FABIAN HANSMANN | WOLFGANG NEMETZ | RICHARD SPOORS

KEEPING TRACK OF
TRACK GEOMETRY
BASICS – ERROR DETECTION – CORRECTION – QUALITY

A comparative overview of the DACH countries and the UK

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Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek:
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1st Edition 2021

ISBN 978-3-96245-225-4

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   Preface

Preface

Dear colleagues!
The title “Keeping Track of Track Geometry” is more than a pun chosen deliberately. This book
aims to provide a basic understanding of the track system and its maintenance. The track
geometry of a railway is the fundamental factor of its quality. Knowledge about track components
and their basic interactions is key to the understanding, assessment and management of the role
of quality in the system. Only the best possible quality will ensure maximum sustainability and form
the cornerstone for the success of the system.
The six chapters of this book not only provide a well-founded introduction to the basic aspects
of railway track and track construction, but also give a comparison of the engineering principles
adopted in the DACH countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and the United Kingdom. This
comparison provides an interesting insight into the practical implementation of those technical
principles and illustrates common features as well as differences. From the legal provisions to
the basics of the permanent way as well as measurement methods, the book describes the key
concepts that are required for the correction of track geometry on plain line track. One of our main
objectives was to provide unbiased product and technological information; therefore, we have
deliberately left out technology-specific details in some places.
After months of intense, exciting and sometimes also tense work on the manuscript, corrections,
rewriting and deleting, it is a special moment to hold the finished book in our hands – a
moment we would like to dedicate to those people who have accompanied and supported us
through this time. In particular, for the first edition in the German language, we are thinking of
Dr Matthias Landgraf and Werner Schachner. Throughout the project, we were able to count
on the unquestionable support of our employers Plasser & Theurer and PMC Rail International
Academy. Therefore, on behalf of all the assistance we have been given, we would like to
express our sincere gratitude to Johannes Max-Theurer, Johann Dumser and Antonio Intini. We
hope you enjoy reading our book and look forward to your feedback.
This copy is the second edition, which was initially translated from the first edition into English. The
core text and layout of the book remains unchanged. What is new is the introduction of information
concerning the principal mainland railway of the United Kingdom, formerly known as British Rail.
Today, the former British Rail railway infrastructure is owned and managed by Network Rail, an arm’s
length public body of the UK Government. We hope that this second edition will provide the reader
with an interesting contrast between track technical matters both in the DACH countries and the UK.
We would like to thank, Deutsche Bahn, Network Rail, OEBB and SBB for access to their
track technical standards and permission to use specific data from them. Additional sources of
information and more general background references are included in the Bibliography.

Fabian Hansmann | Wolfgang Nemetz | Richard Spoors

Notes on use:
In addition to legal provisions, technical principles are discussed using extracts from standards or internal
railway rules and regulations. Any given limit values are examples and have been taken from the rules
and standards quoted. These are subject to change. Therefore, the issue date of the source has to be
considered. This book helps to depict interactions between individual topics but cannot and should not be
a replacement for studying the respective rule or standard.
Unless quoted otherwise, the authors have the property rights of the figures used in the book. We would
like to thank MATISA, Plasser & Theurer, PMC Rail International Academy, ROBEL and Trimble for kindly
providing their photos and further documents.

3
 Contents

Contents

Preface......................................................................................................... 3

1 Legal and technical rules and standards....................................... 9

1.1 Key issues................................................................................................................9

1.2 The railway and its rules and standards.................................................................9

1.3 From the technical entity to interoperability.........................................................10

1.3.1 Technical unity ........................................................................................................11
1.3.2 Legal foundations....................................................................................................12
1.3.3 Interoperability.........................................................................................................15

1.4 Cross-border standardisation...............................................................................18

1.5 Internal railway guidelines.....................................................................................19

1.6 Summary................................................................................................................21

2 Basic principles of the permanent way........................................ 23

2.1 Key issues..............................................................................................................23

2.2 The railway as a system .......................................................................................23

2.3 Vehicle gauge and structure gauge......................................................................23

2.4 Axle loads on the track and their distribution......................................................29

2.4.1 Vertical forces and deflection...................................................................................30
2.4.2 Lateral forces ..........................................................................................................32
2.4.3 Longitudinal forces...................................................................................................33

2.5 Classification of lines ............................................................................................36

