MARAIS CONSULTING ENGINEERS

Railway Engineering and Metallurgical Engineering

Railway Engineering

Railway system design:
Support in the design of safe and efficient railway systems

Railway system performance:
Support in the design and monitoring systems

Railway system failure prevention and failure analysis:
Support in analysis of system and railway component failure and failure cause analysis

Railway Wheelsets

Wheelset design: Expertise in wheelset and components design and specification

Wheelset Maintenance: Expertise in wheelset and components maintenance procedures and cycles

Wheelset components: Expertise in wheelset components including wheels, gears, brakes and bearings

Important considerations

Wheelsets operate under varying environmental conditions ranging from desert to snow. Axle loads my vary from 5t per axle to 40t per axle and more... These factors affect the design, maintenance and inspection criteria and requirements.
From a safety point of view wheelsets are critical to railway operations.
Wheelsets are also high cost components and the highest cost components from a maintenance point of view.

MCE provides wheelset support and assistance with:

  • Design review of wheelsets.
  • Design assistance for increasing capacity.
  • Factory audits and approvals.
  • Wheel wear and performance issues.
  • Wheel design for specific load conditions.
  • Axle design for specific load conditions.
  • Bearing design and bearing life estimations.
  • Locomotive wheelset design and evaluations.
  • Locomotive gear life and lubrication.
  • and more....

Railway Track

Track stresses: Understanding and managing of stresses in track

Rails: Expertise in rail selection design and specification

Rail Welding: Expertise in welding of rails and rail welding specifications

Railway track considerations

Railway track design will to a large extent determine the long term maintenance cost and track safety. Rail failures can result in loss of life and/or enormous losses in terms of recovery, repairs and loss of production. The design and maintenance of the track plays an important role in the safe running of a railway. This includes inspection of tracks, condition monitoring and maintenance process such as track tamping and non-destructive testing.
The selection of rails the best rail section for the application is very important. This can be achieved by ensuring that stress levels are understood and properly managed. In addition the selection of rail supplier based on process audits and quality assurance is important to ensure long term viability of the track system.

MCE provides railway track support and assistance with:

  • Track design evaluations - stress level in rails.
  • Factory audits and approval of rail suppliers.
  • Rail wear and stress relationship.
  • Effect of track condition on rail stresses.
  • Effects of rail stresses on rail welds.
  • Rail failure mode identification.
  • Rail welding specifications
  • Rail condition monitoring and failures.
  • and more....

Expertise and services

Our expertise continues: Click below for more on our expertise

  1. More on expertise


  2. Assistance with failure analysis


  3. References and more...

Get in touch

Get in Touch... >> Send us your enquiry for a prompt reply! <<.