SkyTrain Running Rail Replacement Project

in progress

TransLink’s Expo and Millennium SkyTrain Lines contain approximately 117 track km (234 linear km of running rail). As a core component of SkyTrain infrastructure, running rails require ongoing maintenance and renewals. This project will include the replacement of TransLink’s running rail to maintain a state of good repair. On average, non-revenue and revenue vehicles travel around 53 million kms on these lines each year (2018). This continued use results in wear, defect formation, and the general deterioration of track components, including the running rail. The impact of this wear impacts the reliability and safety of operations, as well as the noise levels in commercial and residential spaces next to the SkyTrain line. In some areas, rail defects have produced observed noise levels exceeding 95 dBA (e.g., equivalent to a motorcycle engine) in neighbouring homes. In 2021, 60% of the running rail is considered very good condition with less than 3 mm of vertical wear (>14 mm would require immediate replacement). Between 2022 and 2026, approximately 10.1 track km (20.2 km of running rail) and approximately 24,000 rail pads will require replacement due to the level of wear, and due to additional deformities that have been identified. The purpose of this project is to proactively replace the identified running rail and rail pads over a multi-year period, in order to maintain a state of good repair, address environmental/noise impacts, and enable the continued, uninterrupted operation of the Expo and Millennium Lines. The scope of the replacement would occur between September 2022 and March 2027, with a portion of running rail being replaced each year to maximize the life of the current asset, and to avoid disruption to SkyTrain services. Because this project is focused solely on the replacement of existing running rail, it is considered a rehabilitation project.