Challenges and countermeasures for improving the TQI index of AD railways

 

INTRODUCTION

As a landmark project of China-Africa cooperation, the operation quality of the AD railway has attracted much attention. However, the recent EDR "2025-2027" plan has sparked widespread discussion about raising the railway TQI index from 9 to 7. Based on the long-term tracking of the TQI index since the opening of the AD railway, the in-depth analysis of the track status, and the comprehensive evaluation of the existing maintenance system, this paper argues that there are many challenges in achieving this goal in the short term.

This article will discuss the following aspects:

1. Research on the change trend and influencing factors of TQI index: Through the statistical analysis of the historical data of the TQI index of AD railway, the regularity of the change of the index is revealed, and the main factors affecting the TQI index are discussed, including track geometric state, line diseases, climatic conditions, etc.
2. Analysis of track structure and material characteristics of AD railway: Combined with the operation data and track test results since the opening of the railway, the durability of the track structure, the aging law of materials and the influence of external environmental factors are deeply analyzed, so as to provide a scientific basis for the feasibility assessment of the TQI index improvement target.
3. Discussion on the rationality of the TQI index improvement target: Based on the above analysis, the rationality of the TQI index improvement target is discussed in depth by comprehensively considering the factors such as railway operation safety, economy and sustainable development, and more actionable target suggestions are put forward.
4. Evaluation and optimization suggestions of the existing maintenance system: This paper comprehensively evaluates the current track maintenance system of AD railway, analyzes its advantages and disadvantages, and puts forward suggestions for optimizing maintenance strategies and technical means based on advanced railway maintenance technology at home and abroad.

1.     Research on the change trend and influencing factors of TQI index

The Track Quality Index (TQI) is an important indicator of track smoothness. Affected by factors such as long-term operation of trains and aging track structures, the TQI value will gradually decrease over time. As a line that has been in operation for many years, the decline of the TQI value of the AD railway is in line with the general law of track engineering. From the perspective of engineering mechanics, in the early stage of the construction of the new line, the track structure was in a relatively stable state with a high TQI value. However, with the repeated action of train loads, the track structure gradually fatigues, and the TQI value inevitably decreases. The AD railway has entered the middle and late stages of operation, and the track state tends to be stable, and the possibility of a significant increase in the TQI value in the short term is small. Therefore, the goal of increasing the TQI value from 9 to 7 is difficult to achieve in the current orbital state.

1.1  Comparison of the results of the whole line of testing

In April 2021, the average TQI of the whole line was 7.8, and the average point deduction for kilometers was 1.78 points. In November 2023, the average TQI value of the whole line was 7.91 (deterioration 0.11), and the average deduction point for kilometers was 0.98 points (0.8 points for optimization).

Figure 1

Figure 2

Data analysis supports the downward trend: The data shows that from 2021 to 2023, the TQI value of the entire AD railway line showed a slight downward trend. Although the maintenance work has delayed the aging process of the track to a certain extent, and the score of kilometer deduction has improved, the data shows that daily maintenance is difficult to fundamentally change the downward trend of TQI. This shows that in order to significantly improve the TQI, it is necessary to analyze the orbital diseases more deeply and take targeted measures.

1.2 DJI data comparison of the whole line and adjacent workshops

Since the railway was completed and put into trial operation in 2017, the various indicators in the original data should be close to the same, because the track structure is the same, 25 meters 50Kg/m standard short gauge, new type II sleeper and high-quality ballast, and the new TQI of this kind of railway is generally between 6 and 10. Based on the available primary data, the DJI segment data is analyzed as follows:

Figure – 3

In April 2021, the average TQI for this section was 9.11, higher than the overall average of 7.8, with a gap of 1.31. In November 2023, the TQI fell to 7.49, still above the overall average of 7.91, but the gap narrowed to 0.42. Overall, in the past three years, the TQI in this section has increased by 0.89 compared to the overall average.

Between 2017 and April 2021, the level of railway maintenance and construction on the DJI section was lower than the overall average. The specific performance is that the average deduction of points per kilometer is nearly 3 times that of the average level of the whole line, and the low quality index of the TQI index is higher than the average of the whole line. In April 2021, the TQI value of this section was 9.11, which was 6.35 higher than that of the neighboring workshop, 2.76 higher but the first-level deviation was as high as 46, 22 more than the neighboring workshop, and the second-level deviation was 7, which was also 5 more than the neighboring workshop.

