ENGLISH IN RAILWAY MAINTENANCE.

UNIT 1. RAILWAY TRACK MAINTENANCE WORKER CAREER.

Vocabulary

apprentice – подмастерье

crucial – ключевой; критический, решающий

cutting – выемка, траншея

(to) determine track – вычислять положение рельсового пути

embankment – насыпь

eyesight – осмотр

GCSE – сертификат об окончании средней школы

heavy machinery – тяжелая техника

height – высота

level crossing – железнодорожный переезд, переход

maintenance – содержание и техническое обслуживание

maintenance requirements – требования по техническому обслуживанию

obstruction – преграда, помеха, затрудняющая движение

p.a.: abbreviation from latin: per annum – в год, за год

proper – правильный, должный; надлежащий

repairs – ремонтные работы

responsible – ответственный, несущий ответственность, отвечающий (за что-л.)

(to) set up and renovate track – прокладывать и восстанавливать рельсовый путь

shift – (рабочая) смена

site survey – инженерно-геологические изыскания

track side equipment – железнодорожное оборудование

trainee – практикант, стажёр

Work environment:

A rail track maintenance worker is responsible for repairing and maintaining the tunnels, railways, bridges and trackside equipment, which makes up the rails network of the country. The duties and responsibilities of the rail track maintenance worker include:

- set up and renovate track, embankments, tunnels, cuttings, bridges and level crossings;

- determine tracks to check sections are at the proper distance and at proper height;

- examine tracks for defects by making use of combination of equipment check and eyesight;

- clear and report possible obstructions, for instance after bad weather;

- performing site survey to recognize the maintenance requirements to track section;

- report about the incidents and accidents;

- carry out hand signaling tasks and take care during track side operations;

You will control heavy machinery to put down new track or perform most important repairs.

You will basically work in a small team and take instructions from a team leader under the administration of a rail-engineering technician.

Qualification, education and experience:

You will work as an apprentice with a rail track maintenance company. You might not require qualification, but a good standard of education, which includes English and Mathematics GCSEs. An experience in the civil engineering or construction engineering will be of great use.

Before starting your training, you need to pass a medical test of your color vision, eyesight, general fitness and hearing.

You might require a driving license and use of vehicle to begin shift outside of normal public transport hours.

Salary and other benefits:

Trainees make between £ 12, 000 and £ 15, 000 p. a.

Qualified staff can be paid £ 18, 000 or more, as per their skills and hours worked.

Track maintenance staff with managerial or examination duties can get up to £ 30, 000 a year.

Some companies put forward the free or condensed price travel as an added benefit.

Working conditions:

Railway staff worker will basically work in the shifts, which cover up days, nights and weekends in every weather conditions. Safety is serious to this job, and your company will give you protective clothing such as a hard hat and protection boots.

Different opportunities:

You will find mainly the opportunities in the big cities and towns. Some alternatives, metro and light rail operator also employs track staff.

With your skills, you can be advanced to supervisor or team leader and with additional training you can turn into a track manager or inspector.

Answer the questions according to the text:

1. What is a rail track maintenance worker responsible for?

2. What do you think are the main duties of the rail track maintenance worker?

3. Whom does the team carrying out the track maintenance work consist of?

4. Are the qualification requirements for a track maintenance worker high? What are they?

5. Could you pass the medical test successfully to get this job?

6. Why is even a driving license required for the job?

7. What are the track maintenance workers’ salaries and benefits? Compare with these in Russia!

8. What opportunities are opened for a track maintenance worker?

Exercises:

1) Find in the text, translate and make up phrases with nouns derivated from the following verbs. Pay attention to different word-building models: verb + ment, verb + ance, verb + ing, verb + tion, verb + er/or, verb + ee:

to equip (оснащать) – to embank (защищать насыпью) – to require (требовать) – to maintain (обслуживать) – to repair (ремонтировать) – to cut (резать) – to cross (пересекать) – to qualify (обучать, готовить) – to educate (давать образование) –

to construct (сооружать) – to protect (защищать) – to manage (управлять) – to lead (вести) – to supervise (руководить) – to inspect (осматривать) – to train (тренировать, готовить) – to employ (нанимать на работу) –

2) Find the English equivalents:

- Отвечать за ремонт и техническое обслуживание железных дорог;

- укладывать и обновлять полотно, насыпи, выемки, переезды;

- надлежащее расстояние и высота;

