Scrap rails

[Deleted]

Why is so much scrap rail left to rust all along the tracks? Have the infracos decided that there is no point in collecting it and selling it for scrap?

[JR 15secs]

Some is scrap and is picked up when an engineers train has space, the rest is line side spares don't let the rust fool you.

[Deleted]

I'm not so sure about that - I've seen large piles of bullhead rails next to lines that have been renewed with flatbottom rail. The only reason why I would expect to see it there is because there is no space to store it anywhere else, which I find hard to believe.

[JR 15secs]

The railway is a big system and they have the spares where they can put them they can't just leave it at any location as they did in the past that's when you get failures rails move signals remain at danger. You will get a mixture of rails, if they got rid of all the rails there would be a lot more delays.

[Deleted]

Maybe they hope people will nick the scrap rails instead of the signal cables!

[stanmorek]

Scrap removal has to be planned in advance like any maintenance activity. I'm told that Transplant can't supply enough trains quick enough to carry out all the work around the system.

Scrap rail gets cut up into smaller pieces with acetylene torches in the open sections so that they can be man handled onto wagons. Bigger pieces will need a special flatbed with ELK cranes to be picked up.

[Deleted]

On this, theres a special free number that has been set up by Network Rail for staff and the public to phone up and report any of their property left beside the tracks... on the first day, the 'dedicated call centre' [squeezed into a broom cupboard no doubt] had THIRTY THOUSAND calls on the 5 lines... Shows you just how bad the problem is... mind you these reports are probably trivial things like a single pandrol clip, but even this can be deadly in the hands of a vandal...

[Deleted]

tubeoperator92 said:

'dedicated call centre' [squeezed into a broom cupboard no doubt]

Probably.

[Deleted]

I would have htought with China insatiable appetite for raw materials - the longer the scrap rail is left - the better the price they will get for it eventually ! Furnace feed is good business for EWS AND FREGHTLINER

[Deleted]

About 9 months ago I had a Metronet manager riding in my cab making notes of the piles of scrap. Apparently Metronet were being "fined" thousands of pounds per week for all the scrap left trackside. He thought it unfair .. though my view is that it is unsightly, represents a trip hazard to staff legitimately about the track etc .. long lengths dumped between the running rails are an impediment to an emergency detrainment and worst of all they represent material that could easily be manhandled so as to derail a train.

That said, these "fines" or "abatements" don't seem to have resulted in much of it being removed !!

[Phil]

aspect said:

long lengths dumped between the running rails ................ represent material that could easily be manhandled so as to derail a train.

Accepting everything else you say about detrainment etc, and other material being hazardous, scrap rail at 60 lb/ft and no special lifting gear would need rather a large gang of vandals to move any significant length at all. That's why they go for harder-to-nick signal cable (as well as relative cost).

[c5]

Anyone can raise a "Job" with the Infraco though the relevant Fault Reporting Centre for trackside debris to be removed.
This way it appears on an audit trail and the Infraco's have to act within the contract time or pay a financial penalty.

This can of course also be reported to a Controller or Manager/Supervisor.

[Tomcakes]

So, so long as it's written down and paperwork-ed, it has to be done within a Specified amount of time?

[stanmorek]

Fault reports once raised clock up service points for the infraco until it is rectified or closed off. There is the old myth about this broken toilet seat at a station which had been left unrepaired for a year costing thousands of pounds in fines. From experience some reports that come in are really poorly worded or describe the wrong location or there are multiple reports all on the same thing.

[stanmorek]

Track materials left around can include tins of track lubricating grease which could be fire hazard though there are very strict rules about storage of flammable materials. However P-Way have traditionally been a law unto themselves.

[Deleted]

stanmorek said:

From experience some reports that come in are really poorly worded or describe the wrong location or there are multiple reports all on the same thing.

Or there isn't even an actual fault.

[compsci]

While waiting for a connection at Peterborough person A was telling person B how if you touched any two of the three rails you would be fine, but if you touched all three you would be electrocuted by twenty thousand volts.

I don't think that NR are in the habit of electrifying scrap rail, and who could miss the mass of wires overhead? I hope they don't decide to experiment while in London either.

[Tomcakes]

A frequent habit on NR is keeping a tin of grease next to each set of points. Presumably so they don't need to bother bringing a tin around with them. However what's silly is when the points are next to a level crossing, so the tin is sitting there, in the public eye... and often it gets nicked, replaced next time the gangers come along... and so on.

[Tubeboy]

Management have obviously decided that it is the most cost-effective option!