2.6 The permanent way and its constituent parts......................................................38

2.6.1 The rail.....................................................................................................................39
2.6.2 Sleepers .................................................................................................................50
2.6.3 Track fastenings.......................................................................................................59
2.6.4 Track codes.............................................................................................................65
2.6.5 Ballast......................................................................................................................66
2.6.6 Substructure ...........................................................................................................73

5
Contents

2.7 Switches and crossings (turnouts).......................................................................76

2.7.1 Basic principles .......................................................................................................76
2.7.2 Terminology ............................................................................................................78
2.7.3 Main components....................................................................................................79

3 Track alignment design................................................................. 81

3.1 Key issues..............................................................................................................81

3.2 Physical principles ................................................................................................81

3.3 Components of a railway route.............................................................................86

3.4 Limits and standard values ..................................................................................88

3.5 Transition curves and cant ramps.........................................................................91

3.5.1 Transition curves and linear cant ramps...................................................................93
3.5.2 Transition curves and graduated cant ramps............................................................95
3.5.3 Cant deficiency and cant excess............................................................................100

3.6 Minimum lengths.................................................................................................102

3.7 Reverse curves with an abrupt change in curvature (“Track Scissors”)...........103

3.8 Buffer locking.......................................................................................................104

3.9 Track re-alignment – variation of the distance between the centres

of two tracks .......................................................................................................105

3.10 Gradient change .................................................................................................106

3.11 Summary..............................................................................................................108

4 Track geometry defects and the determination of correction

values .......................................................................................... 109

4.1 Key issues............................................................................................................109

4.2 Track geometry defects.......................................................................................109

4.2.1 Definition and their formation.................................................................................109
4.2.2 Distinction of track geometry defects.....................................................................110
4.2.3 The Principal Measurement of Track geometry faults in the UK..............................112
4.2.4 The Phenomenon of Cyclic Top.............................................................................113
4.2.5 Intervention limits...................................................................................................114
4.2.6 Maintenance methods for correcting track geometry defects.................................116

4.3 Basic principles of measuring track geometry ..................................................117

6
 Contents

4.4 Precision method.................................................................................................122

4.4.1 Measuring the longitudinal level..............................................................................123
4.4.2 Measuring the alignment........................................................................................136
4.4.3 Systems for measuring longitudinal level and alignment ........................................140

4.5 Compensation method........................................................................................150

4.5.1 4-point method: compensation method without known route parameters .............150
4.5.2 3-point method: compensation method with known route parameters...................151
4.5.3 Electronic compensation method...........................................................................153

4.6 Correcting isolated defects (Spot Tamping).......................................................154

4.7 Overlifting the track position as a maintenance process...............................156

4.8 Summary..............................................................................................................158

5 The correction of track geometry............................................... 159

5.1 Key issues............................................................................................................159

5.2 Basic principles of track geometry maintenance...............................................159

5.3 Correction of track geometry with a tamping machine.....................................161

5.3.1 Different types of tamping machines .....................................................................162
5.3.2 Choice of machine type for the UK........................................................................164
5.3.3 Work units of a tamping machine...........................................................................165
5.3.4 Preparatory work for a sustainable tamping process .............................................168
5.3.5 Track geometry data input ....................................................................................170
5.3.6 Controlling the tamping process and its parameters...............................................174
5.3.7 Spot tamping.........................................................................................................177
5.3.8 Parallel tamping.....................................................................................................177

5.4 Dynamic track stabilisers and consolidators.....................................................178

5.5 Ballast distributing and profiling machines........................................................179

5.6 Summary..............................................................................................................181

6 Acceptance and quality assurance............................................ 183

6.1 Key issues............................................................................................................183

6.2 Acceptance..........................................................................................................183
6.2.1 Preliminary acceptance..........................................................................................183
6.2.2 Final acceptance....................................................................................................184
6.2.3 Quality certification for work performed..................................................................184

7
Contents

6.2.4 Acceptance limit values in EN 13231-1 .................................................................185

6.2.5 Acceptance limit values in the UK..........................................................................185

6.3 Sequence of acceptance....................................................................................186

6.4 Acceptance of track renewals in the UK............................................................186

6.5 Acceptance criteria for tamping work at DB, ÖBB, SBB and NR��������������������186

Bibliography�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������203

Authors�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������215

List of abbreviations����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������217

