COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF TRAMWAY CONSTRUCTION COSTS USING DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

Over time, the quality of tramway track deteriorates due to wear and tear and requires regular repairs, which are important but costly operations. The goal of all tram companies is not only to reduce the cost of tram repairs, but also to increase the time between repairs. For this purpose, the latest technologies are chosen for their construction, which to a greater extent do not require intermediate repairs. The article provides a comparative characteristic of the cost of tramway construction according to three popular technologies of their construction in Ukraine – classical (ballasted), when rails are mounted on wooden or reinforced concrete sleepers, located on a bed of crushed stone and sand, and two newer ones – ballastless (monolithic), when rails are embedded in special concrete, and the so-called slab technology, when rails are embedded in a special two-component elastic mass. The article considers the frequency of current, medium and major repairs, the frequency and cost of which have a significant impact on the operating costs of the tram, which is already the most expensive link in the urban transport complex. The parameters that have a greater or lesser influence on the frequency of repairs are identified. The article identifies the most significant parameters from the cost point of view for estimating the costs of three types of tram technologies, reveals the most economically advantageous technology for tram construction, and calculates the amount of depreciation for the selected technologies. The article also calculates the coefficients of excess costs for the newest technologies in comparison with the classical technology and provides an analysis of the results obtained. It is concluded that, taking into account the initial cost of the track, the depreciation costs and the costs of regular current repairs, the average repairs and the losses incurred by the companies due to the stoppage of tram traffic during the works and the inconvenience caused to other road users, it can be argued that the tracks laid using the latest ballastless technologies are the most cost-effective.