Machine replaces railway bridge in 4 hours

Chinese engineers announced a new world record by replacing a section of railway bridge in just four hours without interrupting normal track operations.

Thai Hang machine replaces railway bridge section in Hebei province. Photo: Weibo — Thai Hang machine replaces railway bridge section in Hebei province. Photo: *Weibo*

The Taiheng Machine, the world's first railway bridge replacement machine, was used to replace a worn-out section of the Shuohuang line in Hebei province, according to the China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), SCMP reported on June 22. The team of engineers set a new record for repair efficiency on March 20, using an intelligent machine that allows for fast and safe maintenance.

It is one of the busiest transport routes in China, connecting the coal-producing western province of Shaanxi with the major coal export port of Huanghua in Hebei province. The 500-km railway has transported more than 4.4 billion tonnes of coal, or about half of the world’s annual coal output, over the two decades it has been in operation.

Named after the Taihang Mountains that separate northern and central China, the machine is a foldable machine that can be transported by rail and deployed on site. Equipped with advanced technology and equipment such as precise positioning and adjustment mechanisms, it can handle a variety of bridge replacement tasks, including in complex terrain and on high piers. Previously, the fastest bridge replacement took 12 hours, according to CRCC. The machine's working speed allows bridge replacements to be completed in a very short time when there are no trains on the railway, avoiding disruptions to normal operations and affecting train services.

The process begins with the preparation of the new bridge section along with ballast and rails at a nearby station. The new bridge section is placed on the Taihang machine. The machine then transports the new bridge section to the area where it needs to be replaced. There, the Taihang machine is modified to prepare it for the replacement process, which involves lifting the existing bridge section, placing it on a vehicle, and installing the new bridge section in place. The machine aligns the new bridge section and precisely adjusts it to ensure its straightness and stability.

After the new bridge was installed, the machine quickly restored the railway line to working condition by compacting the trackbed with a large hammer. The old bridge section was then transported off the construction site by the Thai Hang machine, completing the replacement process. The successful replacement of the railway bridge by the Thai Hang machine marked an important technological achievement in railway infrastructure maintenance.

Wu Jingpeng, an engineer in charge of the railway bridge replacement project at the China Railway No. 5 Design and Survey Institute, said current railway bridge replacement methods in the world are limited by the specific situation, including horizontal displacement and gantry crane replacement. Both require temporary closure of the railway line and rerouting of train traffic during the replacement process.

Many of China’s existing railways have been in operation for many years, some for more than a century. More than 40% of railway bridges have been in use for more than three decades. To maintain the efficiency and safety of high-speed trains, railway maintenance and repair are extremely important to minimize disruptions and ensure smooth operations.

An Khang (According to SCMP )

Source link