September 2013 Railway Age Magazine by Railway Age

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September 2013

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RailwayAge

SEPTEMBER 2013

visit us at www.railwayage.com Features

News/Columns

BNSF’s capex program

From the editor

Railway interchange ‘13

Update

watching washington

Perspective

Financial edge

Tier 4: a few clean breakthroughs

lNg: game-changer?

Smarter crossings, safer crossings

New look at electrification 59 lRT for Canada’s capital

NJT’s stretched lRV

Concrete bridges at FaST 72 Beyond M-976

Departments industry indicators

industry Outlook

Market

People

100 years ago

Meetings

Products

advertising index

Professional Directory

Classified

On the COver

BNSF’s 2013 capital plan of $4.3 billion is the industry’s biggest. Photo: Bruce Kelly Railway Age, USPS 449-130, is published monthly by the Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation, 55 Broad St., 26th Fl., New York, NY 10004. Tel. (212) 620-7200; FAX (212) 633-1863. Vol. 214, No. 9. Subscriptions: Railway Age is sent without obligation to professionals working in the railroad industry in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. However, the publisher reserves the right to limit the number copies. Subscriptions should be requested on company letterhead. Subscription pricing to others for Print or Digital only versions: $100.00 per year/$151.00 for two years in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; $139.00 per year/$197.00 for two years, foreign. Foreign $239.00 (U.S. funds) per year/$397.00 for two years for Air mail delivery. When ordering Both Print and Digital: $150.00 per year/$227.00 for two years in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; $208.00 per year/$296.00 for two years, foreign. Foreign $308.00 (U.S. funds) per year/$496.00 for two years for Air mail delivery. Single Copies: $36.00 per copy in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico/$128.00 foreign All subscriptions payable in advance. COPYRIGHT© 2013 Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2012. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. For reprint information contact PARS International Corp., 102 W. 38th Street, 6th floor, New York, N.Y. 10018, Tel.: 212-221-9595; Fax: 212-221-9195. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Canada Post Cust.#7204564; Agreement #41094515. Bleuchip Int’l, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Address all subscriptions, change of address forms and correspondence concerning subscriptions to Subscription Dept., Railway Age, P.O. Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010 or call toll free (800) 895-4389. In Nebraska call (402) 346-4740. Printed at Cummings Printing, Hooksett, N.H. ISSN 00338826

September 2013 Railway age 1

RailwayAge

From the Editor William C. Vantuono

Editorial and ExEcutivE officEs Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp. 55 Broad Street, 26th Fl. New York, NY 10004 212-620-7200; Fax: 212-633-1863 Website: www.railwayage.com

From steam to state-of-the-art

n his 65-year railroading career, New Jersey Transit’s Frank Bookstaver has seen and worked through more changes in the industry than most railroaders would care to admit—and he’s proud of it. Bookstaver, 85, retired July 6 as NJT’s Assistant Chief Dispatcher at the ROC (Rail Operations Center). Were it not for some health issues that limit his mobility, he’d still be on the job. “I’ve enjoyed working for the railroad all my life,” he says. “I enjoy the challenges—that’s what the dispatching job gave me.” Bookstaver (pictured above at right) has also enjoyed what he describes as the “family atmosphere” at NJT, where he been since the agency’s Rail Operations division was formed in 1983. “It has been a privilege, a real honor, to work here; NJ Transit has been exceptionally good to me.” Bookstaver, whose former supervisor, Senior Director System Operations Jim Sincaglia, describes as “just incredibly hardworking,” began his railroading career in 1948 as a block operator on the Erie Railroad, after graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Rutherford, N.J. His father—who retired at age 91 from a consulting firm after working on the Erie from age 12 to 65—was a superintendent on the Erie at the time. Bookstaver actually began working on the Erie at age 15 as a summer clerk in the passenger department, and as a baggage and mail clerk and platform train announcer during Christmas break at the Erie’s Jersey City terminal. In 1950, Bookstaver qualified as a train dispatcher. In 1960, the Erie merged with the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western to form the Erie Lackawanna (EL). In 1968, Bookstaver relocated to Youngstown, Ohio, where he was an assistant trainmaster. In 1970, he again relocated to Cleveland, where he was a power control supervisor. In 1975, the pitiful state of the Northeast’s railroads and the subsequent amalgamation

Railway age

September 2013

of EL, Penn Central, and other bankrupt carriers into Conrail, prompted Bookstaver’s return to New Jersey, where he became Assistant Chief Dispatcher for Conrail’s commuter train operations out of Hoboken Terminal. When NJT took over passenger operations in the state from Conrail, Bookstaver stayed with the new agency as Assistant Chief Dispatcher, a position he held for the next 30 years. Bookstaver began his career in the days of steam locomotives, interlocking towers, and telephoned train orders. He recalls qualifying for those jobs out on the road on the head end of a train, to learn the territory. He spent the latter part of his career working with state-of-the-art traffic control technology at the ROC. So in a very real, practical sense, he has been a part of the industry’s technological evolution in communications and signals and traffic control. During my 21-plus years with Railway Age, I’ve come across many people like Frank Bookstaver. Some have been in train and engine service, some have been suppliers or consultants, some have been railroad signal or track or mechanical engineers, some have been chief executives, and some have been editors and publishers (like our own Bob Lewis, who died in 2011 at 95, and his competitor and friend Frank Richter, who passed on just a few weeks ago at 97). They all had one thing in common: a love of the rail industry, which many of them told me “gets in your blood.” Technology can be fascinating, and you’ll see plenty of it at Railway Interchange 2013 at the end of this month. But what really makes this industry so great is its people. Keep that in mind while you take in all there is to see and do in Indianapolis.

ARTHUR J. McGINNIS, Jr., President and Chairman JONATHAN CHALON, Publisher jchalon@sbpub.com WILLIAM C. VANTUONO, Editor-in-Chief wvantuono@sbpub.com DOUGLAS JOHN BOWEN, Managing Editor dbowen@sbpub.com LUTHER S. MILLER, Senior Consulting Editor lmiller@sbpub.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Alex Binkley, Roy H. Blanchard, Lawrence H Kaufman, Bruce E. Kelly, Anthony D. Kruglinski, Ron Lindsey, Ryan McWilliams, Jason H. Seidl, Frank N. Wilner Creative Director: Wendy Williams Art Director: Sarah Vogwill Corporate Production Director: Mary Conyers Production Manager: Jessica Cajas Production Director: Eduardo Castaner Marketing Director: Erica Hayes Conference Director: Jane Poterala Circulation Director: Maureen Cooney WEstErn officEs 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910, Chicago, IL 60603 312-683-0130; Fax: 312-683-0131 Engineering Editor: Mischa Wanek-Libman mischa@sbpub.com Assistant Editor: Jennifer Nunez jnunez@sbpub.com George Sokulski, Associate Publisher Emeritus gsokulski@sbpub.com intErnational officEs 46 Killigrew Street, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 3PP, United Kingdom Telephone: 011-44-1326-313945 Fax: 011-44-1326-211576 International Editors: David Briginshaw, Keith Barrow, Kevin Smith customEr sErvicE: 800-895-4389 Reprints: PARS International Corp. 253 West 35th Street 7th Floor New York, NY 10001 212-221-9595; fax 212-221-9195 curt.ciesinski@parsintl.com Railway Age, descended from the American Rail-Road Journal (1832) and the Western Railroad Gazette (1856) and published under its present name since 1876, is indexed by the Business Periodicals Index and the Engineering Index Service. Name registered in U.S. Patent Office and Trade Mark Office in Canada. Now indexed in ABI/Inform. Change of address should reach us six weeks in advance of next issue date. Send both old and new addresses with address label to Subscription Department, Railway Age, P.O. Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010, or call toll free 1-800-895-4389. Post Office will not forward copies unless you provide extra postage. Photocopy rights: Where necessary, permission is granted by the copyright owner for the libraries and others registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) to photocopy articles herein for the flat fee of $2.00 per copy of each article. Payment should be sent directly to CCC. Copying for other than personal or internal reference use without the express permission of Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp. is prohibited. Address requests for permission on bulk orders to the Circulation Director. Railway Age welcomes the submission of unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. However, the publishers will not be responsible for safekeeping or return of such material. Member of:

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Industry Indicators shoRt line and Regional tRaffiC indeX

tRaffiC oRiginated

five WeeKs enDIng aUgUST 3, 2013

carLoaDS

maJoR u.s. RailRoads By Commodity grain farm Products ex. grain grain mill Products food products chemicals Petroleum & Petroleum Products coal Primary forest Products Lumber and Wood Products Pulp and Paper Products metallic ores coke Primary metal Products Iron and Steel Scrap motor Vehicles and Parts crushed Stone, Sand, and gravel nonmetallic minerals Stone, clay & glass Waste & nonferrous Scrap all other carloads total u.s. CaRloads

July ’13 80,235 3,712 43,649 31,235 145,647 65,561 563,462 7,447 15,515 32,286 32,625 19,258 51,592 20,336 61,245 104,789 26,394 42,102 17,664 19,988 1,384,742

July ’12 88,668 3,577 47,019 32,030 145,008 52,472 587,534 7,418 15,501 30,555 39,174 17,686 49,255 17,029 64,454 93,785 25,805 39,011 15,166 21,127 1,392,274

% Change -9.5% -3.8% -7.2% -2.5% 0.4% 24.9% -4.1% 0.4% 0.1% 5.7% -16.7% 8.9% 4.7% 19.4% -5.0% 11.7% 2.3% 7.9% 16.5% -11.0% -1.0%

372,136

382,105

-2.6%

1,756,878

1,774,379

-1.0%

carLoaDS

chemicals coal crushed Stone / Sand / gravel food & Kindred Products grain grain mill Products Lumber & Wood Products metallic ores metals & Products motor Vehicles & equipment nonmetallic minerals Petroleum Products Pulp, Paper & allied Products Stone, clay & glass Products Trailers / containers Waste & nonferrous Scrap all other carloads

ComBined u.s./Canada RR

five WeeKs enDIng aUgUST 3, 2013

InTermoDaL maJoR u.s. RailRoads By Commodity TraILerS conTaInerS total units

July ’13 116,663 892,724 1,009,387

July ’12 119,828 876,166 995,994

% Change -2.6% 1.9% 6.6%

8,236 263,339 271,575

6,734 258,064 264,798

22.3% 2.0% 2.6%

148,297 1,341,903 1,490,200

148,807 1,305,288 1,454,095

-0.3% 2.8% 2.5%

ComBined u.s./Canada RR TraILerS conTaInerS total ComBined units

Source: monthly railroad Traffic, association of american railroads

aveRage WeeKly u.s. Rail CaRloads: all Commodities (not seasonally adjusted)

% Change

310,000 320,000 330,000 340,000 350,000

360,000 370,000 380,000 390,000 400,000

RailRoad employment, Class i linehaul CaRRieRs, July 2013 (% change from JULY 2012)

Transportation (train and engine) 66,198 (2.10%)

executives, officials, and Staff assistants 9,852 (1.27%)

Professional and administrative 14,169 (1.97%)

total employees: 163,956 % Change fRom July 2012: 1.20% Transportation (other than train & engine) 6,785 (0.33%)

maintenance of equipment and Stores 29,439 (-0.77%)

maintenanceof-Way and Structures 37,513 (1.07%)

Source: Surface Transportation Board

employment up yeaR-oveR-yeaR, doWn fRom past month figures released by the Surface Transportation Board show class I railroads employed 163,956 people in mid-July, up 1.2% from July 2012, but down 513 people, or 0.31%, from the previous month of June. all categories save one gained year-over-year, with maintenance of equipment and Stores the only year-over-year loss, down 0.77%. The top gainer year-over-year: Transportation (train & engine), up 2.1%. 4

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September 2013

9.5% 6.8% 3.5% 0.2% 3.5% 6.8% 9.1% 28.1% 10.8% 3.1% 81.2% 4.6% 10.3% 1.3% 15.5% 8.2% 3.9%

July 2013 - 381,416 July 2012 - 354,708

Canadian RailRoads TraILerS conTaInerS total units

oRiginated July ’12 42,914 21,607 27,138 11,948 21,535 6,921 9,487 5,375 21,890 10,892 1,233 2,167 19,035 12,852 41,281 10,025 88,408

total CaRloads, July 2013 vs. 2012

Canadian RailRoads all Commodities

oRiginated July ’13 47,004 23,077 28,087 11,971 22,289 7,390 10,349 6,883 24,258 11,233 2,234 2,267 21,000 13,014 47,672 10,845 91,843

By Commodity

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Industry Outlook Seidl: Long-range crude-by-rail outlook is good . . .

Narrowing oil price differentials are impacting carloadings in the near term, but should not deter shippers from making long-term investments in crude-by-rail, which has many inherent logistical benefits that can override price in determining a transportation mode in certain scenarios,” says Cowen and Co. Managing Director and Railway age Contributing editor Jason H. Seidl. “Price differentials may slow CBR but won’t stop it.” “The couple of years when a significant arbitrage existed unveiled to shippers the many benefits of using the railroads to move crude,” Seidl says in a recent equity Research analysis. “The

result is that many shippers now appear convinced that rail should continue to be an important transportation option regardless of the arbitrage or the lack thereof. That said, the narrow price differentials are putting a damper on spot crude shipments on rail in the near term, especially in geographies of greater and growing pipeline capacity, such as from the Bakken to the gulf. “The east and west have limited pipeline options, and that is likely to remain the case in the foreseeable future. Producers have slightly shifted back to pipeline but remain committed to rail long-term. in June, the North Dakota Pipeline authority estimated

that 68% of crude was exported from the williston Basin by rail, down from 75% in april. This is mostly due to companies taking advantage of the shifts in oil price differentials. Oil production in the basin is now about 900,000 bbl. per day (June) and could reach 1.80 million bpd by yearend 2018. while sufficient pipeline capacity is expected to come online by 2016 (about 1.6 million bpd), we think rail volumes will continue to grow moderately over the next few years despite pipelines taking back some market share, mostly gulf Coast destinations. we note the all-in cost of rail remains competitive with pipeline options, without having to make longterm volume commitments, a positive for oil producers,” Seidl says. “From a producer perspective, rail is still playing a large factor in oil transport logistics. Our thesis regarding long term optionality with the oil and gas producers remains largely unchanged. Operators may have tempered back shipments on rail due to slightly higher net-back on new pipeline capacity, [but] we think operators will remain flexible.”

STB adopts final . . . as CP, UP Canada-to-California crude-by-rail venture gears up PTC financial reporting rules Canadian Pacific and Union Pacific at Tacoma, wash., and to a storage and are teaming up to move crude oil from Canada to California. Sporadic shipments were on the increase this summer, with blocks of loaded oil tank cars rolling southward in manifests through the CP/UP interchange at eastport, idaho. Two California refineries are preparing to receive 100-car unit trains of Canadian crude from CP and UP, pending approval and construction of offloading facilities. This CP/UP partnership would bring a considerable southward shift to the prevailing flow of CBR in the west. BNSF began delivering unit oil trains from North Dakota to a Tesoro refinery at anacortes, wash., during summer 2012. within months, BNSF added unit train shipments to U.S. Oil and Refining 6

Railway age

September 2013

transloading terminal run by global Partners and served by short line Portland & western near Clatskanie, Ore. Some, if not all, of the oil shipped to Clatskanie has originated on CP. California historically has received the majority of its crude by ship or pipeline. But Valero energy refineries at wilmington and Benicia, Calif., are slated for track expansion to handle increased rail volume, up to 60,000 additional barrels per day at wilmington, and 70,000 barrels per day at Benicia. Valero says rail deliveries of Canadian crude would offset the more costly crude that currently arrives at these refineries via marine vessel from alaska and overseas sources. —Bruce Kelly

The Surface Transportation Board on aug. 14, 2013 adopted final rules for the reporting of Positive Train Control (PTC) expenses and investments for Class i railroads. The rules require the railroads to separately identify information on PTC implementation expenditures in their annual financial R-1 reports to the Board “so that such costs can be viewed both as a component of, and separately from, other capital investments and expenses,” STB said. Four separate schedules seek data on road property and equipment improvements, depreciation base and rates—road property and equipment, aaccumulated depreciation, and investment in railroad property.

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ABB traction power for Dallas (DART) streetcars aBB’s Discrete automation and Motion Division, its power and automation technology group, has won a contract from Brookville equipment Corp. to supply complete traction power systems for installation on Brookville’s new hybrid liberty streetcars for DaRT (Dallas area Rapid Transit), Texas. aBB’s scope of supply includes its CC400 traction converters, HeX 30 cooling units, and 99 kw aC traction motors. The streetcars’ hybrid propulsion system can draw power from the DC catenary or alternatively from batteries when the vehicle is operating “off-wire” on part of the route.

North America ABERDEEN CAROLINA & WESTERN RAILWAY: Formed a subsidiary, aCwR Shops, llC, that repairs and retrofits locomotives, as well as passenger and freight cars. CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY: awarded a contract to Parsons Brinckerhoff to provide construction management services for all phases of project delivery, from preconstruction through close-out. The scope of services includes project management, project controls, safety oversight, office/field engineering support, inspection, and quality assurance. PB’s first authorized are the Red line track renewal and station improvements projects with construction costs of $220 million and $44 million, respectively. The track project involves complete reconstruction of track along the Red line’s Dan Ryan branch, from 8

Railway age

September 2013

the subway portal at 16th Street south to the north stock rail at the 95th Street interlocking, a stretch of nearly 10 miles. The work also includes rehabilitation of portions of the Orange line and green line tracks directly adjacent to the Red line work.

Worldwide BERGEN, NORWAY: Signed a $90.2 million contract with Skanska Norway for construction of two sections of the third phase extension of Bergen’s light rail line.

