Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has recently awarded a major Letter of Acceptance (LoA) to M/s Harsco Rail LLC, USA for the manufacturing and supply of a Self-Propelled Rail-Grinding Machine. This procurement marks a key step in enhancing the maintenance and performance of the metro rail network.
More Details:
- Tender Reference Number: CMRL-CP RGM-01-2023
- Name of Work: Design, manufacturing, supply, testing, commissioning, maintenance and operation of a Self-Propelled Rail-Grinding Machine of minimum 8 stones module.
- Work Completion Period: 2190 Days
- Awarded Value: INR 21,04,81,915.17/-
Specification for 8-stone Rail Grinding Machine:
The Rail Grinding Machine to be supplied is meant for grinding the rails in corrective mode and preventive mode, to improve the worn profile of rail head, rail wheel contact point band, its location, to remove fatigued material having micro cracks and other surface defects on the rail head and remove corrugations.
Working Mechanism:
- The working mechanism of the machine shall be equipped with Rail grinding mechanism, Control system for rail grinding mechanism, Optical rail profile measurement system, and corrugation analysis system and its data transfer to on board computers.
- The machine must be capable of operating on both Broad Gauge (BG) and Standard Gauge (SG) tracks, featuring a specialised system for easy conversion between the two gauges. It should continuously produce a high-quality longitudinal railhead profile and, ideally, offer real-time corrugation detection and analysis linked to an onboard computer.
- Furthermore, the machine should be able to perform grinding operations on various track types, including straight and curved tracks, tracks in tunnels, bridges with guard rails (without needing to remove them), platform lines, SEJs, switches, and crossings (both diamond and with derailment guards).
- It must also be capable of grinding on level crossings with check rails and curves with check rails, without removing them.
- The machine should maintain a maximum grinding speed of no less than 12 km/h on straight tracks and, if necessary, grind only one rail, particularly in curved sections.
Conclusion:
The acquisition of this advanced 8-stone Rail Grinding Machine underscores CMRL’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of rail infrastructure. By enhancing rail quality and longevity, this machine will play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth and safe operation of Chennai’s metro network for years to come.
Source: CMRL – Tender Update | Image Credit (representational): CMRL