- тщательный осмотр пути на наличие дефектов;

- проверка с использованием оборудования;

- очистка пути от преград, затрудняющих движение поездов;

- проведение инженерно-геологических изысканий;

- подавать зрительные сигналы рукой;

- осуществлять контроль работы тяжёлой техники при прокладке пути;

- выполнять инструкции бригадира;

- работать учеником; проходить медосмотр;

- необходимость наличия водительского удостоверения;

- администрирующий и контролирующий технический персонал;

- бесплатный либо льготный проезд;

- работать по сменам;

- обеспечивать спецодеждой;

- возможности альтернативного трудоустройства на монорельсовой железной дороге,

- повысить квалификацию.

3) Define the function of “to” and translate correctly:

a) “to” as a signal of the Infinitive;

b) “to” as a preposition.

1. The rail track maintenance workers examine tracks to check sections are at the proper distance and at proper height.

2. They perform site survey to recognize the maintenance requirements to track section.

3. You need to pass a medical test of your general fitness, eyesight and hearing.

4. The staff with managerial duties can get up to £ 30, 000 a year.

5. Later on you can be advanced to supervisor or team leader.

6. Safety is serious to this job.

4) Grammar review: Infinitive. Study the table below. Write all possible Infinitive forms using the phrases. Translate into Russian.

Infinitive

	Active	Passive
Indefinite	to + V1	to be + V3
to ask – спросить, спрашивать (вообще)	to be asked – быть спрошенным, спрашиваемым (вообще)
Continuous	to be + V-ing	—
to be asking – спрашивать (в тот момент или период)
Perfect	to have + V3	to have been + V3
to have asked – спросить, спрашивать (уже, раньше, до чего-л.)	to have been asked – быть спрошенным (уже, раньше)
Perfect Continuous	to have been + V-ing	-
to have been asking – спрашивать (в течение отрезка времени)

Example: to construct the track – to construct the track, to be constructing the track, to have constructed the track, to have been constructing the track, to be constructed, to have been constructed.

To renovate a track section, to fulfil the survey, to examine a level crossing, to set up an embankment, to determine the height, to find a job, to discuss the task, to carry out the duties, to finish the work in time, to work the night shift.

5) Translate the sentences into Russian. Pay attention to the Infinitives.

1. Our supervisor is said to be planning to visit the chief manager for talks.

2. If the roads are not used, the people, who are in the county, still must pay them.

3. The weather seems to be improving.

4. I have to take the first train not to be late.

5. We hope to have finished the maintenance work by next Monday.

6. You should not determine this track section.

7. I was sorry to have hurt him.

8. He could not have been talking to the team leader. He was not here yesterday.

9. I do not want to be studying at such late hour.

10. He is known to have been working on this problem for many years.

11. Can this amount of work have been done in such a short time?

References:

http: //www.aroj.com/careers/maintenance-service-and-repair/rail-track-maintenance-worker.html

http: //www.careeraddict.com/become-a-rail-track-maintenance-repair-worker

UNIT 2. TRACK MAINTENANCE OF HIGH-SPEED RAILWAY LINES:
MACHINES AND TECHNOLOGIES.
PART I. PRELIMINARY TRACK SURVEYING OPERATIONS.

Vocabulary.

auxiliary trolley – вспомогательная вагонетка

curvature – изгиб, кривизна

deviation – отклонение

equipment status – оснащённость

fault – дефект, недостаток

fixed reference points – фиксированные опорные точки, необходимые для расчёта степени отклонения пути

gauge – ширина колеи

grade – уклон

horizontal alignment – выверка по горизонтальной оси

laser beam – лазерный луч

longitudinal profile – продольный профиль

maintenance – обслуживание (ж.-д. пути)

neglect – игнорирование

output – производительность

paved track – бетонированный путь

preliminary – подготовительный

procedure – мероприятие

super elevation – возвышение наружного рельса на кривой

survey – инспектирование, проверка

tamping machine – подбивочная машина

twist – скручивание, угон рельса

Whenever a new high-speed railway line is built, the application of appropriate track maintenance procedures is very important to enable a high level of ride quality and safety. Neglect of maintenance in the initial phase of the track service life will cause inherent faults that cannot be compensated later.

Although alternative track designs for high-speed railway have been developed, such as paved track, the majority of high-speed lines today features ballasted track. To meet the demands of high-speed railway lines track maintenance technologies are developed continuously and include nowadays several preliminary as well as basic stages.

