TINES® ERS – Embeddeed Rail System

TINES® ERS Encapsulated Rail Fastening System is a direct rail fastening solution designed for the construction of ballastless track systems.

In the TINES® ERS System, the rails are continuously fastened along their entire length within rail channels using TINES® Polyrail 60/65 polyurethane elastomer. The elastomer forms a permanently elastic, homogeneous encapsulation around the rail, performing two essential functions: securely fastening the rail within the rail channel and providing continuous support to the rail foot.

Thanks to the excellent adhesion of TINES® Polyrail materials to both concrete and steel surfaces, no additional mechanical fastening of the rails with bolts or screws is required.

The continuous rail fastening provided by the TINES® Polyrail system ensures durable and resilient transfer of loads generated by train traffic and thermal expansion of the rails, including forces acting in both the vertical and horizontal directions. As a result, the TINES® ERS System effectively reduces vibration and noise generated by passing trains.

The material properties of the elastic TINES® Polyrail 60/65 encapsulation also contribute to protecting the surrounding railway infrastructure against stray electrical currents.

As an optional component, the TINES® ERS System may incorporate the continuous TINES® Railstrip elastic under-rail pad, which allows the stiffness of the rail support to be adjusted to meet specific project requirements.

The TINES® ERS Encapsulated Rail Fastening System is designed for use in ballastless track structures on both single-track and multi-track railway lines, with standard gauge (1,435 mm) or broad gauge (1,520 mm). The system is suitable for fastening all Vignole rail profiles, including 60E1, 49E1, and other special rail sections.

The TINES® ERS System can be used on straight track sections and on horizontal curves with a minimum radius of R ≥ 150 m, for maximum axle loads of up to 260 kN and operating speeds of up to 250 km/h. It is intended for use on mainline railway networks, metro infrastructure, and railway sidings.

The system can be installed on bridges, viaducts, and tunnels, as well as at pedestrian crossings, railway-road crossings, bicycle crossings, turnout areas, and intermodal terminals. It can also be incorporated into integrated rail-road track systems together with the TINES® LC-L prefabricated track slab.

The TINES® ERS System is particularly recommended for railway sections where reducing vibration and noise generated by rail traffic is of key importance.

The TINES® ERS System complies with the requirements for Category C and Category D rail fastening systems in accordance with EN 13481-5. It is suitable for use on railway networks subject to the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSIs), as well as on railway infrastructure not covered by TSI requirements, including metro systems, narrow-gauge railways, railway sidings, private railway infrastructure, and functionally isolated railway networks intended exclusively for regional or local transport, in accordance with the applicable railway regulations.

The TINES® ERS Encapsulated Rail Fastening System consists of the following components:

TINES® Polyrail material system

TINES® Polyrail 60/65 – a two-component, solvent-free polyurethane elastomer for resilient rail fastening. In the TINES® ERS System, TINES® Polyrail 60/65 forms a continuous elastic encapsulation around the rail, bonding it to the side walls and the bottom of the rail channel while providing continuous resilient fastening and support.

TINES® Polyrail Primer – a two-component epoxy primer with dielectric properties. In the TINES® ERS System, it is used to prime dry concrete substrates (rail channel walls) and steel substrates (rail surfaces or steel rail channels) to improve the adhesion of TINES® Polyrail 60/65 to these surfaces.

TINES® Polyrail 53+ – a two-component epoxy resin with dielectric properties. It is designed for priming both dry and wet concrete substrates (rail channel walls) and steel substrates (rail surfaces and steel rail channel walls) to enhance the adhesion of TINES® Polyrail 60/65. It is also used for bonding the continuous TINES® Railstrip under-rail pad to the bottom of the rail channel, as well as for fixing concrete blocks or TINES® Railfiller inserts into the rail joint chambers.

TINES® Railstrip – a continuous elastic under-rail pad used optionally in the TINES® ERS System to reduce the stiffness of the rail support, thereby decreasing noise and vibration transmitted to the surrounding environment. It is bonded to the bottom of the rail channel using TINES® Polyrail 53+ and, together with TINES® Polyrail 60/65, forms an additional continuous resilient support layer beneath the rail.

TINES® Railshim – elastic under-rail adjustment shims available in various thicknesses. In the TINES® ERS System, they are used to adjust the rail position in the vertical plane and to set the rail cant. The shims should be installed at regular intervals of 1.5–2.0 m along the bottom of the rail channel. When correctly positioned, they do not affect the stiffness of the fastening system.

• TINES® Railwedge – adjustment wedges made of durable TPU material. In the TINES® ERS System, they are used to adjust the rail position in the horizontal plane. Their side surfaces feature a specially designed grooved structure, enabling stable wedging of adjacent TINES® ERS System components and preventing rail displacement during track installation.

• TINES® Railspacer – holders used for the stable positioning of PVC tubes within the rail channel, which serve as filling elements for the rail joint chambers in one of the TINES® ERS System variants. They are secured using TINES® Railwedge wedges.

System Advantages

• Low structural height of the track system – particularly beneficial for track modernisation projects where clearance restrictions apply, and enabling installation on various engineering structures.
• Effective reduction of noise and vibration generated by rail traffic and transmitted to the surrounding environment.
• Elimination of direct (bolted) rail fastening.
• Ensuring effective electrical insulation of the rail, which is essential for protecting the surroundings of the railway route against the effects of stray currents.
• Low maintenance requirements for the rail infrastructure.
• High operational durability of the track.
• Elimination of secondary rail deflections.

Documents

• Type Approval Certificate No. PL 59 2024 0017 for placing the system into service, issued by the President of the Office of Rail Transport.
• Type Conformity Certificate No. IK/CZT/004/2024/V01, issued by the Railway Research Institute.
• Declaration of conformity with the approved type.
• System Information Sheet.

To prepare a technical and commercial offer, please contact: hadlowy@tinesrail.com