Vortok International - Permanent Way Equipment

Vortok International is a leading manufacturer of permanent way equipment for railway maintenance companies. Our products offer innovative, practical and highly cost effective solutions to on-track maintenance, management and engineering problems. Our major product lines include the Vortok Coil, rigid safety barriers, temporary AWS magnets, retrofit switch roller systems, non-destructive stress-free temperature measuring system, clip-on track circuit insulators, cable guards and signboard supports.

Our engineering solutions are both immediate and cost-effective as well as having perceivable long term benefits to the overall operation of the railway such as, reducing penalty payments, rationalising manpower and increasing safety.

AWS MAGNET

Vortok has developed a lightweight temporary AWS (automatic warning system) magnet for use with speed restrictions and the like.

The Vortok Lightweight Magnet offers significant savings in installation times. The complete system weighs just 20kg and can be installed in track by one person in just a few minutes. No tools are required for attachment and once installed, the unit can be secured with a padlock. Developed and tested in the UK, this product is fully approved for use by Network Rail and is a huge step forward from existing methods. Versions for standard strength yellow and extra strength green for DC/3rd rail areas are available. Both styles are no more than 20kg.

When used in conjunction with the Vortok Signboard Support, a temporary speed restriction can be installed safety using minimal manpower and no tools.

SWITCH ROLLER SYSTEMS

The Vortok Rotorrail is a retro-fit switch roller system. An entire switch can be fitted with the system in less than 15 minutes. Once installed, the switch does not require any form of lubrication and never requires adjustment. The units fit to the existing baseplates and can reuse all the existing fittings.

The Vortok Rotorrail is a fraction of the cost of similar systems and can be installed without any special training.

Versions are available for flat bottom, shallow depth and bullhead baseplates. Several other versions have been developed for overseas railways.

VORTOK SAFETY BARRIERS

The Vortok Safety Barrier is a huge step forward for the protection of track workers. Offering real physical support, the barrier allows train speeds of up to 100mph whilst at a 4ft distance setting, adjusting out to 6ft 6in for speeds over 100mph. It can clamp to the running rail on either flat bottomed or bull head rail without the need for tools and is insulated for use around 3rd rail areas. There is also a 3ft version available that can be set up and left erected indefinitely in the 6ft allowing trains to pass at full line speed in either direction.

The Vortok Safety Barrier has become the industry standard for setting up safe systems of work.

SCREWSPIKE REPAIR

The Vortok Coil is the internationally proven and preferred method of repair for loose screwspikes in wooden railway sleepers or dowels. It can be fitted in less than one minute under traffic, without the need to remove the baseplate. The Vortok Coil can restore up to 90% of original pullout strength. It offers a number of considerable benefits:

• Delays sleeper replacement
• Simple, fast and economical to install
• Installed under traffic (no possession required)
• Restores up to 90% pull-out strength and torque
• Improves track structure and gauge retention
• Save times and reduces maintenance costs
• Unaffected by climatic or environmental conditions
• Existing screwspikes and fastenings can be re-used

NON-DESTRUCTIVE STRESS-FREE TEMPERATURE MEASURING SYSTEM

VERSE is a development from Vortok that can be used for identifying the stress free temperature in continuously welded rails to prevent track buckles and rail breaks. Previous methods have involved cutting rails and re-welding, VERSE is a non-destructive technique that requires no cutting.

The equipment comprises a frame incorporating a hydraulic lifting device, a force transducer and a displacement transducer. The measurement systems are connected to a rugged, hand-held computer.

CLIP-ON INSULATOR

The Vortok Clip-on insulator is a durable, safe and effective insulator for protecting railway track circuits. Installation does not interfere with the running of trains and so train delays are prevented and the risk of penalty payments reduced. Manufactured from a strong UPVC polymer the Vortok Clip-on insulator is resistant to UV radiation and moisture degradation.