Before any track maintenance work can be carried out, a survey of the actual track geometry has to be made. The track surveying operations deliver precise data of the following track geometry parameters: gauge, super elevation and calculated twist, longitudinal profile, horizontal alignment, curvature and grade.

On a great number of high-speed railway lines, these operations are completed with the help of electronic track survey cars. The costs of mechanized surveying are reduced to one fifth compared to the manual method. Electronic track survey cars are available in different levels of output as well as equipment status.

For instance, the popular Plasser & Theurer EM-SAT car consists of a main vehicle, equipped with a computer system, a laser beam receiver, and an auxiliary (“satellite”) trolley that carries a laser transmitter.

The machine moves forward along a laser beam, emitted by the laser transmitter on the satellite trolley. Every 50 to 150m, the satellite trolley stops at a fixed point, measures and records any deviations from the target track geometry and then moves forward again. The average measuring speed is 2, 5 kph. Measurements are taken in cyclic action with simultaneous measurement of longitudinal level and alignment of the track. Apart from displacement and lifting values (measuring accuracy < 1 mm), cant and track gauge can be recorded at the same time. The recorded data and the calculated correction values are displayed on the computer screen on-board the main vehicle as well as on the computer screen on-board the tamping machine, which guarantees highest precision and performance of subsequent tamping work.

The latest development now is the combined use of EM-SAT and GPS to check the track position in relation to the fixed reference points.

The EM-SAT track survey car can optionally be equipped with a non-contact ballast profile measuring system, which records the ballast profile by means of laser scanner. On the computer display a surplus (green bars) or a lack (red bars) of ballast is indicated separately for the left and right-hand side of the track, allowing the ballast profile to be checked immediately during the measuring run.

The preliminary track geometry survey is undoubtedly of high importance. It provides the maintenance team with the necessary data as well as contributes to the right coordination of the further maintenance stages.

Answer the questions according to the text:

1. Why is the appropriate maintenance of high-speed railway lines of great importance?

2. What kinds of the track design are used for high-speed railways nowadays?

3. What data are gained during the preliminary track survey stage?

4. Are the track observation operations for the most part manual or mechanized? Why?

5. What units make up the EM-SAT car?

6. How does the EM-SAT car operate?

7. With what optional units can the EM-SAT car be equipped?

8. Why is the preliminary stage in maintenance of high-speed railway lines necessary?

Exercises:

1) Match the words, make up word combinations. Translate into Russian.

high-speed maintenance inherent track preliminary track computer laser auxiliary measuring ballast necessary further

speed maintenance design fault system stage survey data track profile trolley technologies beam

2) Match the word with its definition.

1. maintenance 2. survey 3. gauge 4. super elevation 5. twist 6. longitudinal profile 7. curvature 8. grade 9. laser beam receiver 10. deviation 11. kph

a) turn or bend into a specified position or in a specified direction; b) the process of keeping something in good condition; c) is written after a number to indicate the speed of something such as a vehicle. It is an abbreviation for «kilometres per hour». d) the amount by which a single measurement differs from a fixed value; e) examine and record the area and features of (an area of land) so as to construct a map, plan, or description; f) the distance between the rails of a line of railway track; g) the amount by which the outer edge of a curve on a road or railway is banked above the inner edge; h) a part of an apparatus that detects laser beam signals and converts them into visible form; i) rail section running lengthwise; j) chiefly North American: a gradient or slope; k) degree to which a curve deviates from a straight line.

3) Translate into English, using phrases from the text.

Выполнение соответствующих мероприятий по текущему обслуживанию пути; обеспечивать высокий уровень качества и безопасности; быть причиной неизбежных дефектов; соответствовать требованиям по эксплуатации высокоскоростного пути; постоянно развивать технологии; включать несколько предварительных и основных стадий; предоставлять точные данные о геометрии пути; исследовать путь с помощью путеизмерительных машин; главная машина, оборудованная компьютером и лазерным ресивером; вспомогательная вагонетка с лазерным передатчиком; измерять и записывать любые отклонения от расчётной геометрии пути; отображать на экране компьютера корректировочные значения; последняя разработка – использование путеизмерителя и навигационной системы GPS; проверять положение пути по фиксированным опорным точкам; дополнительно оборудовать системой индукционного измерения балластного профиля; недостаток и излишки балласта, отмеченные на мониторе; предоставлять необходимые данные и способствовать координированию дальнейших шагов по текущему содержанию пути.

