NIMAL KUMARA INVENTS INNOVATIVE RAIL CUTTER

Amachine that would revolutionize rail road maintenance has been invented by a railway employee after experiments lasting about an year. Supervisory Manager of Permanent Way in Pattipola A.W. Nimal Kumara (50), who invented the new machine to cut the bottom flange of rails to install check rails at bends, said he decided to invent such a machine after witnessing the hardships facing the workers when cutting the rails with the present gas cutters.

He said the General Manager Railways B.A.P. Ariyaratne granted approval and instructed him to go-ahead with his proposal to invent a rail cutter.

Pointing out that the main line from Colombo-badulla was full of bends where the rails should be reinforced with check rails to prevent the danger of derailments, he said the over 100-yearold check rails in the railway line were worn out and needed replacement.

“The check rails should be installed to strengthen the rails and to prevent derailments when the train negotiated bends. The ordinary rails modified by cutting off the bottom flange are used as check rails. The bottom flange is cut off to set them in place with the required gap between the main rail and the check rail. However, cutting off the bottom flange with gas-powered machines used at present is an arduous task and is very costly. The approximate cost of cutting the bottom flange of a 45ft long rail with a gas cutter is about Rs.2,400. This could be reduced to Rs. 1,560 by using the new machine. The time taken for the job would be less than an hour. The parts cut and removed with the gas-powered machine are usually discarded as junk. However, they could be used to turn out rail gates and for many other purposes if cut with the new machine. The machine I invented is electrically-operated and safer than gas cutters. I took about an year to invent it, and it cost me about Rs.100,000. I used it to cut rails in Pattipola to find my experiment a great success,” he said.

Commenting on the new invention, Chief Engineer (Way and Works) S.G. Premakumara said the machine invented by an officer in the Way and Works Subdepartment was commendable, and that it would be largely instrumental in the maintenance of the mainline railway with about 70 curves. Meanwhile, District Engineer (upper district) D.K.I.P. Kumara said a distance of about 130 miles with bends came under the upper district, and that the trains were facing the danger of derailments at the bends. He said check rails were installed at the bends, particularly in the gradients, to reinforce the main rail.

He added that many of the check rails were now worn out and needed replacement and that it would be quicker and cheaper with the new machine.