Inadequate drainage can make railways unsafe and lead to fouled ballast.
Ballast fouling happens when ballast gets dirty with debris, sediment, or other materials. This can affect the condition of the rail line.
When track conditions worsen because of fouling or poor drainage, trains may have to slow down or change routes. This can cause schedule delays and upset passengers and freight customers. In some cases, severe issues may even require temporary shutdowns of sections of the railway for emergency repairs.
Clearing fouled ballast and ensuring proper drainage involves significant human labour, equipment, and time. Additionally, these issues can lead to additional wear and tear on the track infrastructure, necessitating costly repairs and replacement.
A report from the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) in the UK states that track defects lead to around 20% of track failures. Ballast fouling and poor drainage link to these defects. This leads to service disruptions and safety concerns (2019).
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) reported that unplanned track closures and maintenance caused about 13% of train delays. Poor track drainage made these issues worse on the interstate rail network in 2019-2020. In the United States, rail infrastructure maintenance costs about $3 billion each year. This includes expenses for ballast fouling management, track repairs, and other maintenance activities (Transportation Research Board).
Satellite remote sensing provides a complete view of the whole network. This helps stakeholders focus on maintenance. Operatives can prioritise remediation based on how serious and where ballast fouling and drainage issues are.
The optimised resource allocation directs labour and equipment to areas with the greatest need. This helps lower the overall maintenance costs.
Satellite remote sensing analysis can assess soil moisture content levels with every satellite pass. This examination can indicate areas of failed track drainage allowing maintenance to address issues before water permeates the roadbed.
Accumulation of dirt and debris between flying sleepers can be a precursor to ballast fouling. Remote sensing techniques with satellite data can track dirt build-up. This helps send early warning messages to rail operators for proactive maintenance of way.
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