are much longer than normal sleepers, have gaps for switch motors, have sleepers indivually designed, and are generally made by a small number of specialist manufactures. If a turnout is needed in a hurry, it may be made with timber sleepers which can simply be drilled to suit.
Concrete sleeper plant at Huni Valley
, Ghana
:
(Three plants needed)
(clockwise) Townsville Austrak - 1067 mm - defunct Mackay
Austrak - 1067 mm - defunct Rockhampton
Austrak - 1067 mm 610 mm are also made for cane tramways. Mittagong - 1435 mm Taree
- 1435 mm Denman
- 1435 mm Mittagong Grafton
Wagga Wagga (Bomen) Austrak - 1435 mm Geelong (Avalon
] Austrak - 1435 mm & 1600 mm Port Hedland Austrak - 1435 mm Wedgefield
Austrak - 610 mm, 1067 mm, 1435 mm Wickham
- 1435 mm Katherine
Austrak - 1435 mm - defunct Tennant Creek Austrak - 1435 mm - defunct
Madhepura
Kathua
Vishal Nirmiti
. - Ra's Lanuf
- for Russian contract
- Transport in Saudi Arabia
32.5T axleload - 1435 mm
Railroad tie
A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
made out of steel reinforced concrete.
History
Concrete sleepers were first made in Germany in 1906 for use between NurembergNuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
and Bamberg
Bamberg
Bamberg is a city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg is one of the few cities in Germany that was not destroyed by World War II bombings because of a nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from...
.
Types
Concrete sleepers can be of one piece of uniform dimensions, or of variable dimensions. Concrete sleepers can also consist of two separate blocks connected by a steel tie rod. Exceptionally, the concrete can be poured as two separate longitudinal slabs as has been used in NamibiaTransport in Namibia
- Road :Namibia's road network is regarded as one of the best on the continent; road construction and maintenance adheres to international standards. It consists of 25,000 km of gravel roads and 9,000 km of earth-graded roads...
.
Slab track consists of a continuous concrete roadbed without division into separate sleepers, and these are most often used in tunnels.
Austrak has developed a concrete Timber Replacement Sleeper that can be inter-dispersed with timber sleepers. These sleepers have a similar profile to the timber but have the benefits of concrete - especially when it comes to holding gauge.
Advantages
- Do not rot like timber sleepers.
- Extra weight makes track more stable, particularly with changes in temperature.
- Unlike wooden sleepers, concrete sleepers don't expand under hot conditions causing tracks to buckle.
- Withstand fire hazards better than wooden sleepers.
- Longer life than wooden sleepers
- Less maintenance means lower ongoing costs and less track closures
Pads
Concrete sleepers usually have rubber pads of about 10mm thickness between the rail and the baseplate to absorb some of the shock of the passing train.Disadvantages
- When trains derail and the wheels hit the sleepers, timber sleepers tend to absorb the blow and remain intact, while concrete sleepers tend to shatter and have to be replaced.
- Concrete sleepers are heavier and need stronger people and even special tools to carry them.
- Gives more retentivity to the track.
- Cost more, especially initial cost.
Alternatives
Sleepers made of recycled plastics, which are less brittle than concrete, are under development.Manufacture
Concrete sleepers are made upside down in moulds, several sleepers long. PandrolPandrol
Pandrol is a British company, which manufactures clips used on rail tracks.- Overview :The was patented in 1957 by a Norwegian railways engineer, Per Pande Rolfsen. Nowadays it is common worldwide. Pandrol has manufacturing plants in 12 countries and 82 markets. Over 240 railway systems in 91...
clip bases or other fittings are inserted into the moulds. Pretensiled steel wire are installed in these moulds, and then the concrete is poured. It takes several days for the concrete to cure, after which the sleepers are removed from the moulds and cut into individual sleepers. The bottom of the mould is marked with the logo of the manufacturer and a datestamp.
Occasionally sleepers are made with conduits for track circuit
Track circuit
A track circuit is a simple electrical device used to detect the absence of a train on rail tracks, used to inform signallers and control relevant signals.- Principles and operation :...
wiring, or extra fixtures for guard rails.
Sleepers can be made using a Long Line method or a Short Line method; each method has its advantages and disadvantages.