Index����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������221

8
 1.2 The railway and its rules and standards

1 Legal and technical rules and standards

Fabian Hansmann and Richard Spoors

1.1 Key issues

This chapter provides an overview of the legal and technical rules and standards in Germany
(DB Netz), Austria (ÖBB Infrastruktur) Switzerland (SBB), (also known as the DACH
countries) and the United Kingdom (Network Rail). The chapter will provide answers to the
following questions:
–– Which legal provisions are relevant for the maintenance of the railway infrastructure in these
countries?
–– What cross-border technical regulations exist and to what extent are they legally binding?
–– What content is regulated by TSI Infrastructure?
–– What differences are there between the ISO and CEN standards?
–– What technical rules and standards apply on the networks of DB, ÖBB, SBB and NR?

1.2 The railway and its rules and standards

When the steam powered railway started operation in the early 19th century, individual
countries developed numerous rules and regulations to keep the use of this “dangerous” new
means of transport under control. By 1883 in the UK there were around 130 private railway
companies with their own Rule Books, primarily focused on the safe operation of trains.

In 1879 the German Imperial Court, as a consequence of a claim for damages, defined a
railway company as follows:
“A company, focused on the repeated moving of persons or things over not insignificant
spatial distances on a metal foundation, which due to its consistency, construction and
smoothness is designed to enable the transport of large amounts of weight and the
achievement of a relatively significant speed of the transport movement, and as a result of this
characteristic feature combined with the natural forces (steam, electricity, animal or human
muscular activity, in the case of an incline of the railway also the own weight of the transport
vessel and its load, etc.) used to generate the movement that is capable of generating a
relatively powerful effect (depending on circumstances only useful by object, or also causing
the destruction of human life or injury to human health) when being operated.” [1]

Such a detailed definition of a railway company may be exaggerated but back then was
probably due to the general scepticism towards the new means of transport.
But what does the term “railway” entail?
A clear definition of the term railway in the German language is not irrelevant. Its fuzziness in
everyday use has a significant impact on legal and technical framework conditions. Here, two
aspects have to be taken into consideration:
1. In contrast to other means of transport, such as the car, the railway in its original form
constituted the construction and operation of the asset. Only as late as 2001, the European
Union would pave the way for free access to the infrastructure by separating this original
concept [2]. Today a clear distinction is made between railway infrastructure managers and
railway undertakings.

9
1 Legal and technical rules and standards

2. When applying various rules and standards, attention needs to be paid to which parts
of the system these apply. Some countries have different guidelines for main line tracks,
trams, underground railways etc.
The numerous acts of Parliament, laws, regulations, guidelines and work instructions of all
kinds make it difficult to keep an overview. The following section will aim to provide the basic
correlations between the legal and technical rules and standards in the four countries (Fig.
1-1). It will concentrate on the issues relating to the rail infrastructure.

Fig. 1-1: Legal and technical rules and standards

1.3 From the technical entity to interoperability

The first railway networks were formed as self-contained networks, and their rules and
standards were heavily dominated by factory standards. [3, p. 20]

A standard is a “document drafted by consensus and approved by an acknowledged

institution. It specifies rules, guidelines or properties for general or recurrent use,
pertaining to activities or products thereof. Its ultimate goal is to achieve the highest
possible degree of order in a specific context.” [4, p. 25]

With the rail connection between Aachen in Germany and Liège in Belgium the first
cross-border railway line was opened in 1843. No matter whether the railway companies
were under public or private management, it became apparent back then that it would
be necessary to harmonise the technical framework conditions. The low flexibility of
the gauge-bound system made it more difficult to meet the economical requirement of
travelling over cross-border networks, which were very different from each other. In
contrast, the military had a strategic interest in restricting and controlling cross-border
traffic as much as it could. This can still be seen clearly in the different selection of track
gauges throughout Europe (Fig. 1-2).

10
 2.6 The permanent way and its constituent parts

Fig. 2-15: Overview of the constituent elements of the permanent way

The track panel and the ballast bed underneath are part of the track system. The track panel
consists of the rails, the fastening system and the sleepers, with no distinction being made
between plain line and turnouts. Additional layers of sand, gravel or asphalt can be used
underneath the ballast bed to improve the load bearing properties of the permanent way. In
Austria and Germany, these layers are regarded as part of the track bed, while in Switzerland
and the UK they are part of the substructure. Engineering structures such as bridges and
tunnels as well as cuttings and drainage systems are also part of the substructure.

