The journey by train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City used to take 34 hours; however, it has now been reduced to just 29 hours while still ensuring high safety standards, saving the government billions of VND each year. This miraculous transformation in the railway sector has been achieved through the application of polymer products in the production of plastic sleepers, an innovation developed by the Tropical Engineering Institute, part of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.
A few years ago, the production of plastic sleepers—a type of accessory in the railway structure designed to reduce noise and shorten train running time—seemed unimaginable to domestic manufacturers. Recently, the Tropical Engineering Institute successfully completed a state-level pilot production project on “Refining the technology for manufacturing blended polymer (polyamide/polypropylene) to produce plastic sleepers for the railway sector,” yielding results beyond expectations.
During the implementation phase, scientists faced numerous challenges due to high risks, rising raw material costs for producing plastic sleepers, and the urgent timeline of the project.
Refusing to succumb to these obstacles, leveraging the technology of manufacturing compatible materials, the technology of producing blended polymer materials, and a self-equipped synchronized production line, from 2003 to 2004, the team of scientists at the Tropical Engineering Institute successfully researched and began the production of 1,138,790 plastic sleepers, 3,000 rail pads, and 7,000 kg of blended polymer, saving the government a significant amount of foreign currency.
The successful production and subsequent testing and application of the blended polymer have demonstrated its superior mechanical properties and durability in tropical climates. Unlike imported products, scientists assert that the rail pads can be used for over five years without maintenance or replacement. This product has helped reduce noise during train movement while shortening travel time while maintaining high safety standards.
Regarding the socio-economic effectiveness, the project leader, Dr. Dao The Minh, indicated that Vietnam is now fully capable of meeting the regular demands for plastic sleeper products from companies and enterprises in the railway sector. This capability contributes to job creation, supports domestic production, and lowers product costs. The plastic sleeper product also meets urgent and unexpected needs for quickly addressing damaged railway segments. Consequently, the railway sector has allowed the application of blended polymer and trial use of Vossloh plastic cores for prestressed concrete sleepers.
Dr. Dao The Minh further stated that, to date, while they have achieved self-sufficiency in producing rail pads for domestic units, the ambition of the Tropical Engineering Institute’s scientific team is not limited to the local market; they aim to expand into the global arena. Achieving this requires a promotional and marketing campaign for the products, alongside close cooperation among agencies to find a common voice for this domestic innovation to serve the global railway industry.
