Operation of 'Rail Milling Cars' on General Railway Sections Including Mugunghwa-ho... Lifespan and Ride Comfort Improved

Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) announced on the 26th that it will operate a 'Rail Milling Vehicle' starting this second half of the year to extend the lifespan of tracks and improve ride comfort on conventional railway sections where ITX-Saemaeul and Mugunghwa trains run.

Han Moon-hee, President of Korail (second from the right), is observing the test operation of the 'Rail Milling Vehicle' conducted on the afternoon of the 24th at the Osong High-Speed Facility Division. / Photo by Korail

Introduced under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's 'Railway Facility Maintenance Equipment Modernization Plan (2018),' the rail milling vehicle repairs tracks by shaving the rail surface with cutting blades. Compared to the existing rotary grinding equipment, it generates less dust such as metal powder and allows for more precise work.

By smoothing out the uneven rail surface, the rail milling vehicle extends track lifespan by approximately 33% and reduces maintenance costs. It also reduces noise and vibration transmitted to trains, thereby improving ride comfort.

KORAIL plans to prioritize deploying the rail milling vehicle on conventional railway sections with high maximum track speeds, including the Gyeongbu Line (Seoul~Geumcheon-gu Office), Honam Line (Gwangju Songjeong~Mokpo), Jungbu Inland Line (Bubal~Chungju), and Gangneung Line (Seowonju~Gangneung), after equipment verification procedures in the second half of this year.

Meanwhile, on the afternoon of the 24th, Han Mun-hee, President of KORAIL, personally boarded the rail milling vehicle at the Osong High-Speed Facility Division to observe its operating principles and work process. President Han stated, "We will continuously enhance train operation safety and service quality on conventional railway sections by utilizing advanced equipment just like on high-speed lines."