2.6.1 The rail

There is a lot of argument about the origins of the railways. It is a fact that mine cars
were moved on a type of wooden rail in German and English mines as early as the 16th
century. [23, p. 8]
In the 17th century, the idea arose in Nottingham, England to use these wooden tracks
outside of the mines. In 1603, a coal mine owner by the name of Beaumont joined the two
“wooden rails” with crossbars and thus laid the foundations for the modern railway track.
This idea made it possible to increase the volume of materials carried up to 5-fold. The
wooden rails were fitted with iron fittings at particularly heavily stressed points to increase
the life of the track. [24, p. 1]
The contact of steel on steel between the wheel and the rail underneath is the crucial
advantage of the railway system. Due to this low frictional value, less energy is required to
transport large masses from A to B.
The original iron fittings on wooden rails were, however, not able to withstand the increasing
loads. In 1767, the English ironworks owner Richard Reynolds was, after a few unsuccessful
attempts, the first to introduce the flat rail made of cast iron (see Fig. 2-16). [25, p. 7] Cast
iron, however, is particularly brittle and not ductile like modern rail steel. Therefore, his flat
rails were continuously supported by means of longitudinal timbers. The development

39
2 Basic principles of the permanent way

of railways in England owed much to George Stephenson, a colliery worker from

Northumberland, who studied and learned to repair stationary steam engines as a young
man. By 1824 he had opened a factory to build steam locomotives for new colliery railways.
This expansion of the early railways also saw the development of foundries and techniques
to roll early wrought iron rails. The low level of friction in the contact of metal wheel on metal
rail is the crucial advantage of the railway system, as less energy is required to transport
large masses from A to B. [26]

Fig. 2-16: Reynolds rail as a representative of the first flat rails, based on [27, p. 16]

Fig. 2-17: Use of L shaped cast iron rails and stone blocks on the Denby Tramway-wagonway
(Outram’s Railroad) near Little Eaton, Derbyshire, England [28]

The development of new iron rolling mill methods in the UK created stronger wrought iron
rails and sleepers reverted to lying crossways. The American R. L. Stevens sailed to England
in 1830, bringing with him his ideas for a flat bottom rail section which he had produced in
the Dowlais Ironworks in Wales and shipped back to the USA. At the same time Charles
Vignole, an Irish engineer, also designed a flat bottomed rail which laid the foundation for the
development of today‘s common rail profile, which was first used in its current shape in 1890.
In England the preferred profile was not flat bottom but bull head, a design that was developed
from the double headed wrought iron rails and it prevailed until 1948.

40
 3.10 Gradient change

Fig. 3-31: Diagram of a change in vertical gradient and its main geometric points

EN 13803 provides for either a conventional circular curve or a 2nd degree parabola for this
smoothing. [7, section 5.2] The standard is slightly more precise than the railway companies’
rules and standards when stating those limits. It also distinguishes between speed ranges for
the mandatory vertical curve:
0 < v ≤ 230 km/h 1‰
230 < v ≤ 360 km/h 0.5 ‰
In principle, gradient changes are to be avoided on bridges and in switches and crossings
as construction and maintenance are particularly difficult here. Ideally, changes in gradient
are provided for on the straight since complicated geometries can arise in a curve due to the
combination with the cant.
Depending on the type of vertical curve, a distinction is made between valleys (p1 < p2) and
humps (p1 > p2). The radii, as calculated in Fig. 3-32, are used for the vertical curve itself. The
values for horizontal curves are, however, much greater in comparison. The reason for this
is that vertical acceleration up to 0.31 m/s² is regarded as acceptable. This value is only one
third of the permissible horizontal lateral acceleration of 0.98 m/s²; this is why the values for
horizontal curves are much greater. In the UK, Network Rail’s normal design value for vertical
acceleration is 2.25 % g. [31]

Fig. 3-32: Examples of the limits of vertical curve radius Rv [7] – [10] [32]

107
3 Track alignment design

l
Based on the curve radius determined, the following equations result for the length l or
2
l |p1| – |p2|
= ∙ Rv(3‑32)
2 2000

and the distance between peaks

1000 ∙ l2
y= (3‑33)
8 ∙ Rv

p1 and p2 in [‰]: gradients

Rv in [m]: vertical curve radius
l in [m]: horizontal length of curve
y in [m]: distance between peaks

Referring to Fig. 3-31 above and using these values, the vertical curves can be uniquely
described, and the main points start of vertical curve (BVC), centre of vertical curve (MVC) and
end of vertical curve (EVC) can be determined. Unlike for horizontal curves, transition curves
are not necessary in vertical curves.