Ingredients and components
- Portland cementPortland cementPortland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
made into suitable concrete. - Steel wire usually galvanised, and pre-tensioned.
- Railclips such as PandrolPandrolPandrol is a British company, which manufactures clips used on rail tracks.- Overview :The was patented in 1957 by a Norwegian railways engineer, Per Pande Rolfsen. Nowadays it is common worldwide. Pandrol has manufacturing plants in 12 countries and 82 markets. Over 240 railway systems in 91...
.
Transport
When transported in small piles, pieces of timber are interposed between the layers of concrete sleepers.Oldest
The gauge Lynton and Barnstaple RailwayLynton and Barnstaple Railway
The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway opened as an independent railway in May 1898. It was a single track narrow gauge railway slightly over long running through the rugged and picturesque area bordering Exmoor in North Devon, England. Although opened after the 1896 Light Railways Act came into force,...
(1898 to 1935) in North Devon, experimented with concrete sleepers at a number of locations along the line. Currently unknown why experiment was not continued.
Some concrete sleepers can now be seen on display at Woody Bay Station www.lynton-rail.co.uk
Chaired bullhead concrete sleepers have been around since at least the 1950s.
Turnouts
Concrete sleepers for turnoutTurnout
Turnout may refer to:* Turnout , a rotation of the leg which comes from the hips, causing the knee and foot to turn outward, away from the center of the body* Turnout , a British film...
s are much longer than normal sleepers, have gaps for switch motors, have sleepers indivually designed, and are generally made by a small number of specialist manufactures. If a turnout is needed in a hurry, it may be made with timber sleepers which can simply be drilled to suit.
Ghana GhanaGhanaGhana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
Concrete sleeper plant at Huni ValleyHuni Valley
Huni Valley is a town in west central Ghana, in the Western Region of Ghana.- Rail :It is a junction on the west line for a cross country line to the east line....
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
:
- Number: 2 m
- Cost: Euro 85m
- Cost each: Euro 42.5 per sleeper.
- Cost of plant: Euro 7
- Jobs: 130
- Output: 400,000 per annum
- Output: 1096 per day (about 0.5 km of track).
- Makers: Kampac and Rail.One
- Gauge: possibly dual gauge 1435 mm/1067 mm
Pakistan PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
- Line: Karachi - Lahore main line.
- Gauge: 1676 mm gauge.
- Cost per km: Rs33·85m
- Rail: UIC-54 rails
- Number per km: 1,640
- Fastenings: VosslohVosslohVossloh AG is a German transport technology manufacturer based in the Westphalian town of Werdohl. The group has 4,700 employees , and generated sales of €1.2 billion, of which approximately 60% came from the rail infrastructure division, and the remainder from the motive power and components...
Angola AngolaAngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
(Three plants needed)
- North - Bengo Province
- Centre - Liangongo - BenguelaBenguelaBenguela is a city in western Angola, south of Luanda, and capital of Benguela Province. It lies on a bay of the same name, in 12° 33’ S., 13° 25’ E...
- South - CaraculoCaraculo- Transport :It is served by a station on the southern line of Angolan Railways. Near this town the railway has been deviated from its original alignment to avoid steep gradients.In 2008, a concrete sleeper factory was being established at this town....
Australia Australia
Mackay, Queensland
Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar....
Austrak - 1067 mm - defunct Rockhampton
Rockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane....
Austrak - 1067 mm 610 mm are also made for cane tramways. Mittagong - 1435 mm Taree
Taree, New South Wales
Taree is a city on the Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia. Taree and nearby Cundletown were settled in 1831 by William Wynter. Since then Taree has grown to a population of around 20,000 people and is the centre of a significant agricultural district. It is 16 km from the sea coast,...
- 1435 mm Denman
Denman, New South Wales
Denman is a small rural town in New South Wales, Australia, in Muswellbrook Shire. The town is located on the Golden Highway in the Upper Hunter Valley region, about 250 km north of Sydney...
- 1435 mm Mittagong Grafton
Grafton, New South Wales
The city of Grafton is the commercial hub of the Clarence River Valley. Established in 1851, Grafton features many historic buildings and tree-lined streets. Located approximately 630 kilometres north of Sydney and 340 km south of Brisbane, Grafton and the Clarence Valley can be reached...
