Business profile
From re-treading vehicle tyres to manufacturing tough, resilient and safe railway track components,STRAIL does it all
In the beginning... B
efore a tyre can be re-treaded its existing tread must be removed. About 35 years ago Kraiburg, already a major Bavarian rubber manufacturer, entered the tyre re- treading business. It soon found itself with a growing mountain of skimmed rubber. Hence the development of a range of vulcanised rubber railway track components. First came the original rubber level crossing, called STRAIL, and now you can see STRAIL crossings in at least 50 countries. Within the last ten years STRAIL has been followed by STRAILastic. STRAILastic products include rubber embedding systems for street running tram rails, sub-ballast mats and heavy rubber blocks which absorb sound when clamped to rails.
The material Tyres are made of vulcanised rubber. A combination of pressure and temperature in sophisticated steel moulds vulcanises the rubber into the tyres which we know so well. Vulcanised rubber also turns out to be an excellent material for railway track components:
• it is resilient and absorbs shock, protecting the track below a level crossing from the impacts of heavy traffic
• it is elastic, providing sprung suspension for rails embedded in it and ballast supported by it
• it absorbs vibration, protecting buildings and reducing noise levels
• and it is tough giving it a long life (think of the motor car tyre).
STRAIL level crossings STRAIL level crossings are made up of inter-locking vulcanised rubber panels tied together to form a single solid mat by high tensile steel rods. These mats span the spaces between rails and between rails and road abutments. They are supported by sleepers and by ballast between sleepers. A wearing surface with rhombus profile and integrated corundum provides skid resistance similar to asphalt and allows rapid water run off. STRAIL crossings are quick to install and may be removed rapidly for track maintenance. The rubber ensures excellent insulation between rails.
A range of crossings is available to accommodate different types of road traffic. Each may be tailored to different rail sections and different sleeper designs and, because every site is different, STRAIL (UK) provides a design service while maintaining records of all 1,200 plus STRAIL crossings in the UK.
Recent developments include:
tapSTRAIL While heavy duty STRAIL systems are designed so that the inter-locking joints are directly above and supported by sleepers, tapSTRAIL is a popular light traffic system strong enough to be independent of sleeper spacing and
design. The crossing is supported by rubber or timber packing on the sleepers. Network Rail has recently ordered 38 sets of tapSTRAIL for the GNGE track renewals project.
veloSTRAIL veloSTRAIL has been developed to improve safety.
It is possible for bicycle wheels, pram wheels, wheel chairs and high heeled shoes to be trapped in the flangeway, particularly where crossings are at an acute angle. VeloSTRAIL fills the gap with an interchangeable element whose honeycomb structure is strong enough to support bicycles etc. but can be compressed by train and tram wheels. Simultaneously the veloSTRAIL system prevents any build-up of snow and ice in the flangeway. Network Rail has installed a trial veloSTRAIL crossing at its Rail Innovation and Development Centre at High Marnham and two more, one for frequent heavy road traffic and one for pedestrians, are due to be installed later this year.
STRAILastic STRAILastic tram rail embedding systems enclose the lower part of each rail in resilient rubber blocks. The system is designed for ‘top down’ installation. An interference fit in the chamber between rail head and rail foot allows the blocks to be wedged in place while the track is positioned in space using sacrificial
November 2013 Page 91
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140