February 2013 | www.rtands.com
2013 Capex Keeps
Industry on Track plus Managing Friction Rail Measurement Advances And also AREMA News p.30
Contents February 2013
News
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Features
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Industry Today 5 Supplier News 9 People
Capex 2013 continues hot streak North American railroads are again expected to spend a record amount on capital expenditures this year to grow and maintain their networks.
Columns
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Control over friction management practices Making sure a specific track situation has the proper friction management is what industry experts continue to strive toward.
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M/W Challenges: Measuring rail Mobile surveying systems capture data quickly and more accurately to increase productivity. Estimated capital expenditures keep growth and maintenance on track. Photo: Stephen Mcsweeny
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On Track We’re doing just fine, thank you
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RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES
NRC Chairman’s Column Recapping the conference, looking forward to the year
16 Departments 11 TTCI R&D 30 Arema News 35 Products 36 Calendar 37 Advertisers Index 37 Sales Representatives 38 Classified Advertising 39 Professional Directory
Story on page 16.
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Railway Track & Structures
February 2013 1
On Track
RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES
Vol. 109, No. 2 Print ISSN # 0033-9016, Digital ISSN # 2160-2514 EDITORIAL OFFICES 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910 Chicago, Ill. 60603 Telephone (312) 683-0130 Fax (312) 683-0131 Website www.rtands.com Mischa Wanek-Libman/Editor, mischa@sbpub.com Jennifer Nunez/Assistant Editor, jnunez@sbpub.com CORPORATE OFFICES 55 Broad Street 26th Floor New York, N.Y. 10004 Telephone (212) 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr./ President and Chairman Jonathan Chalon/Publisher George S. Sokulski/Associate Publisher Emeritus Mary Conyers/Production Director Maureen Cooney/Circulation Director Jane Poterala/Conference Director
Railway Track & Structures (Print ISSN 0033-9016, Digital ISSN 2160-2514), (USPS 860-560), (Canada Post Cust. #7204654), (Bluechip Int’l, Po Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Agreement # 41094515) is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 55 Broad Street, 26th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10004. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices. Pricing, Qualified individual in the railroad employees may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year Railroad Employees (US/ Canada/Mexico) $16.00; all others $46.00; foreign $80.00; foreign, air mail $180.00. 2 years Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $30.00; all others $85.00; foreign $140.00; foreign, air mail $340.00. BOTH Print & Digital Versions: 1 year Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $24.00; all others $69.00; foreign $120.00; foreign, air mail $220.00. 2 years Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $45.00; all others $128.00; foreign $209.00; foreign, air mail $409.00. Single Copies are $10.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2013. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. For reprint information contact: PARS International Corp., 102 W 38th St., 6th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10018 Phone (212) 221-9595 Fax (212) 221-9195. For Subscriptions & address changes, Please call (800) 895-4389, (402) 346-4740, Fax (402) 346-3670, e-mail circulation@sbpub.com or write to: Railway Track & Structures, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, PO Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Railway Track & Structures, PO Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010.
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We’re doing just fine, thank you
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e just wrapped up what turned out to be a pretty intense Januar y. Between the fiscal cliff diversion, earnings reports and the inauguration, there was a lot of data to keep up with. Out of all the information to come across my desk in the past month, it’s a small part of a column concerning the inauguration that has stuck with me the most. After President Obama’s inauguration, I read commentary from Bloomberg News’ Michael Kinsley, which outlined Obama’s speech, specifically its definition of rights: negative versus positive. To paraphrase, a negative right is the stuff the government can not do to you, such as prohibit your practice of a religion, what you say and everything else the Bill of Rights lists. A positive right is more of a societal obligation. Kinsley’s examples include the right to education, to food and to a job. While I found Kinsley’s take on the definition of rights interesting, there was one small section of his commentary that sent my brain wheels turning: “Obama said, ‘A modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce, schools and colleges to train our workers.’ “Who disagrees with that? Yet our particular great nation is letting its railroads and highways rot…” I realize highways are capital intensive (not nearly at the level a railroad requires) and, in my limited understanding of highway engineering, all it takes are a few good freeze/thaw cycles to turn a sparkly new strip of asphalt into a doublediamond-level pot-hole obstacle course, but our great nation supports highway maintenance programs with public money at a rate that’s laughable compared to what the railroads see from the federal government.
And when the government steps in with a valuable piece of legislation, such as the shortline tax credit, it gets lumped into the “wasteful subsidy” group in some opinions. As far as letting the railroads “rot,” hardly. This is not because of any great effort from the government, although I’m sure the industry appreciates funds from programs such as the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Program, New Starts Program and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. However, the vast majority of railroad upkeep success is a product of good planning and, more importantly, generous revenue reinvestment on the part of the railroads. As our annual forecast (page 16) reports, the Class 1 railroads spent close to $13 billion on capital expenditures in 2012 and that huge figure is expected to stay about the same for 2013. The Association of American Railroads estimates annual infrastructure and equipment investment of the entire freight rail industry is at $23 billion and that freight rail generates $265 billion in annual economic activity. Those are some pretty good numbers for a national network that is said to be rotting. I know there are those in the industry who think the government should stay away from railroads entirely. When it comes to government financial support of railroads, I tend to equate it to when your favorite relative would send you a few dollars in college: You wouldn’t count on that money and you would survive without it, but is sure came in handy when it did show up.
Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor
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INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News AECOM Technology Corporation was awarded $43.3 million by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation for the extension of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Green Line light-rail service in Boston; the company was also awarded a $16.8-million contract by the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities to perform preliminary engineering work on the Southwest Light Rail Transit line in Minneapolis, Minn. Axion received another purchase order for ECOTRAX crossties from Long Island Rail Road, for use in various locations throughout Long Island. California High-Speed Rail Authority Board of Directors selected PGH Wong Engineering, Inc., and Harris &
CSX opens double-stack route, plans capacity expansion projects CSX Corporation’s railroad subsidiary, CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT), working with the commonwealth of Massachusetts, opened New England’s first double-stack cleared intermodal route on its rail line between the New York state line and the newlyexpanded intermodal terminal in Worcester, Mass., reducing transit times on key lanes by as much as 24 hours. The project involved increasing vertical clearances to 21 feet at 31 locations between Worcester and New York state. The project connects with the double-stack cleared rail network at the New York state line, giving the region the ability to link with double-stack intermodal service throughout the country. The project was part of a larger agreement with the commonwealth that enabled Massachusetts to acquire CSXT’s rail lines in the Boston area to increase commuter rail service. In conjunction with that project, the intermodal terminal in Worcester was expanded. In other terminal news, the railroad also unveiled plans to build a 89-acre intermodal rail terminal in the city of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield in Quebec, Canada, connecting the region with the railroad’s 21,000-mile network in the United States. The construction on the $100-million project is expected to start in the spring of 2013 and the terminal is expected to open in 2015. CSX also plans a major track capacity expansion on its River Line between northern New Jersey and the Albany, N.Y., region. The $26-million project, with plans for additional River Line capacity expansion in future years, will enable CSX to handle more trains and support the growth of crude oil moving by rail, intermodal shipments, automobiles and other businesses while maintaining strong service performance. A total of 18 miles of second track will be constructed during the next two to three years that will create additional capacity on the Hudson River’s west shore. Preliminary work to prepare the sites in New York state at Ravena-Coxsackie, Catskill and Haverstraw is already complete with construction to begin early this year. Capacity on the River Line was last expanded in 2005. Consistent growth in rail traffic on the line during the past several years, along with growth projections, now warrant additional investment to further increase the corridor’s capacity. The River Line is part of CSX’s I-90 corridor that connects Chicago with New York, northern New Jersey and the Philadelphia areas and supports some of the network’s highest velocity and volumes. “We have sufficient capacity for our near-term growth projections and the capacity expansion initiatives will ensure we’re prepared for additional demand for our services. Our capacity initiatives give us the capability to handle this growth along with business opportunities in our merchandise, automotive and intermodal sectors,” said Oscar Munoz, executive vice president and chief operating officer.
TTCI collaborates on new rail engineering degree program, bridge research recognized by ASCE The American Society of Civil Engineers recognized Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), Principal Engineer Duane Otter for work with John Hillman, inventor of the Hybrid-Composite Beam (HCB) and recipient of the 2013 Charles Pankow Award for Innovation. TTCI tested a prototype HCB span for 1.5‐million load cycles under heavy freight railroad traffic and recently completed follow‐up testing of a commercially-produced HCB span. Future plans call for monitoring of this span in revenue service on a nearby railroad line.
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In other TTCI news, a new Master of Science (MSE) degree in engineering with emphasis areas in mechatronics and railroad engineering will be offered by Colorado State University (CSU)-Pueblo beginning next fall, due in part to a collaboration with TTCI. The first two railroad engineering courses, Vehicle Dynamics and Railroad Structures, will be offered in fall 2013, followed by Fleet Management and Railroad Power Systems in spring 2014. When fully implemented, the MSE degree may be completed in one calendar year.
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INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Associates to provide additional oversight and management of contractors who will build the initial 30-mile stretch of high-speed rail from Madera to Fresno, Calif. Koppers Inc. and Norfolk Southern have agreed to a three-year contract for bonded rail joint assemblies. The North Carolina Department of Transportation awarded a $7.6-million contract to Blythe Construction Inc. for
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Federal funds committed to Detroit and Sacramento transit projects The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) committed $135 million in New Starts Program funds to extend the existing Sacramento, Calif., light-rail Blue Line to link downtown Sacramento to the growing South Sacramento County corridor. The project extends the light-rail line 4.3 miles from Meadowview Road to Cosumnes River College and includes four new stations at Morrison Creek, Franklin Boulevard, Center Parkway and the college. The FTA is funding 50 percent of the $270-million project and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) provided an additional $7.1 million; state and local funding will cover the remaining cost. Ridership on Sacramento’s existing lightrail system, which is operated by Sacramento Regional Transit District, rose by 7.4 percent between Fiscal Year 2011 and Fiscal Year 2012 and the area population is expected to grow steadily during the next five years as the local economy continues to improve. In other funding news, USDOT said
February 2013
the M-1 Rail project can move forward immediately using the $25-million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant previously awarded for transit in Detroit, Mich. The funds support construction of a planned 3.3-mile streetcar line to help revitalize Detroit’s historic Woodward Avenue corridor. M-1 Rail, a coalition of private-sector philanthropic and business leaders, has committed more than $100 million toward construction and operation of the $137-million project. The remainder will be funded by state and local sources. The Woodward Avenue streetcar line is expected to include 11 stations, with connections to Campus Martius, Comerica Park, the Detroit Medical Center area and Wayne State University. The city of Detroit, the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Southeastern Michigan Council of Governments will also be involved in moving the project through development and construction.
