Presentation on Winter Precautions and Cold Weather Patrolling

Presentation on Winter Precautions and Cold Weather Patrolling Presented By : Aman Gupta ADEN/SRE, IRSE 2014

Winter Precautions - INTRODUCTION • Winter season is going to set in and during winter season, the incidences of rail/weld failure are normally high. It is imperative that such incidences are checked to the possible extent.

Winter precautions to prevent of Rail/Weld fractures- Safety of track. 1. Visual examination of rail ends should be done in terms of Para 252(2) of IRPWM and corrective action be taken as per Para 251 of IRPWM and CE circular no. 209. The fish bolt holes should be with proper chamfering. The concerned ADEN should personally ensure that Chamfering Kit is available as per Para 251(5) of IRPWM with SSEs/P. Way and used positively for chamfering whenever a new hole is drilled.

Winter precautions to prevent of Rail/Weld fractures- Safety of track.

Winter precautions to prevent of Rail/Weld fractures- Safety of track. 2. All the joggled fish plate joints should also be examined and lubricated including bolt holes before onset of winter. 3. The inspection and measurement of corrosion in corrosion prone locations and moderate corrosion prone locations should be done as per CE circular no. 258 -R 1. The preventive measures to reduce corrosion of rails and greasing of ERCs, inserts, liner seats including sealing of liners should be done as per CE circular no. 258 -R 1. (Sep. 2013) and 261 R-1(June 2016). Rails having corroded flange should be kept under special watch & suitably protected.

Winter precautions to prevent of Rail/Weld fractures- Safety of track. 4. A special drive should be launched to ensure that every length of rail gets examined systematically from one end of unit/gang beat to other end. 5. Inspection of LWRs/CWRs & SEJs must be carried out by SSE/P. Way as per Para 8. 1. 5(i) of LWR Manual and attend as found necessary. 6. There should not be any overdue de-stressing of LWR/CWR. 7. Frequency of USFD testing shall be strictly followed as per USFD manual and existing instructions. There should not be any section overdue for USFD testing. SSE/P. Way/ADENs/Sr. DENs should monitor and regularly check the work of SSE/USFD.

Winter precautions to prevent of Rail/Weld fractures- Safety of track. 8. The minimum frequency of testing shall be for welds on major bridges & bridges approaches (100 m on either side) and in tunnels & on tunnel approaches (100 m on either side) as per Para 8. 15. 1 of revised A&C slip no. 3 dated 10. 08. 16, to USFD manual 2012. 9. It needs to be ensured that all AT weld in important and major bridges and their approaches (100 m) are tested before onset of winter as per standing instructions (Rly. Bd’s Engineering Standing order No. 34/3/1 (Revision-1) dated 10/11/2004). 10. In case of defective weld (DFWO/DFWR) on major bridges & bridges approaches (100 m either side), and in tunnels & on tunnel approaches (100 m either side), action will be taken as per Para 8. 14 of revised A&C slip no. 3 dated 10. 08. 16 to USFD manual.

Winter precautions to prevent of Rail/Weld fractures- Safety of track. 11. Analysis of rail/ weld fractures should be done on the division, identify fracture prone locations and take necessary preventive measures. 12. To detect the fracture during winter months, Key man’s duty roster should be changed to have early morning patrol so that failures, if any can be detected in time. 13. All the arrangement for cold weather patrolling should be made as per Para 9. 1. 2 (ii) of LWR Manual. 14. A close watch on rail temperature should be kept and temperature record register should be maintained by SSE/P. Way & fed in TMS on daily basis.

Winter precautions to prevent of Rail/Weld fractures- Safety of track. 15. Gap survey should be done in SWR territory and gap adjustments be done where needed. Creep should be measured and action taken to arrest it (Para 510 of IRPWM). 16. All the fish plate joints at Back of CMS crossing are kept gapless and maintained effectively to avoid fractures. 17. For urgent temporary repairs of locations of rail/weld fractures, spare joggled fish, clamps/bolts, wooden blocks should be kept at every Km. gate lodges and gang huts. The “Joint Procedure Order” issued by CTE & CPTM regarding rail/weld fractures repair and restoration of speed to normal should be followed. The detailed report of all the fractures along with the remarks of concerned officers in the respective columns, and sketch/photo of the fracture should be uploaded in TMS within stipulated time period of 48 hrs, without fail.

