High-speed turnout as part of the track

Abstract

This paper presents the classification and construction of high-speed railway turnouts operated on European railway lines. The existing computer programs supporting the diagnostics of high-speed railway turnouts with the most common causes of failures originating from infrastructure elements were analyzed. The authors point to the need for integration of high-speed turnouts as a single system containing modern point machine control of switch area and swing nose crossing area with induction heating of moving turnout elements. Attention was also paid to the need to use appropriate means of transport dedicated for railway turnouts in order to improve the initial quality of the product.