LACMTA: Selected atkins to serve as a general engineering consultant (geC) in support of los angeles Metro’s rail network operations, maintenance, and expansion plans.

BUDAPEST TRANSPORT CENTER (HUNGARY): Selected CaF as its preferred bidder for a contract to supply 37 low-floor lRVs with an option for 87 additional vehicles.

NORTHSHORE MINING: Tapped RailComm to provide its Domain Operations Controller (DOC®) train control system for the company’s rail operation in Silver Bay, Minn.

DB REGIO (GERMANY): Placed its new Bombardier Class 442 electric multiple-units (eMUs) into service around leipzig on aug. 18.

VIA RAIL CANADA: announced completion of wi-Fi installation for its long-distance train, the Ocean, as part of a five year, $6.3 million contract awarded to Nomad Digital ltd.

LONDON TRAMLINK : exercised an option for four additional Variobahn low-floor lRVs from Stadler Pankow, which will be used on the light rail network in Croydon, england, about six miles south of london.

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Update Supply BriefS private equity firm acquires Nordco, inc. Nordco inc. said last month it has been acquired by greenbriar equity group llC, a New york-based private equity firm focused on global transportation. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Nordco will immediately become a majority-owned greenbriar portfolio company. Hughes Hubbard & Reed llP acted as legal counsel to greenbriar.

“Bakken Blitz” targets CBR tank car safety

ritron locomotive radios delivered to the lirr Carmel, ind.-based Ritron, inc. has delivered 59 of its U.S.-designed and –built RCCR-151 narrowband analog locomotive radios to the long island Rail Road. The contract, which includes radios and accessories, is worth $200,000 and was awarded in March 2013 to Ritron’s authorized dealer, Diversified electronics Systems of Forest Park, ga. The purchase included Ritron’s RCCR one-piece, narrowband-capable model.

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Railway age September 2013

Planning for the inspections started in March—well before Lac-Mégantic— following FRA audits and PHMSA field observations that found inconsistencies with crude oil classification, the agencies said. The exact contents of the tank cars carrying crude is a major aspect of the Lac-Mégantic investigation. Bakken crudes tend to be lighter and thus more volatile than other grades. “The explosion in Lac-Mégantic was very unusual for crude,” FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo said. “Generally speaking, most grades of crude would not be that volatile. Our big concern at the moment is [verifying that] what is in a tank car is what people say is in a tank car, because there are certain requirements they have to meet if the flash point is different from what the regulations say. For example, they should have a safety and security plan if they are shipping something that is extremely volatile, which means they should be taking into account already some of the issues we’re talking about, including securement.” Early last month FRA issued an Emergency Order “to help prevent trains operating on main line tracks or sidings from moving unintentionally,” specifically, those hauling certain types of hazardous materials, such as crude oil and ethanol.

Bruce Kelly

TÜV Rheinland of North america is offering iSO 50001 certification service to companies across all industries “seeking to enhance their energy performance, reduce production costs, and improve overall sustainability and competitiveness in the marketplace.” The iSO 50001 energy Management System standard focuses exclusively on an organization’s energy consumption and improving energy performance. Organizations that already have a fully functioning iSO 14001 environmental Management System, can fasttrack the implementation of an energy Management System.

he Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Railroad Administration are conducting a safety review of crudeby-rail shipments originating in the Bakken Shale formation, specifically within North Dakota and South Dakota. The review, already well under way, will be checking rail manifests to make sure they accurately reflect cargo volume and other specifics, and to make sure trains are adequately staffed, PHMSA Administrator Cynthia Quarterman said at an Aug. 22 emergency meeting of the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) in Washington. The review, officially called “Operation Classification” but tagged the “Bakken Blitz,” takes into account serious concerns generated by the explosion and derailment in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, in July of a Montreal, Maine & Atlantic CBR train that killed at least 47 and caused extensive damage to the municipality. The review primarily involves shipments from the Bakken; its activities include unannounced spot inspections, data collection, and sampling, as well as verifying compliance with federal safety regulations. The activities are taking place at strategic terminal and transloading locations that service crude oil.

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Update In a July 29 letter to the American Petroleum Institute, FRA outlined numerous safety concerns. Among them: “Crude oil transported by rail often derives from different sources and is then blended, so it is critical that shippers determine the proper classification of the crude oil per the HMR (Hazardous Materials Regulations; Title 49 CFR Parts 171-180). . . . Unfortunately, AAR standard transportation commodity code data does not distinguish between different packing groups within the hazard class. Without further information, and in relation to the accuracy of crude oil classifications being made, FRA can only speculate as to the number of potential crude oil shipments that are being made in AAR class tank cars in violation of the HMR.” As a result of these and other concerns, FRA is investigating whether crude oil is being properly classified and, subsequently, whether the proper tank car packagings are being

used for transportation. As part of this investigation, FRA will be requesting analytical data supporting the current classification of a shipper’s crude oil, as well as information related to shipper crude oil loading practices. If analytical data regarding the current classification of crude oil is not available, FRA, in partnership with PHMSA, may use PHMSA’s Hazardous Materials Testing Program. Under this program, a sample of a shipper’s hazardous material is sent to a certified laboratory for testing, and the results of the laboratory testing are then shared with the shipper. FRA may also consider exercising its authority

under 49 CFR 109.9 to determine whether crude oil is being properly classified and transported in HMR-authorized packaging. If an investigation reveals that crude oil is not being properly classified per the HMR, FRA may use its enforcement tools to address noncompliance. Some of these enforcement tools include the issuance of compliance orders, emergency orders, and civil penalties. The RSAC has been asked to examine current rules in light of Lac-Mégantic. It will look at issues such as whether trains carrying hazmat should be allowed to operate with one-person crews, as was the case with the MM&A train. Other issues include how to properly secure trains that are left unattended and whether trains carrying certain hazmat loads should be left unattended. The RSAC, which will split into working groups, has been asked to report back to the FRA with recommendations in April 2014.

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Update Greenbrier Cos. in maintenance pact with CIT The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. has signed a multiyear maintenance supply agreement to provide CIT Rail with dedicated access to repair capacity at Greenbrier’s railcar repair and parts shop in Atchison, Kan., with opportunities to expand to additional repair facilities in its nationwide network. Throughout the term of the agreement, both companies will collaborate to match CIT Rail’s railcar maintenance requirements with available shop capacity, “maximizing shop utilization and reducing out-of-service time for CIT railcars,” Greenbrier said. “We expect the repair work we performs under the agreement will enhance revenue and gross margins for our Wheels, Repair & Parts segment starting in our 2014 fiscal year,” the company added. CIT Rail is one of the largest freight car owners in North America with a fleet of approximately 104,000 railcars and 400 locomotives. “CIT aims to provide its customers with high quality and dependable railcar assets, and this agreement will serve to secure shop space for preventative railcar maintenance, regulatory certifications, lining and paint work, and other standard service needs,” Greenbrier said. “The arrangement will primarily focus on expanding service offerings for CIT’s tank car customers, but will also offer mechanical services for other car types in CIT’s fleet.” Greenbrier is certifying several of its maintenance shops to add tank car maintenance capacity to service emerging demand. These three multiyear supply agreements are elements of Greenbrier’s plan to enhance margins and improve capital efficiency in its Wheels, Repair & Parts segment. Greenbrier is also proceeding to sell or close eight Wheels, Repair & Parts facilities that are either non-core or otherwise underperforming, and implement initiatives to improve profitability and reduce capital employed at another six facilities currently underperforming.

Amtrak eyes its return to Roanoke Amtrak, Norfolk Southern, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the City of Roanoke have joined together to start work to extend Amtrak regional intercity passenger rail service from Lynchburg to Roanoke, in western Virginia. Intercity passenger trains last served Roanoke 34 years ago.

The prospect is a result of passage this year of Virginia’s first major transportation funding plan in nearly three decades. Extending the state’s Lynchburg line is anticipated to take between three and four years. Conceptual design work and rail capacity analysis is under way.

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Update Rick Corman, 1955-2013 Richard J. “Rick” Corman, founder of R. J. Corman Railroad Group, died the morning of Aug. 23, 2013, following a 12-year battle with multiple myeloma. Corman died at his home in Nicholasville, Ky. He was 58. “Mr. Corman will be remembered for his character, energy, determination, generosity, and vision,” said R. J. Corman Railroad Group President Craig King. “He built a successful railroad company by working hard, understanding industry needs, and delivering on them.” Described as “a railroad entrepreneur known for his colorful personality, with a deep and quick laugh and a demanding boss who was especially insightful and strategic in growing his business,” Corman founded a railroad construction company in 1973, the year he graduated from high school. Through his hands-on approach and exemplary customer service, he built his business into the R. J. Corman Railroad Group, a diversified railroad service provider that has more than 1,150 employees and operates in more than 21 states. Today, R. J. Corman Railroad Group is a privately owned holding company that operates a short line railroad, and provides switching operations, rail construction, track material distribution, warehousing, aviation services, equipment rental, derailment services, signaling, and railroad emergency response. The company owns RailPower Locomotives, and operates My Old Kentucky Dinner Train. The short line company, R. J. Corman Railroad Co. was named Railway Age’s 2007 Short Line of the Year. King said that, thanks to Corman’s penchant for detail and planning, the company is positioned to move forward, despite the loss of its founder: “Mr. Corman prepared us for this day, so we will continue serving our customers with the exceptional quality we are known for.”

UP introduces Arrowedge® Union Pacific has unveiled its Arrowedge® employeedesigned aerodynamic technology for fuel and locomotive emissions reductions for doublestack trains. UP expects to introduce it on intermodal service between Joliet, Ill., and Long Beach, Calif., this month. Arrowedge®, three years in development, “is the latest innovation in our ongoing commitment to design, build, and implement fuel-saving technologies,” said UP General DirectorCar and Locomotive Engineering Mike Iden. Positioned on top of the first freight container, the 48-foot Arrowedge® has a tapered body that allows air to easily flow around the train’s top frontmost containers, reducing aerodynamic drag, and the amount of locomotive power required to move the train. UP holds two U.S. patents for the Arrowedge®, with additional U.S. and Canadian patents pending.

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Update FRA issues RFP for PRIIA 305 HrSR locomotives The Federal Railroad Administration has issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) for 35 high-performance diesel-electric locomotives built to standardized technical specifications developed by the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) Section 305 Next Generation Corridor Equipment Pool Committee. The RFP comes from a multi-state effort to jointly purchase standardized rail equipment for state HrSR (higherspeed rail) corridors in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Iowa in the Midwest and Washington, California, and Oregon on the West Coast. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is leading the multi-state locomotive procurement, with first deliveries expected in 2016. The FRA has allocated $808 million to manufacture the 35 locomotives and 130 bilevel railcars. “The new uniform standards will drive down costs and allow more

manufacturers and suppliers to compete, fostering a healthy competition while re-establishing the U.S. domestic supply chain for passenger rail equipment,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “The intent to purchase 35 new locomotives comes as intercity passenger rail ridership continues to post and exceed ridership records. Last year, Amtrak carried more than 31.2 million passengers, marking the highest annual ridership total since it started operations in 1971, and the ninth ridership record during the past 10 years. The state corridor routes where these new locomotives will be deployed are among those services with the highest ridership growth. “We’re taking historic steps to build the rail system our economy needs and—more important—that Americans deserve, all while creating American jobs. The need for new rail equipment has never been greater, and the more

than 750 railroad suppliers located in the United States are up to the job.,” Szabo said. Selection of the manufacturer will occur in early 2014, with delivery planned for 2016. The complete RFP is available on the IDOT website. These locomotives will be the second procured under PRIIA 305. EMD on May 31 signed an agreement with the Southern California Regional Rail Authority to supply up to 20 F125 low-emission Spirit series dieselelectric passenger locomotives for operation on Metrolink—the first passenger railroad to purchase new locomotives designed to meet U.S. EPA Tier 4 emissions standards. Delivery will begin in 2015. FOR THE RECORD: The photo used in RA’s August High Profile was not that of Canadian Pacific Vice-President Eastern Region Tony Marquis.

September 2013 Railway age 17

Update Changing of the guard at Interfleet Technology Interfleet Technology Inc. North America President Larry Kelterborn stepped down from his position effective Aug. 1, 2013, assuming a consultant role. Parent company SNC-Lavalin Transportation Senior Vice President Bill Fullerton is his replacement. Kelterborn (photo above) will continue to serve as an advisor to Interfleet’s senior management team and will also continue to provide strategic consultancy services to Interfleet’s industry clients. His new role “will additionally see him serving as an ambassador within the industry for Interfleet, continuing to represent the company on various industry regulatory and standards committees and identifying business opportunities for Interfleet and its parent-company, SNC-Lavalin,” the company said. Kelterborn has almost 40 years’ experience in the international rail industry. He founded the specialist rail consultancy LDK Engineering in 1982. Interfleet Technology acquired LDK in 2007, following which Kelterborn became President of Interfleet’s North American operation. “Under Larry’s leadership the Interfleet team has grown and developed to its current position as one of the leading rail vehicles and systems engineerSince 1926 the Leader in Cylinder Liner Technology

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ing consultancies in North America,” Interfleet said. Bill Fullerton has more than 30 years of senior leadership experience in the field of infrastructure development, in the planning, design, construction, and operation of transportation projects, under both public and public-private partnership arrangements throughout the world. “This new arrangement blends Larry’s consultancy expertise with Bill’s management experience to the benefit of Interfleet’s North American team and its clients,” Interfleet said. “The combination of roles will aid the North American team in broadening its product offering and maximize synergies between Interfleet and SNC-Lavalin.”

Microgrid eyed for NJT Prompted by the damage inflicted last year by Superstorm Sandy, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and U.S. Secretary of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz late last month announced plans for “NJ TransitGrid” to make passenger rail infrastructure in the Garden State more self-sustaining and flexible in the face of future emergencies. Christie and Moniz made the announcement at NJ Transit’s Secaucus Junction Station, located on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor in Secaucus, N.J., which serves the vast majority of NJ Transit rail routes. The Department of Energy (DOE) will tap Sandia National Laboratories, managed by Sandia Corp., to help design a localized electric grid for NJ Transit, which would make rail infrastructure more self-reliant if other portions of the national grid fail or prove inadequate. Sandia Corp. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corp. DOE, along with NJT and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, will sponsor a study of NJT’s rail system energy needs and the “conceptual design” for a microgrid, which would power the network around Newark, Secaucus, and Hoboken, along with critical stations and maintenance facilities. Christie, in a statement, said the microgrid could help keep trains running during a natural disaster or make their use more available for evacuation purposes or other emergencies.

Maplewood, NJ 07040 Phone: (800) 21RAILS Email: gburwell@railsco.com Web: www.railsco.com September 2013 Railway age 19

Watching Washington FRank n. wilneR

Balance a must in regulating tank car safety

hat do Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer (Democrat), former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (Republican), and federal Judge Richard Posner (libertarian) have in common? Enough so that safety regulators and Congress should take guidance from them before leaping into a regulatory abyss that could undermine the nation’s crude-oil independence, threaten the railroads’ financial ability to upgrade and expand infrastructure, and mismanage, through a misunderstanding of risk, the low rupture probability of DOT-111 tank cars hauling crude oil. Begin with the horrific July accident at Lac-Megantic, Quebec, where unattended DOT-111 tank cars with crude oil from North Dakota’s Bakken Shale formation rolled down a hill, derailed, caused an explosion, and fire killed 47. Couple to that isolated, calamitous accident the histrionics from Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)—well before completion of an investigation into the root cause of the accident—that all 40,000 DOT-111 tank cars used to haul crude oil be idled until retrofitted to new safety standards. A similar recommendation was made by the National Transportation Safety Board that all DOT-111 cars be retrofitted to the higher standards tank-car manufacturers adopted in October 2011. Yes, DOT-111 tank cars have a higher probability than newer cars of rupturing in crashes and derailments, but the appropriate policy question is how great is the risk when balanced against the cost of retrofitting them before they again can be used. The latter would reduce significantly the movement of crude oil by rail, slow America’s return to energy independence, put upward pressure on rail 20

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rates for remaining commodities, drive more freight to less safe highways, shrink railroad profits, choke new capital investment, and create other rail safety problems. A fleet retrofit cannot be accomplished for years as shop capacity is tight, and replacement is unrealistic because of a two-year backlog on new tank car construction. Idling DOT-111 cars—75% of the fleet that hauls crude oil—would substantially decrease North American crude oil extraction,

A fleet retrofit cannot be accomplished for years. And pipelines have insufficient capacity to replace railroads. make America more dependent on imports from foreign sources beset by political unrest, and adversely impact employment and the nation’s economic recovery. Railroads transport twothirds of North Dakota’s Bakken Shale oil. Even assuming completion of the Keystone XL, pipelines have insufficient capacity to replace railroads. As Kissinger counseled, decision making must recognize the importance of equilibrium—that every action be counterbalanced against its impacts, which Posner terms benefit-cost analysis essential to all decision making. During the darkest days of the railroad industry in the 1970s, when more than 25 % of route miles were operated by bankrupt and financially ailing railroads unable to afford normalized

track maintenance, an appropriate balance between risk and fluid commerce was found by limiting train speeds over poorly maintained track rather than taking those lines out of service and diverting freight to less safe big trucks. Schumer, engages in what Breyer, when a Harvard law professor, called overreaction that undermines the legitimacy of the regulatory process by overregulating risks perceived to be great when they actually are remote. A perception that transporting crude oil in DOT-111 tank cars is unsafe ignores that 99.997% of rail-hauled hazmat arrives without a release caused by train accidents. And the Federal Railroad Administration has imposed additional safeguards through increased safety inspections and an emergency order targeting unattended trains, train securement, improved communication between dispatchers and crews, emphasis on more complete job briefings, and a dialogue among all stakeholders as to appropriate new safety guidelines. Moreover, were a retrofit ordered, professional engineers counsel that the extra weight from the retrofit could create a new rail safety problem. Attempts to manage risk in an atmosphere of perceived crisis and political pressure fuels misperceptions and tunnel vision, discriminates against scientific analysis and facts, lacks balance and often creates unanticipated and more serious problems. Congress and federal regulators must avoid hasty action, subject recommendations on DOT-111 tank-car safety to thorough benefit-cost analysis, and seek a balance, recognizing risk never can be fully eliminated, but is best managed through joint consideration of national economic interests and public safety.