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INDUSTRY TODAY
Norfolk Southern
NS opens third Crescent Corridor intermodal facility
Norfolk Southern opened its third Crescent Corridor intermodal facility, a new $97-million terminal in south central Pennsylvania that advances the company’s multistate rail infrastructure initiative connecting the Southeast and the Northeast. The Franklin County Regional Intermodal Facility, located on 200 acres south of Greencastle and less than a mile from I-81, will connect central Pennsylvania, western Maryland and northern Virginia to domestic and world markets. The facility, a public-private partnership involving $52 million in NS funds and supported by a $45-million investment by Pennsylvania, is part of the railroad’s Crescent Corridor series of projects, a
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2,500-mile network of rail and terminals that helps moderate truck traffic on congested roadways and reduce carbon emissions. NS constructed the facility’s administration building to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards. The railroad is incorporating low-emission cranes and hostler tractors, as well as the latest gate and terminal automation in order to maintain air quality and support truck drivers. In addition to the Franklin County Regional Intermodal Facility, NS also opened intermodal facilities in Birmingham, Ala., and Memphis, Tenn., having started operations within the past six months. Construction of a fourth Crescent Corridor-related intermodal terminal, located in Charlotte, N.C., is underway. “The Crescent Corridor provides tremendous public benefits, such as job creation, reduced long-haul truck traffic and a cleaner, more efficient way to move freight,” Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman said.
Supplier News a grade seperation project in Salisbury. RailComm has been chosen to provide its Domain Operations Controller train control system for Northshore Mining in Silver Bar, Minn. R&R Contracting acquired Oberkramer Contracting, an Illinois and Missouribased consultation company for railroad track installation and rail maintenance projects and railroad maintenance-ofway equipment and operators.
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INDUSTRY TODAY
Business Wire
Port of Los Angeles breaks ground on $137.7-million West Basin Railyard project
The Port of Los Angeles began construction on the $137.7-million West Basin Railyard at Berth 200. The new intermodal storage rail yard that will function as a critical link between the Port of Los Angeles and the Alameda Corridor, providing staging and storage for trains using the corridor. The Berth 200 rail yard project also enables track space at the TraPac container terminal to serve as TraPac’s future on-dock rail facility. With completion of the $365 million in rail, roadway and terminal improvements at TraPac during the next three years, TraPac will join the other seven container terminals at the Port of Los Angeles that offer shippers the speed-to-market advantage of on-dock rail.
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The rail yard will be constructed with $16 million in federal grant money from the USDOT’s TIGER program. The port secured $51.2 million from State Proposition 1B Trade Corridors Improvement Fund Grant that is administered by the California Department of Transportation and $22.1 million from Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority-awarded federal funds. The port is investing $48.37 million from its Harbor Revenue funds for the project. The project will be built in two phases. Phase 1 includes construction of the new yard, support tracks for the TraPac and China Shipping/West Basin Container terminals, doubletrack connections to the Alameda Corridor and national rail network and access road improvements. Phase 2 is due to begin construction in 2013 and includes final rail network connections and vehicle overpasses to eliminate at-grade crossings for safer, more efficient flow of truck and commuter traffic. Both phases are due to be completed in summer 2014. “The port’s top priorities are competitive operations, strong relationships and financial strength,” said Port Executive Director Geraldine Knatz. “This project hits all three marks by allowing us to move cargo more safely and efficiently, making us a better business partner and neighbor to our surrounding communities and procuring federal and state funding to make the best use of port dollars.”
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PEOPLE Anacostia Rail Holdings, Inc., appointed Mark Sidman to general counsel. Balfour Beatty Rail, Inc., named RT Swindall director of operations east, Steve Gorton director of operations west, Jason Bulger senior operations manager track solutions, Lynn Houser national business development manager and Jamie Yourren will now oversee ACTA and PHL maintenance activities along the Alameda Corridor. Caltrain Board of Directors elected Ken Yeager as board chair and Tom Nolan as vice chair. Florida East Coast Railway appointed Francis Chinnici as senior vice president engineering and purchasing; Robert Stevens, vice president and chief engineering officer, will retire, effective Feb. 28. Norfolk Southern named Jerry Hall vice president intermodal operations, succeeding Robert Huffman, who retired on Feb. 1. N o r t h C a r o l i na Ra i l r o ad Company hired Jim Kessler, PE, as vice president of engineering and planning. L.B. Foster Company appointed James Tanner to general manager and Robert Docherty to head of business development, Rail Technologies. Craig King was appointed president of R. J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC. Watco Transportation Services hired Matt Despos as general manager for the South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad, named James Fuchs general manager and Darby Destromp assistant general manager of the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad, Josh McCormack regional safety manager for the East Region, Jared Carman regional safety Q&A manager of Wisconsin and Southern Railroad and Anthony Kirkland general manager at the Autauga Northern Railroad. Watco Western Australia Rail Service named Darrell Thompson operations director. www.rtands.com
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NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN
Recapping the conference, looking forward to the year
The National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association, Inc. 500 New Jersey Ave., N. W. Suite 400 Washington D. C. 20009 Tel: 202-715-2920 Fax: 202-318-0867 www.nrcma.org info@nrcma.org
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Once again, the NRC conference was a record-setting event at a wonderful location. The Loews Hotel in South Beach provided a great setting on the beach in one of this country’s most unique neighborhoods and the staff was always helpful. A record-setting number of attendees, more than 1,000, enjoyed the packed exhibit hall, the extremely informational presentations, the golf, the fishing and the weather. I would like to thank all of our exhibitors, more than 100 and also a new record, for their presence. We have a great event that continues to grow. We had more than 55 member companies sign up as sponsors for this event and I would like to thank each and every one of the sponsors. Our thanks to Chuck Baker, Matt Ginsberg, Ashley Bosch, Tabitha Layman, Alice Post and the rest of the staff from Chambers, Conlon and Hartwell, LLC, for all their hard work behind the scenes orchestrating a world-class event. John Zuspan of Track Guy Consultants introduced our newest two safety DVDs at the conference. John has devoted a great deal of time and thought into putting this series of DVDs together during the past seven years. The 13th and 14th DVDs, “Safety Around Flash Butt Welding” and “Fall Protection in the Rail Industry,” were available at the conference. If you didn’t get your copies, contact the NRC office and they will be happy to send you one. The NRC “Safe Contractor of the Year Award” was sponsored by Commercial I n s u r a n c e A s s o c i at e s a n d RT & S a n d presentations were made by David Armstrong. The top overall winners were Sharp & Fellows, Mass Electric Construction Company, Herzog Services, Inc., and Balfour Beatty Rail, Inc.; and dozens more companies scored highly enough to earn gold, silver and bronze level recognition. The NRC wishes to thank our judges and those who participated this year. A record number of entries were received and competition is getting tougher. This is another sign that while NRC membership is growing and getting stronger, we all recognize that safety comes first, every day. Our presenters this year from the freight railroads and various rail transit agencies did a fine job of giving us an indication of the February 2013
strength of the railroad industry as a whole and invited us contractors and suppliers to aggressively pursue available opportunities created by their capital spending. A reception for Congressman Bill Shuster, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was held Thursday night and was well attended. Chairman Shuster also gave a well-received presentation to the general session of the conference. Moving beyond the conference, there are three upcoming events that you should get on your calendar: 1. Railroad Day on Capitol Hill is Thursday, March 14, 2013, in Washington, D.C. Go to www.aslrra.org/meetings___seminars/ Railroad_Day_on_Capitol_Hill for event registration information. We are looking for a big turnout on March 14 to deliver our message of political support for the freight railroad industry. 2. The NRC 2013 Rail Construction and Maintenance Equipment Auction is Tuesday, April 16, 2013, at the Blackmon Auctions Yard in Little Rock, Ark. Equipment inspection will be available on Monday, April 15. If you have equipment you would like to consign or donate to the auction, contact the NRC staff at abosch@nrcma.org, 202-715-1247 or Danny Brown of RailWorks Corporation at dbrown@railworks.com, 810-397-3533. A small portion of the proceeds of consigned equipment and 100 percent of the value of the donated equipment, will go the NRC Safety, Training and Education Fund. Your company will receive the tax deduction benefits. Go to www.nrcma.org/go/auction for more information. 3. The 2014 NRC conference will be held at J.W. Marriott in Palm Desert, Calif., from Sunday, January 5, 2014, through Wednesday, January 8, 2014. Updated information will be posted on www.nrcma. org/go/conference. Work safe and keep those around you working safe. by Terry Benton, NRC Chairman www.rtands.com
TTCI R&D A Neural Network approach for locomotive-based track inspection by Abe Meddah, senior engineer, TTCI
TTCI investigates vehicle/track interaction systems for maintenenace identification.
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rack geometry deviations can generate undesirable responses in locomotives and freight cars. Locomotive onboard vehicle/track interaction (VTI) systems are used by North American railways to identify track locations that may require additional consideration for possible maintenance. But the differences in the dynamic characteristics of freight cars and locomotives often lead to different responses from the same track inputs. Neural Network (NN)
Figure 1: Six instrumented freight cars and the track geometry car.
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models developed by Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), identify track geometry deviations by predicting the likely freight car response from locomotive onboard VTI system input data. These models can complement already-in-use VTI systems widely deployed by Class 1 member railroads. TTCI’s NN models capture essential relationships between a set of VTI system input data and loaded coal car responses. The predictions of the NN m o d e l s d e p l oye d b a s e d o n validation data (i.e., not used while building the NN models) compr ised of large
magnitude dynamic events were mostly adequate and reflected track geometr y deviations that may require additional evaluation by maintenance-ofway per sonnel. Cor relation coefficients between prediction and validation datasets ranged from 0.65 to 0.77. Such a range is quite acceptable given that the validation datasets included not only target peak values but also patternless data noise that NN models tend not to recognize. The NN models were developed for a typical 286,000-pound gross rail load aluminum-bodied freight car equipped with wide wedge constant-damped trucks. About 700 miles of processed revenue service VTI data was used to develop the NN models. To help select informative VTI neural net training data, about 500 miles of track geometr y data was also processed and synchronized with the VTI data. The data was obtained from a VTI revenue service test conducted by a Class 1, AARmember railroad. The test consist was composed of an instrumented SD70 locomotive, six 286,000-pound aluminumbodied instrumented freight cars (IFCs) similar to TTCI’s IFC1 and a track geometry car. Figure 1 shows the six IFCs and the track geometry car used during the revenue service test.
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TTCI R&D
Figure 2 top left, illustrates the vertical carbody response, locomotive versus IFC. Figure 3 bottom left, illustrates a simplified Neural Network representation. Figure 4 illustrates the top chord stresses prediction (red) at perturbed track location.
