Field testing for innovative system Switcher

“Switcher” – a Polish specialised train car for transporting and unloading railroad turnouts, manufactured by KZN “Bieżanów”, was field tested on PKP PLK’s testing grounds in Świdnik. World’s only system with a tipping train car delivered the railroad turnout on pre-stressed turnout sleeper (Rkpd 60E1-190-1:9), which will now undergo tests.  Turnouts are critical elements of railroad infrastructure, enabling fast and safe rail transport.

The tests were conducted under PKP PLK’s project to increase the travel speed on the double slip turnouts (120 km/h) and markedly improve their operating and maintenance parameters. PKP PLK invited all manufacturers with plants in Poland to supply prototype turnouts.

In Poland, the standard solution is to disassemble the turnout after the factory acceptance and transport it in parts. The reassembly of a turnout on the open storage area takes around a week to complete and is fraught with the risk of losing the precise structural parameters checked during detailed factory tests.

“We were the only one among the invited companies to deliver the turnout without disassembling, maintaining its full technical parameters,” says Ryszard Leszczyński, Chairman of the Board of KZN “Bieżanów”. The Switcher made the whole operation of incorporating the turnout several times faster than with other manufacturers. We are certain that PKP PLK will achieve higher quality parameters during the controlled turnout operation than for turnouts delivered in parts,” adds Chairman Leszczyński.

The turnout was delivered to the testing ground in blocks. Two blocks of single crossing plates were delivered to Świdnik on a specialised platform train car equipped with cranes (Switcher+) to load and unload the device, and the middle section was delivered on the train car with extended platforms (Switcher). With this solution, the disassembly of the element was not necessary. Immediately after unloading the turnout from the Switcher, the contractor was able to incorporate it into the railroad. This reduced the time and eliminated the risk of errors and inaccuracies during incorporation.

“In our turnout, we installed innovative subsystems, including an integrated turnout sleeper with the so-called narrow facing point lock.  We also used the insert-type single crossing plates and double bainitic cast steel crossing plates,” says Jacek Paś, Board Member and Development Director at KZN “Bieżanów”.   “This turnout was made using our proprietary solution and patented technologies.”