A Truly Next Generation Solution to Low Adhesion

PlasmaTrack technology ends ‘Leaves on the Line’ delays to autumnal timetables and increases the UK network capacity delivering ‘Summer braking conditions all year round’

Autumnal delays on the rail network have been estimated to the cost the UK £350 million every year. PlasmaTrack is a railway technology business which is focused on unlocking predictable and optimized braking for the UK rail network. It will achieve this using its patented high energy plasma system, to remove & retard the formation of low friction contamination on the railhead (‘Leaves on the Line’) and thereby returning the rail head to summer braking conditions.

The vision for the business is to deliver a multi-product portfolio around predictable and optimised braking solutions for the Rail Industry. Leading a revolution in rail network operation through closer running of railway vehicles and a safe increase in network capacity.

Over the next three to five years the sales of PlasmaTrack Cleaning and Track Monitoring systems will gain traction with UK and global network operators as the only full turnkey solution to enable closer running of rail vehicles.

The technology was born out of an Innovate UK SBRI (Small Business Research Initiative) feasibility study launched by the Railway Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) for predictable and optimised braking. The end goal of this industry calling is to increase the UK rail network capacity through closer running of rail vehicles.

Plasma is well established in other industries for cleaning, sterilization, and surface deposition.

Plasma Track has developed Intellectual Property for a plasma cleaning system suitable for the railways. It eradicates track contamination through thermal ablation, such as leaf layer, and turns the track from ‘Autumnal’ to ‘Summer Braking’ conditions.

PlasmaTrack has two main track cleaning products:

1. Low speed PlasmaTrack system – Delivering track cleaning within a possession up to 7.5kph. This system uses energy sources suitable for mounting on a Road-Rail Trailer pulled by road-rail service vehicle or a dedicated Road-Rail Vehicle.

2. High speed PlasmaTrack system – This system will deliver a solution for faster running and more efficient rail head track treatment (RHTT) trains, up to 95 kph. This modular system can be placed onto multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) or wagons and outperforms water jetting by 50 per cent on speed and 40 per cent on cleaning efficiency.

PlasmaTrack cleaning systems enable summer braking conditions all year round and will lead to the end of Autumnal timetabling. Rapid deployment off rail to target hotspots removes scheduling challenges. Faster treatment without consumable materials eases maintenance scheduling. The cleaning systems are nontoxic, with zero water table impact and lower fuel consumption per treatment kilometre.

In addition to track cleaning systems PlasmaTrack has also developed a system for sensing and evaluating the track condition. This was developed with support from the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) utilizing a novel application of RAMAN spectroscopy. This is the first technology which has analysed the railhead contaminant on live track in the UK and can be used to predict changes in the track conditions, indicate which cleaning regime should occur and confirm a successful intervention has occurred returning the track to suitable braking conditions.

This is embodied in three different products:

1. Handheld for use by on Track Engineers.

2. Trackside data logging module.

3. On vehicle dynamic monitoring system.

PlasmaTrack sensing systems will give Improved service delivery through prediction of conditions and proactive intervention. Less disruptions to service by removing unscheduled maintenance. Addressing serious issues of stress and defensive driving. Giving confidence to engine drivers to operate based on real-time conditions.

PlasmaTrack’s ultimate goal is to enable the development of a miniaturised passenger and freight train-borne system. This would replace current onboard sanding cleaning systems with a PlasmaTrack adhesion guaranteeing product. Active during braking and initial traction acceleration, the PlasmaTrack solution replaces on train grit applicators (also known as sanders). It will also have a cumulative effect for the entire network, cleaning the track for following trains.

This is the on train 21st century solution to track adhesion. The solution gives independence of environmental conditions, leading to predictable and optimized braking enabling closer running of vehicles to ERTMS & ETCS. Ultimately, it increases passenger capacity on the same infrastructure, addressing the problem of the doubling of passenger journeys over the last 20 years.

The team completed the technological development through three phases of grant funding managed by the RSSB. Phase 1 Feasibility, Phase 2 Demonstrator. Phase 3 Prototype. During this time, it has published and had granted several patents with respect to plasma track cleaning and track sensing, as well as many scientific papers around low adhesion intervention.

Subsequently it has completed a successful on network trial with Network Rail Wales in Autumn 2020.

It has also demonstrated the High-Speed product on a full-scale rolling track and bogie with Knorr-Bremse in Germany on its ATLAS test rig in 2022. This showed efficacy at 95 kph completely removing leaf layer from the track and returning the braking conditions to maximum levels.

Network Rail launched a PIN (Periodic Indicative Notice 02/06/2020) for new track cleaning innovations. PlasmaTrack is the only UK based innovation, selected by Network Rail, for live line testing ahead of three other potentials.

Autumn testing on East Lancashire heritage lines with Network Rail Future Technology Trial in 2022, showed efficacy for cleaning the track at over 95kph, with its High Speed product.

The team has grown from a bias in engineering design & science to include commercial experience from the Railway industry. The board includes Julian Swan CEO and Alastair Burton CFO. Its advisory board includes Abi Broadley (Rail Consultant, ex Managing Director of Aquarius Rail), Neil Welch (Director WRAIL Consultancy Limited; ex Business Manager of Seasonal Delivery Network Rail), Nick Coutts (Advisor to Co-founders), Pete Wild (Commercial Advisor).

With this team, PlasmaTrack’s initial market will be track cleaning in the UK through Network Rail. Further markets include European, North American, and far Eastern rail markets.

OEM train manufacturers & Train Operating Companies (TOC) are the key target for the onboard Passenger / Freight train mounted system. PlasmaTrack systems will bring the dawn of closer running rail vehicles on every network through predictable and optimised braking.

Tel: 07748767688

Email: julian@plasmatrack.co.uk

Visit: plasmatrack.co.uk