4) Grammar Section. Transform the sentences; use the Verb in Present Perfect Active Voice.

Example:

- The workers are taking measurements of track geometry at the moment.

- The workers have taken measurements of track geometry already.

(Possible Signals: already, not yet, this week, before the commission’s arrival, by the end of this month).

1. Nowadays the engineers are developing a new cost-effective track maintenance technology.

2. At the moment, the brigade is surveying the high-speed track geometry.

3. During the track geometry investigations, the maintenance team is using track survey car.

4. The survey car is now recording longitudinal level and alignment of the track.

5. The machine is taking measurements of displacement and lifting values on this section.

6. The vehicle is measuring cant and track gauge deviations.

7. The computer is displaying the recorded data on the screen.

8. The engineers are discussing the track survey data this afternoon.

9. Now the team is deciding about the necessary maintenance measures on this high-speed line section.

5) Transform the sentences from Exercise 4. Use the Verb in the Past and Future Perfect Active Voice.

Example:

The brigade is surveying the track geometry.

The brigade had surveyed the track geometry by beginning of the last week.

The brigade will have surveyed the track geometry by tomorrow.

References:

http: //www.plasser.co.uk/en/machines/emsat100rt.htm

http: //www.plassertheurer.com/pdf/publications/rei_0701.pdf

UNIT 3. TRACK MAINTENANCE OF HIGH-SPEED RAILWAY LINES:
MACHINES AND TECHNOLOGIES.
PART II. IMMEDIATE MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE.

Vocabulary.

approx. (abbreviation from approximately) – примерно, приблизительно

ballast regulating machine – балластораспределительная машина

(to) be worthwhile – иметь смысл

continuous-action leveling, lining and tamping machine – выправочно-подбивочно-рихтовочная машина

decisive – убедительный, не вызывающий сомнений

deteriorations – ухудшение, износ

dynamic track stabilizer – стабилизатор пути

e.g. (abbreviation from latin exempli gratia) – например (от лат. “exempli gratia” – «ради примера»)

(to) eliminate – устранять, ликвидировать

fluctuation – колебание

horizontal oscillation – колебания по горизонтальной оси

hz (abbreviation hertz) – герц

(to) match – приводить в соответствие

(to) merge – объединять, соединять

output – производительность, мощность

planning office – плановый отдел

precipitation – атмосферные осадки

(to) res(to)re – восстанавливать

(to) retain – сохранять, поддерживать

settlement – зд.: осадка грунта

subsoil – lподпочва, грунт оснований

work output – зд.: провозная способность ж.-д. линии

The track network is a dynamic system. Varying factors such as rail traffic, nature of the subsoil, temperature fluctuations or precipitation are the cause of constant changes. However, to plan maintenance work efficiently, it is necessary to know the current state of the track and above all recognize possible deteriorations.

To obtain the relevant data it is essential to have regular measurements carried out by track recording cars. These scan the entire line network several times a year. The acquired data can be merged in a track geometry database and are available for long-term analyses. This provides the planning offices with a valuable instrument. Rates of deterioration indicate which type of action would be the most suitable in order to restore the target geometry of the track and to retain it as long as possible.

The preliminary analysis of the line network state having been carried out, the actual maintenance of high-speed railway track starts. This requires a range of work processes that must be coordinated as efficiently as possible to guarantee the high work output, the best quality of work and, ultimately, the cost-efficiency.

The track of high-speed lines requires precise geometry, allowing only very tight tolerances that must be kept in the millimeter range. At higher speeds, faults in track geometry stimulate the railway vehicle bodies with critical frequencies, e.g. frequencies in the range of between 0.5 to 10 Hz, and must be eliminated.

Today it is state-of-the-art in track construction and maintenance to use a group of machines – a high capacity mechanized maintenance train. The individual machines of the system are matched in output, traveling speed and design parametres, thus forming a harmonic group of machines. The tamping machine leads and determines the output.

To put the track into its correct geometrical position and to achieve a durable work results requires the following basic operations:

- track geometry correction, using a continuous-action leveling, lining and tamping machine.

One of the latest machines for tamping is the 09-4X Dynamic Tamping Express with integrated dynamic track stabilization, a nominal output of 2, 600 m/h.

- ballast profiling, using a ballast-regulating machine.

