Geofabrics
This article first appeared in the Railway-News magazine Issue 3 2021.
Proven Performance More than a Decade on – TrackTex Geocomposite – The ‘Once Only’ Solution to Mud Pumping
Problem areas of ballast contamination in trackbeds can be a real headache for rail operators and contractors alike. Re-ballasting can solve the issue for a limited period. But over time, the problem will come back again and again. The cost implication of regular, ongoing maintenance is significant but can be avoided with a specialist solution to mud pumping in place. And this is where TrackTex comes in.
A patented, anti-pumping geocomposite, TrackTex is the result of more than a decade of research by trackbed engineers. Its unique filter system improves trackbed quality over time and has been proven to significantly increase maintenance intervals – by more than 25 times.
A Global Solution with a Successful Track Record
Actively used in live rail since 2010, TrackTex has provided significant cost savings to the rail industry world-wide. Some of the world’s leading operators have already installed TrackTex as a spot treatment: including Network Rail (UK), ProRail (Netherlands), and North American Class 1 railroads Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific, to name but a few.
With over 8 million ft² of TrackTex installed in Europe, Australia and the United States to date, the numbers speak for themselves. Site monitoring across a number of key sites has also resulted in clear evidence for TrackTex’s success and it’s now accepted as the most cost-effective way of preventing and correcting mud pumping failure…