Figure 4

In November 2023, the TQI value of this workshop is 8.92, compared with 7.49 in the adjacent workshop, the difference is 0.43. The average kilometer score was also improved from 1.44 to 1.28, a decrease of 0.16 points. Although the first-level deviation (the total number, the average kilometer value is better than the adjacent workshop) is 22 more than the adjacent workshop, reaching 80, the second-level deviation is reduced by 2 to only 4. Overall, the workshop has made significant improvements in the number of points deducted per kilometer.

Limited effect of maintenance work: Although the initial TQI value of the Djibouti section was high, after nearly three years of maintenance, the TQI value has also decreased, but this is only a narrowing of the gap, and still cannot change the overall trend of track aging, which can only explain the reason for the poor maintenance level in the three years from 2017 to 2021.

1.3 Summary

Considering the limitations of the railway's existing track structure and means of operation, the goal of reducing the TQI from 9 to 7 is almost impossible to achieve without large-scale renovation. It is recommended to control the TQI at about 13, which is a reasonable range that is relatively economical and can ensure driving safety at the current operating speed. Attention should be paid to peak management, the occurrence of fourth-level deviations and repeated third-level deviations should be strictly prevented, and the second-level deviations and above should be maintained in a timely manner.

2. Comparative analysis of the TQI index of the same type of railway in China

Since 1997, I have been deeply involved in railway maintenance management, just as dynamic inspection technology is emerging in the field of railway maintenance. As a key indicator, the TQI index has gradually attracted widespread attention. However, due to technical limitations such as the positioning accuracy of early rail inspection vehicles, front-line workers have doubts about the reliability of TQI data. Through the comparative analysis of the inspection data of the two rail inspection vehicles of the Jinan Bureau in 1993, as well as my own practice summary, I firmly believe that the TQI index can objectively and accurately reflect the overall quality of the track geometric state. This conclusion provides a scientific basis for the railway public works department and provides strong support for the following work:

• Track quality assessment: The TQI index can be used as an important reference for track quality assessment, helping the railway department to accurately grasp the track geometry and provide a basis for formulating maintenance plans.
• Maintenance effect evaluation: By comparing the changes of TQI index in different periods, the effect of maintenance projects can be intuitively evaluated and the rationality of maintenance plans can be verified.
• Maintenance Resource Optimization: Based on the TQI index, the railway department can carry out targeted maintenance of track diseases, optimize the allocation of maintenance resources, and improve maintenance efficiency.
• Fault warning: The fluctuation of the TQI index can be used as an early warning signal for the development of rail diseases, which helps to detect potential faults in time and avoid accidents.
• Maintenance standard formulation: The TQI index can be used as an important basis for the formulation of track maintenance standards and provide scientific maintenance standards for the railway department.
• Maintenance technology improvement: By analyzing the relationship between the TQI index and the maintenance process, the maintenance technology can be continuously improved and the maintenance quality can be improved.

Comparison of TQI data of two rail inspection vehicles of Jinan Bureau

Check the date	Check length (km)	TQI average
September 93	474.4	15.93
December 93	460.8	15.44

[Note:] The line adopts 60kg/m rails, type two sleepers, and seamless lines, and the TQI value is generally higher than 15.

As an important track quality evaluation index, TQI index is of great significance in guiding railway maintenance work. However, in practical application, the target value of TQI should be reasonably set in combination with the specific situation of the route and the driving safety requirements, so as to avoid blindly pursuing too low a value.

2.1 Standards of the AD Railway Maintenance Rules

2.2 Standards for China's Railway Maintenance Rules

2.3 Standards for the maintenance of rules by the former Jinan Bureau of China

07 years 321 actual test TQI value	07 years 428 actual test TQI value	07 years 520 actual test TQI value	The actual measured TQI value of 627 in 07	07 years 728 actual test TQI value	07 years 819 actual test TQI value	07 years 929 actual test TQI value	1018 actual test TQI value in 07	1114 actual test TQI value in 07	07 years 1215 actual test TQI value
12.04	11.19	12.65	11.71	10.28	10.56	9.24	9.82	9.86	9.76

2.3.1 Jinan Bureau through the establishment of TQI prediction model

Practical cases of successful application provide valuable experience for the railway industry in track maintenance management. The TQI value of this case is also above 7, or even close to 15, which indicates that:

• Data-driven decision-making: Through the analysis of historical data, the change trend of track status can be predicted in advance, providing a scientific basis for maintenance decisions.
• Practicability of the model: Mathematical models such as grey prediction models have a wide range of application prospects in the railway field, which can effectively assist the railway department in scientific management.
• The importance of preventive maintenance: Through predictive maintenance, problems can be detected in advance, timely measures can be taken to avoid accidents, and improve the operational safety and reliability of railways.