Ballast regulating machines combine the task of ballast distribution and ballast profiling. The goal is to regain the surplus ballast and add it to where it is needed.

- final compaction and homogenization of the ballast bed, using a dynamic track stabilizer.

After tamping work, the dynamic track stabilizer lowers the track as required setting it into horizontal oscillation. The stabilizer produces an uniform settlement that is equal to a load of approx. 700, 000 to 800, 000 tons. The corrected track geometry is preserved for longer. The result of this is the extension in maintenance intervals of approx. 30 %.

It is worthwhile investing in high-tech machine systems. This has a decisive effect on the cost-effective performance and the quality of the work performed.

Answer the questions according to the text:

1. What factors cause changes in track geometry?

2. What data are necessary to plan track maintenance efficiently?

3. Why is the application of track recording cars in the preliminary stage essential?

4. The requirements for the actual maintenance processes on high-speed lines are varied, aren’t they? List several of them!

5. Is it nowadays state-of-the-art in railroad maintenance to apply separate or combined machines? How are they called?

6. In what parametres are the individual machines as parts of the system matched?

7. What are the basic maintenance operations? Relate the basic maintenance operations to the proper applied machines!

8. What is the task of a ballast-regulating machine?

9. When and what for is the dynamic track stabilizer applied? Name the advantages of its usage!

Exercises:

1) Arrange the points of the plan in the correct sequence according to the text.

- Railway track as a constantly changing system.

- Application of track recording cars as essential means of track geometry investigation.

- The requirements for the actual maintenance processes.

- Peculiarities of high-speed railroads maintenance.

- Usage of high capacity mechanized maintenance train as the most effective up-to-date means.

- Basic stages of the railway maintenance process.

2) Translate the following phrases into Russian.

- nature of the subsoil;

- awareness of possible deteriorations;

- to decide about the most suitable action;

- to restore a line;

- a wide range of work processes;

- high level of work output, quality as well as cost-efficiency;

- to match separate machines in output, speed, design;

- to achieve a durable work results;

- to extend maintenance intervals considerably;

- to have decisive effect on the quality of work.

3) Find the English equivalents.

- движение железнодорожного транспорта;

- обусловливать изменения;

- проводить регулярные измерения;

- объединять полученные данные в базе данных компьютера;

- сохранять точную геометрию пути;

- миллиметровые допуски;

- устранять нарушения геометрии пути;

- собирать излишки балласта;

- выправочно-подбивочно-рихтовочная машина;

- балластораспределительная машина;

- стабилизатор пути уменьшает высоту балласта.

4) Grammar Section: Passive Voice. Look through the article, find sentences with the Verb in Passive Voice and define passive tense form of the Verb. Use the table for reference.

Passive Voice

	Indefinite/Simple	Continuous/Progressive	Perfect	Perfect-Continuous/ Progressive
Present	am/are/is maintained	am/are/is being maintained	have/has been maintained	Вместо отсутствующих форм употребляются формы Perfect
Past	was/were maintained	was/were being maintained	had been maintained
Future	will/shall be maintained	Вместо отсутствующей формы употребляется Future Indefinite	will/shall have been maintained
Future-in-the-Past	would/should be maintained	Вместо отсутствующей формы употребляется Future-in-the-Past Indefinite	would/should have been maintained

5) Transform the sentences, use the Verb in the Passive Voice. Pay attention to the tense forms.

Example:

- The workers take usually measurements of track geometry at the preliminary stage.

- The measurements of track geometry are usually taken by the workers at the preliminary stage.

1. Rail traffic, nature of the subsoil, temperature fluctuations or precipitation cause constant changes in the track network.

2. The track-recording car is carrying out at the moment essential measurements.

3. The maintenance train will scan the new line network several times a year.

4. The planning offices had merged the acquired data into the computer database last month.

5. The maintenance workers have been restoring the target track geometry on this section for two days already.

6. Next week the engineers will be using a high-capacity mechanized maintenance train the coordinate the work processes.

7. The tamping machine lead and determined the output.

8. The continuous-action leveling, lining and tamping machine will have corrected track geometry.

9. The ballast regulating machines were distributing and profiling the ballast.

10. The dynamic track stabilizer will produce an uniform settlement.

References:

http: //www.plasser.co.uk/en/machines/ufm160.htm

http: //www.plassertheurer.com/pdf/publications/rei_0701.pdf

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