Purchase of AT VM 8000-12E Two-way Rail Grinding Vehicle
Summary
MOVILL Ltd., the Hungarian representative of the Swiss AUTECH AG, delivered an AT VM 8000-12 Extended two-way (road-rail) rail grinding vehicle with 12 grinding axles to BKV plc. (Budapest Transportation Company) in August 2015, after a successful public procurement procedure. Its measuring equipment, data analyzing software and special control system ensures the precision grinding of rails and the optimization of grinding process. The procurement is greatly forward looking because regular rail grinding extends the service lifetime not only for the rails but indirectly for the complete railway structure and the rolling stock as well. In parallel it cuts life cycle costs.
BKV had planned the procurement of a modern rail grounding vehicle for long time. The company announced a prequalification procedure for „Rail grinding machine procurement” on the official site of the European Union and in the Public Procurement Notification. This procedure was finally won by the Swiss AUTECH AG and MOVILL Ltd, the Hungarian representative that coordinated project implementation.
Product development
AT VM 8000-12E rail grinding vehicles are specially developed for urban application. This vehicle can be used without restrictions on narrow structure gauge of urban railway tram network as well due to its favorable outline dimensions. Small radius curves (20 m) can also be ground which was the Customer’s special request. This machine is perfectly suitable for suburban train and metro track network machining, as well.
The vehicle is suitable both for road and railway traffic. Its greatest advantage is that precious time can be saved by getting to the work area on road. Maximum speed on road is 45 km/h, or in railway operation 25 km/h. The vehicle is in elevated position on railway track. Only the rail wheels touch the rails. Changing between the two traffic modes is very quick and getting it on or getting it off the rail takes only 1.5 minutes. Switching on four-wheel drive enables easy rail traffic operation in narrow road crossings.
The two-way vehicle consists of three main units: basis vehicle, rail vehicle and rail grinder. The basis vehicle is a public utility vehicle of the Swiss V. Meili Company with hydrostatic drive, having all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering, and hydraulic connection to auxiliary devices. Total weight of the vehicle is 11,900 kg with a 6 cylinder OM926LA Mercedes-Benz engine, 322 HP power output at 2,200 rpm.
Due to the hydraulically driven four flange wheels of the rail vehicle the reaction sensitivity is high and it is easy to control. Each rail wheel is driven by a BlackBruin BBC1 type radial piston wheel hub hydromotor. There is sanding equipment installed at each wheel to ensure effective braking both in forward and reverse travel.
AUTECH AG developed its own IAT 2212 type grinding unit with 12 grinding wheels. There are 6 wheels above each rail. Eliminating corrugation wear and Head Check defects, rail re-profiling and correction of other rail surface defects can be performed both on Vignol and grooved rails. The vehicle is also suitable for scale removal and finishing of joints. Double grinding axle drive, grinding wheel angle setting and speed setting are all hydraulic. The vehicle can be used for normal (1,435 mm) and narrow gauge tracks.
Grinding axle tilt can be adjusted separately for all the 12 pieces, controlled in pairs, thus achieving even 3 various grinding surfaces (facet) on one rail at the same time. Grinding depth on rail head is 0.2 mm, on running edge is 1 mm at one pass. Depending on depth of rail defects, several passes are to be performed at the same grinding angle.
Required angle differences and number of facets to be applied depend on material quality and rail profile. Double grinding axles have stepless control, i.e. 72° on inside part, 55° on outside part. There is a point grinding adaptor at the end of the vehicle to perform point grinding.
Control
Operators can control the rail grinding process in railway operation mode being close to the vehicle in two different ways. Either by means of operator boxes installed on the four sides of the vehicle or by means of two IMET M550 Zeus NJ manual radio remote control devices. The latter can be used for continuous running speed adjustment, select direction and sound an audio signal as well. RML9000 grinding process control is a modular system to optimize the grinding process. The laser slide installed on vehicle front side is part of the system. It measures cross sectional profile of the rail pairs and then compares it to the standard rail profile.
Measured data and defect values resulting from comparison are digitally displayed on two Trimble YUMA 2 mobile computers. The operator can accept the proposed grinding angle, pressure and side position setting values, load the previously saved settings, or generate new values by means of a touchpad. The 12 grinding axles will be positioned automatically according to the values set. The software can store up to 50 different grinding programs.
RailSurf corrugation wear measuring equipment with digital display is part of the vehicle. Evaluation of pre- and post-measures, generating reports are done by the RailTrack program.
The rail grinding machine is equipped with GreenGuard web based fleet management and data recording system. In addition to retrieving current and past consumption and machine data using the software, remote diagnostics, GPS based localization and tracking are also possible. Additionally, defect recording and alarm functions, maintenance prediction/management function and smartphone access also support the work of the operators.