Date of detection	TQI value
2007.1.28	7.89
2007.2.28	7.63
2007.3.12	8.37
2007.5.14	8.59
2007.8.23	12.57
2007.09.15	14.86
2007.11.21	13.49

2.3.2 Yanshi Upline Forecast Value

The following table shows the comparison between the predicted TQI value and the actual detected value in the K125~K128 section of the Yanshi upline, and the track deterioration rate calculated accordingly. Based on the mathematical model and the TQI detection data of this section from January to December 2007, we predicted the TQI value in January 2008 and calculated the corresponding orbit deterioration rate. By comparing the predicted values with the actual detected values, the results show that the prediction model has high accuracy and can effectively predict the development trend of track irregularity in this section. In addition, the analysis results also show that the quality of the line equipment in this section is good, and the overall development trend is good.

Section	07 years 321 actual test value	428 actual measured values in 07	520 actual measured value in 07	627 actual measured values in 07	728 actual measured value in 07	819 actual test value in 07	07 years 929 actual test value	1018 actual measured value in 07	1114 actual measured value in 07	1215 actual measured value in 07	08-114 forecast	114 actual measured values in 08	The difference between the predicted value and the measured value	Line track deterioration speed
125	12.04	11.19	12.65	11.71	10.28	10.56	9.24	9.82	9.86	9.76	9.8276	9.86	0.0324	0.0107
125.2	11.92	11.88	12.21	11.39	11.21	11.52	7.77	8.98	8.37	8.58	8.8419	8.37	0.4719	0.0168
125.4	12.59	11.41	11.64	11.13	10.68	10.93	9.64	9.77	10.41	10.33	10.2773	10.41	0.1327	0.0086
125.6	11.55	11.02	12.05	11.74	10.59	11.09	8.8	8.43	9.04	9.15	9.2138	9.04	0.1738	0.0128
125.8	12.42	13.06	14.48	11.34	11.29	11.91	10.89	10.39	9.82	10.55	10.5822	9.82	0.7622	0.0126
126	11.22	11.19	10.76	10.02	10.83	10.05	9.88	8.68	10.33	8.83	9.5667	10.33	0.7633	0.008
126.2	13.7	13.87	14.5	12.29	11.24	11.61	8.58	10.22	9.6	10.78	10.0585	9.6	0.4585	0.0185
126.4	12	12.69	13.36	10.78	11.42	11.09	8.77	8.31	9.56	9.21	9.3429	9.56	0.2171	0.0163
126.6	11.85	12.86	12.97	11.12	12.2	11.9	8.9	8.87	9.49	9.38	9.594	9.49	0.104	0.0151
126.8	11.57	10.14	10.94	10.87	9.3	10.54	7.62	8.23	7.67	7.88	8.1026	7.67	0.4326	0.0151
127	9.58	9.84	9.94	9.5	9.82	9.54	9.14	7.97	8.81	10.29	9.2005	8.81	0.3905	0.0025
127.2	11.78	10.99	11.56	11.29	11.36	11.74	10.5	10.71	10.17	9.48	10.4667	10.17	0.2967	0.0067
127.4	9.42	9.52	10.31	9.53	9.38	9.72	9.84	9.49	9.91	9.25	9.5986	9.91	0.3114	0.0004
127.6	9.64	10.01	10.41	9.25	9.01	9.48	8.65	9.02	8.77	8.87	8.823	8.77	0.053	0.005
127.8	10.51	11	11.16	10.61	10.04	9.84	10.64	8.91	9.63	10.63	9.9332	9.63	0.3032	0.004
128	11.2	11.57	12.38	11.66	11	11.59	9.63	11.89	9.97	9.28	10.3949	9.97	0.4249	0.0076

2.4 Conclusion

Based on the above analysis and data statistics, and comprehensively considering the domestic railway TQI maintenance standard, AD railway 50kg/m rail, type II sleeper, 25m short gauge line and other factors, the author believes that it is a reasonable management goal to control the TQI value at about 10. Considering the specific climatic conditions in which the line is located, the train loads it is subjected to, and the existing maintenance conditions, it is difficult to set the TQI value directly to 7. It is recommended to gradually increase the TQI value in stages, optimize the maintenance plan according to the actual situation of the line, and actively introduce advanced track inspection and maintenance technology to continuously improve the quality of the line.

