KLP® Hybrid Polymer Sleepers for turnouts & crossings
KLP® Hybrid Polymer Sleepers are ideal for ballasted railway tracks, for example in the application of turnouts and crossings. The elasticity of the plastic provides good damping and reduces wear on rail fixtures. Steel bars completely encased within the polymer reinforce the railway sleeper and optimize its bending stiffness. These composite sleepers have the same damping characteristics as timber sleepers, which makes them suitable for 1:1 replacement of wood. An untreated oak sleeper has a life span of roughly 8-12 years. The expected life span of the maintenance free KLP® Hybrid Polymer Sleepers is more than 50 years, which makes these composite sleepers a good investment with low Life Cycle Costs.
KLP® Polymer Sleepers with a unique hybrid construction
To achieve the required bending stiffness, the KLP® Hybrid Polymer Sleepers are reinforced with steel bars. The steel reinforcement bars are completely encased and moulded into the polymer. Lankhorst has developed this patented manufacturing process in-house.
KLP® Polymer Sleepers with proven track record
Ever since its introduction in 2006 the KLP® Hybrid Polymer Sleeper has proven itself in railprojects in Europe, North America, South-East Asia, Australia and New Zealand region.
For example, the KLP® Hybrid Polymer Turnout Sleeper is approved by the Dutch infrastructure manager ProRail for use in the main track and is being installed as a substitute for traditional wooden sleepers.
Connectable polymer sleeper
There is a connectable version of the KLP® Hybrid Polymer Sleeper to achieve longer sleeper lengths. These composite polymer sleepers are equipped with a connection element allowing them to be connected together during installation. The stiffness remains constant over the whole length of the connected sleeper, due to its unique design. The maximum length obtainable with this connectable sleeper is 10,4 meter.