ЕКОНОМІЧНІ ПЕРЕВАГИ КОНСТРУКЦІЙ БУДОВИ ТРАМВАЙНИХ КОЛІЙ

Abstract

The development of urban public transport, and its essential part – tram enterprises – is no exception, is ensured by identifying and solving problems of a practical nature, the main of which the limited financial resources of municipal utilities is the most important. Municipal councils of Ukrainian cities where there is public transport are interested in reducing the cost of maintaining these enterprises. One of the ways to overcome financial dependence in the current situation is to reduce the current costs of maintaining tram lines. For this, tram tracks must become more resistant to the difficult conditions of their exploitation. Ballastless track technologies for the construction / reconstruction of tram tracks is an innovative project for our country, the implementation of which can significantly increase the economic performance of tram municipal enterprises. The article describes several of the most common ballastless track technologies for installing tram tracks, which have positively proven themselves during exploitation in various countries of the world, including Ukraine. Although the installation of tram tracks according to the classical (ballast) technology is a less time-consuming process, but progressive (ballastless) technologies have undoubted economic advantages - durability, preservation from destruction of both the track itself and the rolling stock moving along it, and great savings in maintenance costs. In addition, such structures provide for the ability of tram tracks to resist increasing travel speeds and increasing load on tram rails with constantly growing traffic intensity. They are more environmentally friendly: they create much less noise and vibration, prevent the propagation of stray currents and so forth. What is especially important is their proven undoubted positive impact on traffic safety. All of these advantages increase the quality of transport services for the population. The international experience of the functioning of tram systems moving on ballastless tracks suggests a significant positive economic and social effect from their practical application.