Why the Neural Network methodology
Given the fact that locomotive suspensions differ from those of freight cars, some track exceptions may go undetected by locomotive-based VTI systems. Figure 2 shows an example of the differences between locomotive and freight car response at the same track location in revenue service. At 47 mph, an IFC A-end vertical acceleration reached about -1.0g, whereas a locomotive leading end acceleration was recorded at a value below -0.3g. However, complex relationships do exist between these acceleration signals and they could potentially be captured with an appropriate tool, such as the neural computing technique. An NN model is a pattern recognizer of complex relationships, such as the nonlinear VTI dynamic response. It is a network of artificial nodes composed of several input paths and one output path. Figure 3 shows a simplified NN representation relating locomotive-based VTI carbody accelerations and vehicle operating speed to freight car dynamic response. The input nodes take locomotive acceleration and operation speed; the hidden nodes store 12 Railway Track & Structures
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the weighed correlations between locomotive and freight car responses, as established in the NN training process. The output nodes give predicted vehicle response features, such as carbody acceleration or top chord stresses.
Neural Network model results
The input variables used to build the NN models consisted of the locomotive vertical accelerations and the operating speed as recorded by a VTI system set up to continuously collect data. Predicted freight car output variables consisted of top chord stresses and carbody vertical accelerations. Figure 4 shows a NN prediction of the top chord stresses (in red) validated on test data (in blue) measured during the revenue service test over a distance of 1,300 feet at 50 mph. The correlation coefficient between prediction and validation data is 0.75. The track surface measured at that particular location indicates a perturbation of -1.1 inch, as Figure 4 shows. Figure 5 shows an example of predicted B-end car vertical acceleration (in red) and measured test data for validation (in blue). The measured peak acceleration was 1.13g and predicted value was 0.98g. The resulting correlation coefficient was 0.7. This event happened at www.rtands.com
Figure 5 top, illustrates B-end predicted accelerations (red) versus actual accelerations (blue). Figure 6 illustrates predicted car top chord stresses (red) versus locomotive recorded accelerations (blue).
a track surface deviation of 0.8 inch while operating at 47 mph. All the data over which the NN models were deployed is validation data as measured during the revenue
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service test and was not used while building the NN models. The validation data, independent of the data used to build the NN models, was used to assess the models performance and accuracy in predicting the dynamic top chord stresses and vertical accelerations.
NN on revenue service
NN models were also developed to predict carbody vertical acceleration exceptions generated by a VTI system used by
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TTCI R&D Figure 7 shows the predicted accelerations at car center (red) versus locomotive recorded accelerations (blue).
maintenance-of-way personnel. It should be noted that in order for the NN mod els to per fo r m acceptably on new datasets from VTI systems (i.e., deployment data), it is important that the training data be statistically representative of the deployment data. The latter should be generated from a locomotive-based VTI system with continuous data streaming capabilities and should preferably be equipped with front and rear vertical carbody acceleration.
Acknowledgment
one Class 1 railroad. This type of a VTI system records the event exceptions plus a couple of seconds of data before and after the exception has occurred. The VTI exception data was obtained from the railroad using the VTI system deployed on one of its locomotives. Figure 6 shows the locomotive carbody vertical exception response (in blue) as recorded by an onboard VTI system and the predicted coal car top chord compressive stresses at the same track location. The exception occurred at 48 mph operating speed. The locomotive peak vertical acceleration reached -0.8g and the predicted coal car top chord stresses exceeded 6,600 psi in compression. Another example in Figure 7 shows a predicted vertical acceleration at the center of a freight car (in
red) and the locomotive carbody ver tical acceleration as measured by the locomotive VTI system. The locomotive peak acceleration reached 0.65g, whereas the freight car response was predicted to reach 1.2g. Information regarding the track conditions of the locations where the exceptions took place was not available.
Way forward
NN models were built to capture the essential relationships between a set of VTI system input data and loaded coal car responses. The predictions of the NN models were mostly adequate and therefore could provide a useful improvement to the capability of currently deployed locomotive-based VTI systems to identify track locations that may need additional evaluation by
Table 2. Intermediate Hardness Rails Supplier
Rail Type(s)
Corus (France) - grade: MHH HE (as-rolled)
MHH HE (non-head-hardened) Mill Head Hardened Hypereutectoid
ERMS (USA)
IH, IH HS, SS Intermediate Hardness, Intermediate Hardness High Strength, Standard Strength
Lucchini (Italy)
IH Intermediate Hardness
Mittal (Spain)
ML Mittal’s Grado MicoAleado AM Asturias
Panzhihua (China)
PG4 (non-head-hardened) Panzhihua Iron and Steel (Group)
Trinecké Zelezárny (Czech Republic)
TZ Trinecké Zelezárny
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The author acknowledges Corey Pasta and Randy Umsted of BNSF for supplying the VTI and track geometry data collected in revenue service, Mike Reedy of M&S Computer Programming for his support and Anne Gill of BNSF for providing onboard VTI exception data.
References 1. Li, D., Meddah, A. and Lundberg, W. July 2008. “Instrumented Freight Car for Perfor mance-Based Track Inspection.” Technology Digest TD-08-028. Association of Amer ican Railroads, Transpor tation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colo.
Correction:
The TTCI article, “Facility for Accelerated Service Testing update,” which appeared in January RT&S, contained a graph with the wrong information within it. The correct graph appears to the bottom left. The section of the article this graph represents is: Table 2 lists the types and suppliers of the intermediate test rails. All of the intermediate rails installed in the high rail were removed after 382 mgt due to numerous gauge-corner shells. The shells are being examined to try to determine failure mechanisms. However, operating conditions in the curve would have increased the propensity of any rail type to develop shells. The rail is lubricated, reducing wear. The 39-tonaxle-load train was operated at overbalance speed, increasing forces on the high rail. And, the rail was not ground after an initial light grinding. The next test of intermediate rails will include preventive, maintenance grinding. www.rtands.com
2013 capital expenditures keep industry on the
fast track by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
In another recordsetting year, North American railroads continue to invest in themselves with capacity expansion and maintenance projects.
Norfolk Southern’s TS-8 gang replacing wood crossties in Columbus, Ohio, in 2012.
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ast year’s capital investment from the largest freight railroads hit a record $13 billion and those same railroads are expected to exceed that mark in 2013. A conservative estimate based on the Class 1 expenditure numbers is pointing toward an overall 2013 spend of more than $14 billion. While not all of this will go toward the engineering side of the industry, there will be plenty of crossties installed, rail laid and bridges rehabbed. All seven North American Class 1 railroads, along with Amtrak, are planning strategic and measured engineering investments in order to expand capacity, keep up-to-date with maintenance and build infrastructure that maximizes their bottom line. In our annual RT&S survey, we asked all the major railroads for a breakdown of their expected spending during the next year. In addition to the information gathered from the survey, supplemental sources, such as earning reports, industry association presentations and general reporting were used to gain a full picture of what the next year will bring. All dollar figures should be read as estimates and are subject to change. RT&S thanks all those who responded to the survey.
Amtrak
Amtrak calls its 2013 planned agenda of infrastructure proj16 Railway Track & Structures
February 2013
ects “robust.” “Amtrak continues to advance and invest in projects that provide both near-term benefits and long-term improvements for the effective delivery and reliability of intercity passenger rail service,” said Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman. Two major bridge projects will progress in 2013 including the conclusion of the $140-million Niantic River Movable Bridge replacement in Connecticut and the start of preliminary engineering and environmental work for the Susquehanna River Bridge replacement in Maryland. The Gateway Program, which will provide additional capacity into Manhattan for intercity and New Jersey Transit commuter services, will progress by way of continued planning and other pre-construction activities. Line upgrades will also be a focus for Amtrak including the further design, engineering and other pre-construction activities for a $450-million project to boost speeds along a 24-mile section of the Northeast Corridor in New Jersey to 160 mph. This project, which is expected to be complete in 2017, is funded by the federal high-speed rail program and supports the Gateway Program. Amtrak completed installation of Positive Train Control (PTC) on a section of track between Philadelphia, Pa., and Washington, D.C., and intends to complete installation of www.rtands.com
2013 capital forecast
PTC equipment along the Amtrak-owned right-of-way in 2013. The sections of track between New York and Philadelphia and Philadelphia to Harrisburg are 90 percent complete and Amtrak points out that PTC is currently operational between New York and Boston and along its track between Porter, Ind., to Kalamazoo, Mich.
BNSF
BNSF’s planned 2013 capital commitment program of approximately $4.1 billion is close to $450 million more than its 2012 capital spend of $3.6 billion. Approximately 56 percent of the railroad’s capital plan, or $2.3 billion, will be spent on its core network and related assets. In addition, the program includes about $250 million for continued installation of PTC and $550 million for terminal, line and intermodal expansion and efficiency projects. BNSF’s expansion and efficiency projects will be primarily focused on capacity expansion to accommodate Bakken Shale-related industrial products growth, intermodal terminal expansion, such as the completion of BNSF’s Kansas City Intermodal Facility and other terminal improvements to enhance productivity and velocity.
canadian national
Canadian National plans a total capital expenditure and operational expenditure program of CA$1.788 billion
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(US$1.777 billion), which is a slight increase over its 2012 spend of CA$1.735 billion (US$1.731 billion). On the infrastructure side of the program, CN plans to install 94,000 net tons of new rail, 31,000 net tons of relay rail, approximately 1.55 million new wood crossties, 66,000 new concrete crossties and surface close to 9,500 track miles. All are increases over what the railroad installed in 2012. CN kicked off 2013 by opening its Calgary Logistics Park. Major projects that will advance in 2013 along CN property include continued investment in its Kirk Yard reconstruction, which should be complete this year, the Saskatoon Double Main Track project, several siding initiatives and Steelton Hill Double Track project. The railroad’s expansion projects in 2013 include the Plan Nord iron ore line development, various yards and facilities and continued development of its Memphis intermodal facility.
canadian pacific
Canadian Pacific’s total operating and maintenance-of-way capital expenses in 2012 were approximately CA$960 million (US$957 million), with CA$33 million (US$32.9 million) for C&S capital and operating expenses. While final numbers were not available at press time for 2013, it is estimated the railroad will spend CA$640 million (US$638 million) on basic replacement capital, which does not include PTC or expansion capital.
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2013 capital forecast
CP will lay an estimated 306 track miles of new rail or 68,000 net tons, compared with 70,500 net tons in 2012. The tie program will see a boost with installation of 975,000 wood crossties and 650 concrete crossties compared to 831,500 wood crossties and 1,800 steel crossties in 2012. CP also plans to surface close to 3,000
miles of track, which is a slight bump from the 2,780 miles it did in 2012. The railroad will also see its bridge and structures spending increase. It is planning 46 bridge replacements in 2013, including 23 on Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern-acquired properties, 62 deck replacement projects, 44 timber pile trestle upgrade projects and 190
individual culvert projects.
