Amey 73108 - what does it do?

[Sheridan]

I'm sure someone on here can tell me - I saw an Amey machine DR73108 at Chester last week, and today it was still there, joined by 73921. If I had to guess I'd say it was some sort of track-cleaning equipment, but can anyone tell me exactly what it does?

 

[Old Timer]

DR 73108 is a Plasser & Theurer 09-32 RT Tamper / Liner

DR 73905 is a Plasser & Theurer 08-4x4/4S-RT Switch & Crossing Tamper

 

[Hydro]

It's what is known as a tamper. A tamper re-aligns the track by lifting and slueing (moving laterally) using rollers that clamp under the rail head. Once the track is in the correct position, tools known as tines are forced either side of the sleeper that has been lifted. The tines then vibrate and squeeze, moving and consolidating ballast under the sleeper to keep it at that level. The tamper then moves along to the next sleeper(s) and repeats. A tamper can smooth out rough track, or put the design geometry into newly laid track.

There are different types of tamper, for plain line, switches and crossings, multiple sleeper lifting, continuous action (tool bank moves independently of the machine so the actual machine doesn't need to stop at each sleeper, just move along slowly) etc.

 

[Sheridan]

That's great, thanks

 

[swt_passenger]

A youtube video of a similar machine working:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDvO1RM3SH8

 

[Sheridan]

It's interesting to see one working - the one at Chester today was stationary, but with the little guide wheels being lowered and what I assume are the tines mentioned by Hydro in motion, like they were being tested.

 

[headshot119]

Chester seems to see a fair amount of Tampers throughout the week. More so this weekend with the track works on up the coast.