Combating rolling contact fatigue: strategies adopted in The Netherlands

摘要

Since 2001, Pro Rail has been actively investigating the causes of rolling contact fatigue (RCF) and, in close collaboration with Netherlands Railways (NS) and NedTrain, has developed strategies to reduce its occurrence. This article looks at the practical approach adopted by ProRail towards managing RCF. First, a short introduction is given of ProRail's track management approach. Then, the dramatic increase in the occurrence of RCF on the Dutch railway network and the countermeasures adopted are addressed.