FAST ballastless system

The ever-increasing demand for efficient and sustainable rail infrastructure and efficient land use has highlighted the necessity for innovative track systems. Traditional ballasted tracks, although widely used, present several challenges including additional high maintenance costs in the form of prolonged traffic disruptions and significant environmental impact. In contrast, ballastless track systems offer a promising alternative, enhanced durability, reduced maintenance, and a lower infrastructure and overall carbon footprint. Current technology offers many kinds of ballastless systems efficiently installable on new lines or during long traffic interruptions for existing lines. Unfortunately, there are no solutions for transitioning from ballasted to ballastless track on existing lines during temporary night interruptions with revenue service operations immediately after the works in the subsequent morning. Thanks to this research it was possible to design a ballastless system that can be installed during short interruptions (non-revenue interruptions) already planned for ordinary maintenance activities in Italy. This achievement has paved the way for new installation opportunities for this reliable and easy-to-maintain track system. The proposed ballastless track system achieves ease of installation, rapidity, minimal invasiveness, modularity, durability, noise & vibration reduction. It provides capabilities and adaptability to different contextual needs for an additional ease in maintainability and reduced lifecycle costs thanks to its state-of-the-art grout mix and installation machinery leading to a stable and highly monitored workflow. The proposed system has successfully completed various strict quality assurance protocols for the verification and validation of its safe implementation and operational deployment in accordance with railway engineering standards and track infrastructure compliance requirements. The FAST system installation workflow for existing lines involves takeover of the track section requiring replacement and the subsequent handover of the interim replacement segment for its temporary transit period, followed by the conclusion of the track replacement on the second day.