3. Discussion on the way of TQI index improvement and the rationality of the target

3.1  The composition of the TQI index and the meaning of each index

As an important indicator to measure the quality of railway tracks, the improvement of TQI index is directly related to the transportation efficiency, safety and comfort of railways.

TQI index, or Track Quality Index, is an index that comprehensively evaluates the track quality level through the measurement and analysis of track geometric parameters. The lower the value of the TQI index, the better the quality of the orbit. Generally speaking, the composition of the TQI index includes the following aspects:

• Track gauge: Track gauge refers to the minimum distance between the two acting sides at 16 mm below the top surface of the rail on the inner side of the two rail heads, which is the most basic track geometric parameter.
• Track direction: Track direction refers to the lateral deviation of the center line of the track head relative to the center line of the line.
• High and low: High and low refers to the vertical deviation of the top surface of the rail relative to the center line of the line.
• Horizontal: Horizontal refers to the horizontal deviation of the top surface of the rail relative to the center line of the line.
• Triangular pit: The triangular pit refers to the pit at the junction of the rail head and the bottom of the rail, which is an important factor affecting the stability of the track.

3.2 Composition of the TQI value specified in the AD railway public works maintenance rules: (unit: mm).

Speed class Speed Grade	Left high and low Left Height mm	Right high and low Right Height mm	Left track Left Track Direction mm	Right tracking Right Track Direction mm	gauge Track Gauge mm	level Horizontal mm	Triangular pit Twist warp mm	TQI value
υmax≤120 km/h	1.8~2.2	1.8~2.2	1.4~1.9	1.4~1.9	1.3~1.4	1.6~1.7	1.7~1.9	11~13

Based on the comprehensive evaluation of the seven indicators, except for the track gauge management, it is difficult to ensure the accuracy of the average value less than 1 mm by the existing operation methods of the AD railway. This limitation means that the average values of the remaining six indicators will stabilize at more than 1 mm, which will directly lead to an average TQI value of more than 7 in the future, and the deviation of the key segments will generally exceed 12.

Taking horizontal adjustment as an example, the national railway system usually uses a 1 mm thick plastic gasket for fine adjustment. However, the bamboo gaskets in the AD railway section are larger, with the thinnest being 3 mm, and lack 2 mm or even 1 mm spacers. Due to the limitation of this gasket specification, the horizontal operation accuracy can only reach 3 mm, and the TQI value will be greater than 3 in terms of horizontal indicators alone.

3.3 Analysis of the improvement of TQI value in a section of the JG of the original National Railway

3.3.1 Analysis of the TQI value of the Beijing-Guangzhou downlink

Using the TQI data of the Beijing-Guangzhou line k280k485.8 dynamic inspection vehicle of the Handan Public Works Section from January 2008 to June 2009, the average TQI of different periods is counted by month as follows:

京广线下行k280k485.8TQI均值
Time	TQI mean
200801	7.935960784
200802	7.698882353
200803	7.936097087
200804	7.962475728
200805	8.723336605
200806	8.449048544
200807	8.757582524
200808	8.514446602
200812	6.991553398
200901	6.888643902
200902	7.359510284
200903	7.477300971
200904	7.314213592
200905	6.659329446
200906	6.622885417

3.3.2 TQI data analysis of the lot

Through the above table, we have a line chart of the TQI status of this section of the line in different periods.

According to the TQI values of different periods in the above table, we can consider that the average line quality index TQI = 7.6861 for the period (January 2008 - June 2009) represents the average line quality level in this period, which is 23.1% lower than the 10 specified in the revised regulations, which is lower than the overall road level. The chart shows an overall downward trend, indicating that our level of maintenance is constantly improving. After deducting the time period of mainframe operation, the TQI status line chart of this section of the line:

The figure shows the trend of continuous deterioration of the line in the case of no large machine operation, and a fitting straight line is obtained by fitting it, and the slope of the straight line is 0.1234, that is, the average deterioration rate of the K280K485.8 section of the Beijing-Guangzhou line under normal maintenance is 0.1234/day, and the average monthly deterioration rate is 3.702.

