For providing high-speed transport services, trains have to be in perfect operation conditions, and for this depots play a very important role.
Generally speaking, a depot has to provide a basic railway connection for rolling stock management and maintenance, a central area for storing spare parts before use, as well as specific infrastructure and equipments. However, high-speed rail depots, apart from sharing features with conventional depots, they also present characteristics which need to be adapted according to the length of train, weight and size of components.
For a depot to be put in service, there are several requirements imposed by the European legislation and, under law specifications on infrastructure, there are no great differences between high-speed rail depots and conventional depots. Compared to depots for conventional trains, high-speed rail depots demand a series of adjustment works and these works “consist in the size and weight of components that have to be moved around. Also, transformation and adjustment works of bogies, wheelsets, undercar elevators and overhead cranes”, declared Aitor Llorente, Manager of the International Division of CAF. Other mechanisms permit the safe movement and assembly of components, and adjustments have to enable the efficient development of activities specific to high-speed rail depots.
In terms of infrastructure, high-speed rail depots have the same characteristics as conventional depots. Thus, suspended lines integrated with ramps for train maintenance, automated systems for closing ramps activated through spring pressure, these are features specific to all types of depots. “There is no great difference between these two types of depots. Aside from the need of carrying out adjustments for maintenance activities according to the type of train – conventional or high-speed – depots present the same features and the same internal structure. In terms of infrastructure, just like mobile platforms, fixed platforms for reaching the top of the trains, the electric and pneumatic systems installed along the line, power supply cables, all present the same characteristics as any other depot”, said Llorente.
by Pamela Luică
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