How are trains re-railed?

How are trains re-railed?

There are three main methods used for re-railing locomotives and wagons.

• Cranes

• Ramps

• Jacking sets

Cranes

In many rail organisations, cranes are now the go-to where possible. hey can be quick and easy to re-rail, and much of the risk of re-railing activities is given over to expert crane crews and riggers.

Cranes, however, have their drawbacks. They may not be readily available in county areas if overhead power lines are involved or the reach is too great across multiple rail lines; they may not be an option.

Ramps

Ramps are a quick and easy option but are limited by circumstances to their use. If the wheels are close to the track – no more than about 200mm- a locomotive is available to pull them on, and the rail is intact, they may be the best option.

A set of ramps is set in front of the derailed wheels as closely as possible. These are secured to the rail by nip chains and a ballast or dirt ramp created to help run the wheel onto the ramp.

The vehicle is then run onto the ramps, re-railing it. Ramps can be used to re-rail multiple wheels at a time.

Jacking sets

These are designed to re-rail vehicles. How they are applied will depend on the type of vehicle.

They consist of heavy-duty jacks and a traversing rail. A jack-controlling stand and a generator provide hydraulic oil pressure.

The vehicle must be levelled and raised so the wheels are just above the rail height. Do this with two jacks set under the vehicle's designed jacking points.

A traversing rail is then placed under the coupler, and a jack is set up under the coupler or, in some cases, on each side of the vehicle depending on the vehicle's design.

The vehicle is then supported by a jack sitting on a trolley on the top of the traversing rail. A second traversing jack sits on the rail to push the trolley across to re-rail the vehicle.

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