3.3.3 The  target value of the TQI of the lot is determined

Although the TQI of our section of the Beijing-Guangzhou Line is lower than the management value of the revision regulations, there is still a lot of gap between the quality level of the line required by the leadership, so we have determined the TQI management value of our section. The TQI frequency accumulation chart is made to achieve this, that is, the probability distribution diagram, which represents the percentage of the cumulative frequency of TQI in the number of unit segments in different numerical regions, the abscissa is the segmentation point value of TQI, the ordinate is the percentage of the total number of unit segments less than the value, and the frequency accumulation curve is an "S" shaped curve. The steeper the "S" curve. Indicates that the better the track status. Through the frequency distribution diagram and the frequency accumulation curve diagram, the track quality status of different bureaus and sections can also be compared, and the changes in the track state before and after the maintenance of the same section can also be compared, which provides an effective means for the track maintenance personnel to carry out macro management and quality control of the track state According to the actual situation of maintenance and maintenance of public works for many years, the annual public works repair capacity is 30% of the track line, and here we choose the cumulative proportion of 70%. The route evolves and changes every year. This management value should be continuously fine-tuned and updated based on the actual line status.

As shown in the figure, 70% of the section of Beijing-Guangzhou downlink k280k485.8 has a TQI less than 7.93, so the target management value is set at 7.93, and comprehensive maintenance is arranged for the lot greater than this value. For example, in March 2009, the average TQI value of k282.4k282.8 in Beijing-Guangzhou downlink was 12.697, maintenance and repair should be arranged immediately. For example, in March 2009, the average TQI of k287.6k288.8 in Beijing-Guangzhou was 6.641, the target management value was 7.93, and the deterioration rate was 3.702/month, so it can be deduced that it will take about (7.936.641)/3.702=0.42 months to carry out comprehensive maintenance on this section. If the number of large machines is sufficient, the operation of large machines can be reasonably arranged in this way, so that the line can be in a balanced state for a long time, and repeated repairs and over-maintenance can be avoided. Specific to the workshop, the team to the line section of the detailed division, it can play a more guiding role in line maintenance, to avoid blindness and repetition.

4.  Evaluation and optimization suggestions for the existing maintenance system

4.1 AD railway maintenance means and existing deficiencies

At present, the maintenance methods of AD railways mainly rely on traditional tools such as road lifters, flexible shaft tampers, and crowbars.

Single tool: Lack of professional road maintenance machinery, such as tamping machines, flat cars, etc., leads to low operation efficiency. Low operation accuracy: it is difficult to ensure the operation accuracy of crowbars and other tools, especially for the adjustment of track direction, height and triangular pit, which is difficult to meet the requirements of refinement.

High labor intensity: Manual operation is labor-intensive, which is easy to cause fatigue and affect the quality of work. 3.2 Analysis of the dilemma of TQI index improvement Due to the limitations of the above-mentioned operational means, the TQI index improvement of AD railways is facing great difficulties. The specific performance is: the accuracy of the track gauge can be reached, and the gap between other indicators is large: although the accuracy of the track gauge can be guaranteed through tools such as the road starter, it is difficult to achieve the ideal accuracy due to the lack of precise measurement and adjustment equipment for the adjustment of the track direction, height and triangular pit.

Limited TQI index range: Due to the influence of the above factors, the TQI index of AD railways can only be maintained between 10 and 17, which cannot reach the ideal level below 7.

4.2 Compare the analysis of the improvement of the operation of the original national railway

Beijing-Guangzhou downlink section of the large machine operation maintenance improvement statistical table

