IMPROVING UK RAIL WITH SLABTRACK

In the UK, the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has announced that the high cost of simply maintaining the railway network will result in many planned upgrades and improvements being postponed. The SRA blame the increased number, weight and speed of trains for the cost of track maintenance and wear of the network. UK trains run on ballasted track. Concrete slabtrack is increasingly being used in Japan, Europe and the USA. Concrete slabtrack is more expensive than the ballasted systems but this is offset by low maintenance costs. Slipform paving machines create the basic slabtrack structure on a stabilised base. Production rates of up to 400m a day are possible. The technique is particularly suited to tunnels and viaducts. The benefits of replacing the UK's ballast systems rather than maintaining them are outlined.