CSX
CSX plans to invest approximately $2.3 billion in its business in 2013, which is on top of the $7.8 billion it has placed in its network during the past four years. In a press release concerning its 2013 capital spend, the railroad stated, “Many of the investments are related to long-term initiatives that give customers greater access to an increasingly interconnected global transportation network. This includes the company’s National Gateway initiative creating double-stack intermodal train access between the mid-Atlantic ports and the Midwest.” CSX’s annual engineering tasks include installation of 3.2 million crossties, laying 355 track miles of rail, surfacing 5,800 track miles, brush cutting 5,300 track miles, track geometry testing 53,000 track miles and performing 50,000 welds. The railroad is expected to complete Phase 1 of the $850-million National Gateway project in 2013 and will immediately progress to Phase 2, which will open the mid-Atlantic by clearing 21 obstructions. Bridges will also take a focus for CSX in 2013 and into 2014, with truss replacements planned in Baltimore, Md., Philadelphia, Pa., North Branch, W.Va., Springfield, Tenn., and timber trestle replacements planned for Athens, Ala., and Sumter, S.C. New or expansion projects for CSX Intermodal are also planned in Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada, Baltimore, Md., Pittsburgh, Pa., and Fairburn, Ga. The CSX investments are also expected to include $325 million associated with the implementation of PTC.
KCS
David Starling, Kansas City Southern president and CEO, told investors during the railroad’s fourth quarter earnings call that the railroad is planning “capital spending to come in a bit above 20 percent of revenues.” With total 2012 revenue hitting $2.2 billion, KCS may be spending somewhere in the ballpark of $440 million in 2013 on capital improvements, which is up from the $382.8 million spent in 2012. 18 Railway Track & Structures
February 2013
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2013 capital forecast A Union Pacific crew readies a section of rail for welding along the Kearney Sub in the summer of 2012.
While KCS did not disclose exactly how much will be spent on engineering, the railroad has said 2013 will be another big year for track, capacity and capital projects tied to new business development. In the U.S., KCS plans to replace 550,000 ties and 20 miles of curved rail, construct new sidings in San Diego, Calif., and Texas and complete the Shreveport Terminal Complex expansion project with additional Centralized Traffic Control. In Mexico, KCS will continue its primary project of rehabbing the line between Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo by installing 27 track miles with new 136-pound rail and 75,000 concrete crossties. Additionally, KCS will replace 56,000 ties between Corondiro and Lรกzaro Cรกrdenas to support 136-pound rail; undercut 28 miles of track around the Mexico network, replace ballast and change the rail in 29 crossovers from 115-pound rail to 136-pound rail; install more than 312,000 crossties and a total of 69 miles of rail, both 115-pound rail and 136-pound rail, (including the line from Monterrey to Nuevo Laredo) and begin a second phase of Sanchez yard, including more switch tracks, a north lead, locomotive and car repair tracks as part of the five-year
20 Railway Track & Structures
February 2013
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2013 capital forecast plan for this yard.
Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern’s 2013 planned capital improvement budget will come in right at the $2 billion mark. The largest component will be $831 million for roadway improvements, including the maintenance and replacement of rail, crossties, ballast and bridges. Planned equipment spending of $420 million, followed by $229 million, about 11 percent of the 2013 budget, for PTC round out the list of top expenditures. Investments in facilities and terminals are anticipated to be $203 million and include the continuation of a multi-year project to expand Bellevue rail yard in northern Ohio, which is the largest yard on NS’ system; construction of a new intermodal terminal in Charlotte, N.C., as part of the railroad’s Crescent Corridor initiative; completion of a new locomotive service facility in Conway, Pa.; and new and expanded bulk transfer facilities.
22 Railway Track & Structures
Norfolk Southern also expects to spend $84 million in infrastructure improvements to increase mainline capacity, accommodate traffic growth and provide NS’ match for publicprivate partnership investments, such as the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program and the Crescent Corridor, which will improve the nation’s transportation infrastructure, reduce fuel consumption and air pollution and relieve highway congestion by moving freight off highways onto rail. Technology investments of $57 million are planned for new and upgraded systems and computers to enhance safety and improve operating efficiency and equipment utilization.
Union Pacific
Union Pacific’s projected $3.6 billion 2013 capital spend is down slightly from the $3.7 billion spend in 2012, which was the largest capital budget in the company’s history. More than half of the planned 2013 capital investment
February 2013
is replacement spending, while approximately $1 billion will be invested in service growth and productivity projects. Work in 2013 includes major projects, such as the Santa Teresa, N.M., intermodal and fueling facility, which should be completed by early 2014 and continuation of various projects in the South. Phase 1 of the Santa Teresa facility is expected to have more than 55 miles of track and more than 151,000 crossties. Additional projects include continued work on the Sunset Corridor between Los Angeles and El Paso, Texas, several public-private partnerships, including Tower 55 with BNSF in Texas and various frac sand projects. PTC spending will increase to approximately $450 million. UP revealed during its fourth quarter earnings call that it seems unlikely the industry will meet the 2015 PTC implementation deadline, but the railroad will continue making a “goodfaith effort to do so and working closely with regulators as we implement the new technology.”
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Fighting friction
Wheel/rail lubrication programs improve to offer railroads a smooth ride. Midwest Industrial Supply’s Glidex synthetic switch lubricant.
by Jennifer Nunez, assistant editor
W
ear and tear on rail can be reduced with the right friction modifying system in place. In order to ensure a healthy, long rail life, suppliers are offering up the best greases and systems to the railroads for a smooth ride.
ELM Environmental Lubricants Manufacturing, Inc.’s, (ELM) rail curve greases have uses in passenger, transit, heavy-haul freight and many shortline and intermodal applications. The company started its SoyTrak line of greases in the early 2000s and then introduced a new line, TempFlex, in 2006, which addressed the cold temperature shortcomings of the SoyTrak. This year, ELM is introducing a premium version of TempFlex, which incorporates a higher baseoil viscosity, while maintaining its cold-temperature performance, high-load capacity, heat resistance and biodegradability. TempFlex Premium 35-160 is a multi-season grease having some limitations in the winter months at very cold temperatures and TempFlex Premium 0-100 is also a multi-season grease having some limitations in the very hot regions during the summer months. TempFlex Premium 0-100 can be used year-round in hi-rail-mounted grease application systems. “We are excited about releasing the new TempFlex Premium products this year because the drastic improvement in baseoil viscosity and the extreme pressure additives, which include Molybdenum Disulphide, have shown major improvements from previous versions, specifically for heavy-freight applications,” explained Lou Honary, chairman and president. ELM is also working on a new biobased top-of-rail (TOR) friction modifier, which should be available in 2013. This product is oil based but includes biobased and natural drying fluids for better friction management and performance at cold temperatures. “It appears that the railroads will be spending much more on friction reduction through lubrication because it makes economic sense,” he noted. “Friction reduction improves fuel economy and as the cost of fuel goes up, the cost of lubrication can easily be justified. Increase longevity of rolling stock and reduction in noise www.rtands.com
and other benefits will be welcome adders.” ELM is participating in a department of transportation-funded field test project that is currently on-going at the University of Northern Iowa’s National Ag-Based Lubricants Center. That project is conducting a comparative evaluation of conventional and soybean oil-based rail curve greases in the laboratory and in the field. The results of that study are expected to provide insight into the performance attributes of biobased rail curve greases. ELM biobased rail cur ve g reases are sold through distributors, including the Illinois-based Plews & Edelmann under the brand name UltraLube. Plews & Edelmann has a distribution network nationwide.
L.B. Foster L.B. Foster Rail Technologies says the choice of material used to control friction at the TOR/wheel tread interface is critical. According to Brian Vidler, vice president friction management trackside applications, “Our KELTRACK® family of products remain the industry’s only true friction modifiers, providing the guaranteed intermediate friction levels and positive friction characteristics that can reduce wear, forces, energy, noise and corrugations without compromising traction or braking. In addition, the dry, thin film technology used in the KELTRACK family of products acts to mitigate the initiation and growth of rolling contact fatigue, whereas liquid materials can actually accelerate the growth of rolling contact fatigue, leading to significant rail surface issues.” Through chemistry advancement of KELTRACK, has come the adoption of KELTRACK ER (Enhanced Retentivity) in heavyhaul freight. The company notes there has been an intense effort to monitor and verify the impacts of adopting the improved chemistry in revenue service conditions. “We have been delighted to see data emerge during the past two years that is proving out the reductions in material usage that are possible with this technology, leading to significant savings for the customer-base and an even stronger financial return on Railway Track & Structures
February 2013 23
friction management
LB Foster’s KELTRACK lubricant being distributed. KELTRACK projects,” Vidler noted. “In addition, we are hard at work proving out the improvements that KELTRACK ER can offer in material carry distance, which could lead to wider spacing between wayside units without compromising the proven benefits of TOR friction control.”
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As the “digital railway” takes shape, L.B. Foster has been improving its R e m o t e Pe r f o r m a n c e M o n i t o r i n g (RPM) system for data collection and transmission from its application systems. The company is incorporating access to a wider range of sensor and data types, including curving force, rail stress and temperature measurements, that will allow the RPM framework to maximize wheel/ rail system performance. Steve Fletcher, vice president friction management mobile applications, said, “As with the PROTECTOR wayside platform, our product design and development teams are working aggressively to advance this product platform and make it even easier to implement and install on a range of vehicle types. The use of RPM systems allows for a highly-flexible fleet of systems that can be integ rated into ‘smar t’ management and maintenance strategies through intelligent use of data.”
Loram After acquiring Tranergy in 2011, Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc., had a productive year delivering and installing nearly 300
February 2013
TOR units. Loram developed a new application bar and pumping system for its TOR friction management systems, which the company delivered more than 100 of in 2012, with many more to be expected in upcoming years. “These enhancements to the system allow the application rate to be adjusted to an extremely fine resolution,” explained Jon Behrens, general manager, friction management services at Loram. “One of the key advantages of the new application bar and pumping system is being able to distribute friction modifier in even colder temperatures, which allows for a more consistent use and benefit of the friction management system. These systems have been working in the Powder River area with no issues on delivery of the friction modifier to the rail.” As railroads continue to learn about rail life and track component benefits that TOR and gauge-face lubricators deliver, Loram has seen an increase in the demand for TOR lubrication systems and friction modifier. “This demand will continue to increase during the next few years,” explained
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friction management Robolube’s wayside lubrication system.
Behrens. “The railroads continue to review their lubrication programs and are making decisions on what approach will work best for them. In addition, railroads continue to evaluate the amount of lubrication and the appropriate number of units they need to drive the best benefit.”
