Ashwani Kumar
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd., India

Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) systems are high-capacity public transport networks that service the urban areas in large cities. They run both below and above the surface level. Unlike other transportation modes, MRT system operates on a dedicated corridor with no access to other vehicles or pedestrians.

Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) systems are high-capacity public transport networks that service the urban areas in large cities. They run both below and above the surface level. Unlike other transportation modes, MRT system operates on a dedicated corridor with no access to other vehicles or pedestrians.

It is important to note that wear and tear of rail are higher in urban MRT systems due to the presence of frequent & sharp curves, leading to formation of Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) and corrugation on track. Typically, a rail grinding program is deployed to remove such defects.

In line with the above text, DMRC started their grinding program in 2010 with the help of a 16-stone Light Rail Grinder (LRG) machine supplied by Loram, USA and operated by Vandhana International Pvt. Ltd., (VIPL), India. The unique aspect of this was that the same machine was used to grind on both the broad and standard gauge tracks. Subsequently, on realizing the benefits of the rail grinding program, in 2017 DMRC procured another LRG machine specifically for the standard gauge lines.

This presentation talks about the importance of monitoring of a rail grinding program by establishment of test sites covering tangent, mild and sharp curves in elevated as well as underground tracks on both broad and standard gauges. It also addresses the different types of defects seen on track both before and after the implementation of rail grinding. It also addresses the significance of implementation of different templates for different segments of track for a broad and standard gauge network.

Based on the above study, it was concluded that the rail grinding technology has not only provided economic benefits in terms of maintenance but also reduced the defect generation rate between grinding cycles.