Lifting and lining units

Lifting and lining units must ensure the highest precision during the lifting and lining process as well as careful handling of the track grid. On the basis of many years of experience, Plasser & Theurer has developed various lifting and lining units which fulfil both requirements and are well suited for specific operating conditions. Some of the most important units from this extensive range are described below.
This unit was designed for track maintenance and is used, for example, in the 09-CSM machine which continuously levels, lines and tamps the track. The unit 09-CSM machine is designed for track maintenance and is used to continuously level, line and tamp the track. This unit is fitted with two lifting roller clamps per rail which grip the rail under the rail head and two lining rollers which lift and line in one operation. During the forward motion between the tamping cycles, the pressure on the unit is switched off so that the rollers move along easily.  

Lifting and lining unit in the open condition
Lifting and lining unit in the open condition
© Plasser & Theurer
Roll lifting clamps and double-flange lining rollers in the closed condition
Roll lifting clamps and double-flange lining rollers in the closed condition
© Plasser & Theurer

Roller lifting - lining unit, combined lifting and lining unit for turnouts and tracks:

This unit has lifting hooks and lining rollers. On request, it is possible to fit additional lifting roller clamps. Lifting and lining is performed in one operation. The lifting hooks can be applied either under the rail head or under the rail foot. The entire unit can also be displaced in longitudinal direction. This ensures that the unit can be adapted to every situation during turnout maintenance achieving an optimum lifting and lining process.  

Roller lifting clamps with lifting hooks and lining rollers for universal use in turnouts
Roller lifting clamps with lifting hooks and lining rollers for universal use in turnouts


© Plasser & Theurer

Automatic additional lifting device:

When working on turnouts, this device lifts the third rail in the area of the long sleepers. The lifting process is synchronised with the lifting and lining unit of the tamping machine. The lifting device is used where heavy turnout designs make an additional uplift necessary in order to prevent an unacceptable stress on the fastening material.  

Additional lifting device for the diverging rail of the turnout
Additional lifting device for the diverging rail of the turnout



© Plasser & Theurer

Sleeper-end consolidators:

Hydraulically powered sleeper-end consolidators are pivoted on the left and right-hand side of the machine. These help in compacting the ballast around the sleeper ends after the lifting and lining operation and ensure that the track is held firmly in the corrected position.

Sleeper-end consolidators

© Plasser&Theurer
Sleeper-end consolidators

© Plasser&Theurer

You can find suitable specialist literature to the topic here:

The Basic Principles of Mechanised Track Maintenance

The Basic Principles of Mechanised Track Maintenance

This book is dedicated to the many people involved in the day to day planning and performance of track maintenance activities. Providing a practical approach to everyday challenges in mechanised track maintenance, it is not just intended as a theoretical approach to the track system. 
Railways aim at transporting people and freight safely, rapidly, regularly, comfortably and on time from one place to another. This book is directed to track infrastructure departments contributing to the above objective by ensuring the track infrastructure’s reliability, availability, maintainability and safety – denoted by the acronym RAMS. Regular, effective and affordable track maintenance enable RAMS to be achieved.