3.11 Summary

In this chapter we have looked at the basics of plain line track design. Today, the majority of
track design is undertaken using computers and specially designed software. Even so, as this
method of track design does not rely on the user using empirical formulae, the resulting trace
has to demonstrate compliance with national and railway standards for passenger comfort,
the transport of goods and above all safety of the railway. It is also important that the available
means to install and maintain the permanent way has the ability to maintain the geometric
calculations used in the design. We shall start to look at this in the next chapter.

108
 5.5 Ballast distributing and profiling machines

DTSs and consolidators have the aim of keeping the influences of voiding and high initial
settlements on tamping quality as low as possible and to pre-empt them in a controlled
manner. While the dynamic track stabiliser achieves this effect through horizontal excitations
applied to the track panel, consolidators consolidate the ballast crib and try to achieve the
same effect in this way. This makes it possible to influence the consolidation process in a
targeted manner and to increase the lateral displacement resistance to a level where most
reduced line speeds will no longer be necessary after the disturbance of ballasted track.
If neither a DTS nor a consolidator is deployed after tamping, it may be necessary to travel on
this section of track at reduced speeds, depending on the type of track and the work undertaken.
This reduced speed running will consolidate the ballast and gradually allow the desired loads to
be absorbed. After some time, the ballasted track will meet the criteria with regard to the lateral
displacement resistance. This process can last to between 0.5 and 1.5 million tonnes of traffic, but
also poses the risk of irregular load application. The irregular loads arising from train traffic, e.g. due
to flat spots on wheels, may result in inhomogeneous settlements.
Any necessary speed restrictions will have an impact on the capacity of the railway system
and the whole network. The lower speeds will not only result in fewer trains being able to pass
the section of track but may also have an impact on the timetable.
DTSs and consolidators do not necessarily have to be operated as separate machines. They are
increasingly integrated into the designs of existing machines. For example, DTS and consolidators
can be integrated into tamping machines or ballast distributing and profiling machines.
Network Rail has had considerable success in recent years with the use of the DTS on switch
and crossing unit renewals. The particular machines used are the Unimat 09-4x4/4S Dynamic.

Fig. 5-26: Integrated consolidation unit (MATISA, left) and integrated DTS unit (Plasser & Theurer, right)

5.5 Ballast distributing and profiling machines

Before tamping, in order to have sufficient ballast available in the cribs for the formation of
the bearing surface beneath each sleeper, the required quantity of ballast is deposited in
the tamping area. This additional ballast will be required as a result of the correction of the
track geometry and should ideally be calculated beforehand, depending on the determined
correction values. Before tamping a section of track, the ballast is also deposited to the left
and right of the two rails in the tamping area in order to strengthen the ballast shoulder.

179
5 The correction of track geometry

Fig. 5-27: Unloading new ballast in the UK [27]

On sections of line with high speeds, it may not be permitted to pre-deposit new ballast. Due
to aerodynamic effects, high train speeds may cause a suction effect under the trains [28, p.
624] that can result in ballast being whirled up. This is known as flying ballast and can severely
damage technical equipment of trains and endanger lives in station areas.
For this reason, countries have adopted the approach to clear the sleeper surface of
exposed ballast stones after tamping and to lower the height of the ballast crib in line with the
applicable rules and standards and depending on the maximum speed of the specific section
of line (see section 2.6.5). This work is usually carried out by ballast distributing and profiling
machines (ballast ploughs/brushes), which will also re-establish the desired ballast profile. To
do this, the machines are equipped with ballast ploughs of different profiles.