Wagga Wagga (Bomen) Austrak - 1435 mm Geelong (Avalon
Avalon, Victoria
Avalon is a locality situated north east of Geelong, Victoria. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Geelong and its Ward is Windermere...
] Austrak - 1435 mm & 1600 mm Port Hedland Austrak - 1435 mm Wedgefield
Wedgefield, Western Australia
Wedgefield is an industrial area in Western Australia's Pilbara region, off Great Northern Highway 2 km north of South Hedland, and was gazetted in 1973. It contains a variety of light and service industry premises, and also supports a small residential population. It was named for surveyor...
Austrak - 610 mm, 1067 mm, 1435 mm Wickham
Wickham, Western Australia
Wickham is a townsite located 1,572 km north of Perth and 13 km north of Roebourne in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.-History:...
- 1435 mm Katherine
Katherine, Northern Territory
Katherine is a town situated southeast of Darwin in the "Top End" of Australia in the Northern Territory. It is the fourth largest settlement in the Territory after the capital Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs...
Austrak - 1435 mm - defunct Tennant Creek Austrak - 1435 mm - defunct
- Austrak - Australia's largest manufacturer of concrete railway sleepers
India
First use in 1977 Patil Group - 8 plants - first in 1971 Nandgaon, MaharashtraNandgaon, Maharashtra
Nandgaon is a city and a municipal council in Nashik district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.- Geography :Nandgaon is located at . It has an average elevation of 0 metres . The climate here is quite dry as compared to other talukas in the district. Average rainfall is 524 mm. The...
Madhepura
Madhepura
Madhepura is a city and a municipality in Madhepura district in the Indian state of Bihar. Madhepura as it stands now was carved out of Saharsa district and got the status of revenue district on 9 May 1981. Prior to that, Madhepura was a sub-division under Bhagalpur district with effect from 3...
Kathua
Kathua
Kathua is the largest city of the Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir. It is the third largest city in the Jammu region and the sixth largest in the state. The word "Kathua" is derived from the word "Thuan" in Dogri which means "Scorpios". The city was the land of Scorpios before the settling of...
Vishal Nirmiti
Libya
- Khoms by Walterbau , GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. - Ra's Lanuf
Ra's Lanuf
Ra's Lanuf is a Mediterranean town in northern Libya, on the Gulf of Sidra. The town is also home to the Ra's Lanuf Refinery, completed in 1984, with a crude oil refining capacity of . The oil refinery is operated by the Ra's Lanuf Oil & Gas Processing Company, a subsidiary of the state-owned...
- for Russian contract
Romania
MetabetSaudi Arabia
- Ha'ilHa'il
Ha'il , also spelled Hail, Ha'yel, or Hayil, is an oasis city in Nejd in northwestern Saudi Arabia. It is the capital of the Ha'il Province. The city has a population of 356,876 according to Ha'il Province....
- Transport in Saudi Arabia
Transport in Saudi Arabia
- Railways :Saudi Arabia has several hundred route kilometres of standard gauge railways linking the capital Riyadh with the Persian Gulf. The new 440 km Haramain High Speed Rail Project will link Makkah and Medina....
32.5T axleload - 1435 mm
- Rail.one
- PCM Strescon Overseas Ventures Ltd;www.pcmstrescon.com;manufactures Heavy Haul 32.5T Axle Load Standard Gauge Sleepers at their Long Line Factories at Al Jouf and Hatifa,Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia by Wegh Group , ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
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See also
- SleeperRailroad tieA railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
- Ladder trackLadder trackLadder Track is a type of railway track in which the track is laid on longitudinal supports with transverse connections holding the two rails at the correct gauge distance. Modern ladder track can be considered a development of baulk road which supported rails on longitudinal wooden sleepers...
- longitudinal sleepers - Tubular Modular Track
- Bi Block sleepers
- Cement in AfricaCement in Africa- Angola :* Lobitoo - proposal 2006* Nova Cimangola - state-owned cement company based in Luanda, associated with Scancem and Heidelberg Cement- Cameroon :* Douala - port - cement works* Yaoundé - national capital - cement works...