Background

The Network and Infrastructure (N&I) Division of the Public Transport Authority (PTA) is responsible for maintaining the safety and serviceability of track infrastructure within the Urban Rail Network.

As part of this responsibility, rail grinding is required to maintain rail head profiles within specified tolerances, limit rolling contact fatigue damage, prevent rail corrugation, and prolong asset life across the rail network.

Network Overview

-Total Track Length: ~500km

• Narrow Gauge: ~450km
• Standard Gauge: <10km
• Dual Gauge: <40km

-Turnouts: ~420

-Other Special Trackwork: ~50

-Maximum Track Speed: 130km/hr

-Axle Load: 16 tonnes (19 tonnes in some instances)

-Annual Tonnage: Up to 12 million gross tonnes per annum (MGTPA) on certain track sections

-Rail-bound Track Machine Stabling Locations: 5

Scope

The successful Contractor will be responsible for:

Grinding of both plain line and complex track infrastructure, including:

-Turnouts;

-Level crossings;

-On-track pads;

-Special trackwork (~50 total), such as:

• Expansion joints;
• Catch points;
• Diamond crossings;
• Guard rails and check rails;
• Common rail transpositions,

-Grinding of both plain line and complex track infrastructure with the following track gauges:

• Narrow Gauge (1067mm);
• Standard Gauge (1435mm); and
• Dual Gauge (Narrow and Standard Gauge),

-Grinding of both plain line and complex track infrastructure with the following rail weights:

• 41kg/m;
• 47kg/m;
• 50kg/m;
• 60kg/m

-Grinding of both plain line and complex track infrastructure in both:

• Electrified track sections with overhead line electrification; and
• Non-electrified track sections,

-Restoring and maintaining rail head profiles to prescribed standards.

-Managing rail surface condition to mitigate rolling contact fatigue, corrugation, noise, and wear.

-Delivering corrective rail grinding services to remove rail surface defects and install appropriate transverse rail profiles.

-Delivering preventative rail grinding services to prevent rail defects and maintain the transverse rail profile and rail surface condition.

-Managing transitional rail grinding strategies to progressively implement preventative rail grinding in a controlled and efficient manner, for example when installing profiles on newly installed rails.

-Accessing and operating in constrained and hard to access areas, including tunnels, viaducts, bridges and stations.

-Operating close to residential, noise sensitive, areas.

-Operating during limited night-time maintenance windows with minimal service disruption.

-Measuring, recording and reporting rail condition pre and post-grinding, using calibrated rail profile and surface condition measurement systems.

-Preparation of tracks for grinding.

-Pre-grinding site scoping inspections and job definition.

-Site cleaning post works to remove metal fillings, slag and any other waste resulting from the works.

-Clearing insulated rail joints, flangeways and ensuring unimpeded movement of moveable parts within special trackwork post works.

-Planning, organising and providing appropriate traffic and pedestrian management when operating through or near road and pedestrian crossings.

-Planning, organising and providing sufficient and suitably qualified personnel and resources to manage Safeworking during works, including but not limited to:

• Protection Officer (PO1) - for yard works;
• Protection Officer (PO3) / Person Responsible for Electrical Safety (PRES) - for mainline works; and
• PTA qualified Pilot - for travelling machines around the PTA rail network.

-Planning, organising and providing sufficient and suitably qualified resources to perform signalling activities, including but not limited to:

• Controlling level crossing activation;
• Removing and reinstating rail bonds;
• Removing and reinstating wayside infrastructure,

-Removing and reinstating rubber panels when grinding through pedestrian and road crossings if required to enable full rail head grinding.

-Providing and operating fire prevention and firefighting equipment during the rail grinding activities.

-Attending meetings.

-Reporting on performance and progress.