Another user-friendly solution is the cameras installed above the rail wheels and on the rear of the vehicle. Correct positioning on the rail and reversing on the road can be easily checked on the monitors using this feature, in the three seat driver’s cab.
The grinding device is equipped with spark protection and also with a high power dust extractor including spark eliminator, for fire, environment and work safety considerations. The former prevents spark spreading, provides protection in front of the grinding material rotating at high speed and also reduces noise pollution. The latter reduces dust pollution in the environment generated during rail grinding. In order to avoid cross-sleeper burning, a water spray manifold is installed on the vehicle.
Emergency stop buttons are installed at each of the four corners and also on the central dashboard in driver’s cabin. In addition, both manual radio remote devices (IMET M550) are equipped with an emergency stop button. The operator near the vehicle and the driver (safety personnel) in the driver’s cab can stop the vehicle at any moment using these buttons. By activating the emergency all the hydraulic functions of the vehicle stop and are set to a safety position, diesel engine stops and parking brake is activated.
Key technical parameters of the vehicle:
- Type: AT VM 8000-12E
- Manufacturer: AUTECH AG
- Manufacturer of rail grinding equipment and all related components: AUTECH AG
- Manufacturer of basis vehicle: Viktor Meili AG
Road parameters:
- Engine: Mercedes-Benz OM 926LA, 6 cylinder
- Maximum speed allowed on road: 45 km/h
Rail parameters:
- Track ID: 99 55 9901 001-8
- Gauge: 1435 mm (can be set to 1000 mm too)
- Drive wheel diameter: 450 mm
- Maximum speed allowed on railway: 25 km/h
- Rail grinding speed: 0-5 km/h with radio remote control
- Vehicle length: 7110 mm
- Vehicle width: 2300 mm
- Vehicle height on road/rail: 3000mm/3150mm
- Maximum total weight permitted: 11 990 kg
- Coupler type: Road drawbar eye
- Smallest radius of curve for machining: 20 m
- Maximum gradient of rail tack during traffic/grinding: 70 ‰
Supply contract performance and commissioning
Test operation was finished on 11 July 2015. The vehicle performed the traffic and rail grinding operation hours according to the specifications without any technical failures. Delivery-acceptance procedure was completed on 18 August 2015.
Operation, daily rail grinding performance
A minimum 2 persons are needed to operate the grinding equipment, however it is recommended to use three persons. Operating personnel is positioned behind and near the vehicle during work, they supervise and control the grinding angles in case of need.
Rail grinding operations have been performed on tramway, suburban railway and metro network well since August 2015 within the scope of preventive maintenance programs. Work is performed normally during night service-off hours and sometimes day-time in track sections where rail traffic is suspended for other reasons. Average grinding performance depends on the type and size of rail defects to be eliminated, the quality of grinding wheels and on the hardness of the rails. As a reference value for clean running surface grinding, in case of max. 0.2 mm corrugation wear depth and normal R220 (MSZ EN 13674) quality rails it is possible to achieve 0.2 mm grinding depth in one run and appr. 250 track meter/hour.
Operation personnel and training
As clearly shown above, due to the high automation level and several user-friendly solutions this vehicle is a rather complex working machine and the operation i.e. high-precision grinding with the equipment requires professional operators. The rail grinding vehicle operator and maintenance staff first had the chance to familiarize themselves with the vehicle at the factory of AUTECH AG in Switzerland where participants had a three-day preliminary training. After the vehicle had been delivered to Hungary and the necessary regulatory permits had been obtained, a three-week theoretical and practical training was organized in June 2015. The experts from the factory trained nine employees of BKV for the comprehensive operation and maintenance of the rail grinding vehicle. Operators of the rail maintaining vehicle work with the machine in two shifts with rotation. Additional 17 employees, standby drivers and track service employees of BKV, had type knowledge training with a final exam.
Maintenance
Weekly and monthly maintenance of the rail grinding vehicle during the three year warranty period is performed by MOVILL, inspections after every 200 operating hours are performed by the Swiss employees of AUTECH AG in one of the workshops of BKV. The owner and operator BKV has expressed its positive impressions about the operation.
Afterword
Maintaining the quality of public transportation is our common interest, and it is an indispensable part the effective maintenance of transportation infrastructure. The above described vehicle is currently the most sophisticated tool for the railway network maintenance in Budapest.
On behalf of the team of MOVILL we can proudly state that we are all very pleased to participate in this special project, i.e. in the procurement of the first modern, special, precision rail grinding vehicle for a Hungarian owner.