Perspective HON. DaN liPiNSKi

CREATE’s completion: A national need

his summer at congressional hearings across the country, in Los Angeles, Memphis, and New York, one point was crystal clear: Completing the CREATE rail modernization program in northeastern Illinois is a national priority for improving the movement of freight in America. Back in April, I was chosen by House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) and Ranking Member Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) to serve on a new panel charged with studying 21st century freight transportation. The 11 members on the panel were given no small task: Take an in-depth look at the country’s freight transportation system, find ways to improve it, and report back to the full committee in six months with our recommendations. As the only panel member from the Midwest—as well as being a representative in the Chicago area, the country’s freight hub for more than a century—this appointment has been a great privilege and honor. More than halfway through our mission, we have toured southern California to learn more about moving freight into and out of our nation’s largest port, Memphis, to get a better understanding of freight movement on inland waterways, and New York City/ Newark to hear about the challenges of moving freight from ports into and through big cities. The message we have been given over and over again is that the efficient movement of freight is becoming even more critical to the American economy, and that the federal government needs to be doing more to modernize all modes in our transportation system. At each stop we also heard that if Chicago’s legendary rail network isn’t working efficiently, neither is the rest of 22

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the nation. One fact that bears repeating: It takes a train two days to reach Chicagoland from the West Coast, but another two days just to pass through the area. CREATE—the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program—is the solution to eliminating the bottlenecks we experience every day in my district and across the region.

Of the 70 projects identified in CREATE, 17 are complete. CREATE came together more than a decade ago as a historic public-private partnership of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago, and the passenger railroads (including commuter) and freight railroads. Through a series of projects large and small, the shared goal is to modernize the Chicago rail system. So where are we with CREATE today? Of the 70 projects identified in CREATE, 17 are complete. The total program, when it is completed, is now estimated to cost $3.2 billion. About $1.2 billion in funding has been committed to date on those 70 projects, with the federal government providing about $450 million of that amount. The State of Illinois has contributed more than $400 million. The railroads have committed a little more than $200 million. The City of Chicago has invested $15 million. But more needs to be done. CREATE’s greatest emphasis until now has been on improving strategic freight

corridors and tackling smaller railspecific projects. All of the rail corridor projects in CREATE have been completed or now have funding committed to them. That’s the good news. But the projects with the highest price tags are lagging behind: the flyovers separating crossing rail lines and the grade separations isolating roads from rails. CREATE’s lasting legacy from the point of view of almost everyone in the region is the grade separations. Representing a district with the most rail crossings in the country, I hear more about these projects than any other issue. Grade separations will provide direct, observable benefits to the public—from the trucks arriving on time to make deliveries to local businesses, to firefighters and paramedics not having to worry about blocked crossings when responding to emergencies, to the extra hours working moms and dads will get each year at home because they won’t be delayed by a long freight train on the drive home. Just two of the 25 highway-rail grade separation projects in CREATE are completed. Four are under construction. The remaining 19 are inching through the planning process and only one of those has the funding to get through construction. Twelve have no funding whatsoever. For CREATE to move forward and the country to improve its freight transportation system and ensure our future success in the global marketplace, this is something that must be addressed. With Chairman Shuster convening this special panel on freight, I believe we now have the focus and determination to start finding some solutions. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) is a native of Illinois’Third Congressional District, which includes large parts of south and southwest Chicago, and suburban communities in west and southwest Cook County.

Crude oil meets intermodal at Hauser Junction, Idaho.

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A stronger network, with more cApAcity How BNSF is leveraging a record $4.3 billion in capital investment. By william C. Vantuono, editor-in-Chief

All photos by Bruce Kelly

here can be a distinct advantage to having only one shareholder. For BNSF Railway chief executive Matt Rose, answering to Warren Buffett—who put his faith in the freight rail industry and BNSF management when he acquired the railroad in 2009 (“It’s going to be around for the next 100 or 200 years, and you can’t move it to China or India,” he said at the time)—the advantage is the ability to invest what is necessary into stateof-good repair and capital expansion programs, without analysts or shareholders with short-term financial interests looking over your shoulder. Rose and his management team know where the investments need to be made. For sole shareholder Buffett—who firmly believes that railroads are essential to the long-term health of the U.S. economy, and will continue to grow as the need for efficient surface transportation increases—all he’s looking for is “a reasonable return” on his investment. BNSF’s 2013 capex program is a whopping $4.3 billion, the industry’s biggest, about a 16% increase from 2012’s $3.6 billion. This year’s program was initially set at $4.1 billion, but was increased by $200 million “due to more expansion-related spending,” Rose said in the railroad’s Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2013. “We will spend $2.3 billion in capital in 2013 to maintain a strong core network and related assets. In addition, we will continue investing in our locomotive and railcar fleet and in projects that expand and improve the efficiency of our infrastructure, and continue installing Positive Train Control in response to a federal mandate.” The program includes about $200 million for PTC and $800 million for terminal, line, and intermodal expansion and efficiency projects. September 2013 Railway age 25

BNSF’S capex program

A manifest freight waits in a siding as a priority doublestack intermodal train heads into Spokane, Wash.

About 50% of BNSF’s 2013 capex program is for engineering projects designed “to make our rail network stronger, with more capacity, so that more customers will want to use our services,” Rose tells Railway Age. “We are very passionate about our network velocity, and our maintainability,” both of which “are code words for better service.” “The policy wonk’s delight”

Matt Rose points out that the industry has achieved just about as many personnel-based productivity improvements as possible. “Every major step-level change in productivity— mergers, master crew-consist agreements, for example—has been people-based since deregulation in 1980,” he says. “Though we are still nibbling around the edges with productivity, there is nothing more significant now than taking costs out of fuel.” To that end, BNSF—always a leader in technology—is racing ahead with a program to test locomotives fueled by LNG (liquefied natural gas), which Rose says “may be the next big opportunity for taking cost out of our operations.” GE Transportation and Electro-Motive Diesel are each providing three test units, which are expected to begin a one-year evaluation in the fourth quarter. Though few details were available at press time for this issue, Rose did provide some insight into the economic and regulatory issues surrounding LNG. “The public policy issues are significant,” he says. “LNG is the policy wonk’s delight.” Currently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has no regulatory oversight on LNG 26

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locomotives. The Federal Railroad Administration, working presumably with the Department of Homeland Security, will need to establish safety regulations for LNG fuel tenders. The Surface Transportation Board will have to acknowledge the capital investment and ROI implications of LNG. What will drive a conversion to LNG, which Rose says will entail a $6 billion to $8 billion investment for BNSF’s 6,900unit locomotive fleet, is “the spread relationship between the cost of diesel and LNG, which currently is about one-fifth the cost of diesel. Ten years ago, the cost of each was about even. Can we hedge LNG for 10 years? Will fuel surcharges be possible, if needed? At the end of the day, it makes sense to change surface transportation from diesel to gas, but we will need a regulatory framework.” Rose also connects CBR and LNG fuel with the U.S. becoming energy independent—a “big idea” that has taken on more significance in the wake of escalating social and political instability in the Middle East. (See related stories on pp. 39 and 44.) CBR drives investment

BNSF is allocating a significant amount of capital to its eastwest Northern Corridor to handle soaring crude-by-rail (CBR) traffic originating in the Bakken Shale Formation in North Dakota and Montana. “This year we plan to spend about $220 million on CBR-related infrastructure in North Dakota, such as double-tracking, longer passing sidings, and terminal expansions,” he says. “We will invest significantly more next year, and we believe we will get our investment back.”

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At a reasonable rate of return, no doubt. North Dakota is the second largest oil producing state in the U.S., behind Texas and ahead of Alaska, and BNSF has established itself as the Bakken region’s largest crude-hauler. “Crude by rail is backfilling 50% of our coal losses,” Rose says. “We have never seen a business that has grown so fast. We’re moving 650,00 barrels per day and expect to be moving 750,000 barrels per day by the end of this year. Right now, we’re moving 10% of all the oil in the U.S.” Recent reports suggest that BNSF could be moving as many as one million barrels per day by some time in 2014. While the growth in CBR has been rapid (creating a twoyear backlog on deliveries of new tank cars), Rose sees a longer-term, “more normal yet creative” marketplace. “In terms of rail vs. pipeline, the mix is going to be dynamic, unlike coal. There is no 15- to 20-year certainty,” he says. The $220 million in 2013 capacity enhancement projects in North Dakota include constructing three new sidings west of Minot near Manitou, Tioga, and Palermo; extending the sidings near Glen Ullin and Hillsboro; improvements to six sidings between Minot and Grand Forks; raising 10 miles of track over Devils Lake by 1 to 5 feet to keep the track above rising water; upgrading the line between Berthold and Northgate on the Canadian border; installing CTC on three sidings near Devils Lake, Hillsboro, and Towner; constructing

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a new double crossover track east of Williston; and lengthening existing tracks or adding new tracks at rail yards in Mandan, Minot and Williston. BNSF will also continue its track maintenance program in North Dakota, which will include nearly 1,900 miles of track surfacing and undercutting, replacement of about 315 miles of rail and 415,000 ties, as well as “significant” signal upgrades for PTC.

BNSF is moving 650,000 barrels of crude per day and expects to be at 750,000 by the end of this year. That’s 10% of all the crude oil in the United States. On top of the $220 million slated for North Dakota, $115 million is being spent in Montana on maintenance and capacity expansion projects. Among the projects are three new unit train staging tracks about three miles east of Glasgow, and safety enhancements accomplished through addition of Machine Vision fault-detection technology at Miles City to

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BNSF’S capex program

completion of the Logistics park Kansas city Intermodal facility in edgerton, Kansas, is one of many BNSF capacity improvement projects. help identify damaged rolling stock. The track maintenance program in Montana will include more than 2,300 miles of track surfacing and undercutting work, replacement of about 100 miles of rail and 310,000 ties, as well as signaling upgrades for PTC. These capacity improvements will improve service to pipeline operators and short lines, which have built 12 terminals adjacent to BNSF and Canadian Pacific infrastructure in northwestern North Dakota in the past two years, increasing the number of terminals to 16. These terminals are handling crude delivered by truck or pipelines, and according to the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, terminal capacity has increased to 730,000 barrels per day since they were built. In four other states throughout its

23,000-mile network, BNSF has allocated $750 million for maintenance and rail capacity improvement and expansion projects: • Washington State: $125 million. Projects include construction of two 7,000-foot receiving and departure tracks at Delta yard in Everett, expanding the automotive distribution facility at Orillia to support growth in new automobile traffic, and PTC installations. The track capital maintenance program in Washington includes nearly 2,800 miles of track surfacing and undercutting, and replacement of about 175 miles of rail and 110,000 crossties. • Kansas: $175 million. Capacity expansion projects include completing construction of the Logistics Park Kansas City Intermodal facility in Edgerton; construction of a new 10,000-foot siding and extension of an industry track to 3,000 feet on the Ft. Scott Subdivision near Spring Hill; improvements to the Topeka shops; and PTC. The track maintenance program includes about 2,500 miles of track surfacing and undercutting, and replacement of nearly 100 miles of rail and about 375,000 crossties. • Missouri: $210 million. Projects include capacity enhancement on the Cherokee Subdivision through extension of a siding at Jeff to 10,000 feet, and improving a bridge over the Missouri River near St. Louis. The track maintenance program includes more than 3,500 miles of track surfacing and undercutting, replacement of 195 miles of rail and almost 390,000 ties, and PTC. • Texas: $240 million. Projects include capacity expansion at Tower 55 in Fort Worth; completing replacement of the Galveston Causeway Bridge; installation of a siding extension near Somerville; expansion of the Houston Intermodal Facility; construction of a loop track facility in San Antonio; and PTC. The track maintenance program includes nearly 4,400 miles of track surfacing and undercutting, and replacement of about 115 miles of rail and 690,000 ties. September 2013 Railway age 31

BNSF’S capex program

The PTC investments this year, which account for a significant portion of the communications and signaling budget, total $200 million. So far, PTC has been installed across 7,900 miles of right-of-way in 20 states. Investments in new locomotives and freight cars, such as autoracks (based on growth in motor vehicle traffic), and other types

of equipment total $1 billion. Sometimes, it’s the small- to medium-sized investments that can make a big difference in capacity and network velocity. One example is Colton Crossing in Southern California, where BNSF and Union Pacific main lines crossed at-grade for 130 years. A new, elevated 1.4-mile-long

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overpass on the UP now replaces the at-grade chokepoint and eliminates long waits for stopped trains and the resulting congestion and delays for freight and Metrolink commuter trains and motorists. The $93 million project was a public/private partnership involving Caltrans, SANBAG (San Bernardino Associated Governments), the city of Colton, BNSF, and UP. Funding was provided by state and federal sources, including $34 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and $41 million from Proposition 1B, a 2006 state-voterapproved transportation bond. The remaining $18 million was provided by UP and BNSF. Original estimates calculated the project cost at $202 million, with completion in 2014. Owing to “cooperation between Caltrans and SANBAG, innovative construction methods, and a competitive marketplace that resulted in much lower bids than expected,” the project wrapped up eight months ahead of schedule and $109 million under budget. In terms of BNSF’s immediate future, “We will continue investing to make our network stronger,” Rose says. “More customers will want to use us. The net/ net will be more freight shifted from truck to rail, and less damage to our highway infrastructure. But we will need a good public policy framework, and right now, there’s nothing good out there. Our legislators need to develop an understanding of the role of effective supply chains. More-efficient supply chains will create more commerce, and more jobs. The problem is that too many members of Congress are focused solely on legislating, and on appropriating funds, because doing those things is very tangible, very visible. They will legislate on railroads, but they won’t appropriate very much for projects like intermodal and freight connector projects. Congress’s role is not building or repairing or expanding railroads. It should be making investments in goods transfer points. That alone can make a huge difference in how efficiently freight gets transported throughout our nation.” rA

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The payoff for North America’s railroad industry was demonstrated in 2011. More of the same is expected in Indianapolis late this month.

iennial events can take time to build momentum, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem facing Railway Interchange 2013 following the initial 2011 event. Railroads in North America and beyond were pleased with the suppliers and other industry players who coalesced in Minneapolis Sept. 18-21, 2011, attributable to the hard work of supplier trade associations—Railway Supply Institute (RSI), Railway Systems Suppliers, Inc. (RSSI), and the Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA)—as well as the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA). Those four entities have again joined forces to offer Railway Interchange 2013, set for Sept. 29-Oct. 2, 2013, at the Indianapolis Convention Center in Indianapolis. As in 2011, the show will offer extensive exhibits, presentations and workshops, and numerous technical conferences that any railroader—from brakeman to signal maintainer to trackworker to COO to CEO, along with rail journalists—will find well worth their time. “In just its second year, Railway Interchange is proving to be a must-attend event for railroaders from around the world seeking to learn about all that is new and innovative in the rail supply and engineering arena,” said Dr. Charles Emely, Executive Director/CEO of AREMA. By early August, more than 640 exhibitors had signed up

for the virtually sold-out booth space at Railway Interchange 2013. The Indianapolis Convention Center will host the exhibitors. REMSA member exhibition space will appear in Halls D, E, F, and G within the Convention Center; RSSI member exhibits will set up shop in Hall H; and RSI member exhibits will appear in Halls I, J, and K. More than 7,000 attendees are expected at Railway Interchange 2013, according to the host organizations. As in 2011, that draw will provide a powerful incentive for global rail suppliers—and indeed, international freight and passenger railroads themselves—to see for themselves what the North American rail marketplace is doing, compared with the rest of the globe. That draw includes technical presentations and discussions by AREMA and the Coordinated Mechanical Associations (CMA), which consists of the Air Brake Association (ABA), International Association of Railway Operating Officers (IAROO), Locomotive Maintenance Officers Association (LMOA), and Mechanical Association Railcar Technical Services (MARTS). Opening ceremonies for the exhibition will take place at 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 29 in the Convention Center lobby outside the exhibition hall entrances. The combined AREMA/CMA opening general session begins at 7:45 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30. Highlights of the AREMA conference September 2013 Railway age 35

Railway iNTeRCHaNge 2013 Many exhibitors (pictured, Ansaldo STS USA) will offer hands-on demonstration opportunities to potential customers.

program include the Chairman’s Luncheon on Tuesday, Oct. 1, with Norfolk Southern Chairman, President, and CEO Charles W. “Wick” Moorman the featured speaker. The CMA programs will be held during normal exhibition hours at the

Indiana Convention Center, just off the trade show floor. ABA sessions will feature presentations from representatives from BNSF, AAR, Union Pacific, Kiwi Rail, Wabtec, GE, New York Air Brake, TTCI and InterSwiss. Issues covered in the ABA sessions will include:

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Cold Weather Braking, Troubleshooting, Leak Detection, Wheel/Rail Wear, Life Cycle Cost, and Improving Brake System Reliability, and more. IAROO technical sessions will include Managing Wheel/Rail Interaction Using Smart Locomotive Systems, Fuel Conservation Wireless Monitoring, Locomotive Cab Design, Ethernet over Multiple Units, and Using Computer Simulation to Assist in the Analysis of a Coal Train Runaway. The LMOA technical sessions will feature reports and papers from the Shop Safety, Processes & Equipment Committee, the Diesel Material Control Committee, the Diesel Mechanical Maintenance Committee, the Fuel, Lubricants and Environmental Committee, the New Technologies Committee, and the

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Diesel Electrical Maintenance Committee. Topics will include Proper Shop Torque Procedures, Latest Developments in Bar Coding, Logic Traps in Problem Solving, Standardized Fuel Testing Procedures, and Natural Gas Locomotives. MARTS sessions will include an NTSB Rail Division Overview, Interchange Rules Panel, Update on CEPM, New Safety Appliance Rules and Revisions, Protective Coatings Committee Presentations, Wayside and On-Board Health & Performance Monitoring, AAR Technical Standards, MID & Research, Canadian National Cushion Units, and Pipe Load. Speakers will represent NTSB, AAR, Railinc, TTCI, Union Tank Car, Amsted Rail, CN, Miner Enterprises, GATX, Sherwin-Williams, Williams Hayward Protective Coatings, CSX, BNSF, US DOT, and others. AREMA conference sessions begin Monday, Sept. 30 and end Wednesday, Oct. 2; CMA sessions end Tuesday, Oct. 1. Railway Age Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono will moderate two AREMA communications and signaling panels during Railway Diesel engine builders like Cummins (pictured), MTU, Caterpillar, and ge will showcase advanced technologies.

