Method and track tamping machine for tamping a track

A method for tamping a plurality of sleepers of a track supported in a ballast bed by means of a plurality of tamping units arranged one behind the other on a machine frame of a track tamping machine with tamping tools opposite each other in pairs, with only one sleeper being tamped by means of the respective tamping unit during a tamping process, the method comprising the following steps:

• actuating longitudinal actuators via a control device, which is given a sleeper spacing of the sleepers to be tamped,
• positioning the tamping units towards each other in the longitudinal direction of the machine by means of the longitudinal actuators prior to a tamping process, in order to adjust the positions of the tamping units to the given sleeper spacing, and
• tamping sleepers not arranged directly one behind the other during the tamping process;
• lifting and laterally lining a track panel formed of sleepers and rails fixed thereon prior to tamping by means of a lifting and lining unit, and that a vertical position and a horizontal position of the rails are detected by means of a measuring device positioned in front of at least one tamping unit of said plurality of tamping units at a very front.

A method for tamping a plurality of sleepers of a track supported in a ballast bed by means of a plurality of tamping units arranged one behind the other on a machine frame of a track tamping machine with tamping tools opposite each other in pairs, with only one sleeper being tamped by means of the respective tamping unit during a tamping process, the method comprising the following steps:

• actuating longitudinal actuators via a control device, which is given a sleeper spacing of the sleepers to be tamped,
• positioning the tamping units towards each other in the longitudinal direction of the machine by means of the longitudinal actuators prior to a tamping process, in order to adjust the positions of the tamping units to the given sleeper spacing, and
• tamping sleepers arranged one behind the other;
• tamping sleepers not arranged directly one behind the other during the tamping process;
• wherein, in the case of three tamping units arranged one behind the other at a distance that is double the sleeper spacing, after an initial tamping of sleepers positioned directly one behind the other, all tamping units are moved forward by three sleeper spacings in the direction of work prior to a tamping process, and that tamping is carried out with all three tamping units during a tamping process.