Welding of CMS Crossings and Rail Heads
Strong joints. Smoother track. Longer crossing life.
Crossings take the heaviest impact on a railway network. Acumen Rail provides specialised welding of Cast Manganese Steel (CMS) crossings and rail heads, restoring track geometry and extending the service life of turnouts and critical track assets.
CMS crossing welding
- Joins CMS crossings to adjoining carbon steel rails, eliminating fishplated joints at the crossing ends
- Uses controlled procedures suited to dissimilar metals, preserving the toughness and work-hardening properties of manganese steel
- Delivers continuous, jointless track through turnouts for a smoother ride and lower dynamic impact
Rail head welding and repair
- Rebuilds worn, battered or damaged rail heads, crossing noses and wing rails
- Restores the original profile and hardness, with finish grinding to the required tolerances
- Reduces the need for premature replacement of costly crossings and rail sections
Key benefits
- Longer asset life: Repair and rebuild instead of replace
- Better ride quality: Reduced impact, noise and vibration at crossings
- Lower maintenance: Fewer joint failures, bolt loosening and track geometry corrections
- Lower lifecycle cost: Significant savings compared with replacing crossings and rails
- Minimal disruption: Efficient procedures that reduce track possession time
Our approach
- Pre-weld inspection and material assessment
- Qualified welding procedures and trained, certified welders
- Controlled preheating, welding and post-weld finishing
- Profile grinding and final inspection, including NDT such as ultrasonic and dye penetrant testing
Applications
- Turnouts, switches and crossings
- Diamond crossings
- Heavy-haul, mainline and metro networks
- Yards, depots and sidings
