Standard high-speed turnouts
UNDER a co-operation and technical assistance agreement, the Infrastructure Maintenance Business Unit of Spanish National Railways (Renfe) and JEZ Sistemas Ferroviarios have developed the DSP turnout for high-speed applications. Tested at the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colorado, the DSP can be traversed at speeds at up to 350 km/h, or 170 km/h for the diverging route. It is hoped to raise the diverging speed to 230 km/h with the second version of the DSP, following service trials due to take place next year.
In order to improve ride quality, train stability and reduce rail torsion, the DSP features running surfaces set at the same angle as fixed running rails. Point machinery is housed in hollow sleepers. The moving frog is a single block in manganese steel, with fewer screw joints for greater strength and less wear, as well as simpler and less frequent maintenance.
The DSP turnout is suitable for both 1668mm and 1435mm gauge applications, with installations capable of conversion from broad to standard gauge without major modification of track layouts, catenary or structures. By adopting the DSP range with its common set of components, it is hoped to reduce the number of turnout types used by Renfe from 45 to 17.
JEZ Sistemas Ferroviarios, Spain
Reader Enquiry Number 140
