Tamping units
Tamping units are the components of a levelling, lining and tamping machine that are subjected to the highest stress. Therefore, the operating reliability of the tamping units is a major factor for cost-efficient maintenance of the track. The well-known and often proven reliability of Plasser & Theurer tamping units is documented impressively by countless problem-free operations all over the world.
Plasser & Theurer offers a range of different designs of tamping units which cover all the requirements across the entire sector of turnout and track maintenance. The tamping units are also suitable for tamping double sleepers.
© Plasser & Theurer
Plain line tamping unit
Single-sleeper tamping unit
This "classic" tamping unit is equipped with 8 tamping picks arranged in pairs which produce a new sleeper bearing surface at each rail-sleeper intersection.
Duomatic (two-sleeper) tamping unit
The Duomatic tamping unit is equipped with a total of 16 tamping picks arranged in pairs. These allow two sleepers to be tamped during each tamping Insertion.
Three-sleeper tamping units
This unit tamps three sleepers per tamping insertion. The tamping unit is divided into sections allowing a switch over to single sleeper tamping at any time.
Four-sleeper tamping unit
The four sleeper tamping unit is the latest step in the development and is designed with the high point loadings for the tamping of long sections of the main line. Four sleepers are tamped at the same time during each operation. In order to be able to use the machine when sleepers have varying distances between them or double sleepers, it is possible to lower only part of the unit.
The Split Head technology:
Split Head tamping units for work on turnouts, crossings and plain track are, in principle, tamping units divided in longitudinal direction of the machine. Each of the two halves of the unit can be lowered and made operational independently from the other. Additionally, both halves of the unit, depending on the design, can be laterally or individually moved together.
For operation on sections of plain track the two halves are locked together to form a plain line tamping unit. Almost all types of Plasser & Theurer tamping units have also been constructed with the Split Head design until now.
![[Translate to English:] permission by Plasser&Theurer](/fileadmin/user_upload/04_Fahrzeuge_und_Geraete/Stopfaggregate/split_head_stopfaggregat10.jpg "Split Head tamping units")
© Plasser&Theurer
Tamping units for special applications:
The time-tested Plasser & Theurer tamping technology can also be applied in extraordinary operating conditions. Custom-made designs for mining companies and special designs for work on tracks with a live rail in urban areas are successfully in operation worldwide.
![[Translate to English:] Bild mit Genehmigung von Plasser&Theurer](/fileadmin/user_upload/04_Fahrzeuge_und_Geraete/Stopfaggregate/spezial_stopfaggregate10.jpg "Tamping units for special applications")
© Plasser&Theurer
You can find suitable specialist literature to the topic here:
The Basic Principles of Mechanised Track Maintenance
This book is dedicated to the many people involved in the day to day planning and performance of track maintenance activities. Providing a practical approach to everyday challenges in mechanised track maintenance, it is not just intended as a theoretical approach to the track system.
Railways aim at transporting people and freight safely, rapidly, regularly, comfortably and on time from one place to another. This book is directed to track infrastructure departments contributing to the above objective by ensuring the track infrastructure’s reliability, availability, maintainability and safety – denoted by the acronym RAMS. Regular, effective and affordable track maintenance enable RAMS to be achieved.