Reliability indicators of railway joints and crossings

The paper is devoted to the formation of a system of reliability indicators for joints and rail crossings. Reliability indices related to the groups: reliability, durability, maintainability, safety, are considered. Since the joints and crossings of rail tracks consist of a system of elements, a model of functioning, in particular turnout, is built for their analysis. As a comprehensive indicator of reliability, it is advisable to use the availability factor - the probability that the object will be in working condition at an arbitrary time moment, except for periods of scheduled maintenance, and will work without fail during the periods between scheduled maintenance works. The basis of the methodology for determining the readiness coefficient of the turnout economy of an infrastructure object can be the concept of a reference turnout. As a reference turnout, it is advisable to take the most widespread type of turnout products used on the railroads of a particular infrastructure owner. Reliability indices of specific types of turnout products operated at specific places of track development of stations can be determined using a system of coefficients that take into account the design features of this turnout and the conditions of its operation. The greater the availability factor, the more reliable the transportation process is.