Fig. 5-28: B
 allast distributing and profiling machines: R 21 (MATISA, left) and
USP 2010 SWS (Plasser & Theurer, right)

180
 Bibliography

Bibliography

Bibliography – Chapter 1
[1] German Imperial Court: Betrieb einer Eisenbahn und Betriebsunternehmen
im Sinne des Reichshaftpflichtgesetzes, 17.03.1879. https://opinioiuris.de/
entscheidung/1724, accessed on 26.07.2018.
[2] Directive 2001/12/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26
February 2001 amending Council Directive 91/440/EEC on the development
of the Community‘s railways. Official Journal of the European Communities,
15.03.2001. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32
001L0012&from=EN, accessed on 10.01.2019.
[3] Endlicher, K.-O. and Rischanek, A.: Normen im Eisenbahnwesen – Der praktische
Gesamtüberblick. Austrian Standards plus Publishing, 2017.
[4] EN 45020: Standardisation and related activities – General vocabulary, August
2007. British Standards Institution.
[5] 1846 act of parliament: The Railway – British track since 1804 by Andrew Dow,
published by Pen and Sword books, Barnsley, England.
[6] Federal Republic of Germany: Allgemeines Eisenbahngesetz (AEG). Federal Ministry
of Justice and Consumer Protection, 27.12.1993, version of 29.11.2018. https://
www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aeg_1994/AEG.pdf, accessed on 11.01.2019.
[7] Federal Republic of Germany: Gesetz über die Eisenbahnverkehrsverwaltung des
Bundes (Bundeseisenbahnverkehrsverwaltungsgesetz – BEVVG). Federal Ministry
of Justice and Consumer Protection, 27.12.1993, version of 29.11.2018. https://
www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aeg_1994/AEG.pdf, accessed on 10.01.2019.
[8] Federal Republic of Germany: Eisenbahn-Bau- und Betriebsordnung (EBO).
Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection, 08.05.1967, version of
26.07.2017. https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/ebo/EBO.pdf, accessed on
11.01.2019.
[9] Federal Railway Office: Eisenbahnspezifische Liste Technischer Baubestimmungen
(ELTB), 18.01.2016. https://www.eba.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/ Infrastruktur/
A l l g e m e i n e Vo r s c h r i f t e n / E LT B / 2 1 - E LT B _ 0 1 _ 2 0 1 6 _ A e n d e r u n g e n . p d f ? _ _
blob=publicationFile&v=2, accessed on 12.07.2018.
[10] Freystein, H., Muncke, M., Schollmeier, P.: Handbuch Entwerfen von Bahnanlagen
– Regelwerke, Planfeststellung, Bau, Betrieb, Instandhaltung. PMC Media House
GmbH, Leverkusen, 2015.
[11] Republic of Austria: Bundesgesetz über Eisenbahnen (EisbG). Federal
Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs, 07.03.1957, version of 14.01.2019.
h t t p s : / / w w w. r i s . b k a . g v. a t / G e l t e n d e F a s s u n g . w x e ? A b f r a g e = B u n d e s n o r
men&Gesetzesnummer=10011302, accessed on 11.01.2019.
[12] Commission Regulation (EU) No 1299/2014 of 18 November 2014 on the
technical specifications for interoperability relating to the ‘infrastructure’
subsystem of the rail system in the European Union. Official Journal of the
European Union, 12.12.2014. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF
/?uri=CELEX:32014R1299&from=EN, accessed on 11.01.2019.

203
 Authors

Authors

Dipl.-Ing. Dr Fabian Hansmann

Fabian Hansmann graduated from Graz University of Technology
in 2011 with a degree in civil engineering in the specialist field
of environment and transportation. Between 2011 and 2016,
he worked as a research associate at the Institute of Railway
Engineering and Transport Economy at TU Graz, where he
wrote his doctoral thesis (PhD) on “Digital asset management of
‘track’”. During his time at the Institute, he worked together with
various railway infrastructure managers and industry partners
on research projects on the topic of Life Cycle Costs and asset
management. In 2015, he joined Plasser & Theurer in the Marketing
and Communication department. His work has provided him with insights into the global
developments in the field of track maintenance with a focus on the operation of large on-track
machines. In 2019 he started working for Plasser American in Chesapeake (USA) as Senior
Scientific Advisor for Railroad Engineering.

Wolfgang Nemetz
Wolfgang Nemetz completed his education at the Höhere Technische
Bundes-Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt Wiener Neustadt in the field of
electrical engineering. In 1985 he joined ÖBB, where he worked in
track and switch surveying until 1991. Subsequently he acted as
ÖBB operations manager of track/switch tamping machines and rail
grinding trains. From 1998 to 2003 he took over the nationwide control
of tamping machines and surveying. From 2003 to 2007, he was
responsible for the technical and operational implementation of the
entire mechanical track construction operation at ÖBB. After extensive
organisational changes in the company, in 2007, he took over the
management of the performance management department for the construction and maintenance
of the Plant Service division of ÖBB-Infrastruktur BAU AG. From 2010 until his move to the private
sector, he was most recently head of the Mechanical Engineering department at ÖBB-Infrastruktur
AG. Since 2017, Wolfgang Nemetz has been working at the PMC Rail International Academy in
project management, consulting and as Head of Division Development Austria.