No Nonsense Just Economics NS chief executive wick Moorman is the featured speaker at the AReMA Chairman’s luncheon on oct. 1.

Interchange 2013. Joining Vantuono on the “C&S Industry Leaders” panel: Keith Holt (Amtrak), Matthew Glynn (CN), Ralph E. Young (BNSF), David Olson (CSX), Brian Sykes (Norfolk Southern), and Phil Danner (Union Pacific). For AREMA’s panel on Positive Train Control (PTC), both Amtrak’s Holt and CN’s Glynn will again join Vantuono, with Ed Tilley (BNSF), Denise Lyle (CSX), Eric Hullemeyer (Norfolk Southern), and Jeff Young (Union Pacific) also participating. The exhibition closes on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Ra

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A few cleAn breAkthroughs By william C. Vantuono, editor-in-Chief

Railroads and locomotive builders are prepared to meet the EPA’s tough Tier 4 emissions standards. Meanwhile, LNG has taken center stage as a potential replacement for diesel fuel.

ndianapolis, Ind., host city of Railway Interchange 2013, is best known for Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But one day soon, it may also be identified with high-technology diesel locomotives that, emissions-wise, are a whole lot cleaner than their predecessors. At the North American rail industry’s largest trade show and technical conference (preview, p. 35), several key suppliers will be unveiling their newest diesel engine technologies. In a little over a year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s stringent Tier 4 locomotive emissions standards (sidebar, p. 42) will take effect. Effective Jan. 1, 2015, the EPA will require manufacturers of locomotive diesel engines to lower PM (particulate matter) 70% and NOx 76%,

compared to engines introduced in 2005. Without exception, locomotive builders and diesel powerplant suppliers—GE Transportation, Electro-Motive Diesel (a Caterpillar/ Progress Rail Services company), Brookville Equipment Co., MotivePower Division of Wabtec, R.J. Corman RailPower, Knoxville Locomotive Works, MTU, Cummins—have either attained Tier 4 or are close to reaching what only a few years ago was considered a lofty goal. Yet, as important as Tier 4 is to the industry’s immediate future, it’s being shoved out of the spotlight by what some believe could be a huge technological and economic breakthrough, the industry’s next “game-changer.” It’s LNG (liquefied natural gas), which, used as a locomotive fuel, September 2013 Railway age 39

tieR 4

“may be the next big opportunity for taking cost out of our operations,” according to BNSF Railway chief executive Matt Rose (p. 24). There’s a lot going on behind the scenes with LNG, and so far the railroads and their suppliers and consultants have been a bit tight-lipped about their efforts. The relative silence promises to be broken in the near future, as BNSF races ahead with a project to test three EMD and three GE LNG-fueled locomotives (the latter will most likely be a dual-fuel LNG/diesel unit) for a one-year period, beginning in the fourth quarter of this year. And this month in Chicago, the railroads and the locomotive builders (with the exception of BNSF, which prefers not to broadcast its plans just yet) will gather in Chicago at the second High Horsepower Summit, presented by Santa Monica, Calif.based Gladstein, Neandross and Associates, a clean-energy consultant for the rail, highway, aviation, and marine industries. Among the rail industry presenters: Caterpillar’s Progress Rail Services and EMD CEO Billy Ainsworth, GE Transportation President and CEO Lorenzo Simonelli, EMD Director Engine Systems Martha Lenz, GE Transportation Dual-Fuel Engine System Leader Eric Dillen, Union Pacific General Director Car & Locomotive Engineering and AAR Natural Gas Fuel Tender Technical Advisory Group Chair Michael Iden, and CSX Director Strategic Analysis Dale Lewis. (Railway Age will be publishing reports on the proceedings, on line, and in print in the October issue). Meanwhile, industry consultants are attempting to plow through the issues surrounding conversion from diesel to LNG (see p. 42). “Compliance to Tier 4 standards is just one part of our overall Evolution Locomotive product strategy,” GE Transportation says. “We launched this product strategy with the 2005 release of our Tier 2 locomotive that, using our four-stroke engine, was an industry success. We continued with this strategy in 2012 by introducing fuel system enhancements to meet Tier 3 emissions and further improve fuel efficiency. We now have our Evolution Series Advance Power 4 locomotive to meet Tier 4, which calls for the single-largest emission reduction in the tiered program’s timeline. The new locomotive meets this standard with technological advancements vs. costly alternatives that require special exhaust additives and infrastructure investments.” GE’s Advance Power 4 prototype locomotive started testing in August along Norfolk Southern’s Erie, Pa., to Conneaut, Ohio, main line. GE will also be providing updates to its new NextFuel™ Natural Gas Retrofit Kits for retrofitting existing Evolution Series locomotives with dual-fuel capabilities, “enabling railroads to run on both diesel fuel and LNG with up to 80% gas substitution and with the flexibility to run 100% diesel as needed. GE has been testing this low pressure technology during the spring of this year, and will work closely with its Class I partners to continue further testing in the field.” These technologies will be featured at Railway Interchange in the GE Transportation stand (no. 5043). EMD is supplying up to 20 new-design F125 low-emission 40

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“Spirit” series diesel-electric passenger locomotives to the Southern California Regional Rail Authority for operation on Metrolink—the first passenger railroad to purchase new Tier 4 locomotives. The F125 uses a turbocharged, 20-cylinder, four-stroke Cat® C-175-20 diesel engine, and includes an SCR (selective catalytic reduction)-only after-treatment system to meet Tier 4 standards. Equipped with an electronic fuel injection system, its prime-mover “provides exceptional train acceleration advantages, compared to other less powerful locomotive products or older technologies, while maintaining Tier 4 emissions performance,” EMD notes. To develop the F125, Billy Ainsworth notes, EMD “leveraged Cat’s engine and their great engine reliability and technology with our passenger locomotive capabilities.” Ainsworth says that EMD has Tier 4 engines being tested, and he’s “comfortable with progress. Our Tier 4 solution will be an enterprise product, a result of the rich knowledge and

EMD’s new F125 passenger experience of both locomotive achieves Tier 4 with a Caterpillar and EMD. As an integrated manufac- four-stroke Cat® C-175-20 engine. turer, we offer the largest power range of engines that include both two-cycle and four-cycle engines.” MTU will have its series 4000 R54 locomotive engines on display at Railway Interchange. These engines were brought to North America “to offer a solution to meeting Tier 3 and CARB (California Air Resources Board) ULEL (Ultra Low Emission Locomotive) standards,” according to MTU Rail Engine Sales Senior Manager Doug Berry. “The 12- and 16-cylinder engines are rated at 2,414 hp (1,800 kW) and 3,218 hp (2,400 kW), and will meet the emission standards without exhaust gas aftertreatment. Typical applications for this power range are switcher locomotives, road switcher locomotives, and high speed trains. These engines will be the first for single-engine locomotives with traction power in the range of 2,000 to 3,000 hp capable of meeting CARB ULEL limits. The 12V 4000 R54, which is EPA Tier 3 and ULELcertified, already meets Tier 4 levels of PM, CO and HC (hydrocarbon) emissions for line-haul applications, without after-treatment, but not NOx levels. It is rated at more than

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tieR 4

2,300 hp, so it won’t be required to be certified for switch cycle applications. To meet all Tier 4 requirements, industry trends point toward implementation of some use of aftertreatment. MTU is developing its Tier 4 technology, but we believe it will include minimal SCR in higher notch levels.” LNG: Some progress in Canada

CN is testing two main line diesel-electric locomotives fueled principally by LNG in revenue service in northern Alberta, Canada. The units are testing on the 300-mile run north of Edmonton to Fort McMurray, the rail gateway to the oil sands region of northern Alberta. Fueling and maintenance takes place in Edmonton. CN retrofitted the diesel engines in two 3,000-hp EMD SD40-2 locomotives to run on LNG using conversion kits supplied by Energy Conversions Inc. (ECI) of Tacoma, Wash. ECI says the hybrid fuel locomotive will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30% and nitrogen oxide emissions by 70% over one locomotive duty cycle. The retrofitted locomotives, using 90% natural gas, with 10% diesel fuel for ignition, are paired with an LNG fuel tender—a specially equipped and protected tank car—between them. The tender, a former UP tank car, was upgraded by a unit of Chart Industries, Inc., New Prague, Minn. Chart is a supplier of cryogenic distribution and storage

equipment to bulk and packaged industrial gas customers. LNG fueling is being provided by Encana Corp. “CN launched this locomotive test to explore LNG as an alternative to diesel fuel,” said Executive Vice President and COO Keith Creel. “LNG has a lower carbon content than diesel fuel. Locomotives using LNG—if the railway technology employing this form of energy ultimately proves viable— would produce significantly lower CO2 emissions. CN is also working with EMD, Westport Innovations Inc., and Gaz Métro Transport Solutions to develop a “state-ofthe-art” LNG locomotive paired with a “standardized railway tender.” CN will provide two 4,300-hp EMD SD70M-2s for the test program. In addition to the engine conversion, EMD will supply technical expertise to integrate the LNG engine controls into the locomotive, including Westport™ highpressure direct injection (HPDI) and LNG fuel system technologies. GMTS will develop LNG liquefaction requirements and distribution systems. The LNG tender for this initiative will be jointly developed by the project partners. The CN-led group expects to roll out prototype main line locomotives for road tests in 2014. Westport secured funding of C$2.3 million from the Canadian government’s Sustainable Development Technology Canada program to develop HPDI for high-horsepower applications. rA

Locomotive emissions: the basics loComotiVe emiSSion StandaRdS apply to newly manufactured and remanufactured locomotives and engines. the regulations can be found in the u.S. Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR Parts 85, 89, and 92. locomotive certification and compliance programs include production line testing (Plt), in-use compliance emission testing, as well as averaging, banking, and trading (aBt) of emissions. tier 0-2 standards were adopted in december 1997 and became effective Jan. 1, 2000. they apply to locomotives originally manufactured from 1973, including when they are remanufactured. tier 1 is met through engine design methods, without the use of exhaust gas after-treatment. manufacturers may certify tier 0-2 locomotives to an alternate Co (carbon monoxide) emission standard of 10.0 g/ bhp-hr (grams per brake horsepower-hour) if they also certify those locomotives to alternate Pm (particulate matter) standards less than or equal to one-half of the otherwise applicable Pm standard. locomotives may discharge crankcase emissions to the ambient atmosphere if the emissions are added to the exhaust emissions (either physically or mathematically) during all emission testing. tiers 3-4, adopted in march 2008, introduced more stringent requirements. tier 3 became effective in december 2011. tier 4 becomes effective Jan. 1, 2015; it also includes tougher standards for remanufactured tier 0-2 locomotives. to enable tier 4 catalytic after-treatment methods, the ePa regulated the availability of low sulfur diesel fuel. a sulfur limit of 500 ppm (parts per million) is effective as of June 2007; 15 ppm from June 2012. tier 3-4 locomotives must also meet smoke opacity standards. 42

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Tier 0-2 Locomotive Emission Standards, g/bhp-hr

Locomotive Smoke Standards, % opacity (normalized)

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CN is testing two 3,000-hp EMD SD40-2s fueled principally by LNG in northern Alberta, using kits supplied by Energy Conversions Inc.

Will lNG be a railroad Game-chaNGer? Weighing the pros and cons of transitioning from diesel. By DaviD lehlBach, Oliver wyman, for Railway age

uring the 1940s and 1950s, railroads embraced a new locomotive technology: diesel engines. Those that adopted early benefitted from the tremendous cost levers diesel locomotion provided, including the ability to operate longer trains over longer distances, and the need for fewer locomotive servicing and maintenance personnel. The mechanical and operational simplicity of diesel vs. steam was a key factor in the 53% decline in railroad employment numbers from 1944 to 1965. Jump to 2011, and the U.S. Class I rail carriers are spending $11 billion annually for diesel fuel—this despite 15 years of aggressive improvements in fuel consumption, and a resulting increase of 20% in gross ton-miles per gallon of fuel consumed. Today’s fuel-efficient road locomotives utilize many different technologies to reduce consumption, and even the low-horsepower switcher fleet has been optimized. Nevertheless, the railroads continue to look for ways to reduce fuel consumption. The desire to lessen the impact of railroads’ most variable and unpredictable expense—at a run rate of $30 million per day—has led to industry and investor interest in what could be the next big upheaval in locomotive technology: the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as an alternative fuel source. Recent discussions in the industry press have considered the

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most obvious pros (fuel cost reduction) and cons (upfront investment requirements). But any move will require much more in-depth strategic consideration, especially when it comes to the complexities of implementation. Following are four areas that Oliver Wyman believes will be uppermost on the list for that analysis. INCREASED RISk pRofIlE VERSUS DIESEl

How stable will LNG pricing be as market demand accelerates? What can be achieved through fuel hedging on a long-term basis? What impact will LNG substitution have on diesel fuel pricing should it become a reality? Is the price of LNG on a horsepower-hour basis sufficiently cheaper to warrant heavy investment by rail carriers? Will the cost advantage present today in 2013 be sustainable for 10 years—or 30? Railroads typically expect a locomotive asset to remain in service for at least 15 years. A long service life helps justify the $2 million spent for each new road locomotive. Locomotives need to operate regularly to pay for themselves, so locomotive utilization must be stable and affordable enough so that there is no apparent difference between today’s diesel and tomorrow’s LNG. Because locomotives are currently equipped with only one fuel tank, how will a fleet transition from diesel to LNG

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lNg

work? Or, like the transition from steam to diesel, will only new purchases be able to burn LNG fuel? How will the transition work from an operating standpoint? Having a mixed fleet—whether in transition or just day-to-day—can create inefficiencies due to the complexities of networked rail operations. Railroads are not like airlines: You cannot “reset” the network overnight or within 24-to-48 hours of a major network outage. The transition from steam to diesel was generally conducted in phases. For many railroads, lowhorsepower diesels were introduced in yard service, where their fuel supply was readily available and the operating impacts could be easily assessed. Passenger trains were converted next, where steam locomotive changes at crew district points could be eliminated in favor of longer-distance diesel operations across most or all of a passenger train route, with minimal refueling. Finally, diesels were introduced to specific corridors to minimize operational disruptions, where generic “go anywhere” diesels supplanted special-duty steam engines. This phased approach is relevant for the application of LNG, where certain long-distance corridors might be the right answer for the transition to maximize the advantage of fuel reduction. Fleet decisions must focus on risk mitigation. What is the long-term strategy for consumption when it comes to new builds? What is the best answer for operations? What is the best answer for the railroad’s fueling infrastructure? What is the best strategy to mitigate risk? Steam locomotives were replaced wholesale with diesels. Replacement of the entire diesel fleet with LNG-fueled locomotives may be a dealbreaker for the Class I’s, which have recently invested heavily in modern locomotives, notably the AC-powered road fleet. A switch to LNG could target road locomotives first. Local locomotives are typically captive to a yard or local geography, and therefore easier to transition to alternative fuel sources (as 46

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bNSf predecessors bN and Santa fe each tested lNg-powered locomotives in the 1990s. bNSf is now taking delivery on six lNg road units with fuel tenders, three each from gE and EmD.

learned from hybrids over the past 10 years). But local fuel consumption is widely eclipsed by road consumption. Road locomotives consume large amounts of fuel running across networks at significantly higher average throttle positions, whereas local locomotives spend lots of time starting and stopping as they switch cars and serve customers. There is more financial gain to be had over the road. Another risk reduction option would be to make LNG locomotives “hybrid,” where LNG is an option but not the standard fuel source. Then, if locomotives were in an unusual fuel supply situation, the assets could still be fully utilized. While the implementation of this technology is still being discussed, traditional diesel fuel will likely be on board LNG locomotives. Having a large enough onboard diesel supply to overcome situations where LNG refueling is not present could be key to adoption by the Class I’s. Finally, according to the AAR, some railroads are looking into jointly developing LNG. Such efforts could help ensure industry-wide success in implementing a new fuel source. NEW opERAtINg ComplExItIES WIll bE INtRoDUCED

Multiple strategies among rail operators may introduce further complexities. What if strategies between carriers are in conflict—and does it substantively matter? For example, western carriers might prefer one locomotive strategy (such as locomotives with fuel tenders) due to their longer runs, while eastern carriers might prefer a different strategy (both fuel tanks onboard) due to shorter runs with more frequent locomotive turns. There may be other reasons for these preferences as well, from the standpoint of operations, financials and accounting, and mechanical practices. Furthermore, how will

