The effect of small radius curves on the operational performance of a railway section

   Small-radius curves, as an element of the track infrastructure, have a negative impact on the stable progress of train traffic due to a significant increase in the number of train speed warnings issued and failures of technical means. This has a particularly critical impact on the capacity of the Eastern Landfill. Small-radius curves are also a source of increased wear and tear on both the elements of the track's upper structure and rolling stock. Here, much more often, in comparison with sites that do not have an unfavorable plan, work is carried out not only to replace severely defective rails, but also to continuously change the weaves of the seamless track. The work is also accompanied by the issuance of restrictions on reducing the speed of movement. In addition, small-radius curves create prerequisites for emergency situations. Increased dynamic loads on rolling stock and infrastructure increase the risk of derailment. And in conditions of difficult terrain and climatic features of the Eastern landfill (large temperature differences, areas of permafrost), these problems are aggravated. If there is a need for a larger staff of qualified labour, the demographic situation in the Trans-Baikal Territory and the Amur Region remains difficult at present.
   In this paper, an analysis of the operational performance of sections with similar tonnage parameters, but different in length of small-radius curves, was carried out to determine the actual reliability coefficient of transport services for a section with small-radius curves to assess the potential for further capacity growth. The analysis of the current technical condition and operational features of the railway track on the Erofey Pavlovich – Bolshaya Omutnaya section confirms that in the conditions of further growth in transportation volumes, an increase in the number of heavy and long trains, this section will become a bottleneck in ensuring the necessary parameters of the throughput of the Trans-Siberian Railway.
   Based on the results of the analysis, an economic assessment of the work effectiveness to change the routing of the section with unfavourable conditions was carried out due to the possible elimination of small-radius curves, including by reducing the operational length of the Erofey Pavlovich – Bolshaya Omutnaya section.

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