Richard Spoors, MICE, FPWI

Richard Spoors (75) joined British Rail in 1964 as a Student Civil
Engineer. After graduating from the University of Bradford with
a degree in Civil Engineering, he honed his skills as a railway
civil engineer on the Regions of British Rail, culminating with his
appointment to the position of Regional Civil Engineer, Scotland, in
1989. The privatisation of the UK’s railways took him into Railtrack
and then Network Rail, from where he retired in 2005 having led the
civil engineering team specifying and approving the upgrade of the
West Coast Main Line. During the next period of Richard’s career as
a consultant he supported the UK Rail Regulator in their review of
Network Rail’s track policy. His particular interest in the management of all aspects of track saw
him elected President of the Permanent Way Institution in 2004 and 2009.
215
 Index

Elements of the elevation 87 H

Elements of the layout 87
Hallade 149
Embankment 74, 75
Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) 14
EM-SAT 141, 142 Hunting 42, 43
EN 13231-1 183, 184, 186, 194, 195, 196
EN 13848 184 I
Error dimension (in a transition) 171 Implementing Provisions of the Railway
European railway area 15 Regulation (AB-EBV) 14
Inertial measurement unit (IMU) 148
F International Organisation for Standardisation
(ISO) 18
Federal Railway Authority (EBA) 12
International Railway Union 11
Federal Railway Transport Administrative Law
(BEVVG) 12 Interoperability 15
Intervention and alert limits 114, 116
Federal Transport Office (BAV) 14
Fishplate 34, 35, 63
J
Fixed points 145
Jolt 86, 90
Forces 29
Centrifugal 82
L
Diagram of forces 85
Equilibrium of forces 85 Lateral acceleration 83, 84, 106
Lateral 32, 33, 81, 100 Law of inertia 81, 82
Longitudinal 33, 34, 63
Levelling 134, 135
Vertical 30, 32, 81
Lifting clamps 165, 174
Formation 32, 38, 74
Lifting hooks 165
Front tower operator 168, 170
Lifting-lining unit 165, 168, 174
Lifting value
G
Minimum lifts 173
Gauge Permissible lifting values 172
Nominal 46 Limits
Track 28, 46, 47 Design 88
Widening 26, 47 Exceptional 88
Gauging (of structure) 24, 28 Normal 88
General Railway Act (AEG) 12 Recommended 88

Geodetic survey 118, 119, 147 Linear cant ramp 93, 95

Lineside drainage 69
Gradient 86, 93, 106
Gradient change 106 Lining rollers 165
Graduated cant ramp 96, 98 Long chord measurement 139, 140
Graduated transition curve 95, 96, 97, 100 Longitudinal chord procedure 131
Longitudinal level 111, 123, 185, 190

221
 This technical book provides a comprehensive, practical overview
of all aspects of track alignment correction, taking into account
the relevant regulations of the DACH countries (Germany, Austria
and Switzerland) and the United Kingdom.

First of all, the fundamentals of track alignment and the

interrelationships between track components and their stresses
are described in a clear and practical manner. Starting from
these fundamentals of track alignment, the book then spans
the thematic arc from the determination to the methods of
measurement and correction of track position defects to quality
control. The entire tamping process, including all the necessary
accompanying work, is explained clearly and independently of
the manufacturer.

Regardless of the existing level of knowledge, this book offers

interested parties from all areas of railway engineering an insight
into the planning, execution and acceptance of tamping work in
the DACH countries and the UK.

The six chapters of this book not only provide a well-founded

introduction to the basic aspects of railway track and track
construction, but also give a comparison of the engineering
principles adopted in these four countries.

This comparison provides an interesting insight into the

practical implementation of those technical principles and
illustrates common features as well as differences. From the
legal provisions to the basics of the permanent way as well as
measurement methods, the book describes the key concepts
010010101101010101010001010101000101101101010110101010010101010001010100101010101
that are required for the design and maintenance of track
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geometry on plain line track.
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Extra: Free e-book included.
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installed on their device (PC, tablet, smartphone) can access the
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content of the book electronically including a search function.
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ISBN 978-3-96245-225-4
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