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run-through operations work between railroads? What happens if one railroad converts its road fleet to LNG while a run-through partner does not? While a locomotive could leave railroad A fully fueled, it is possible that the locomotive may run out of fuel on railroad B due to reroutings, unforeseen delays, etc. It is possible that railroad B may not have the fueling infrastructure to fill the tank. Or, will the lengthened time between fueling make this a moot point? Tender cars will require new operational considerations. Tender “tank” cars that carry LNG are relatively easy to insert into a locomotive consist. Are there operational considerations for these tenders? For instance: What happens if a tender is bad-ordered? This is different from setting out one badordered locomotive, because the entire locomotive set is now bad-ordered instead of just one locomotive. With one locomotive down, many trains can continue onward in a crippled manner. If an entire locomotive set is bad-ordered for any reason, the operational costs of failure are considerably higher. Are their safety risks and liabilities for putting a tender between or behind locomotives? LNG tests in the 1990s were experimental in nature, and operated on lower-speed trains. Will tenders operate safely and reliably on today’s 60-plus premium trains, which are the longest-distance trains on North American rail networks? Partial fleet conversion may be difficult to execute

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operationally on a consistent basis. Is it feasible to convert only part of a fleet to LNG? While large railroads typically assign certain locomotive specifications to certain “captive” assignments, the fact is that they do not stay captive forever. Captive locomotives get moved to other locations and assignments for many reasons. Additionally, captive locomotives are “stolen” in emergencies, for seasonal traffic fluctuations, etc. What happens if an LNG locomotive is taken out of the normal LNG network? What about the downtime of the locomotive repositioning back to the LNG network? Capital expenditure requirements

How difficult will it be to develop a fueling infrastructure for LNG? Is there physical space for additional fuel supply lines and storage tanks at existing locomotive fueling facilities? Locomotive facilities these days are usually hemmed in physically from years and years of developments and modifications. Also, what about the time needed to create these new supply lines and holding tanks, and the disruption caused to operations to take tracks out of service should supply lines need to be submerged? Given that LNG needs to be stored at cold temperatures and has a short usable storage life, how will LNG distribution be handled? Once the infrastructure is created, how will railroads manage LNG consumption to eliminate waste yet supply enough fuel so

lNg

locomotives wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to â&#x20AC;&#x153;waitâ&#x20AC;? for fuel? A network of local fueling trucks may be necessary for parts of the rail network. One of the levers the railroads have used to improve service to customers is through fewer mechanical defects on trains. One source of mechanical defects is locomotive failures on line of road. To avoid an on-line locomotive failure due to a fuel supply issue, will LNG fuel trucks be available locally if a locomotive runs out of fuel at a remote location, such as a stranding situation during a blizzard, or, more simply if the locomotive is stopped at a station not on the LNG fueling network? Influence of external factors

Because railroads are increasingly under scrutiny as generators of carbon emissions, is LNG adoption an opportunity to overcome the carbon hurdles posed by diesel particulates? Trucking sources are citing an 18% reduction in emissions from LNG. LNG could make railroads significant environmental stewards, which would have multiple side benefits. It may also add even more power to the argument the industry has made publically about the resource efficiency of railroads (a train can move one ton of freight close to 500 miles on one gallon of diesel). The trucking industry cost differential may provide an impetus for railroad investment. LNG has captured

the interest of a growing number of long-haul trucking companies. These firms are now investing capital to modify or purchase new tractors that are propelled by LNG. Truckstop providers are on record about building an LNG fueling network in the U.S. East and Midwest. If enough of the overthe-road trucking industry makes this change, will railroads face a market share issue from declining trucking costs, especially on newly won intermodal routes? look before you leap

There is definite potential for LNG to be a major source of cost reduction for the railroads, but these savings will only come following significant up-front investments. We do not believe that LNG will be the game-changer that the steam to diesel transition was, as it would not involve the fundamental change in physical assets, cost structure, company organization, maintenance practices, and labor counts that marked the steam to diesel transition. One last point about the steam to diesel move: It provided the railroad industry with the competitive edge it would need just a few years later, when the first Interstate highways were completed and trucks began to siphon away business. Today, similar competitive dynamics exist, this time from long-haul truckers changing their cost structures through LNG adoption. RA

September 2013 Railway age 49

Island Radar Co., in conjunction with Wavetronix, has developed a radar-based, non-embedded vehicle detection system for four-quadrant gates and blocked crossing detection.

Smarter croSSingS, Safer croSSingS grade crossing safety is an area where quality technology can help save lives while contributing to the bottom line.

hile flashing lights and bells and gates provide a high level of safety at highway-rail grade crossings, new systems have been developed that tap into wireless networks, interface with traffic signals and PTC systems, and rely on research and development to push the safety bar ever higher. Alerting to AnomAlies

CTC Inc.’s Interconnected Grade-Crossing Operations Recorder (IGOR™) interfaces with the grade-crossing warning system and traffic signal to monitor the operation of both, analyze combined preemption functionality, and alert users of anomalies. IGOR™ captures high-definition video from multiple cameras and combines it with digital data into a single log of events. This enables users to easily view driver actions and responses to warning devices. IGOR™ complies with safety improvements recommended by the NTSB (I-9610 and I-96-11) and FRA Safety Advisory 2010-02. “Although we developed IGOR™ for interconnected

By MiScha wanek-liBMan, engineering editor

crossings, the product can be applied to any grade crossing, for instance, one that has a multi-crash history, to collect data to help determine driver behavior and improve safety,” says CTC president Rick Campbell. “Additionally, IGOR™ can facilitate FRA-mandated 30-day traffic signal interconnect tests, annual warning time tests, and proper warning system functioning.” To safeguard data, CTC has incorporated redundant, encrypted data storage in the design, with 2GB of event storage and 120GB of video storage. “One of our design goals was to assure that IGOR™ has ample amount of storage to ensure capture of the video and digital data of user-defined states of the traffic signal and grade-crossing warning systems,” Campbell notes. “Stored data can be accessed by the user long after the recording occurred. The addition of high-definition video supplements the digital data by showing any unexplained events, providing a complete sequence of events relative to an incident.” While warning systems today are continually evolving, the human element will always be present. There are numerous September 2013 Railway age 51

gRaDe cROSSingS

improvements that can be incorporated in the design of the roadway, traffic signal, and warning systems to reduce driver error at a grade crossing. One approach in determining appropriate improvements is for the design engineer to review the recorded data captured by IGOR™ and analyze the motorist behavior near the grade crossing. CTC believes that by utilizing the recorded video and data from IGOR™, engineers can incorporate the appropriate elements in their design, ultimately improving the safety of the crossing. “We believe that in many cases the motorist may be sent mixed messages by various traffic control devices, creating unnecessary confusion,” says Campbell. “Nonessential signage or confusing signage should be eliminated, as well as obstructions to warning devices.” CTC is advancing signage that emphasizes conspicuity, such as LED-enhanced ‘Do Not Stop on Tracks’ signs, which attract a driver’s attention

with flashing LED lights. CTC grade crossing safety products also extend to pedestrians with the SMART sign, which provides both a visual and verbal warning for pedestrians at crossings. These signs can warn a pedestrian of a train and whether another train is coming. The SMART sign can be used not only at grade crossings, but also at pathways where pedestrians are likely to cross transit and freight tracks. Customized plAtform

GE Transportation has developed products to enhance quality and safe operations for the public at grade crossings. GE says its ElectroLogIXS XP4 grade crossing train detection and gate, lamp, and bell control devices build upon decades of proven performance in these technologies. The ElectroLogIXS XP4 is a scalable platform that enables users to add application modules to meet the

requirements of a specific crossing. GE calls the VPM-3 processor the heart of the ElectroLogIXS XP4 system and continues to enhance its features. This processor offers real-time connections to data from any location such as an office or maintenance vehicle an IP connection. GE says web-based interfaces allow easy maintenance with a simple network browser. Utilizing Simple Network Management, a grade crossing can send information regarding pending or required maintenance in real time. GE provides an added feature to its crossing platform called GE Wireless Crossings, which allows a crossing to be activated through the PTC wireless network. Another product in GE’s platform is its four-quadrant gate control, which is based on the ElectroLogIXS platform and designed to meet multiple applications of four-quadrant controls. GE says such design features as Dynamic, Timed, and Fallback modes are available, as well as many of the individual adjustments necessary to allow exact control scenarios. rAdAr-bAsed solutions

Island Radar Co. has developed a radarbased, non-embedded vehicle detection system for four-quadrant gates and blocked crossing detection. The system came about at the request of several railroads and state departments of transportation and included partial funding and validation testing by the FRA’s Office of R&D. According to Island Radar Co. President Tom Hilleary, four-quadrant gate crossing warning systems increasingly utilize dynamic exit gate operating mode, which requires a vehicle detection system to influence exit gate behavior. Island Radar Co.’s detection solution, developed in conjunction with Wavetronix, provides 100% redundant detection throughout the entire crossing island. The vehicle detection system can also communicate when a crossing is blocked or obstructed. Using the radar-based vehicle detection system, blocked crossing status can be communicated to passenger 52

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September 2013

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locomotive onboard systems via PTC, a capability Hilleary says is increasingly important for higher speed passenger trains operating on freight railroad corridors. In instances where vehicles have moved into the crossing island but remained stationary for too long, alert messages are sent via any network or wireless media, along with images and streaming video showing current crossing conditions. In addition to the product currently on the market, the company has also developed an in-vehicle crossing proximity alert device that can improve driver awareness at passive crossings by exploiting the convergence of micropower mesh networking, energy harvesting, and train proximity awareness via PTC. The company is seeking industry partners to implement a demonstration and evaluation project.”

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gRaDe cROSSingS

Railway Equipment Co. will be unveiling EZG MONITOR™ at the RSSI area of Railway Interchange. According 3:00 PM to the company, EZG MONITOR™ is able to determine if a gate arm is in the proper position and can also detect if it is in any other position that is not its intended position. The product was designed for use with the EZ Gate® gate arm lamp system and will provide detection of faulty gate lamps. When used with the company’s EZ GateV™ LED lights, the EZG MONITOR™ will provide optical light-out detection for each gate lamp, the company says. Railway Equipment Co. says the EZG MONITOR™ requires no additional wiring. It consists of a tip detector that plugs in to the EZ Gate® tip lamp, a circuit board that mounts in the gate mechanism and wires through the existing three-conductor gate lamp wiring system, and a small antennae wire that attaches to the mast. A communications module mounts in the crossing bungalow and can receive the wireless signals from multiple gate monitors. The communications module can be connected to existing crossing monitor systems and provide

gRaDe cROSSingS

notification of a fault condition, identify the faulty gate arm, and also provide information on the nature of the fault condition. Once installed, EZG MONITOR™ has a “teach” function that calibrates proper gate positions. “EZG MONITOR™ provides instant information and notification of a gate arm being in the wrong position or gate lights not working,” says Railway Equipment Co. GM Joe Ashley.

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Siemens Rail Automation Business Unit improves component performance and longevity by continuously reviewing and analyzing its grade crossing products. The company’s newest product offering addresses the challenge presented with electrified territory, which is found in transit/commuter systems and where track circuits that activate most crossings cannot be used. Siemens’ solution is to combine the capabilities of its Grade Crossing Predictor (GCP) and it Phase Shift Overlay (PSO) track circuit to extend the full benefits of the latest crossing control technology into the GCE 4000, which provides constant warning times and a fully integrated controller package without the need for conventional track circuits. According to Siemens, by replacing the conventional track circuit with a phase shift overlay type circuit, the GCE 4000 allows the most current grade crossing control technology to be applied in electrified territory. The company’s commitment to quality does not stop with product development. Internally, Siemens says it is constantly reviewing and analyzing its products to improve performance. Once Siemens products are in service in the field, the company offers its customers a full suite of sensors that monitors the actual performance of lights, bells, and gate mechanisms; records the results; and sends formal alarm notifications to the operator if a failure occurs. The company says these remote monitor/test/report systems can also be designed to provide operational testing on demand from a central monitoring location. ra

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New Rail, Relay Rail Switch Material Track Spikes & OTM September 2013 Railway age 55

passenger trains on Twentieth Annual Conference

freight railroads October 15 & 16, 2013 / Washington Marriott Hotel / Washington, D.C.

FINDING common ground

presented by

North America’s freight rail system plays host to a growing network of regional, intercity, and light rail passenger services. Now, high- and higher-speed have been added to the mix. Passenger and freight rail interests must deal with issues of compensation, liability, operational and grade crossing safety, signaling and train control requirements, capacity constraints, and maintaining the integrity of freight service. Finding common ground can be problematic.

Joseph C. Szabo Federal Railroad Administrator

2013 Recipient W. Graham Claytor Jr. Award for Distinguished Service to Passenger Transportation

Join Railway Age at this premier event— the industry’s only conference on freight-plus-passenger railroading. SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: Contact Jane Poterala at (212) 620-7209; jpoterala@sbpub.com supporting organizations

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Joseph H. Boardman President & CEO, Amtrak

October 15, 2013 Keynote Address

Moderator: William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief, Railway Age

oCtoBer 15

oCtoBer 16

Continental Breakfast / Sponsored by Marsh Global Rail Practice and Oliver Wyman Inc.

Continental Breakfast / Sponsored by PTMW, Inc.

Keynote Address Joseph Boardman, President and CEO, Amtrak

Expanding Passenger Rail in The Tarheel State Paul Worley, Rail Division Dir., North Carolina DOT

Freight Railroad Perspectives on the Evolving Passenger Rail Market Marco Turra, Dir. of Passenger Operations, CSX Transportation; Rich Wessler, Dir., Passenger Train Operations, BNSF Railway

Complementary Passenger Rail Services to Amtrak John Heffner, Strasburger & Price LLP; Ed Ellis, President, Iowa Pacific Holdings; Gene Skoropowski, Sr. VP Development, All Aboard Florida; Joe McHugh, VP, Government Affairs, Amtrak

Coffee Break / Sponsorship Available

Coffee Break / Sponsored by Bombardier Transportation

Higher-Speed Rail Engineering Principles Dr. Allan M. Zarembski, Research Professor and Dir., Railroad Engineering and Safety Program, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware

Higher-Speed Passenger Trains: PRIIA 305 Next Generation Equipment Committee Bill Bronte, California Division of Rail; and Executive Board Chairman, PRIIA 305 Next Generation Equipment Committee

FRA Passenger System Safety Program Rule, 49CFR Part 270 James Michel, P.E., Senior VP, Marsh Global Rail

Negotiating Capitol Hill: RSI’s Reborn Passenger Rail Committee Tom Simpson, Executive Dir., Railway Supply Institute

Luncheon / Cosponsored by Association of Independent Passenger Rail Operators / Cosponsorship Available Guest Speaker: Steve Ditmeyer, Principal, Transportation Technology and Economics; and Instructor, Certificate Course in Railway Management, Michigan State University Eli Broad College of Business

Luncheon / Sponsorship Available 20th Annual W. Graham Claytor Jr. Award for Distinguished Service to Passenger Transportation, honoring Joseph C. Szabo, Federal Railroad Administrator

National University Rail Center Shared Corridors Study Dr. Christopher Barkan, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign STB Oversight of Higher-Speed and High Speed Rail Corridors Jamie P. Rennert, Esq., Chief, Passenger Rail Operations, STB; Victoria J. Rutson, Esq., Dir., Office of Environmental Analysis, STB Energy Break / Sponsorship Available FRA RSAC Tier 3 Safety Standards Rulemaking for HSR Equipment

High Speed Rail in The Old Dominion State Daniel L. Plaugher, Executive Dir., Virginians for High Speed Rail; Kevin Page, COO, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation Intercity Passenger Rail: What May the Future Hold? Stan Feinsod, Independent Passenger Rail Consultant; Al Engel, Principal, Al Engel Consulting Lanyards Sponsored by Island Radar Company, LLC Program subject to change

Cocktail Reception / Sponsorship Available

Co n f e r e n C e r e g i s t r at i o n f o r m Please register me for the Passenger Trains on Freight Railroads conference, Oct. 15-16, 2013 in Washington, D.C. Registration fee is $925 per participant, payable in advance.

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Please send this completed form, or a photocopy, with your payment to: Jane Poterala, Conference Director Railway Age, 55 Broad St., 26th Flr. New York, NY 10004 T: (212) 620-7209 | F: (212) 633-1165 | conferences@sbpub.com

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CONFERENCE FEE AND HOTEL: The registration fee for Passenger Trains on Freight Railroads is $925, which includes admission to all conference sessions, conference documentation containing all available proceedings, and social events. The Washington Marriott Hotel, 1221 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037, has set aside a block of rooms at $289 single/double for attendees. These will be held until 30 days prior to the conference; those reserving after that date will rely upon room availability. Contact the hotel directly at (202) 872-1500 for room reservations (mention group code “Railway Age”). You will receive room confirmation directly from the Washington Marriott Hotel. CANCELLATION POLICY: Confirmed registrants who cancel less than one week prior to the conference are subject to a $250 service charge. Registrants who fail to attend are liable for the entire fee unless they notify Railway Age in writing prior to the conference.

WATT’s UP?

A NeW LOOK AT eLeCTRIFICATION

Concrete catenary structure footings arise on Denver RTD’s East Line.

By DouglaS John Bowen, Managing editor

Amtrak has some on its home turf. lrt systems use it as a staple. But north American regional and commuter railroads have resisted tapping electricity as a primary energy source. that’s now changing.