Midwest Industrial Supply Midwest Industrial Supply, Inc., has been testing different variations of its Glidex ® synthetic switch lubricant. The added proprietary conditioner for initial testing has shown an improvement in reducing friction on metal surfaces. The company is analyzing the overall cost versus benefit factor for its customers to determine if this would be an offering that would positively impact them in terms of performance and longevity. “In terms of lubrication for switches,” said Eric Vantiegham, rail and transit sales, “I believe there are four main factors that our customers are looking for: performance, environmental impact, ease of application and value. Glidex covers all the bases in these regards. However, with most businesses today, the railroads are doing more work with fewer resources, so it is important to continue to strive for better application methods and improved lubricant performance.” Midwest Industrial recently sold a prototype powered applicator for applying Glidex to switches in a large hump yard for a Class 1 railroad. The goal is to reduce the amount of time and effort it takes to
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perform the task of lubricating the switch. This system is expected to treat more than 400 switches from one tank with a comfortable pistol grip-type applicator and is powered by 12 volt DC, so it can be placed in any pickup truck bed and be powered using the truck’s battery.
Railmark Railmark Track Works Inc. offers a line of biobased, biodegradable rail curve switch lubricants and hydraulic oils. The company distributes Ultralube ® brand railroad lubricants, which are
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February 2013 25
friction management Top, Loram’s friction modifier system. Whitmore Rail’s RailArmor curve lubricant being distributed from a wiping bar.
wheels, which causes fouling of ballast and creates environmental issues. It is designed for quick removal and re-installation for track maintenance and servicing. “RBL hopes that we begin to see orders for the New Linear Wayside Lubrication System in mid to late 2013, after the final design is completed and further field testing confirms the tremendous advantages of this new technology for this application system,” Pieper noted.
SKF/Lincoln Lubrication SKF/Lincoln Lubrication Systems is currently working on several wayside lubrication equipment offerings. “From a lubrication equipment manufacturer’s perspective, there are more and more friction modifiers being introduced into the market,” explained Drew Welch, national account manager railroad. “Compatibility testing with our pumps and applicators is ongoing, as these new products become viable solutions for our customers.” Lincoln says its customers have indicated their intent to purchase the same or more wayside lubrication systems in 2013. One trend, the company notes, is the consolidation of programs from local control and budgets to a centralized program. “The industry continues to show interest in testing new gaugeface grease and TOR friction modifiers,” said Welch. “SKF/ Lincoln is keeping pace with the industry to provide pumping delivery systems and applicators for new rail curve greases and friction modifiers. Globally, we are seeing increased interest in our rail lubrication products. SKF/Lincoln has offices worldwide that support regional preferences in using our vast offering of lubrication equipment products.” manufactured from renewable USA-grown crop-based oils. These products are said to have four times more lubricity than petroleumbased greases and oils for rail lubricators and switch components with mindfulness to safety for employees and the environment. The new products meet EPA’s Environmental Preferable Purchasing criteria and are eco-safe and non-toxic.
Robolube Robolube Industries, Inc., (RBL) has completed in-track testing of its new Linear Wayside Lubrication System™ and is now in the final re-design stage. “The Robolube Linear System uses only one ounce of grease per train, utilizing the field-proven Robolube technology in providing a hi-rail-type application of lubricant to the gauge face in a wayside lubrication configuration,” explained Bob Pieper, president. “Because of the minimal amount of grease used, there is optimal grease displacement and complete consumption of the lubricant, reduction or elimination of hazardous mats and virtually no waste of product, while still achieving a tremendous cost savings in wasted or unused lubricant.” Since there is no contact with the train, there is less maintenance. The unit can be mounted at the apex of the curve where lubricant is carried down the rail from bi-directional traffic and there is virtually no cast off from centrifugal forces of the 26 Railway Track & Structures
February 2013
Whitmore Whitmore Rail has introduced several new products in the past few months, including a rail curve lubricant named RailArmor™ and a dry film switch plate lubricant called SwitchArmor™. Whitmore Rail has also become vertically integrated in the rail sector and now offers friction management equipment. “We make the most technologically-advanced electric trackside lubricators in the business,” noted Bruce Wise, director of railroad sales. “Our new lubricator has many features that the market has needed for many years. In addition, Whitmore Rail continues to develop new TOR friction modifiers that address the performance concerns in the North American freight market.” Wise says the rail industry today is much more diversified in its mix of traffic and the focus on technology and efficiency has intensified. As the economy grows and goods in the U.S. become more global, he notes, the demand for cost-efficient transport will increase. “This fits the rail business model perfectly,” Wise explained. “We believe the overall freight-rail spend will meet or slightly exceed 2012 levels, with a close eye on the world economy.” 2013 in general, looks like it will be a growth year for overall rail business, the Wise notes. Its core rail curve lubricants business continues to add new equipment and services that complement its traditional offerings. www.rtands.com
M/w challenges:
advances in rail
measurement by Jim Dickey, P.L.S. and Anthony Cinquini, P.E., P.L.S. Cinquini & Passarino, Inc.
Fast, mobile surveying systems capture rail data with increased productivity and accuracy. CPI says its crews utilize trolley-based measurement systems for their precision and reduced time required to collect, store and process data.
T
here exists in the U.S. a growing need for accurate measurements on track alignments and locations. Much of this comes from ever-tightening track tolerances, as well as regulations for Positive Train Control (PTC), which call for digital maps to show the location of track and related fixtures. This information typically covers large areas and is accurate to a few feet, which is sufficient to meet requirements for knowing a train’s location. But many other applications require measurements with much higher precision. For example, demands for increased accuracy in track construction have introduced new challenges in positioning and measurement. In addition to general track locations, design and maintenance processes can require precise top-of-rail measurements at short intervals. And as windows for track access for maintenance continue to shrink, railway operators and surveyors face the challenge of gathering more information in shorter periods of time. In efforts to find a solution, railways have turned to a variety of technical approaches to gather and manage the large amounts of spatial information needed for engineering, construction and geographic information systems (GIS). Many agencies utilize airborne or terrestrial LiDAR to acquire high-volume information. Airborne systems provide good overall coverage and rely on ground surveys www.rtands.com
to fill in information in congested or obstructed areas not visible from the air. Terrestrial LiDAR, often collected using mobile systems installed on hi-rail vehicles, can provide additional detail. But since its positioning relies on GPS, terrestrial mobile LiDAR is also supplemented by ground surveys and still requires significant track time to get the equipment on track in the correct location. While both of the LiDAR approaches can work well for general locations (including PTC), they can’t match the precision and detail produced by trained field crews collecting track data on the ground. For these ground-based surveys, new approaches are producing significant increases in efficiency and productivity. Historically, surveyors have used rail shoes, gauge bars or other methods to collect individual points along the track, often making additional computations in the office to produce positions of rail or centerline points based on the field measurements. Recently, techniques have emerged in the U.S. to significantly increase the productivity of a survey team for gathering information on existing rails. These techniques, which utilize new trolley-based measurement systems, can match the precision achieved by ground-based surveying while radically reducing the time required to collect, store and process the data. Consisting of a small trolley that is placed onto the rails Railway Track & Structures
February 2013 27
advances in rail measurement CPI survey crews could only work during a four-hour work window at night in order to maintain normal train traffic.
and pushed by an operator, these systems contain tilt and gauge sensors, 3D positioning equipment, a power supply and supporting electronics. The trolleys are isolated from the rails to prevent interference with the signaling system. The trolleys measure the railhead by providing a physical measurement along the top of the rail and along the inside of the railhead at the correct location, 5/8-in. (16 mm) below the top of the rail. These measurements are then related to the positioning data provided by survey-grade total stations or GPS equipment. With either setup, the trolleys can move along the track while taking measurements and can stop at specific locations to take single measurements of the track or surrounding features. Moving at walking speed, the trolley system collects essential data: track location, vertical profile, gauge and superelevation at specified intervals. The 3D positioning data is captured using high-precision robotic total stations or GPS, with all data stored in a handheld field computer. The trolleys may be quickly placed onto or removed from the track, making it easy for crews to collect data while complying with work rules for safety, track access and short work windows. Since the trolley is portable, it is also possible to mobilize quickly to remote areas where rail information is needed. 28 Railway Track & Structures
Prior to a survey, technicians can load the track’s design alignment information into the field computer. As the crew moves the trolley along the track, the field computer calculates and displays the station for the trolley location. The field computer also displays the deviations of the track from the design alignment, gauge and elevation of each rail. The trolley enables the survey team to capture information at specified locations along the track and to relate objects to track stationing, as well as absolute geographic coordinates. At the end of each day, the field data is downloaded for quality checking, analysis and sharing with downstream users. If needed, reports can be created and delivered before leaving the project site. Output information includes coordinate information, rail warp, traveling chords for horizontal and vertical alignments, together with graphical output of the track information compared to the design data. This information is provided on the project coordinate basis—not on a relative basis. This approach allows the surveyors, engineers and owners to quickly determine if the track was built per design or if the rail has shifted out of alignment. While the trolley systems were originally developed to meet the tight tolerances of European freight, pas-
February 2013
senger and high-speed railways, recent work by our surveying company in Califor nia has demonstrated the trolleys’ effectiveness on U.S. lines, as well. Our firm, Cinquini & Passarino, Inc. (CPI), utilizes a GEDO CE system manufactured by Trimble (Sunnyvale, Calif.) as a tool to provide track surveying services. Under a contract from Parsons Transportation Group, CPI conducted a survey for PTC on 52 miles (84 km) of track in central California. The work called for location of track centerline, switches and frogs, derails, roadway and pedestrian crossings, signage, wires and tunnel portals. In order to maintain normal train traffic, our surveyors could work on the track only between midnight and 4:00 a.m. The narrow windows called for the surveyors to mobilize quickly and not waste time due to equipment malfunction or data collection errors. By using a library of defined features stored in the field computer, the survey teams could quickly and consistently record information about the track and surrounding features. The pre-defined feature codes prevented errors in the point descriptions and attributes required for the PTC database and eliminated the need for rework. Information was collected and managed using PTC Data Model Definitions formats. The data were exported to spreadsheets, CAD and as charts and reports. The majority of the track corridor was surveyed utilizing GPS. A trolley’s GPS receiver can provide positions with a precision better than one inch (2.5 cm), which easily satisfies the requirements for the PTC survey. Survey-grade total stations were used to control positional accuracy within the four tunnels and in areas with poor suitability for GPS. Using two trolley crews and GPS, our teams collected data for five to eight miles (eight to 13 km) of track each night. Over the course of the survey, more than 120,000 points were collected along the corridor, with each point automatically referenced to the track centerline and the top of rail elevation. The CPI team found the Trimble www.rtands.com
advances in rail measurement Comparison of design to as-built values for a track segment prior to final tamping.
