Northeast Frontier Railway
'!_qlriH ~terct
Office of the Senior Section Engineer ([Link])
3tJlnrar(~q'tl") cfi1 ifil4~l'i4
HASIMARA $[Link]<I
---------------------------------=====================================
No: SN/01/23/06 Dt: 11/07/2023
To,
SSE/Sig/IC/APDJ
N. F. RAILWAY
· Through:- MTS/APO)
Sub:- Rusty rails
Ref:- JE/Sig/APDJ letter no- DS/01/07 /23 & DS/02/07 /23 dated:- 11/07/2023
In reference to the subject above this is to inform you that as per the letter no.
DS/02/07 /23 & DS/02/07 /23 dated:- 11/0702023 of JE/Sig/ APDJ, he has informed that the
track of line no-4 at KCF and HSA yards are in rusted condition and due to this reason, proper
shunting of track circuit is not being achieved during passing of trains/light engines. In this
regard I would like to inform you the followings:
1. As per last joint point and crossing inspection there was no rusting in the rails in any of
the yards.
2. I also like to inform you that in previous times, zig-zag welding on rail table on rusty
rails were used by [Link] staff as per IRSEM V2 17.37, 2001. But as per Track Directorate of
ROSO, zig zag welding should be avoided as it may change the metallurgy of parent rail and may
cause rail fracture. He also advised to remove the chapter of zig-zag welding para from Signal
Engineering Manual and advised to find alternative methods (refer letter no. SG.190/PC/Track
circuits/[Link] dated 09/01/2012. of GM, SCR.) but this chapter is still present
3. It is also advised in IRSEM V2 [Link], 2020 that "Such identified locations to be
provided with Axle counters. Till such time axle counters are being provided, working
instructions should be issued that points are operated only after physical verification of complete
arrival of train by ASM, and facility of sectional route release be restricted to be provided only
where it is essential."
4. It is clearly understandable that due to no movement of wheels in the dead ends and in
tracks where dead loads are dropped for long time, rust forms on rail heads.
5. This problem can be easily solved by regular movement of trains/light engines from
these lines including dead ends and Station Masters are advised to physically verify the arrival of
trains/light engines before operating points. Also Signal department is advised to provide axle
counters & introduce facility of sectional route release restriction in these locations as per IRSEM
V2 [Link].
t ~ , f t , t,)
Copyto:- tJ_O fl\o Zi"-m ,
1. [Link]/3/APD) Sr. SecOcm Engineer ([Link])
2. [Link]/APDJ N.f .l'lailway,Haslma ra
3. ADEN (West)/APDJ
4. ADSTE/APDJ
5. CHC/APDJ
6. JE/Sig/ APDJ
/
~~'ll'f
'JO ~
1,~ O -;:-ff~,
(,ft •••)
.
Sr. SactlV• E..·1,9!ne~r ([Link])
[Link] 1IW0 y,Has:rn ara
I
.·-/2,,.-", • . +lg (J,jiijt4q;
// I • •
,'
~ m i r-~
' ~ . R!ci,G~liliG - 500071
General Manager
"[Link]{, I 'l!l'ffl 'll'llffl" Govt. ot lndla
. ~l(lnWlMlnlslryofAallwaya · South Central Railway
-G,N. Asthana ..,_,,.,,yam, Secunderabad 500 071
[Link].190/PC/Track [Link] Date:09.01.2012
De_ar Shrl Kut Bhushan,
Sub: Zig-zag welding on rail table on ru~ty rails.
Ref: (1) SCR's Letter [Link].190/PCffrack circuitsNol.6 dated 03.11.2011 addressed
to Secretary (Signai).
(2) DG's/Track [Link]/RG/Cadweld dated 30.09.2011.
A number of turnouts and emergency crossovers with rusty rails were noticed by me
._during [Link] Inspection of Vijayawada oivls1on which is predominantly a coastal region. The
conventiona,I single rail D.C. track circuits are provided on such crossovers. It was observed
that, the track circuit does not get shunted with 0.5 ohm TSR with clips having sufficient contact
• ,.,,____ area. The track circuit does not get shunted even after sufficient rubblng/scr~tching of rust from
rail. This ha~ safety implication and may lead to mishap in situations ~nclosed at Annexure.
J..Gj1
In order to overcome above problero, a provision has been made in para 17.37 of Signal
.- Engineering Manual Part-II that "where th~re_ are -rusty rails in track circuited areas, zig-zag
welding using steel wire sha/J be [Link] P. Waj,staff on top of rail to ensure shunting of track
circuit by the vehicle•. .However, Track Directorate of ROSO has disagreed and advised
Railways_ not to do same with the contention that any kind of welding cannot be done on
90 UTS··rails due to change of metaHurgy and their high vulnerability to fractures. They have
further advised to [Link]-mentioned para from Signal Engineering Manual Part-II.
In view of above, it is requested tha~-.either a decision may be communicated on
provision of zi9-zag welding on rusty rails .as provided in Signal Engineering Manual, or an
alternate method to overcome this problem may be advised.
With regards,
Yours sincerely,
Enc( As above
:
\~
. -q . fit: : /
(G.N. Asthana)
ShriKuJBhushan PL¥"- ~.fftf}-~
IJ
f)»l- /II t{) ,rrv•~J '
. .
1
I
I
I Member Electrical · Af.. J
RailwayBoard,NewDelhi i;fl'l\f..,,,~h
Copy to: / I
I
1
~hri Vinay Mittal, .
·. CRB, Rly. Board - for. kind information. . :1,. j,//1
. .
!~~:.ri:~~~;r·Rly. Board - for information & necessary action. I
I •
A·N-~(G.N. Asthana)
General Manager
T~lephone: 040-27822874, 27833020 Fax: 040-27833203
-/3S
~~GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
~~/MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
~'illt(RAILWAY BOARD)
No. 2012/Sig/Safety Performance/2(pt)
Dated 13.02.2020
PCSTEs,
All Indian Railways
CORE ALO, Metro Kol.
Sub: Detection of track on rusty rails ..
Ref: Railway Board's Letter No. 2018/Safety(A&R)/19/23 dtd.
06.09.2018.(Copy enclosed)
To eliminate the cause of Track not getting shunted, policy guidelines were
issued & following steps were advised:
1. Immediate survey of such stations by Zonal Railways.
2. Provision of Axle counter at such locations.
Till such time axle counters are being provided, as an immediate measure -
. .
[Link] instructions should be issued that points are operated only after ,
physical verification of complete arrival of train by ASM.
b. Facility of sectional route release be restricted to be provided only where it is
essential.
Action taken report be sent by the Railways at the earlier.
~>9P
(Arjun Singh Tomar)
A~ltliifi ,~ .. M\"I)
Copy to-
Director IRISET, Secunderabad, ED(Sig)/Co-ord, ROSO, Lucknow
p. 1 o·