Start Mileage. Section	TQI0902	TQI0906	Improvement amount
mean	8.89225	7.4195	1.473
430.6	8.5	7.44	1.06
430.8	11.43	8.58	2.85
431	12.91	8.46	4.45
431.2	9.16	8.77	0.39
431.4	11.54	5.72	5.82
431.6	9.06	5.77	3.29
431.8	9.2	8.33	0.87
432	11.36	7.26	4.1
432.2	7.62	9.92	2.3
432.4	11.73	8.99	2.74
432.6	9.54	8.17	1.37
432.8	8.47	5.16	3.31
433	7.02	6.27	0.75
433.2	9.19	5.63	3.56
433.4	6.4	7.31	0.91
433.6	6.81	9.47	2.66
433.8	8.94	10.49	1.55
434	7.91	7.38	0.53
434.4	8.07	8.31	0.24
434.6	10.02	7.49	2.53
434.8	8.63	5.97	2.66
435	10.01	7.82	2.19
435.2	7.06	6.38	0.68
435.4	7.01	8.44	1.43
435.6	7.7	9.94	2.24
435.8	7.66	8.17	0.51
436	8.18	6.51	1.67
436.2	7.19	7.23	0.04
436.4	7.94	7.01	0.93
436.6	6.65	7.63	0.98
437.6	11.4	6.49	4.91
437.8	11.17	7.11	4.06
438	13.04	6.27	6.77
438.2	9.08	7.08	2
439.2	6.97	6.28	0.69
439.4	7.25	6.53	0.72
439.6	8.46	6.75	1.71
439.8	8.74	6.51	2.23
440	7.98	6.72	1.26
440.2	8.69	7.02	1.67

As shown in the above table, the average improvement was 1.473, and the maximum improvement was 6.77. The distribution map further shows that after the large machine is tamped, the line as a whole has reached the standard. However, the improvement effect was uneven across the unit segments. This shows that, on the one hand, there is still room for improvement in the quality of large machine maintenance; On the other hand, maintenance and repair is a systematic project, and relying only on large-scale maintenance cannot completely solve the problem. The maintenance of the large machine is mainly for the track bed, sleepers, etc. to start, tamping, dialing and other operations, and there is nothing that can be done for the track deformation caused by rail diseases. Therefore, when arranging centralized repair operations, various factors should be comprehensively considered to formulate a more comprehensive maintenance and repair plan, in order to comprehensively improve the quality of the line.

From the figure, it can be seen more deeply that the maintenance quality evaluation of the large machine should not only continue the previous peak management (that is, to ensure that the large machine is tamped without non-excellent kilometers and no three-level overrun), but also introduce the concept of mean management. Specifically, a lower limit value can be set for the TQI improvement of each unit section as an assessment index to achieve a comprehensive evaluation of the maintenance quality of the large machine.

After preliminary analysis, it is suggested that the lower limit of TQI improvement on the Beijing-Guangzhou line can be set to more than 85% of the current management value of 7.93, that is, 6.74. Of course, the specific lower limit value of each line should be comprehensively considered according to the characteristics of the line, historical data, etc., and determined through further in-depth research.

In addition, through the systematic analysis of the management value and deterioration rate of each line, it can also provide a scientific basis for the arrangement of the next large machine operation, realize accurate policies, and improve maintenance efficiency.

4.3 Countermeasures and suggestions for improving the TQI index

In order to improve the TQI index of AD railways, it is recommended to start from the following aspects:

4.3.1 Strengthen investment in equipment

• Introduce large-scale road maintenance machinery: Introduce or repair large-scale road maintenance machinery such as large-scale line tamping machines and ballast shaping flat cars to improve operation efficiency and accuracy.
• Equipped with precision measuring instruments: Equipped with precision measuring instruments such as laser track gauge and track geometric measuring vehicle, real-time monitoring of track geometric parameters, and providing data support for maintenance operations.
• Strengthen management quality training: Combined with on-site operation and maintenance theory, train the local management team to correct the maintenance concept, scientific maintenance, and continuously improve quality.

4.3.2 Optimize the operation process

• Formulate a scientific maintenance plan: According to the operation status of the railway and the measurement results of the geometric parameters of the track, formulate a scientific maintenance plan and carry out maintenance operations in a targeted manner.
• Strengthen the training of on-site operators: Systematic training for road maintenance workers to improve their operational skills and theoretical level.

4.3.3 Introduction of advanced technology

• Adhere to periodic inspection and analysis: ensure periodic inspection to analyze and judge and ensure timely maintenance.
• Application of track detection technology: Use track detection technology to carry out comprehensive detection of tracks, detect diseases in time, and carry out targeted maintenance.
• Explore intelligent maintenance technology: Explore the use of artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and other technologies to realize the intelligence and automation of track maintenance.

postscript

The improvement of the TQI index of AD railway is a systematic project, which needs to comprehensively consider many factors such as equipment, technology, and personnel. It is by no means an easy goal to achieve in a "three-year plan". Compared with the improvement process of China's original JG railway track quality index, only by strengthening equipment investment, optimizing the operation process, and introducing advanced technology can the track quality of AD railway be effectively improved and better services can be provided for the economic and social development of countries along the route.