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Technology | Transport & Logistics
1 Apr 2026, by Amy Sarcevic
When the componentry in a rail turnout begins to degrade, it can quietly rack up significant maintenance costs.
First, because of damage to the surrounding equipment, which is forced to bear undue impact from trains. Second, from operational downtime or speed restrictions, which – for busier networks – can translate to six- or seven-figure sums.
Darcy Carroll of turnout designer Vossloh Switch Systems Australia says, despite the high stakes involved in turnout maintenance, there are knowledge gaps in this space.
He says three common issues are driving maintenance spend, and that they often go unnoticed.
“You need to address these early and make tweaks to the track and equipment to adjust to the track conditions,” he said ahead of the Rail Turnouts Workshop.
“Unfortunately, though, not everyone is aware of what simple maintenance steps can be completed early, to extend the lifespan of componentry.”
Initial turnout maintenance
A common maintenance pitfall lies in the aftermath of a turnout installation. When a turnout is installed, its materials harden rapidly, as it bears higher volumes of train traffic.
“The metal becomes hard and more resilient to impact. In that first six months or so, there’s some metal flow, and if that metal flow is not removed, it gets worse and breaks out,” Darcy said.
If maintenance is not performed in this early period of the turnout’s life, it will sustain excess impact and damage the track.
“It will degrade the componentry, the ballast, and in the worst-case scenario, you will start to break componentry.
“But some basic grinding to start with can really help prolong the turnout lifespan.”
Mismatched profiles
Among the most impactful of turnout maintenance issues is a mismatched profile.
An imbalance in train weight on the track can lead to wear and degradation on the side bearing more weight – an issue that snowballs over time.
Darcy says it causes major problems, especially when there is varied traffic on each track.
“On a turnout, if one side is worn and the other side’s not, you end up with a large mismatch of profile and when the wheel goes through, it causes large impact forces.”
While operators are generally aware of this condition, Darcy says there are some knowledge gaps about the best way to solve it.
“There are a few different ways. You can either grind one side down and bring it to the same level as the other side. Or you can weld the other side up.
Welding comes with a lot of risk and time requirements. So grinding is generally a better, quicker and easier solution from our perspective, but it’s really a case-by-case situation, depending on the condition and how much track time they have.
“Unfortunately, there’s not enough knowledge out there about appropriate limits and corrective actions for this situation.”
Unadjusted complex points operating equipment
A third major threat is when the rods in complex points operating componentry are out of adjustment or worn out.
With rods responsible for moving switchblades back and forth and helping trains change direction, an under-performing rod can lead to trains hitting the track inappropriately.
“When the rods are out of adjustment, the openings may not be sufficient. This can cause trains to hit the track in places they shouldn’t and with a higher impact than the componentry can bear,” Darcy said.
“At Vossloh, we provide training on how to adjust complex point operating equipment to be more effective. It’s something that usually gets set up well and then, in time, requires maintenance and adjustment.”
Easy fixes
Darcy says preventative work isn’t always complex but does require knowledge of what to do and when.
“It’s about knowing the right process to go through. And if you take the wrong direction at the start, it can become very difficult to get back on the right path.”
Thankfully, routine and pre-emptive maintenance can make a big difference – but leave it too long and the turnout might need replacing, creating disruptions in the interim.
“If the damage is allowed to continue, the componentry won’t survive and there will be speed reductions over that component until a replacement has been performed. That means fewer trains arriving on time and then, of course, the extra cost burden of a product replacement, instead of basic remedial work.”
Vossloh can help
As a designer and supplier, Vossloh has expertise in prolonging the life of turnouts – something it is keen to pass on to customers.
“We supply the product and then help with maintenance when needed. We’re very happy to get out on site and provide post-sale training.
Spreading more of Vossloh’s turnout expertise, Gary Doherty will present at the upcoming Rail Turnouts Workshop, held 21 April 2026 at the Crown Perth.
Learn more and register your tickets here.
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