Denver Urbanism/Robert Wilson

hy bother with electrified passenger train service? The answer for decades was simple enough, as cheap gas and expanding roadways imperiled any regional passenger train operations, let alone its power source. Even as (first) rapid transit systems (tapping third-rail power) began expanding and multiplying in the 1970s, followed by light rail transit debuts (mostly under wire) in the 1980s, the need to electrify struggling regional and commuter rail lines seemed distant, at best. Moreover, even under wires old, new, and proposed along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (see photo, p. 63), plenty of NEC tenants to this day seemingly ignore, or limit, the use of electric propulsion as an option, despite some clear energy and environmental advantages. SEPTA and Metro-North readily tap into the overhead power supply with electric multiple-unit (EMU) or locomotives, but Maryland’s MARC and Boston’s MBTA train consists are often powered by diesel locomotives, as are many NJ Transit trains not bound for Manhattan, where electric propulsion is a must. Beyond the NEC, electrified operations have been even more rare. Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation

District runs its venerable South Shore Line between South Bend, Ind., and Chicago, overlapping and complementing Metra’s own three-branch Electric District Line linking Chicago with University Park, Ill. In Montreal, Agence Metropolitaine de Transport (AMT) operates the DeuxMontagnes line under wire, moving almost half of AMT’s daily ridership. But at least three newcomers will soon reinforce those relatively thin ranks. Airport line: toronto cAtAlyst?

A high-profile effort to electrify an airport/rail line linking Toronto’s Union Station and Lester B. Pearson International Airport in fact may be obscuring a more incremental plan to string wire over a larger portion of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), a Toronto rail observer tells Railway Age. The effort, the source says, is more likely to come “progressively, first to the Georgetown South [Kitchener] corridor in due course and not now or all at once.” The Air Rail Link (ARL) will run along GO Transit’s Georgetown GO line onto a spur leading to the airport’s Terminal One, with roughly 15.5 miles under wire (25kV), dubbed the September 2013 Railway age 59

eleCTRiFiCaTion

“Union-Pearson (UP) Express Route.” (See map, above.) Electrification also is being eyed for part of GO Transit’s Lakeshore West line. Metrolinx, the transportation agency serving GTA and overseeing GO Transit operations, has concluded a round of open-house sessions detailing electrification prospects, noting in part, “Metrolinx and Hydro One are proposing to carry out an Integrated EA process in order to satisfy both Metrolinx’s requirements under the Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) (O. Reg. 231/08) as well as Hydro One’s requirements under the Class EA for Minor Transmission Facilities (Class EA).” Advocates in 2012 sought to expedite airport/rail electrification, and, while failing to advance or alter prospects, did bring enough public attention and media scrutiny to the proposal so that Metrolinx has pledged to complete an environmental study on electrifying the route by July 2014. Moreover, the 18 diesel multiple-unit (DMU) trains supplied by Sumitomo Corp. of America, along with partner Nippon Sharyo, for initial airport/rail service “are built to allow for electrification,” Metrolinx claimed. Metrolinx cautions it doesn’t have the funding for ARL electric trains, which it estimates would cost C$456 million. GO officials have also said they need more time to build hydro substations to power the line. Metrolinx Executive Director, Electrification Karen 60

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September 2013

Pitre has publicly noted preliminary design work is continuing on potential industrial locations along the Kitchener GO rail corridor for transformer and switching stations, said Pitre. Denver DAres to go electric

Touted by Colorado rail boosters as the first new electrified rail lines west of Chicago—a claim Californians might quibble over—Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) is constructing a network of regional rail passenger lines to complement its equally ambitious light rail transit expansion. Both are parts of RTD’s massive Eagle P3 project, a publicprivate partnership between RTD and Denver Transit Partners, a consortium including Fluor Corp., Marquarie Group, Balfour Beatty, and Uberior Infrastructure Investments. Bus enhancements are also part of Eagle P3. Electrified rail lines include the 22.8-mile, six-station East Line, promising expedited travel between Denver International Airport (DIA) and downtown, and the 11.2mile, seven-station Gold Line, linking Union Station and Arvada, Colo. Both are scheduled to be completed in 2016. The more modest Northwest Electrified Line Segment, spanning 6.2 miles between Westminster, Colo., and Denver Union Station, is also a part of Eagle P3. All routes will include Positive Train Control, being provided by Wabtec Corp. RTD has created a video simulation of electric multiple unit (EMU) equipment, being supplied by Hyundai Rotem. One New Jersey rail advocate recently returning from a

Courtesy of Metrolinx

Airport or elsewhere? toronto rail advocates stress that electrification for the region is way overdue.

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eleCTRiFiCaTion

visit to Denver hails RTD’s commitment at “critical” to overall U.S. rail electrification efforts, noting it’s not located in a “stereotype bicoastal city—making electrification that much harder to ignore.” Trend-setting California may be first to offer “true” high speed rail within the U.S., with a 700-mile statewide system envisioned to be under wire. But under the proposed “blended” system using both new and existing rights-of-way to keep down capital costs, HSR operations will share portions of routes used by existing regional rail systems. That includes the Caltrain Corridor Electrification Project, linking San Francisco and San Jose and vicinity (Capitol Station). Current plans call for electrification, at least in part, over 52 miles of existing right-of-way, to be in service by 2019, with EMU service first supplementing and eventually replacing existing diesel locomotive-hauled consists. Caltrain envisions up to six EMU trains per hour in each direction. Overlapping diesel service would continue on the overall route between San Jose Diridon Station and Gilroy, Calif., the route’s southern terminus. caltrans expects “Additional system upgrades will eMUs to debut in the be required to support a blended Bay Area in 2019. system that is shared by Caltrain

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NEC electrification expansion continues: Amtrak seeks to bolster track capacity between Newark, N.J. and New York for its own trains, and those of NJ Transit, with a new Portal Bridge (foreground). Also planned: Upgrading the 24-mile “New Jersey Raceway.”

and high speed rail by 2029,” Caltrain says. Not coincidentally, both high speed rail and regional rail services seek to use a $2.5 billion, 1.3-mile tunnel proposed to allow access to San Francisco’s Transbay Terminal, providing better connections with the city’s diverse public transit offerings of BART, Muni, and bus services. Work has started on the project but it is not yet fully funded. Current service on the

route terminates at San Francisco’s 4th and King Street Station. As with Denver’s P3 project, the line will include PTC, as well as a Communications-Based Overlay Signal System (CBOSS), in a combined package labeled CBOSS PTC. Parsons Corp. is overseeing CBOSS PTC installation, expected to begin this fall, with completion targeted for October 2015. RA

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September 2013 Railway age 63

LRT foR

Canada’s CapiTaL Ottawa is moving beyond BRT.

All images courtesy of ALSTOM

ail transit will return to Ottawa, Canada’s national capital, when the 7.75-mile Confederation Light Rail Transit line opens in the spring of 2018. The LRT will be the first electric rail transit in Ottawa since the city’s streetcars passed into history on May 2, 1959. It will serve a region whose population is 1.4 million. The first work under way is construction of the Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) carhouse, shop, and yard, which will permit final assembly and storage of the system’s 34 low-floor, 300-passenger-capacity Alstom Citadis light rail vehicles (LRVs). The Confederation LRT extends in an west-east orientation across Ottawa, from Tunney’s Pasture Station to Blair Road Station in east Ottawa, with 13 stations. It will be entirely on private right-of-way, with overhead catenary power collection. The portion that is not underground in a 1.5-mile bored tunnel through the downtown area will be built on the West and East Transitways. These bus rapid transit (BRT) facilities, the first section of which was opened about 30 years ago, are used by OC Transpo buses, and incorporates stations. The Transitways were built with future LRT conversion in mind, utilizing then-current clearance and weight standards. The portion between Bayview and Dominion Stations is on the former right-of-way of the Canadian Pacific Carleton Place Subdivision, while part of the eastern section parallels the abandoned route of the former Canadian Northern line into Ottawa from Montreal.

By John D. ThompSon, for Railway age

The Tunney’s Pasture terminal is a major government office complex that should provide significant LRT patronage. The running time between there and Blair terminal will be 24 minutes. The next station to the east, elevated Bayview, will be the transfer point with the O-Train, the DMU service that operates southward to Greenboro Terminal using former CPR Prescott Subdivision trackage. Bayview Station also serves Tim Brown Arena. Continuing eastward, LeBreton Station serves the Canadian War Museum and Chinatown. The underground Downtown West Station provides access to the National Archives, the Supreme Court, and the Sparks Street Mall. Downtown East serves Parliament Hill, Confederation Square, Bank Street, World Trade Exchange Plaza, and Sparks Street Mall. Rideau Station is in proximity to the National Arts Centre, the National Gallery, Byward Market, Rideau Centre, and Rideau Canal. Campus Station, the first East Transitway stop, serves the University of Ottawa. Lees Station is being constructed in the existing Transitway trench between Lees Avenue and a Highway 417 overpass. It will serve St. Paul’s University. Hurdman Station will interchange with the South Transitway that extends to South Keys. Train, as the name suggests, serves the VIA Station, formerly Ottawa Union Station, opened in 1966. St. Laurent Station will take passengers to the Ottawa Science and Technology Museum on St. Laurent Blvd. Cyrville Station is close to several commercial office September 2013 Railway age 65

lRT foR oTTawa

buildings, and a growing residential neighborhood. Blair Station, the eastern terminal, is close to the Gloucester Shopping Centre and the National Research Council. As part of the LRT project, Highway 417 is to be widened along the portion now used by the Transitway, between Ottawa Road 174 and Nicholas Avenue. This work will include three rapid bridge replacements at Lees Ave, Vanier Parkway, and Belfast Road, plus the new Coventry Pedestrian Bridge. Buses currently using the Transitway will be diverted during construction. This highway widening project is necessary to replace the road space on the Transitway that will be given over to the LRT. The present Transitway system comprises approximately 22 route-miles opened between 1983 and 2011. Low-floor design will An agreement has been signed aid Ottawa light rail with an international consortium, transit rider needs. the Rideau Transit Group, for a fixed price contract of C$2.1 billion to design, build, finance, and maintain the Confederation LRT, vehicles included. The Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario are sharing the cost equally up to a maximum of C$600 million each, with the City of Ottawa contributing the balance. According to Acting Director, Rail Implementation Office Gary Craig, components for Ottawa’s CITADIS LRV will come from a large number of suppliers in Alstom’s global supply chain. Body components 66

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Downtown East Station will will come from Alstom’s serve Parliament Hill, site of the manufacturing center in federal Parliament buildings. Hornell, N.Y. Potential Canadian suppliers are Alstom, CEIT Group, Faiveley Transport, Merson, Prelco, and VaporRail. All components will be shipped to Ottawa and the trains will be assembled, tested, and commissioned there. LRVs will typically run in a two-car configuration, accommodating 600 passengers; an additional module can be added later to increase capacity if needed. Thales Canada will supply communications, and its SELTRAC Communications Based Train Control (CBTC) system. The Confederation Line will use 115RE (115 pounds/yard) track, and 1,500 VDC traction power. Site preparation work for the 26-acre MSF commenced in April. It included removal of recyclable materials and demolition of existing buildings. Construction of the new building

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lRT foR oTTawa

A 1.5-mile tunnel will aid LRT access to and through downtown Ottawa.

SI, 6 R t 1 s a #58 u t i H Vis OOT B

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is scheduled to commence in early 2014 and be completed in summer 2015. Trackwork will commence at the MSF in summer 2014 and Transitway conversion along the line will commence in early 2016. Tunney’s Pasture, Campus, Lees, St. Laurent, Cyrville and Blair Stations are all existing BRT stations that will be modified to accommodate LRT and introduce system-wide wayfinding and amenities. Bayview is an existing O-Train terminus that will also undergo conversion and expansion. The new Hurdman, Train, and LeBreton stations shift location slightly from the existing BRT stations. Rideau, Downtown East, and Downtown West are new underground stations. The Central and East Transitway underpasses under Highway 417 will be dug out to accommodate the increased height of the trains and catenary and the Transitway Bridge over the Rideau River will be converted from bus to LRT use. As part of the new LeBreton Station there will be a reconstruction of Booth Street, including a new bridge over the aqueduct. “The Booth St. bridge is provided pursuant to a long-term agreement between the City and the National Capital Commission (NCC) to provide infrastructure that facilitates the redevelopment of the LeBreton Flats area,” says Craig. “Provision of the bridge infrastructure will facilitate development along Booth Street and enhance long-term connectivity to LeBreton Station.” The new elevated Hurdman Station will serve as the primary transfer point with the Southeast BRT “and will act as a gateway to the future development to the north,” adds Craig. “A new bus drop-off and parking area will enable passengers to transfer between the BRT and the LRT without passing through fare control barriers or revalidating fare payment. Our stations were designed to accommodate a variety of options to segregate fare-paid and unpaid zones. This could include turnstiles. As well, OC Transpo will have the flexibility to adapt and optimize its operations to suit its needs.” RA

September 2013 Railway age 69

NJT goes To gReATeR leNgThs

ike many rail transit agencies with steadily growing ridership, New Jersey Transit is looking for ways to expand seating capacity without stretching and straining its capital budget. For NJT’s Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system, adding capacity has become a stretch—literally. NJT is testing a prototype light rail vehicle, an extended version of the Kinkisharyo LRV that has been in operation since HBLR opened for service in 2000. A five-section, quadruple-articulated, partial-low-floor car, this vehicle is designed to offer 33% more seating capacity and provide a significant increase in standing room, compared to the existing units in operation on HBLR and Newark Light Rail. NJT says that by utilizing existing resources and spare equipment, the conversion is estimated to cost 75% less than purchasing new standard LRVs. Under a joint project of Kinkisharyo, HBLR operator Twenty-First Century Rail Corp., and NJ Transit, one of the existing LRVs has been lengthened by about 36 feet to 124.5 feet, coupler-to-coupler, increasing seating capacity from 68 to 102. The extended vehicle is about halfway through a sixmonth trial on HBLR, operating on all three routes. The extended LRV features an A-C-D-E-B configuration, accomplished by adding a 21-foot, truck-less, low-floor D section and a 9-foot low-floor E section with a non-powered truck to the existing double-articulated A-C-B configuration. The low-floor C section, like the standard LRV, is equipped with a powered truck and pantograph. The A and B sections are partial low-floor and equipped with two doors per side. 70

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By william C. Vantuono, editor-in-Chief

The new D section, which has one door per side, combined with the E section provides 90 feet of low-level boarding. According to NJT Deputy GM Light Rail Operations John Squitieri, the extended LRV has the same 82-foot turning radius and clearance profile as the standard car. The deceleration rate of 1.34 mphps (miles per hour per second) is also identical, while the acceleration rate of 1.1 mphps is only slightly less than the 1.34 mphps of the standard car, due to the larger LRV’s added weight. Curving forces, truck centers, and overall balance is unchanged. Kinkisharyo offered the concept to NJT and 21st Century Rail based on its success with its DART C Car LRV program, which added a new center section to Dallas’s existing LRVs. NJT’s test program is expected to conclude in December. Squitieri said funding is in place to convert an additional 35 cars, 25 for HBLR (50% of the fleet) and 10 for Newark Light Rail. D and E section carshells will be manufactured in Japan and outfitted in California, with final assembly/insertion into existing LRVs at the HBLR shops in Jersey City, N.J. Ridership has grown steadily on the 20.5-mile HBLR since the first phase opened in 2000, and during the past seven years passenger numbers have doubled to more than 45,000 per day. Squitieri says the extended LRVs can be operated in two- or three-car multiples, coupled to either one or two standard cars, and operate on five- to eight-minute headways. Operating three-car sets would require some platform lengthening at some stations. RA

Photos courtesy of NJ TRANSIT

Need more passenger capacity? Why buy new when it’s possible to stretch what you’ve got, for a lot less money?

Figure 1

Concrete bridges at FAST that last Work conducted by TTCI for the AAR Strategic Research Initiatives Program shows how bridge life can be extended.

