As part of the Europe’s Rail XCROSS project, an initial series of tests has been carried out to evaluate the different steps involved in a welding procedure for rail infrastructure.
The process began with pretreatment of the welded areas, including surface cleaning by grinding, marking, and measurement. Surface preparation continued with controlled preheating and temperature monitoring.
Welding was then performed using an electrode, followed by slag removal with a chipping hammer and surface cleaning using a wire brush to ensure a clean weld. Post-weld grinding was conducted to refine and smooth the surface.
A final visual inspection was performed using a straight edge and a rail profile gauge to assess the overall weld appearance.
These early tests are part of the initial phase of the XCROSS project, which aims to enhance the monitoring, inspection, and maintenance of railway-crossing surface profiles.
You can now watch our video on the field operations from preparation through to visual inspection:
https://youtube.com/shorts/gh7rJ_jYUyo
This project has received funding from the Europe’s Rail JU under Grant Agreement #101178744. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.