Track Tamping for a Safer Railway

Many have probably noticed that some railway lines were closed during the Easter holidays, with rail replacement buses operating on several routes in Eastern Norway. This was due to Bane NOR performing essential maintenance on the infrastructure (tracks, substructure, power supply, etc.). More info here: Vedlikeholder jernbanen i påsken | Bane NOR

What you may not know is just how much work goes on behind the scenes – both in planning and execution – to ensure that the railway runs safely and on time. One important task is track tamping, which ensures the track is properly positioned and stable. To do this, you need one or more tamping machines. A tamping machine is a large vehicle that travels on the rails and lifts and compacts the ballast beneath the track to stabilize the sleepers and rails and maintain the correct geometry and alignment.

Because safety on the railway is of the utmost importance, this work is governed by strict approvals that ensure all vehicles operating on the railway network are safe and suitable for the tasks they are assigned. Just like a car needs a registration document, a tamping machine must have a technical dossier outlining its specifications and limitations. And just like a car must pass periodic inspections, rail-bound machinery must undergo annual technical inspections to verify their safety. In addition, the tamping machine must have a vehicle number (EVN – European Vehicle Number) and a Vehicle Keeper Marking (VKM) identifying the organization responsible for the machine. All of these elements must be in place before the machine is allowed to operate.

Unstad is proud to have contributed to putting many of these formalities in place, allowing our client Azvi to use two of its tamping machines to carry out essential track work in Eastern Norway during the holiday period. We also want to thank the Norwegian Railway Authority for their guidance, and Bane NOR Vehicle Technology for their solution-oriented and efficient case handling.

Together, we’re keeping the railway on track!

— Malmfrid Kjørri, Senior Consultant at Unstad AS