Ballastless track as an alternative to ballasted track

Over the past twenty years the German Railways (DB AG) have consolidated conventional ballasted track on existing lines. Despite the loads placed on the track as a result of hybrid operations involving a mixture of IC trains worked at high speeds and heavy freight trains, it has thus been possible to reduce track maintenance outlay and improve the durability of the track. One of the preconditions for high-speed operations with speeds in the 250 to 300 km/h range on new sections of line is a sufficient degree of superstructure elasticity. This can be achieved in the case of ballasted track by means of a modified UIC 60 rail with a broader foot and the addition of a highly resilient pad under the rails. It is also advisable to use a modified prestressed concrete sleeper with a larger bearing surface. The ballastless track being tested is not just largely maintenance free. It also ensures smooth running for vehicles even at high speeds and offers further advantages, in particular in tunnels and, because of the potential for smaller curve radii, in cases where railway lines are built on a parallel with existing motorways.