GEDO system demonstrated the ability to collect more than centerline data. Working for the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART), CPI crews collected detailed information on SMART’s rail network. One project called for precise location of existing track as part of the design process for a new bascule bridge. The trolley enabled CPI to operate with exceptional efficiency to meet the design engineers’ request for detailed top-ofrail information, with an accuracy of 1/8-in. (three mm) or less, for roughly 1,000 ft. (300 m) on each side of the bridge. The designers wanted data at 25-ft. (eight-meter) intervals. By using the trolley system, CPI could provide data every 10 ft. (three meters) and with no increase in cost. Prior to utilizing the trolleys for client projects, CPI performed extensive testing to ensure that they could collect track geometry data that is accurate and comparable to information collected using traditional methods. We first surveyed a segment of track using rail shoes and then measured the same segment using the trolleys. Test data was collected with the trolley stationary and while the trolley was continuously rolling along the track. Gauge measurements were also taken at various locations and compared to the trolley measurements. Checks were made to use the trolleys in different configurations, as well as using different equipment. After testing for a few days and checking the results in our office, we determined that the information from the trolleys was highly accurate compared to our field surveys. The trolley systems are also useful for track monitoring and track maintenance activities, such as tamping. Field crews can quickly gather information about existing track alignment and conditions. In Europe, the measurements are automatically compared to design alignments, with the results then loaded into the control systems onboard tamping machines. Similar approaches will work well in the U.S. as well. The system collects data very quickly, making it cost-effective over www.rtands.com
long stretches of track. And because data can be collected with a precision of 1/16 in. (three mm) or better, the information for position, gauge, cant, superelevation and cross level can be used on a variety of track classes ranging from low-speed Class 1 up through Class 9 high-speed freight and passenger trains. The trolley approach may be configured based on local needs. For example, precise GPS positioning (accurate to roughly one inch) works well for track location and alignments over large areas. In applications where higher precision is needed, a trolley can utilize robotic total stations as the primary positioning device. Trolley systems with total stations can be used for construction and inspection of slab track, where they have produced solid improvements in field productivity. The trolleys can also be equipped with 3D laser scanners and controlled with GPS or a total station to collect dense clouds of points similar to aerial LiDAR data. This configuration provides an excellent tool for railways to gather spatial information for maintenance and clearance envelope studies in tunnels, stations, platforms and other constrained areas while simultaneously collecting the track information. While trolley systems excel at providing detailed, precise measurements,
the primary benefit comes from their ability to reduce costs and reduce track time needed to complete a survey. As part of our evaluation, CPI used a trolley system to complete a PTC survey of roughly 140 miles (225 km) of track, and compared the results with estimates for a conventional survey. The speed of the trolley system cut field labor costs by a factor of six. The cost savings came from speed and efficiency; CPI did not reduce the number of people on the crew. While it’s possible for one person to operate the trolley, for safety reasons we maintain a twoperson crew. Utilizing the trolley equipment for design surveys allows for the collection of higher accuracy data while lowering the track time needed for the completion of the surveys. Our evaluation of this new (to North America) technology has determined that the trolley system is well suited for collecting the precise information needed for design, engineering and maintenance of North American railways.
About the authors
Jim Dickey, P.L.S, and Tony Cinquini, P.E., P.L.S., are principals at Cinquini & Passar ino, Inc., a Califor niabased full-service Land Surveying firm specializing in railway surveys, terrestrial laser scanning, hydrographic and traditional surveys.
Railway Track & Structures
February 2013 29
AREMA NEWS Professional Development Upcoming seminars
introduction to practical railway engineering March 13-15, 2013 Las Vegas, NV-University of Las Vegas, Nevada and UPRR REGISTER NOW June 12-14, 2013 Calgary, AB, Canada More info coming soon
AREMA goes to Australia with Bridge Inspection and Streambed Erosion Hazard Recognition & Countermeasures for Railroad Embankments and Bridges Seminar (SCOUR)
Message from the President
Interchange and partnerships By Jim Carter
Jim Carter AREMA President 2012-2013
Brisbane, Australia Melbourne, Australia This event has been postponed - TBD Fall 2013 FRA 213: Track Safety Standards April 30-May 2, 2013 Atlanta, GA October 2-4, 2013 Indianapolis, IN In conjunction with AREMA 2013 Annual Conference and Railway Interchange 2013 track alignment design seminar June 11-12, 2013 Denver, CO For additional information please contact Desiree Knight at dknight@arema.org or visit www.arema.org.
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February 2013
One of the many enjoyable things about being president of AREMA is having the opportunity to attend supplier organizations and represent you, the members of AREMA. It is always a great honor to be your representative and I never forget why I am there. In January, I attended the NRC Conference in Miami, Fla. Yes, it’s tough duty to have to go to Miami in January. Last year, I had the opportunity to attend the REMSA President’s Meeting and the RTA conference. These are all great events and wonderful opportunities to network and build and strengthen relationships with a lot of people who are very important to the success of our industry. I would like to thank all of those organizations for the hospitality that they have extended to Lynn and I. I have learned a great deal at all of those gatherings as I enjoyed the companionship of fellow railroaders. I look forward to meeting with other AREMA partners in the future. AREMA would not be as successful as it is without the partnerships that we enjoy. We are all looking forward to Railway Interchange, Sept. 29 – Oct. 2 in Indianapolis, Ind., that AREMA will sponsor along with the Railway Supply Institute (RSI), the Coordinated Mechanical Associations (CMA), the Railway Engineering Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA) and the Railway Systems Suppliers, Inc. (RSSI). This is the only event that gives you the opportunity to attend an AREMA Annual Technical Conference, technical presentations by CMA and visit an exhibition organized by REMSA, RSSI and RSI. The AREMA Functional Groups have reviewed the abstracts that have been received for what will be another excellent and educational technical program. We thank everyone who submitted abstracts and look forward to seeing the presentations, to learn about new developments in railway engineering and hear about interesting and important projects. Personally, I always look forward to the exhibition to see the latest and best in materials, tools and equipment. I know that several of our Student Chapters are making plans to attend and, as always, we welcome them and look forward to meeting as many of them as possible. The “Meet the Next Generation” segment has become a highlight of the conference. Lynn and the AREMA staff are working hard to develop an enjoyable spouse program for this conference. I hope that more of you will bring your spouses and that they will register for the program. This is a great way for them to meet other railroad spouses and network with them. I think that they will enjoy it. If you haven’t yet made plans to attend Railway Interchange 2013, you should do so as it promises to be memorable. Be careful out there. www.rtands.com
2013 Upcoming Committee Meetings Feb. 20-21 Committee 7 - Timber Structures March 6 Committee 28 - Clearances March 6-7 Committee 30 - Ties March 12-13 Committee 38 - Information, Defect Detection & Energy Systems
San Diego, CA Orlando, FL Pueblo, CO Jacksonville, FL
March 13-14 Committee 39 - Positive Train Control March 18-20 Committee 36 - Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems March 20-22 Committee 37 - Signal Systems March 20 Committee 27 - Maintenance of Way Work Equipment
Jacksonville, FL Cocoa Beach, FL Cocoa Beach, FL Rocky Mount, NC
Negotiated airline discount information for AREMA Committee Meetings can be found online at http://www.arema.org/meetings/airlines.aspx.
FYI…
AREMA’s Official Facebook Page Become a fan of the official AREMA Facebook Page and stay up-to-date on the most recent AREMA information.
Online dues renewal is now available. To pay online, log into www.arema.org, then select “Dues Renewal” from the “Membership” drop-down menu. Print renewal invoices have been mailed.
The Official AREMA LinkedIn Group Join the official AREMA LinkedIn Group by visiting www.linkedin.com and searching groups for “American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association.”
Railway Interchange 2013, September 29-October 2 in Indianapolis, IN . Registration i s n o w o p e n . www.railwayinterchange.org. To register for the AREMA 2013 Annual Conference, please visit www.arema.org. All AREMA badges will be honored for full access into the exhibition halls during operating hours.
Put your career on the right track with AREMA’s
Railway Careers Network. Services are free and include confidential resume posting, job search and e-mail notification when jobs match your criteria. Visit careers.arema.org.
Interested in sponsorship for the AREMA 2013 Annual Conference being held as part of Railway Interchange 2013? Please contact Lisa Hall at lhall@arema.org or +1.301.459.3200, ext. 705, for more information. AREMA Educational Foundation Scholarship Program is accepting applications for 2013. Please visit www.aremafoundation.org for a complete listing of available scholarships and to apply online. The application deadline is March 8, 2013. Call for entries for the 2013 AREMA Student Architectural Design Competition. Please visit www.arema.org for more information. The deadline for all entries is May 1, 2013. Call for entries for the 2013 Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence. The selection process for the 15th W. W. Hay Award has begun. Entries must be submitted by May 31, 2013. Please visit www.arema.org for more information. AREMA 2014 Annual Conference and Exposition will be held in Chicago, IL, September 28-October 1, 2014. Exhibit booth sales will begin May 1, 2013. Receive a 10% discount off your booth purchase between May 1 and October 11, 2013. Please contact Christy Thomas at cthomas@arema.org if you are interested in receiving more information.