Winter precautions to prevent of Rail/Weld fractures- Safety of track. 18. No cut rails should be allowed to continue in the track for more than 24 hours and it must have speed restriction of 30 Kmph in LWR/CWR track. No untested rail should be put in track. 19. LWR/CWR in RF/WF prone locations should be identified and measures like recoupment of missing fittings and destressing at lower temperature for winter season should be taken as per requirement. 20. Ensure zero missing fittings by recouping deficiency. If any, on priority. 21. In case of renewal with 10/15/20 rails panels, speed restriction not exceeding 75 kmph must be observed till the joints are welded.

Winter precautions to prevent of Rail/Weld fractures- Safety of track. 22. The in-situ AT welding should be done by trained staff having competency certificate and proper equipment. Adequate guidelines for the required duration are provided in Para 4. 3 of Manual for fusion welding of Rails by Alumino-Thermic process as per which durations of traffic block will be 70 to 75 minutes. The instructions had also reiterated vide Pr. CE letter no. 319 -W/168/Pt. XII dated 07. 08. 18. The block position should be personally monitored by Sr. DEN/Cs, Sr. DEN/Lines & Den/Lines. The new AT weld done insitu shall be joggle fish plated with two clamps and supported on wooden block till tested as good by USFD.

Winter precautions to prevent of Rail/Weld fractures- Safety of track. • It is imperative on the part of divisional officers to see that all safety precautions are taken by field staff right up to Gang man & they are aware of rules and requirements for ensuring safe train operation in cold weather. Also during trolley inspections knowledge of the staff and compliance of these instructions should be checked & ensured.

Cold Weather Patrolling • In sections having long welded rails (LWR), cold weather patrolling is done when the rail temperature is less than Td-30°C (Td = destressing temperature). • The schedule of patrolling and sections to be patrolled are laid down beforehand, based on the temperature records maintained for the section. • Normally, such patrolling starts around the first half of December and continues until February. • Patrol charts are prepared and issued, detailing the movement, direction, and timings of the patrollers. • Patrol books are issued which are supposed to be countersigned by the ASMs, Cabin men, or Gatemen as the case may be. • The books are exchanged within the gang beat from end to end, every time the patrollers meet at the junction of their beats.

Cold Weather Patrolling • On single line sections or where only one 'road' has LWR, one patrolman is given a 2 km length to patrol. On double line sections, where LWR exists on both 'roads' one patroller is given 1 km of both the lines to patrol. • The patroller walks over his beat slowly along one rail in one direction and on the other rail in the return direction. On double lines, he repeats this procedure alternately on the Up and Down tracks. • He watches out for rail and weld fractures. He also keeps an eye on the gaps at the switch expansion joints at the ends of the LWR. • In case the patroller notices a fracture or the gap at the SEJ is seen to be greater than the designed maximum gap for the SEJ, he suspends the traffic and protects the line. • After protecting the line, he tries to inform the key man, gang mate, JE/SSE/PWAY.

Cold Weather Patrolling • The patroller is authorized to make emergency repairs if he can and to restore the traffic at a speed restriction. The temporary and permanent repairs are done by PWM/PWI. • Normally patrolling starts at 2300 hours and continues until 0700 hours. The minimum rail temperature is known to occur around 03000500 hours and most fractures occur during this period.

Cold Weather Patrolling • A cold weather patroller carries following equipment: 1. 10 fog signals (detonators) in a tin case 2. Two tri-color hand signal lamps 3. One match box 4. Two red flags and one green flag 5. One three-cell electric torch 6. One number plate and staff (to display his number to the train)

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