MODERN RAILROAD SWITCHES MAINTENANCE

Abstract

Switches are a part of the railroad that is especially important from the aspect of traffic safety, and that is why great attention is paid to the maintenance of crossroads. Reliable condition monitoring is important for efficient maintenance to identify defects at an early stage. The paper presents the basic defects in switches and describes the procedures by which they can be detected. Modern procedures for the diagnostics of switch defects include visual inspection, geometric measurements and procedures for determining deep defects by ultrasound and eddy current testing. Latterly, diagnostic systems have been developed that are installed in railway vehicles, which are included in regular traffic, and thus continuous monitoring of the condition of switches can be provided.