Not an AREMA Member? Join today at www.arema.org www.rtands.com
American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association 10003 Derekwood Lane, Suite 210, Lanham, MD 20706-4362 Phone: +1.301.459.3200 / Fax: +1.301.459.8077 www.arema.org Railway Track & Structures
February 2013 31
AREMA NEWS
Getting to know Robin J. Aanenson Each month, AREMA features one of our committee chairmen. We are pleased to announce that the February featured chairman is Rob Aanenson, chair of Committee 37 Signal Systems. AREMA: Why did you decide to choose a career in railway engineering? Aanenson: While initially it was the combination of working outdoors and the romantic notion of working on a railroad, it quickly morphed into the challenge and excitement of planning, executing and safely running trains on time. AREMA: How did you get started? Aanenson: Like many of us in this industry, I was looking for a summer job in 1974 and went to work on a track section gang. One day, the C&S manager came over and enticed me to join that department. I have not regretted a day since. In addition to the great mentors I’ve had throughout my career at CMSTP&P, BN, BNSF and RCL, the thing I’ve enjoyed the most is keeping up with the learning curve that has continued to climb during my 38 years in railway signal engineering. AREMA: How did you get involved in AREMA and your committee? Aanenson: Following the recommendation of our department director, I joined the C&S section of AREMA predecessor AAR in 1988, gaining the opportunity to learn and understand the differing perspectives of my peers within the industry. AREMA: Outside of your job and the hard work you put into AREMA, what are your hobbies? Aanenson: I continue to enjoy hunting, fishing and related outdoor activities whenever time permits. In my 20s, I played eight years as a rugby flanker in the northwest. My most rewarding hobbies were the years as a leader in the Boy Scouts of America and those working with youth in our church. AREMA: Tell us about your family. Aanenson: Nikki and I have been married nearly 30 years. She has supported me through all the relocations and travel required during my career. We raised three boys that we are very proud of and now have two daughters-in-law with three granddaughters that are special to us. The two older boys work supervisory positions in the rail signaling industry and the youngest is a certified master welder in the oil and gas industry. AREMA: If you could share one interesting fact about yourself with the readers of RT&S, what would it be? Aanenson: I’m just old enough to have been a lineman working telecom, signal and catenary pole lines, along with having to repair teletype equipment and have lived on railroad property in company housing copying my train lineups in the morning at home using the old Western Electric crank message phones. AREMA: What is your biggest achievement? Aanenson: In the late 80s we were accelerating signal construction for pole line removal with an inexperienced signal management team and the different philosophies used for signal testing across the predecessor railroads within the merged company. We had experienced a couple of wrongside signal failures following the cutovers of the new signaling equipment. The AVP signals asked me to re-develop our testing and inspection procedures and then implement a “top down” supervisory test and inspection training program with the goal to have the department work as one team using the same set of rules and expectations for all. Although the other railroads 32 Railway Track & Structures
February 2013
Robin J. Aanenson Chair, Committee 37 - Signal Systems V.P. Engineering Railroad Controls Limited
were skeptical of our approach, we rationalized that training “type A” personalities on safety critical systems would require proving their performance by displaying the consequences of non-compliance in an error-forgiving environment. I designed and then secured an Authority for Expenditure for $130,000 to build a track and train control simulator at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kan., having one-inch scale track and a complete CTC system for approximately 20 miles of railroad. The simulator had 470 trouble switches with 130 of them which would inject subtle, yet potentially catastrophic, signal failures. Teams of four or five would plan and then perform the required testing procedures on the simulator. Following an evaluation re-enforcing the proper performance of the test procedures, they would then have a second opportunity to plan and test again. The pressure of missing a catastrophic error was intense and extremely humbling for all of us. We all agreed that we had achieved our department goal and continued to tweak the test procedures they stand behind today. We then empowered everyone in the department to be vocal and question the validity of our team testing since, when one of us fails, the entire team fails. AREMA: What advice would you give to someone who is trying to pursue a career in the railway industry? Aanenson: The reward is great for those that truly embrace a railway engineering career. My initial advice would come in the form of a series of questions they should ask themselves: In addition to my engineering degree, am I willing to ramp up for and embrace the dynamic learning curve I will encounter in order to be successful in the rail industry? What have I done in my life to prepare me for the rigor of something other than an eight to five job where I’m at home every night? What have I done in my life that demonstrates my ability to act rationally and responsibly under pressure? What have I done in my life that demonstrates that I’m a leader? www.rtands.com
AREMA Educational Foundation
AREMA Publications
Building Strong Ties to the Future of Railroad Engineering
NEW PUBLICATION
Reflections on a Half Century of Railway Engineering and Some Related Subjects©
Railway Memoirs by William G. Byers, PE
2012 Manual for Railway Engineering© There have been numerous updates to more than 5,000 pages of the Manual for Railway Engineering. The chapters are grouped into four general categories, each in a separate volume: • Track • Structures • Infrastructure & Passenger • Systems Management. The Manual is an annual publication, released every April. The Manual is available in four-volume loose-leaf format, CD-ROM, revision set (loose-leaf only) and individual chapters (loose-leaf format only).
AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook© The AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook provides a comprehensive source of information and criteria for bridge inspections for engineers engaged in the assessment of railway bridges. This handbook is published as a guide to establishing policies and practices relative to bridge inspection. It covers such topics as confined spaces, site conditions, loads & forces, nomenclature, bridge decks, timber, concrete & steel bridges, movable bridges, tunnel and culvert inspections, and emergency & postearthquake inspections. Also included are many color photographed examples in several chapters, as well as a glossary in the back of the book. To order any of the AREMA publications, please visit www.arema.org or contact Beth Caruso at +1.301.459.3200, ext. 701, or bcaruso@arema.org.
www.rtands.com
2013 Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices© The Communications & Signals Manual is a manual of recommended practices written by AREMA technical committees in the interest of establishing uniformity, promoting safety or efficiency and economy. The Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices is an annual publication released every October.
Practical Guide to Railway Engineering© This guide provides a comprehensive overview and understanding of the railway system. Whether you are new to the rail industry or a long-time contributor wanting to learn more, this bound book and CD-ROM offer in-depth coverage of railway fundamentals and serve as an excellent reference. (Also available in a CD-ROM version only.)
2012 Portfolio of Trackwork Plans©
2013 Scholarship Program The AREMA Educational Foundation provides scholarships to engineering students who are specializing in the railway industry and supports other educational and training endeavors that help to ensure the future of the profession. The foundation is pleased to announce the 2013 Scholarship Program is accepting applications. General criteria for all scholarship applicants include having an interest in railway engineering, maintaining a minimum GPA of 2.0 and being available for interview by the AREMA Scholarship Committee. Students may now apply online. The 2013 Scholarship Application form may be found at wwwaremafoundation.org. The deadline for all applications is March 8, 2013.
In addition to the
The Portfolio of Trackwork Plans consists of plans and specifications that relate to the design, details, materials and workmanship for switches, frogs, turnouts and crossovers, crossings, rails and other special trackwork. This is a companion volume to the Manual for Railway Engineering.
2013 Scholarship Program, AREMA is sponsoring the Student Architectural Design Competition. Please visit www.arema.org for more information and details on how to apply. The deadline for all applications is May 1, 2013.
www.aremafoundation.org
Railway Track & Structures
February 2013 33
34 Railway Track & Structures
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www.rtands.com
PRODUCTS Supervisor handbooks
Track Guy Consultants developed a series of handbooks for the track construction supervisor. Each handbook is dedicated to a specific track form and is printed on polyester paper that is waterproof and tear proof. These handbooks can fit in the back pocket and the spiral binding is on the top so it will not get caught in pocket lining. Handbooks available or will be available include: Constructing DF (Direct Fixation) Track, including LVT; Constructing Ballasted Track with a variety of ties; Constructing Embedded Track; Constructing Turnouts, Cross-overs and Double Crossovers; De-stressing CWR; Maintaining Track; Managing Projects with other to follow. Phone: 973-222-1300.
Washer
Nord-Lock launched its NordLock X-series washer for bolt security. X-series combines Nord-Lock’s wedge-locking protection against spontaneous bolt loosening, due to vibration and dynamic loads, with a spring effect that protects against slackening. With new technologies and demands, joints increasingly have to withstand stresses from multiple fronts. Nord-Lock X-series is said to ensure total bolt security, while simplifying design and maintenance since there is no need to use and stock multiple solutions. Each washer pair has cams on one side and radial teeth on the opposite side to secure the bolted joint with tension instead of friction. The X-series washers’ conical shape also creates an elastic reserve in the bolted joint to compensate for the loss of preload and prevent slackening. Phone: 877-799-1097.
Spreader-ditcher
Harsco Rail released its Harsco Spreader-Ditcher, a versatile machine that is used to plow heavy snow, spread ballast and cut trackside ditches. At 150,000 pounds and 50 feet long, it is equipped with an operator control cab, front plow, side wings, two non-powered bogies, AAR couplers and an APU for electrical/hydraulic power. It is pushed by one or multiple locomotives to achieve high traction and speed for maximum plowing effectiveness. This latest version includes in-cab locomotive controls, hydraulic locks, insulated walkways, heated windows, train line air brake controls and egress safety windows. Phone: 803-822-9160. www.rtands.com
Railway Track & Structures
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CALENDAR FEBRUARY 19. 8th Annual Railroad Night at Michigan Tech. Shelden Grill, Franklin Square Inn. Houghton, Mich. Contact: Pam Hannon. Phone: 906-487-3065. E-mail: prhannon@mtu. edu. Website: www.tinyurl.com/arzbhkk. MARCH 5-6. 18th Annual AAR Research Review. Pueblo Convention Center. Pueblo, Colo. Phone: 719-584-0544. E-mail: annualreview@aar.com. Website: http://www. regonline.com/18threview. 11-15. Railroad Track Inspection and Safety Standards. University of Tennessee. Chattanooga, Tenn. Contact: Dianna Webb. Phone: 865-974-5255. Fax: 865-974-3889. Website: http://www.ctr.utk.edu/ttap. 14. Railroad Day on Capitol Hill. Renaissance Washington D.C. Downtown Hotel. Washington, D.C. Contact: Kathy Cassidy. Phone: 202-585-3443. E-mail: kcassidy@aslrra.org. Website: http://www.aslrra.org/ meetings___seminars/Railroad_Day_on_Capitol_Hill/. 18-20. Introduction to Railroad Engineering and Operations. University of Wisconsin. Hilton Garden InnChicago O’Hare Airport. Des Plains, Ill. Contact: Dave Peterson. Phone: 800-462-0876. E-mail: peterson@epd. engr.wisc.edu. Website: http://ctr.utk.edu/ttap/training/. 19-21. Railroad Track Design. University of Tennessee. Knoxville, Tenn. Contact: Dianna Webb. Phone: 865-974-5255. Fax: 865-974-3889. Website: http://www.ctr.utk.edu/ttap. APRIL 2-3. Railway Age/Marine Log’s The New Intermodal Age Conference and Expo. Hyatt Regency Baltimore on the Inner Harbor. Baltimore, Md. Contact: Jane Poterala. Phone: 212-620-7209. E-mail: jpoterala@sbpub.com. Website: www.railwayage.com/index.php/conferences/ intermodalage.html. 23-24. Understanding and Complying with FRA 237 Bridge Safety Standards. Des Plains, Ill. Contact: Dave Peterson. Phone: 800-462-0876. Website: http://epd.engr. wisc.edu/emaN948. 27-30. 2013 ASLRRA Annual Convention. Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Atlanta, Ga. Phone: 202-628-4500. Website: http://www.aslrra.org. MAY 22-24. Timber and Steel RailRoad Bridges. University of Tennessee. Knoxville, Tenn. Contact: Dianna Webb. Phone: 865-974-5255. Fax: 865-974-3889.Website: http:// www.ctr.utk.edu/ttap. SEPTEMBER 29-Oct. 2. Railway Interchange 2013. Indianapolis, Ind. Website: www.railwayinterchange.org. 29-Oct. 2. APTA Rail Conference. Hilton Chicago. Chicago, Ill. Contact: Yvette Conley. Phone: 202-4964868. E-mail: yconley@apta.com Website: www. railwayinterchange.org. 36 Railway Track & Structures
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www.rtands.com
Ad Index Company
Phone #
Fax#
e-mail address
Page #
AREMA Marketing Department
301-459-3200
301-459-8077
marketing@arema.org
Auto Truck Group
816-412-2131
816-412-2191
eschoenfeld@autotruck.com
9
Danella Rental Systems, Inc.