By Duane OtteR, Principal investigator ii, CuRt MaDeMann, engineer, and JOSePh lOPReSti, Principal investigator ii, ttCi, for Railway age

oncrete bridges have proven to be an economical choice for timber trestle replacement, and they generally require little structural maintenance. One of the biggest maintenance concerns related to concrete bridges has been the need for more frequent track surfacing than is required for open track. As a result of testing performed at TTCI’s Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST), engineers have identified several factors that can reduce the track maintenance demand on concrete bridges while lowering the stresses into the bridge. The following practices can reduce maintenance demand: • Avoid use of rail joints on bridges where possible, since impact loads and associated maintenance increase with speed. • Use cushioning between the rail and the concrete bridge deck to reduce impact loads into the bridge. • Provide adequate ballast depth between ties and bridge. • Renew or clean ballast regularly. TTCI has two ballasted deck concrete bridges at FAST. The bridges—one conventional, the other state-of-the-art—were installed in 2003, and have accumulated more than 1,200 MGT of heavy-axle-load traffic to date. TTCI continues to investigate techniques and materials to reduce maintenance demand and impact loads. In addition, the long-term effects of 315,000pound GRL traffic are being monitored. Figure 1 (above, left) shows the two-span conventional bridge, with 24-foot and 32-foot double-cell box girder spans. The spans were provided from railroad inventory stock. No special treatment was given during fabrication to account for the heavy-axle-load environment at FAST. Figure 2 (above, right) shows the three-span state-of-theart concrete bridge. It features a 42-foot center span made with high performance concrete flanked by a 15-foot slab span and a 30-foot double-cell box girder span, both designed to a common standard used by two Class I’s. TTCI has investigated techniques and materials for track structure on and approaching the concrete bridges at FAST to improve the dynamic behavior of both the

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track and bridges. Degradation of ballast has been minimized, which has reduced maintenance requirements of bridge spans and approaches. Concrete bridges by design are very stiff. Concrete tie track also tends to be stiff. The combination of concrete tie track on a concrete bridge results in a very stiff section of track. Providing cushioning between the rail seat and the bridge deck can help reduce degradation of ties, ballast, and bridge spans. A reduction in track stiffness over bridge spans also minimizes the change in the stiffness between the bridge and bridge approaches and lowers impact loads. Several techniques and materials may be used to attenuate the effects of impacts imparted to ballast deck bridges. These may include, but are not limited to, under-tie pads, ballast mats, use of more resilient tie materials (timber or plastic as compared to concrete), and increased ballast depth. Vehicle dynamics, wheel defects, and geometry defects cause railcar suspension systems to induce impact loads into track and bridge spans. Impact loads result in high track maintenance demand, typically track surfacing in the case of concrete bridges. Impact loads can also reduce the service life of the bridge spans. The most damaging impacts experienced on the concrete bridges at FAST are those that resulted from a bolted rail joint on one of the bridges. The measured impacts in the span were two to three times higher than usual, and exceeded those used for concrete bridge design in the AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering. The track structure near the bolted rail joint deteriorated rapidly. Ballast breakdown and cracking in concrete ties were noted. Surfacing demand increased to the point where it was required every 1 to 2 MGT. If bolted rail joints must be installed on a concrete bridge as a temporary measure, a speed reduction can reduce joint impact loads and associated maintenance. Figure 3 shows that a bolted rail joint resulted in a higher impact ratio than any of the other track structure issues tested on the concrete bridges at FAST. (Conditions for the bolted rail joint were

Figure 2

the same as for the baseline conditions; i.e., standard concrete ties, 12 inches of ballast, and no ballast mat. In addition, there was no railhead mismatch.) Wood ties, concrete ties with rubber pads, plastic ties, and a ballast mat have all been installed on the concrete bridges at various times and evaluated. Each has provided impact reductions on the order of 20% to 40%. Track surfacing maintenance demands on the bridges were also reduced, compared to the baseline condition of standard concrete ties with 12 inches of ballast. Ballast depth was decreased from 12 inches to 8 inches on one of the bridges. This resulted in an increase in impacts by approximately 30% for the timber tie cases. Providing adequate ballast between ties and bridge deck is beneficial in terms of reducing impact loads and the resulting deterioration for track surface and bridge spans. Over time, ballast condition degrades as a result of traffic and environmental factors. As ballast becomes fouled by fine materials, its ability to hold track surface and attenuate

impact loads decreases. But ballast maintenance on concrete bridges is typically more difficult than in open track. At FAST, flat wheels are less of an issue than in revenue service and are typically removed when impact loads exceed 85,000 pounds. Thus, the impacts created are mostly caused by vehicle dynamics. In addition to this, concrete bridges in revenue service are also subjected to high-frequency (short duration) wheel impacts. It is likely that these impacts would also be effectively reduced by using a resilient element such as wood ties, plastic ties, concrete ties with rubber pads, or a ballast mat. Adequate ballast depth also reduces impact. TTCI researchers will continue to utilize the bridges at FAST to increase the industry’s understanding of the effects of heavy axle loads on bridges. Testing of the effects of various types of track structures on concrete spans at FAST will be concluded in the next few years. Looking further ahead, some of the concrete spans may be replaced with old, riveted steel spans. RA

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September 2013 Railway age 73

Figure 1

Figure 2

Beyond M-976

By HaRRy TouRnay, Scientist, TTCi, for Railway age

TTCI has evaluated the performance of next-generation freight car trucks

ransportation Technology Center Inc. (TTCI) has developed a conceptual design for a next-generation freight car truck to improve operating performance and component life beyond that of trucks built to the current M-976 specification for 286,000-pound operation. As part of the Association of American Railroadsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Strategic Research Initiatives Program, TTCI has evaluated the performance of cars fitted with M-976 trucks as well as standard three-piece trucks and identified opportunities for improved performance, identified the root causes for the observed poor performance and developed a new-generation truck concept to address the root causes, and invited the supply industry to present trucks according to this concept for evaluation and have completed evaluation tests. M-976 trucks were introduced to revenue service in 2004 under 286,000-pound capacity cars. Performance to date indicates an increase in wheel life of cars operating in western coal service of more than 17% beyond that of cars fitted with standard three-piece trucks. This improvement was associated with reduced removals for high impact wheels (HIW). This reduction, however, was limited by the onset of removals for thin flanges that were associated with a phenomenon called asymmetric wheel flange wear (AWFW), where one flange of a wheelset is worn to minimum thickness while the opposing flange is substantially unworn. Service experience indicates that loaded high capacity cars may hunt under specific service conditions at speeds above 60 mph. This causes car and track component degradation, particularly that of the adapter pads of M-976 trucks. Consequently, the focus of the next-generation conceptual design is to increase wheel life by reducing the incidence of 74

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HIW and AWFW, while maintaining loaded car hunting (LCH) stability beyond 70 mph. HIW removals have been related to high steering forces developed on low rail contact under high (particularly 286,000-pound car) loads. Research to date indicates that adhesion values above 0.37 (the ratio of normal/steering forces, as Figure 1 shows) that may be developed on low rail contact can produce surface damage across the contact patch. This damage may then result in surface fatigue cracking and the breaking-out of material on the running surface of the wheel tread, resulting in HIW. This ongoing research is substantiated by the M-976 service experience described above; i.e., adapter pads used in the M-976 design to improve rolling resistance reduce the low rail steering forces and are considered to be the reason for the observed reduction in HIW by a factor of approximately 4. HIW may be further reduced by using pads softer than those currently used in the M-976 truck, combined with increased clearance between adapter and the sideframe pedestal (Figure 2). TTCI has also investigated the root causes for loaded car hunting (LCH), which is a system problem associated with coupled resonance between wheelset lateral motion on the track and carbody motions. Resonance saturates the friction of the suspension wedges, reducing truck warp stiffness and further reducing LCH stability. The introduction of a so-called auxiliary warp stiffness element in the form of frame braces (Figure 3) or a transom/spring plank arrangement has been found to extend the LCH threshold beyond 70 mph in testing at TTCI. AWFW is understood to be caused by asymmetric contact of the brake shoe on the wheel tread (Figure 4).

Next-geNeRatioN fReight caR tRuckS

Figure 3

This may result in symmetric tread wear and cause the wheelset to run off-center on the track, resulting in AWFW. Improved lateral guidance of the brake beam should reduce asymmetric shoe contact on the tread. Frame braces or transoms/spring planks should facilitate tighter lateral control of the beam relative to the sideframe and wheelset (Figure 5).

Figure 5

To date, TTCI has evaluated five truck types according to the nextgeneration concept. Tests confirm the basic elements required for improved truck performance: • Soft adapter pads and increased longitudinal clearance in the pedestals reduce steering forces to average adhesion levels below 0.37 in curvatures up to 12 degrees.

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Railway age

September 2013

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• Auxiliary warp stiffness elements provide adequate hunting stability beyond 70 mph; a truck relying solely on wedges for warp stiffening was unable to provide sufficient stability. • Tighter lateral tolerances between the brake beam and sideframe control the lateral motion of the brake shoe on the wheel tread without excessive brake force losses.

Next-geNeRatioN fReight caR tRuckS

Evaluation of the next generation truck designs should be completed by the end of the year. Next year, TTCI plans to measure and define the environment for the components needed for the next-generation truck, which will include defining the loads, stresses, deflections, and temperatures to which components such as adaptor pads and auxiliary warp stiffeners will be subjected. Additional information is available from several TTCI Technology Digests: Tournay, Harry, Tom Guins, and MaryClara Jones. October 2011. “Wheel Life Comparison 3-Piece versus M-976 Trucks — Analysis Case A: Two Train Sets of 135 Cars in Western Coal Service,” Technology Digest TD11-042. Tournay, Harry et al. October 2011, revised December 2011. “Wheel Life Comparison 3-Piece versus M-976 Trucks — Analysis Case B: 809 versus 124 Cars in Western Coal Service,” Technology Digest TD11-043. Gonzales, Kari. September 2009. “Summary Statistics of Broken or Cracked Cast Car Components,” Technology Digest TD09-024. Tournay, Harry and Charity Duran. December 2009. “A Parametric Analysis of Lateral Forces on a Single Wheelset Curving with an Angle of Attack,” Technology Digest TD09-038. Tournay, Harry, Charity Duran, and Satima Anankitpaiboon. December 2009. “A Wheelset Suspension to Prevent Shells on Freight Car Wheels, Part I of II,” Technology Digest TD09-039. Tournay, Harry and Satima Anankitpaiboon. December 2009. “Wheel/Rail Forces Associated with the Formation of High Impact Wheels,” Technology Digest TD09-040. Tournay, Harry M. December 2009. “Review of the Mechanism for the Formation of Thermal Mechanical Shells,” Technology Digest TD09-041. Tournay, Harry, Huimin Wu, and Nicholas Wilson. May 2009. “A Review of the Root Causes for Loaded Car Hunting,” Technology Digest TD09-014. RA

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People

Hogan MBCR

Meetings HigH Profile Boston’s Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Co. (MBCR) has appointed John Hogan Chief Transportation Officer, and appointed William (Bill) Gilbert as Director of Quality. Hogan brings nearly 30 years of operations experience in Boston’s public transportation network to his new role at MBCR, where he is responsible for management of all commuter rail lines and train movement, including oversight of schedules, onboard staff, and fare collection. gilbert will implement and develop Quality assurance and Quality Control Plans and Programs for MBCR. He previously served as a Quality Manager at SeRCO, inc., a provider of professional, technology, and management services to the federal government.

AMTRAK—Armando Silva named Chief of Operations Research and Planning, based in washington, D.C., reporting to Vice President of Operations DJ Stadtler.

named District Sales Manager, based in the Dallas metropolitan area. Sloan Stewart also named District Sales Manager, based in metropolitan greenville, S.C.

CSX—Benoit Miserany named Director-Canadian Sales, reporting to Kyle Hancock, Vice President-industrial and agricultural Products.

HDR, Inc. named Rob Victor, P.E., Transportation Business group manager for Northern Virginia, washington, D.C., and Maryland.

U.S. RAIL PARTNERS—Drew Wilson promoted to President of the company and its three railroad subsidiaries. John Howell named general Manager of eastern washington gateway Railroad and also of eastern Berks gateway Railroad. Scott Nauer named general Manager of Blackwell Northern gateway Railroad.

Herzog Technologies, Inc. said David Lucas has joined the firm as Director of Field Operations. Dan Weatherby has joined the firm as Director of engineering.

SUPPLIERS Chicago Freight Car Leasing Co. named Jay Wilensky Vice President, accounting & Finance. Colo Railroad Builders appointed Gary Jones Director of Mechanical Services. Flagship Rail Services, LLC appointed Jeff Wilkison Vice President-leasing for the Southwest U.S. and Mexico. Mark DePaul has joined the company as Vice President-leasing for the U.S. Northeast and eastern Canada. Harsco Rail named Takashi Anraku Sales Representative covering Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, based in Dallas. Vincent Ming named Sales Manager for China Mainland and Hong Kong, based in Beijing. Todd Terrell 78

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100 YEARS AGO in

(SEPTEMBER 1913) SOUTH STATION REIGNS The Grand Central Terminal in New York City is the largest railway station in the country; but Boston’s South Station still claims the distinction of being the busiest terminal in America, if not in the world. Statisticians of the New York, New Haven & Hartfold report that in the year ending on the 30th of June, last, 16,007,582 more people passed through the South Station than the Grand Central Terminal. The total number of passengers in and out of the South Station was 38,411,507; total in or out of the Grand Central Terminal, 22,405,295; a daily average for the South Station of 105,237 persons, and for the Grand Central Terminal, 61,379.

September 29-October 2 Railway Interchange 2013 indianapolis, ind. Carol Steckbeck, Tel.: 919-303-5140; email:csteckbeck50@gmail.com; website: www.railwayinterchange. org/registration.html.

September 29-October 2 APTA Annual Meeting Hilton Chicago, Chicago, ill. yvette Conley, Tel.: 202-496-4868;

email: yconley@apta.com; website: www.apta.com. October 2-3 Southwest Association of Rail Shippers Conference Hyatt Regency Phoenix, Phoenix, ariz. Jack Dail, Tel.: 425-818-8240; email: jdailconsulting@ comcast.net; website: www.railshippers.com.

October 9-11 95th Annual Railway Tie Association Symposium and Technical Conference Hyatt Regency lake Tahoe, incline Village, Nev. Tel.: 770-460-5553; website: www.rta.com.

October 15-16 Railway Age Passenger Trains on Freight Railroads

washington Marriott, washington, D.C.

Jane Poterala, Tel.: 212-620-7209; email: jpoterala@sbpub.com; website: www.railwayage.com.

January 5-8, 2014 NRC Conference & NRC-REMSA Exhibition Palm Desert, Calif. ashley Bosch, Tel.: 202-7151247;; email: abosch@nrcma. org; website: www.mrcma.org/ go/conference.

Products Simpson Electric multimeter helps send the right signals

The Simpson electric TS113 Railroad multimeter is a rugged, reliable analog instrument for servicing railroad signaling equipment. The company says its low sensitivity on DC makes it ideal for locating ground faults. The meter is rugged, to meet the demands of railroad work, and features a pivot and spring-back jewel analog movement that ensures accurate readings. exclusive standard features of the TS113 include an aC current transformer that facilitates minimal voltage drop, percent on-time measurement at any rate in excess of 30 pulses per minute, and an adjustable Pointer Stop for observation of peak reading stabilization. The TS113 overload protection consists of a currentlimiting diode for the analog movement and two fuses for the associated circuits. The TS113 is powered by two 9 volt and one 1.5 volt D cell, and both fuses and batteries are standard. The instrument also comes with a black padded nylon carrying case, heavy duty test leads, and a complete operatorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; manual. Dimensions for the TS113 are 7-1/8-inch (H) x 5-1/4-inch (w) x 3-inch (D) (133.4 x 181 x 76.2 mm). it weighs 2.5 pounds (1.14 kilograms). For more information on this product, contact Krista Covey at Simpson electric Co., P.O. Box 99, 520 Simpson avenue, lac Du Flambeau, wis. 54538-0099; Tel.: 847697-2260; email:covey@simpson electric.com ; website: simpsonelectric.com. September 2013 Railway age 79

Ad Index Company

Phone #

Fax

Email address

Alstom Transportation, Inc. American Railcard Industries Amsted Rail Group Ansaldo STS USA Inc. Auto Truck Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc. Beena Vision Systems, Inc. Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Brookville Equipment Corp Chromium Corp. CTC, Inc. Cummins, Inc. Cyclonaire Corp. Danella Rental Systems, Inc. Diesel Electrical Equip. Dixie Precast Ellwood Crankshaft & Machine Electro-Motive Flagship Rail SVCS, LLC GE Transportation Georgetown Rail Graham White MFG CO Hasler Rail Helm Financial Corp. Herzog Railroad Services, Inc. Herzog Services, Inc. Holland Co. Hotstart Invensys Rail Corp ITT Enidine/Koni Konxville Locomotive Works LORAM LTK Engineering Services MAC Products Messe Berlin GMBH Michigan State University Miner Enterprises MTU National Railway Supply New York Air Brake Okonite Co. Pandrol USA, Inc. Penn Machine Co. Pettibone Phoenix Contact Plasser American Corp. Progress Rail Services R&W Machine Division Railhead Corp. Railquip, Inc. Railroad Financial Corp. Rails Co. RailWorks Railway Educational Bureau, The RJ Corman Railroad Group S & C Distribution, Co. Siemens Soft Rail Stage 8 Locking Fastners, Inc. Star Headlight & Lantern Start Pac Strato STV, Inc. Trackmobile LLC Trainyard Tech LLC Tunnel Radio Of America Vossloh Group Zurich

212-557-7259 636-940-6020 312-922-4516 800-652-7276 816-412-2131 888-250-5746 678-597-3156 205-424-7245 814-849-2000 ext.226 216-271-4910 817-886-8243 +44 1325 55 6251 402-362-2000 610-828-6200 219-922-1848 770-944-1930 724-347-0250 800-255-5355 312-559-4800 814-875-2099 512-869-1542 ext 228 904-230-4525 +41 31 990 7170 415-398-4510 ext 1610 816-233-9002 816-901-4035 708-672-2300 ext.382 509-536-8667 502-244-7400 859-488-0322 865-525-9400 763-478-6014 215-641-8826 973-344-0700 +49 30 3038 1852 517-353-0860 630-232-3000 +1 248 560 8484 800-357-3572 607-257-7000 201-825-0300 1-800-221-CLIP 412-279-4460 800-GoPettibone 800-888-7388 757-543-3526 256-505-6485 708-458-4200 773-779-2400 770-458-4157 312-222-1383 973-763-4320 866-905-7245 402-346-4300 814-835-2212 708-396-1755 502-244-7400 888-872-4612 800-843-7836 585-226-9500 ext.137 702-982-7089 732-317-5406 212-777-4400 706-884-6651 ext.226 724-443-8881 541-758-5637 00 49 239 252 273 212-553-5698

212-972-4404 636-940-6100 312-922-4597

timothy.s.brown@power.alstom.com comments@americanrailcar.com kskibinski@amstedrail.com sales@ansaldo-sts.us eschoenfeld@autotruck.com info@bbri.com info@beenavision.com bhamrail@aol.com e_mckillip@brookvilleequipment.com ccinfo@chromcorp.com ljacobson@ctcinc.com andreas.skiadopoulos@cummins.com sales@cyclonaire.com pbarents@danella.com dieseleqpt@aol.com fbrown142@aol.com ecgsales@elwd.com genuineparts@emdiesels.com eileen.oneill@flagshiprail.com chris.banocy@ge.com karen@georgetownrail.com jkuhns@grahamwhite.com Lukas.Zimmermann@haslerrail.com bwind@hlmx.com tfrancis@hrsi.com rebersold@herzogcompanies.com gpodgorski@hollandco.com mfloyd@kimhotstart.com bob.coffman@safetran.com jpipp@koni-na.com goklw.com/contact us sales@loram.com tfurmaniak@ltk.com edward.gollob@macproducts.net just@messe-berlin.de