610-828-6200
610-828-2260
pbarents@danella.com
8
Georgetown Rail Equipment Co.
512-869-1542 ext.228 512-863-0405 karen@georgetownrail.com
18
Harsco Rail
803-822-7551
803-822-7521
mteeter@harsco.com
19
Herzog Railroad Services, Inc.
816-233-9002
816-233-7757
tfrancis@hrsi.com
17
Hougen Manufacturing, Inc.
866-245-3745
800-309-3299
info@trak-star.com
20
Koppers Inc.
412-227-2739
412-227-2841
ambrosegf@koppers.com
22
L.B. Foster Co. - Friction Management 412-928-3506
412-928-3512
glippard@lbfosterco.com
4
Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.
763-478-6014
763-478-2221
sales@loram.com Cover 2
North American Rail Products Inc.
604-946-7272
888-692-1150
cerhart@narailproducts.com
Neel Company, The
703-913-7858
703-913-7859
btemple@neelco.com
13
Nordco Inc.
414-766-2180
414-766-2379
info@nordco.com
7
RAILCET
866-724-5238
217-522-6588
grif1020@yahoo.com
6
RailWorks Corporation
866-905-7245
952-469-1926
jrhansen@railworks.com
Railway Educational Bureau, The
402-346-4300
402-346-1783
bbrundige@sb-reb.com
SnakeTray
631-674-0004
631-674-0010
molly@snaketray.com
Unitrac Railroad Materials, Inc.
412-298-0915
865-693-9162
ppietrandrea@unitracrail.com
25
Whitmore Rail
972-771-1000
972-772-4561
sales@whitemores.com
24
Willamette Valley Company
541-484-9621
541-284-2096
03alishab@wilvaco.com
Š
Cover 3
8
21
35, 36 9
Cover 4
Reader Referral Service This section has been created solely for the convenience of our readers to facilitate immediate contact with the RAILWAY TRACK & STRUCTURES advertisers in this issue. The Advertisers Index is an editorial feature maintained for the convenience of readers. It is not part of the advertiser contract and RT&S assumes no responsibility for the correctness.
Advertising Sales general sales OFFICE Jonathan Chalon Publisher (212) 620-7224 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 620-7224 New York, NY 10014 jchalon@sbpub.com CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA, WV, Canada Quebec and East, Ontario Mark Connolly (212) 620-7260 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1863 New York, NY 10014 mconnolly@sbpub.com AL, AR, IN, KY, LA, MI, MS, OH, OK, TN, TX Emily Guill (312) 683-5021 20 South Clark St. Fax: (312) 683-0131 Ste. 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 eguill@sbpub.com
www.rtands.com
AK, AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, KS, MN, MO, MT, NE, NM, ND, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, WY, Canada -ÂAB, BC, MB, SK Heather Disabato (312) 683-5026 20 South Clark St. Fax: (312) 683-0131 Ste. 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 hdisabato@sbpub.com Responsible for advertisement sales in all parts of the world, except Italy, Italianspeaking Switzerland, Japan, and North America. See the contacts below for these areas. Donna Edwards Suite K5 & K6 The Priory +44-1444-416368 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom de@railjournal.co.uk
Australia, Austria, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Scandinavia, South Africa, South America, Spain, Worldwide Recruitment Steven Barnes Suite K5 &K6 The Priory +44-1444-416375 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom sb@railjournal.co.uk Africa, Britain, Eastern Europe, Far East, France, Germany, all others. Louise Cooper Suite K5 &K6 The Priory +44-1444-416917 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom lc@railjournal.co.uk
Italy & Italian-speaking Switzerland Dr. Fabio Potesta Media Point & Communications SRL Corte Lambruschini Corso Buenos Aires 8 +39-10-570-4948 V Piano, Int 9 Fax: +39-10-553-0088 16129 Genoa, Italy info@mediapointsrl.it Japan Katsuhiro Ishii Ace Media Service, Inc. 12-6 4-Chome, +81-3-5691-3335 Nishiiko, Adachi-Ku Fax: +81-3-5691-3336 Tokyo 121-0824, Japan amskatsu@dream.com Classified, Professional & Employment Craig Wilson (212) 620-7211 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1325 New York, NY 10014 cwilson@sbpub.com
Railway Track & Structures
February 2013 37
ANNOUCEMENTS
Congratulations to Our President, CEO, Boss, Friend and Co-Worker...
Jim Daloisio On your induction into the NRC Hall of Fame You are an Inspiration to us all.
705 Mantua Ave. Paulsboro, NJ 08066 | P: 856-423-2220 | F: 856-423-9389 1-877-RCC-RAIL | www.RAILNJ.com | Your Complete Track Contractor!
Professional Directory
WEED & BRUSH SPRAYING Specialized fleet of computer operated sprayers
Tree Trimming/Brush Cutting
Line Clearance-Hazardous Trees-Whole tree chipping
POLE LINE REMOVAL
A variety of on/off track removal equipment
Road Crossing Site Safety Maintenance Re-cut & Herbicide Programs 800.822.9246 www.merciers.com
Mercier’s
NEW & USED EQUIPMENT
RT&S Classified Section Craig Wilson 212-620-7211 cwilson@sbpub.com s r
38 Railway Track & Structures
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r
TM
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NEW & USED EQUIPMENT
Some things never change. Quality, Service, and Dependability. Since 1910.
Hirail Crew Cab Grapple Truck
Rotary Dump
LEASE or BUY
Some things never change. Quality, Service, and Dependability. Since 1910. Utility Pick up Custom Build New or Used Chassies Also: Hirail Boom Dump Trucks Hirail Mechanics Trucks Hirail Section Trucks Hytracker for moving equipment Hudson Ballast Cars DMF & Harsco parts, service and installation
Hirail Gradall w/opt. Brush Cutter Crew Cab Boom Truck RAILROAD SERVICES
Est. 1910
RAILROAD SERVICES
Phone: 315-455-0100 • Fax: 315-455-6008 • Syracuse, NY • Please visit our website www.franktartaglia.com
NELSON SERVICES, INC.
22615 120th Ave., Thief River Falls, MN 56701 Call 218-681-8002 • Fax 218-681-7111 Email nelsonservices@wiktel.com 5 kershaw tie cranes ...................................................lease/sale 4 fairmont spikers ........................................................lease/sale Caboose Office .................................................................... sale 1 burro model 40 w/magnet ........................................lease/sale 3 kershaw 26 side entry regulators .............................lease/sale 2 kershaw scarifers ....................................................lease/sale Box Car Office .............................................................lease/sale 1 teleweld 32 burner rail htr self propelled with vibrator 1 tr 10 tie inserter/remover wide cab .................................... sale 1 2002 sterling Rotary dump truck with hy-rails & grapple ........................................................................lease/sale 2 1995 ford rotary dump trucks with hy-rails & grapple 1995 white Volvo grapple truck w/hyrails & apprentice 120c grapple ........................................................................lease/sale 1 2001 freightliner 4 dr crew truck w/crane & hyrails 2 pettibone 441 B speedswings with tote hook Check out other equipment for lease or sale at our website www.nelsonservices.com
FOR SALE 4150TM Magnum Trackmobile, 1998 Cummins Engine, 6500 hrs Complete Service Records Mike Cohen (609) 933-6310 mcohen@usedplants.com RAILROAD SERVICES
Excellent Financing Available on All Units!
Larry Schamber
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Railway Track & Structures
February 2012 39
NEW & USED EQUIPMENT
R. E. L. A. M. INC.
E-Mail: RelamCFE@aol.com Tel: 440-439-7088 Fax: 440-439-9399
EQUIPMENT FOR SHORT OR LONG TERM LEASE HARSCO TAMPERS 6700S Switch and Production Tampers - 2012, 2011, 2010 & 2009 3300 Chase Tampers 3000 Tampers w/Raise & Line or Chase Tampers 2012 thru 2006 2400 Tampers w/Raise & Line, 900 Tampers w/Jacks TIE INSERTERS/EXTRACTORS Nordco TRIPPs - 2012 thru 2005 TR-10s & TKOs 925 S/Ss and Standards KNOX KERSHAW REGULATORS, KRIBBER/ADZERS, TIE CRANES & PLATE BROOMS KBR-850-925-940 Ballast Regulators & Snow Fighters - 2012 - 2008 KTC - 1200 Tie Cranes - 2012 thru 2006 KKA-1000s Kribber/Adzers – 2009, 2008 & 2007 KPB-200 Plate Brooms NORDCO ANCHOR APPLICATORS, SPIKERS & GRABBERS Models E & F Anchor Machines Models CX and SS Spikers - 2012 thru 2006 Model SP2R Dual Grabbers – 2008, 2007 & 2006 RACINE DUAL ANCHOR SPREADERS, SQUEEZERS, TPIs, DUAL CLIP APPLICATORS, OTM RECLAIMERS AND ANCHOR APPLICATORS HI-RAIL CRANES & SPEEDSWINGS Pettibone Model 445E Speedswings w/Multiple Attachments Geismar 360 Hi-Rail Excavators with Cold Air Blowers Badger 30 Ton Cranes HI-RAIL ROTARY DUMPS, GRAPPLE TRUCKS & EXCAVATORS Gradall XL3300 Series III w/Digging Buckets & Brush cutters - 2012 Badger 1085R with Brush Cutter and Ditch Cleaning Bucket
EMPLOYMENT AMTRAK
ASSISTANT PRODUCTION ENGINEER - Philadelphia, PA Oversee, direct and manage the installation of concrete ties, rail and turnouts, undercutting, shoulder cleaning, ditching, welding, and surfacing work. Oversee manpower, scheduling, equipment, material, and supplies that support track operations. Ensure compliance with Amtrak and Federal Railroad Administration policies and procedures.
EDUCATION:
Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or a related field or the equivalent combination of training, education and/or experience.
WORK EXPERIENCE:
Demonstrated experience and thorough knowledge of train operations, railroad maintenance and construction methods. Some experience in planning/scheduling and project management. Qualified or have the ability to be qualified in MW1000, NORAC, RWP, AMT2, applicable FRA rules and regulations. Microsoft Office, WEE, PC experience with spreadsheets.
TRAVEL REQUIRED Submit your application online at www.amtrak.com/careers or email your resume to necjobs@amtrak.com Amtrak is an equal opportunity employer committed to employing a diverse workforce.
40 Railway Track & Structures
February 2013
2012 NRC SAFETY AWARD WINNER
Brand new Western Star or Freightliner hi rail Grapple trucks for sale or rent Brand new Ford F350 hi rail pickups for sale or rent (5) 2005 Ford F350 hi rail pickups for sale Contact Andy Wiskerchen for Pricing Omaha Track Equipment 715-570-8885 andy@omahatrackequipment.com
Find your rail industry job opportunities at www.rtands.com & www.railwayage.com www.rtands.com