RAILWAY AGE

September 2013

816-412-2191 904-378-7298 678-597-0156 205-424-7436 814-849-2010 216-271-4195 817-886-8225 402-362-2001 610-828-2260 219-922-1849 770-944-9136 724-347-0254 708-387-6626 312-559-4829 513-786-2540 512-863-0405 904-230-4526 +41 31 990 7222 415-398-4816 816-233-7757 816-233-7757 708-672-0119 509-534-4216 502-253-3760 859-334-3340 865-546-3717 763-478-2221 215-542-7676 973-344-5891 +49 30 3038 2278 517-353-0796 630-232-3055 +1 248 560 8485 912-920-4576 607-257-2389 201-825-3524 856-467-2994 412-279-4465 906-353-6325 717-948-3475 757-494-7186 256-840-2651 708-458-3299 773-779-0231 770-458-5365 312-222-1470 973-763-2585 952-469-1926 402-346-1783 814-836-2908 708-396-1754 502-253-3760 415-532-2923 585-226-2029 702-982-6925 732-981-1222 212-529-5237 706-884-0390 724-443-8881 541-758-1417 00 49 239 252 274 212-225-7047

sales@minerent.com bryan.mangum@tognum.com info@nrsga.com paula@onlinesms.com info@okonite.com pmcsales@pennmach.com info@GoPettibone.com info@phoenixcon.com plasseramerican@plausa.com bcox@progressrail.com jwarner@rwmachine.com jdonnan@railheadcorp.com sales@railquip.com tkruglinski@railfin.com rails@railsco.com jrhansen@railworks.com bbrundige@sb-reb.com www.rjcorman info@sandcco.com bob.coffman@safetran.com sales@signalcc.com robert@stage8.com chrisjacobs@star1889.com Eve@startpac.com korozco@stratoinc.com info@stvinc.com jimcodlin@tra ckmobile.com cra2@zooninternet.net trsales@tunnelradio.com info@vossloh-north-america.com lisa.mollura@zurich.com

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products & services

Railroad Battery Chargers - Microprocessor Controlled SCR Charging Technology - Complete Isolation from AC to DC - Lightning Protection -Filtered Output for VRLA Batteries

Reidler Decal Corporation St. Clair, PA 17970 Fax: 570-429-1528 marketing@reidlerdecal.com The Federal Railroad Administration's proposed new delineator configuration

106 Bradrock Drive, Des Plaines, IL 60018 Phone: 847-299-1188 Fax: 847-299-3061 Web: www.lamarchemfg.com

recruitMeNt

EDNA A. RICE, EXECUTIVE RECRUITER, INC (713) 667-0406 FAX (713) 667-1651 Web address: www.ednarice.com Email: resume@ednarice.com

EDNA A. RICE, President 6750 West Loop South Suite 735 Bellaire, Texas 77401-4111

BusiNess opportuNites

Retirement Time (Still) For Sale: Busy railcar repair business. 60,000 sq. ft. main shop, 16,000 sq. ft. separate shot blast and fabrication shop. Located in NW PA. Contact: (814)723-2500, wrsx@westpa.net

rFp The CT Department of Transportation has issued a request for proposal (RFP), solicitation # 13DOT7000 for the Overhaul of the P40 locomotives and Top Deck Overhaul of the GP40 locomotives. A mandatory Proposer Conference/Site Inspection will be held at the New Haven Railroad Station, Union Avenue, 4th Floor West, New Haven, CT 06519, on Tuesday, September 10, 2013, at 10:30 a.m., Eastern Time. Confirm your attendance by contacting Mr. James Fox at telephone number (203) 497-3363. A valid photo ID will be required to gain admittance. All information pertaining to the RFP is listed on the CT DOT contracting portal at: http://www.biznet.ct.gov/SCP_Search/BidDetail.aspx?CID=29619

Railway Age Digital Edition

Reidler can help you comply with the FRA ruling by offering prismatic reflective yellow delineators that meet their specifications. • 4" x 150 fl Rolls (kiss-cut available) • 400 candlepower retroreflection • Application instructions provided

Give us a call at 800-628-7770 for more information The Leader in Railroad Markings since 1926

proFessioNAL directorY

Locomotive repair shop with a pit available for sale in Monroe, GA (1 hr. east of Atlanta). 7,200 sq. ft. bldg. on over 17 acres of land with 727 feet of rail frontage. Contact Kyle Chong at kyle@railtrusts.com or (904) 241-4176.

strAteGic PLANNiNG: • Commuter rail tranSitionS • fra ComplianCe programS • operationS auditing

Kansas City Office (913) 661-2424 oPerAtioNs trAiNiNG & coNsULtiNG: www.tcsrailservices.com • engineer training & CertifiCation other services: • exCellent HiStory witH fra, ntSB • Staffing • interim management • meCHaniCal & part 238(Qmp)

For More Marketing Power contact JACQUART@sbpub.com

#9 115RE & 136RE AREMA Turnouts available for immediate delivery. 2 Santa Fe Drive – Denver Colorado 80223 – 720-355-0664 www.Specialtrackwork.com September 2013 Railway age 81

equipment Sale/leaSing

Available For Lease

◆ Mill Gondolas - 65’ 6” interior length with 5’ sides and 52’6 interior length with 4’6” to 5’ sides. ◆ 4600, 4650 & 4750 cu. ft. covered hoppers – Trough hatches & gravity outlet gates. ◆ 3,600 cu. ft. Open Top Hoppers. 45 degree slopes for aggregate, coke, coal, etc. ◆ 4,240 cu. ft. tub bottom rotary gondolas Interior bracing still in place. For additional information and pricing, please contact John Goodwin phone (605) 582-8318 fax (605) 582-8304 www.carmathinc.com e-mail jgoodwin@mwrail.com

employment

Director of Mechanical Operations The Director of Mechanical Operations will work directly under the Vice President of Operations and assist in the oversight of all aspects of the 25 location multi-state railcar and locomotive repair company. Will assist the Vice President in oversight of staff of 400. Responsible for overseeing all repairs, staffing and motivating all employee types, controlling inventory, enforcing safety, frequent travel, opening new locations, and training. For full job description and job requirements please see visit our website: www.harborservices.com Submit resumes to: hr@harborservices.com

SENIOR SYSTEMS ENGINEER The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) SEE THE FULL JOB POSTING AT RAILWAYAGE.COM JOB BOARD

tRaining

Part 243 Training & Certification Part 242 Conductor Training Part 240 Engineer Training and re-certification -------------------------------------------------------Modoc Railroad Academy 916-965-5515 info@modocrail.com

Trainers and Training Developers The Railway Educational Bureau is in the process of creating a training and development database to be used as a resource for the railroad industry. If you have experience training in an instructor-led environment and/or developing training materials for the rail industry, and are interested in becoming a part of our group, please send your resume to:

Brian Brundige The Railway Educational Bureau 1809 Capitol Avenue Omaha, NE 68102 82

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September 2013

SIGNAL ENGINEER ANNUAL SALARY RANGE: $63,060- $103,992 North County Transit District is currently accepting applications for Signal Engineer. The position will assist with all aspects related to railroad signaling including but not limited to plan reviews, cutover reviews, field inspection of field maintenance records, field inspections of construction projects and oversight of signal cutovers. This individual must possess advanced knowledge of facets of railroad signal systems and grade crossing warning systems. The Signal Engineer position requires technical knowledge, analytical skills, and ability to work with multiple different projects in various states of completion. NCTD is a CalPERS agency and offers a comprehensive benefits package. All interested applicants must apply online at www.gonctd.com/careers.

Railway age Classified Section Jeanine acquart 212-620-7211 jacquart@sbpub.com s r

RAWrkSiteTrn1_2pg2013_Layout 1 6/18/13 4:43 PM Page 1

RFP

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Procurement of Electric Powered Locomotives, Dual Mode Locomotives and Multi-Level Coaches Reply Date: September 30, 2013 Metro North Railroad (MNR) is seeking an expression of interest in order to identify and obtain information from manufactures experienced in designing, manufacturing and delivering locomotives, and/or coach cars. This Request for Information (“RFI”) is not a solicitation of actual bids, which may be through a Request for Proposal (“RFP”) at a later date. This RFI has two purposes: 1) To identify proven manufacturers that have been successfully building locomotives and/or Multi-Level Coaches. 2) To elicit information from the industry on topics that will improve MNR’s ability to specify and procure equipment and improve the ability of qualified suppliers to do business with MNR in a commercially viable manner. DEFINITIONS AS USED IN THIS DOCUMENT: Dual Mode Locomotive: A locomotive capable of operating in Diesel-Electric or off of a 650VDC 3rd Rail. Electric Powered Locomotive: A locomotive capable of operating off of a 650VDC 3rd Rail or 12,500 and 25,000 VAC, 60 Hz and 12,500 VAC 25 Hz Catenary. No diesel engine. PRIIA Section 305-Compliant: Railroad equipment which (1) utilizes a Next Generation Equipment Committee (NGEC) PRIIA Section 305 Specification as the source document; and (2) meets the requirement for 100% US content. BACKGROUND INFORMATION MNR currently operates a fleet of 142 Electric Multiple Units 31 Dual Mode Locomotives and 104 coaches that require replacement between 2020 and 2025 and will also need to procure equipment for future fleet expansion. Additionally, New York State, Connecticut, and Vermont are considering Dual Mode Locomotive procurements in the near future. The New York State acquisition program will be for PRIIA Section 305-compliant vehicles; the Connecticut and Vermont acquisition programs may or may not be for PRIIA Section 305-compliant vehicles. POTENTIAL EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENT 41 to 135 Locomotives and 100 to 400 Multi-Level Coaches The following locomotive types under consideration for this program: • 50 MNR Electric Powered Locomotives or 50 MNR Dual Mode Locomotives • An additional 50 MNR Dual Mode Locomotives • 35 State owned Dual Mode Powered Locomotives - PRIIA Section 305 Compliant GENERAL QUESTIONS What equipment types would your company be interested in submitting a proposal on? 1. Electric Powered Locomotives 2. MNR Dual Mode Locomotives 3. PRIIA Section 305 Compliant Dual Mode Locomotives (100% US Content Required) 4. Multi-Level Coaches LOCOMOTIVE QUESTIONS • Regarding the various combinations under evaluation, what significant advantages would the following procurements offer? A. 50 MNR Dual Mode Locomotives B. 50 MNR Dual Mode Locomotives + 30 PRIIA Section 305 Dual Mode Locomotives C. 50 MNR Dual Mode Locomotives + 50 Electric Powered Locomotives + 30 PRIIA Section 305 Dual Mode Locomotives D. 100 MNR Dual Mode Locomotives + 30 PRIIA Section 305 Dual Mode Locomotives • Would there be any commercial advantage to including the multi-level coaches as part of the locomotive procurement? • What is a reasonable life expectancy of a new locomotive? What are the advantages versus disadvantages to a 20, 30, or 40 year life? • With full HEP load how many Multi-Level coaches would a locomotive be capable of maintaining a 1.8 mph/s acceleration rate? • With 8 multi-level coaches and full HEP load what acceleration rates are achievable for each locomotive power mode? • What is the desired rate of delivery? • What is the magnitude of additional cost for requiring no more than two locomotives per month? • Multi-Level Coach Questions • How many seats were in previous multi-levels manufactured by you company? • Can you build a multi-level coach that will meet the clearances of the North East Corridor (Amtrak Drawing D-05-1355)? • What is the desired rate of delivery? Please review the above and submit your reply including the type equipment, company brochures, company size, a list of properties or municipalities with contact information that are presently using the system(s) being offered, experience and capabilities, to the address below no later than September 30, 2013. Metro North Railroad 347 Madison Avenue, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10017 Attn: Michael Coppola, Tel (212) 340-2294 If you would like to make your submission electronically, please send it to Coppola@mnr.org

Metro-North Railroad

54801 MetroNorth Railway Age 1/2 p 3 7/16” x 10” 7.29.13 p3

My Employees don’t have time for training.

Flexible Scheduling. Anytime. Anywhere.

oday’s railroads need cost-effective and flexible training choices. That’s exactly what The Railway Educational Bureau provides through Work Site Training. Work site training allows you to: • Maximize your training investment • Reduce employee time away from the job • Reduce travel costs by having the instructor come to your location • Increase the skill level of your employees • Improve productivity • Achieve your training objectives • Utilize your in-house expertise, equipment, and facilities

Some examples of training subjects include: Freight Car Inspection and Repair • AAR Field Manual Familiarization Rules 1 thru 83 • Introduction to FRA Safety Appliances (Part 231) • FRA Freight Car Safety Standards (Part 215) • Draft system defects and repairs • Inspecting draft system and center sills (Hands-on) • Truck and Wheel defects. Roller Bearing and adapter defects • Hands-on Gauging/Measuring wheel and truck defects Single Car Air Brake Test FRA Part 232 Brake System Safety Standards for freight and other non-passenger trains Train Yard Safety CORRESPONDENCE TRAINING • WORK SITE TRAINING • CONSULTING

The Railway Educational Bureau 1809 Capitol Ave., Omaha NE, 68102 Toll Free (800) 228-9670 • (402) 346-4300 www.RailwayEducationalBureau.com

September 2013 Railway age 83

Financial edge anthony KRuglinSKi

Ed Biggs: “Build more C114s!”

ecently, I discussed grain car issues with equipment appraiser Ed Biggs. His views bear repeating. Kruglinski: What is the current situation with the North American grain car fleet? Biggs: There is nothing worse for a rail shipper than to have product to ship and no cars to ship them in. I have been an advocate of repairing older grain cars rather than scrapping them for many years. While I still advocate repairing the repairable older grain cars, I also believe the time is at hand to build additional grain hoppers to meet the needs of grain shippers. Two types of railcars are most commonly called grain hoppers. The C113 type is the old 1970-1980 4,750 cubic foot capacity and the C114 is of 5,000 and greater cubic foot capacity. Last year’s dismal crop output idled many grain type covered hoppers. Sidelined first were the oldest cars and those needing repairs. At least one Western Class I reduced its older grain fleet by scrapping large numbers of cars. A number of leasing companies have selectively culled cars with high repair estimates. The big problem is that the pace of replacements has not kept up with retirements, especially in 2012, where the focus of the railcar building industry has been on crude oil tank cars. On Jan. 1, 2012, the C113 fleet was 152,524 units; the C114 fleet, 120,321 units. On April 25, 2013, the C113 fleet was 146,904 units; the C114 fleet was 120,905 units. The 5,620 unit decline of the C113 fleet is in no way replaced by the 584 unit increase in the C114 fleet. The C113 fleet is down approximately 50,000 units since January 2007. While there have not been any substantial shortages of covered hoppers reported yet, 84

Railway age

September 2013

the potential shortage has been masked by the lower than normal exports. Kruglinski: What’s being predicted in the way of volume for this year? Biggs: According to the people in the know at the World Agricultural Outlook Board, the Economic Research Service, the Farm Service Agency, and the Foreign Agricultural Service who are tracking what is going on in the Grain Belt, 2013 is shaping up to be a record year for some of the major crops. All of the following statistical information is drawn directly from the USDA 2013 Agricultural Outlook Forum Report date Feb. 22, 2013. Corn plantings for 2013 are projected at 96.5 million acres, down

“2013 is shaping up to be a record year for some of the major crops.” 0.7 million acres from last year’s 75-year high. Strong new-crop prices in both the futures and cash-forward markets support a highly favorable net returns outlook, much as it did last year at this time. Corn production in 2013 is projected at a record 14,530 million bushels, up 3,750 million or 35% from the drought-reduced 2012 crop. The 2013-14 corn supply is projected to rise 28% to a record 15,187 million bushels as the increase in production far outweighs the yearto-year decline in beginning stocks with the smallest carry in 17 years. Wheat planted area for 2013 is expected to be up 0.3 million acres to 56.0 million. Winter wheat seeded area

at 41.8 million acres is up 0.5 million from last year. Wheat production for 2013 is expected to decrease more than 7% to 2.1 billion bushels despite increased planted area. U.S. wheat exports for 2013-14 are expected to drop 100 million bushels from the 2012-13 forecast to 950 million, with tighter supplies and intensified competition from other major exporters. Soybean planted area is projected at 77.5 million acres, up 0.3 million from 2012 and up 3.6 million from last year’s planting intentions. New-crop soybean futures prices and current forward pricing opportunities are somewhat higher than last year at this time, both in level and relative to corn. Several other factors also are expected to result in an increase in soybean plantings compared with last year’s intentions. Soybean supplies for 201314 are projected at 3,545 million bushels, up 11% from 2012-13 as larger soybean production more than offsets lower beginning stocks and projected imports. Soybean production is projected 13% higher at 3,405 million bushels, mostly reflecting yield gains above last year’s drought-reduced level. Soybean plantings are projected slightly above last year as cotton plantings decline and opportunities for double-cropping increase in several of the wheat states. Total 2013 rice planted acreage is projected at 2.64 million acres, down 2% from 2012. The majority of this year’s acreage decline occurs in longgrain rice in the Delta states, where producers are expected to switch to crops that earn a higher return, such as soybeans. In contrast, medium-grain rice plantings are expected to expand in the South and California due largely to expected higher prices.

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