February 2017 | www.rtands.com
2017 FREIGHT CAPEX
Where will Capital be spent?
PLUS UAVs Raise maintenance profiles LIRR Ellison bridge Replacement and also
AREMA News p.32
Contents February 2017
News
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Features
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Industry Today 4 Supplier News 10 People
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Upward view UAVs hold tremendous potential to aid railroads with inspection and surveying tasks. How are they delivering on this potential?
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canadian national
LIRR Ellison Avenue bridge replacement LIRR and its design-build team worked to deliver an award-winning bridge that enhanced safety, as well as train movement.
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Class 1s will spend more than $8 billion on maintenance in 2017. Photo by David Ostby. Story on page 16
On Track The exhausting first 100 14 days
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NRC Chairman’s Column Strong start to the year
long island rail road
CapEx down approximately nine percent Class 1 capital plans are down, but freight carriers continue to target maintenance programs that are level to the past few years.
Columns
RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES
24 Departments 13 TTCI R&D 32 Arema News 39 Products 40 Calendar 41 Advertisers Index 41 Sales Representatives 42 Classified Advertising 43 Professional Directory
Unmanned experts/dennis wierzbicki
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Railway Track & Structures
February 2017 1
On Track
RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES
Vol. 113, 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 Kyra Senese/Assistant Editor, ksenese@sbpub.com CORPORATE OFFICES 55 Broad St 26th Fl. New York, N.Y. 10004 Telephone (212) 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr./ President and Chairman Jonathan Chalon/Publisher Mary Conyers/Production Director Wendy Williams/Creative Director Maureen Cooney/Circulation Director Michelle Zolkos/Conference Director
Railway Track & Structures (Print ISSN 0033-9016, Digital ISSN 2160-2514), (USPS 860-560), (Canada Post Cust. #7204564; Agreement #40612608; IMEX P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada) is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 55 Broad St. 26th Floor, New York, NY 10004. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Pricing: Qualified individual and railroad employees may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions printed and/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. Single Copies are $10.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2017. 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 and address changes, Please call (800) 895-4389, (402) 346-4740, Fax (402) 346-3670, e-mail rtands@omeda.com or write to: Railway Track & Structures, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, P.O. Box 3135, Northbrook, IL 60062-3135. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Railway Track & Structures, P.O. Box 3135, Northbrook, IL 60062-3135.
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The exhausting first 100 14 days
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s of press time, it has been 14 days since Donald Trump took office. For those accustomed to the slow speed at which action occurs in Washington, D.C., the fast pace (frenetic at times) of the current administration can be a bit overwhelming. In those first 14 days, President Trump signed eight executive orders, 12 presidential memos and sent 89 tweets tackling a range of domestic and foreign policy issues. One subject we are all anxious to see play out is the administration’s approach to infrastructure. On the campaign trail, Trump promised to be the greatest jobs president ever, partly through a trilliondollar plan to rebuild roads, bridges, rail and transit systems. The public received a hint of what that might entail when a preliminary list (key word, “preliminary”) of infrastructure priorities was obtained by the press and shown to include several high-profile rail projects. The Senate Democrats gave the conversation a push when they introduced a trillion-dollar infrastructure plan (see what they did there?) four days after the inauguration. The Dems’ plan sticks with a fix it first approach versus building new and proposes an expansion of the ever-popular Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program, billions for transit and the establishment of an often-proposed-butyet-established infrastructure bank. The major question surrounding this plan is how to pay for it. The Senate Republicans, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and husband of newly sworn-in Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, have voiced that they will not support a stimulus-style program that requires large, upfront government funding, preferring instead to rely on tax credits to stimulate private infrastructure spending. Why does that sound familiar? One, it’s the same Democrat versus Republican infrastructure argument we’ve heard for years, but also because the shortline tax credit is an example of exactly what the Republicans like to see. If you missed
it, an effort to permanently extend the shortline tax credit, which expired Dec. 31, 2016, re-entered the House on Jan. 30 (H.R. 721). All this banter could be put on hold as House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) told Fox and Friends on Feb. 2 that infrastructure will be taking a back seat to other priorities, such as healthcare reform. He cited the budgetary process saying tax reform and infrastructure will be addressed after the spring budget is passed. The industry could see more immediate effects from two of President Trump’s Executive Orders signed within the first 14 days and aimed at easing regulatory burdens. The “Executive Order Expediting Environmental Reviews and Approvals For High Priority Infrastructure Projects,” establishes a framework to expedite environmental reviews of high-priority infrastructure projects while “Presidential Executive Order on Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs” requires the elimination of two regulations for every new regulation installed. Edward R. Hamberger, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) said of the reduced regulatory burden Executive Order, “We believe that a more nimble regulatory structure will foster greater economic growth and we are excited to partake in this important effort to improve the regulatory system.” Pertaining to the expedited environmental review process, he said, “We look forward to a more sensible process whereby we can improve upon what we already do best: move the American economy through private investments.” If this is what has occurred in 14 days, I can only imagine what could happen by the time we gather on March 2 for Railroad Day on Capitol Hill.
Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor
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INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Harsco’s Protran Technology unit sold its safety systems for use in Denver’s Regional Transportation District railway fleet. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority awarded a $98 million contract to L.K. Comstock & Company Inc., a RAILWORKS CORPORATION subsidiary, to complete upgrades the Brooklyn, N.Y., Kings Highway Interlocking signal system. The North Central Texas Council of Governments announced the selection of the Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam consulting firm to carry out a high-speed rail
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CP, Parks Canada wrap up grizzly research, begin protection efforts Parks Canada and Canadian Pacific Railway have completed their Canada-CP Grizzly Bear Research Initiative and will now institute measures aimed at reducing railway related risks to grizzly bears. Over the past decade, there have been 10 confirmed rail-caused grizzly mortalities in Banff and Yoho national parks. While population trend studies show that grizzly bear populations remain steady in the mountain parks, the bears are part of an interconnected population that have the lowest recorded reproductive rates in North America. In 2010, CP and Parks Canada signed a five-year Joint Action Plan aimed at reducing grizzly bear mortality on the rail line in Banff and Yoho national parks. While a reduction in grizzly mortalities within Banff and Yoho national parks has been observed since the start of this joint research initiative, this research shows there is no simple solution to this issue. By working collaboratively since the launch of this initiative, Parks Canada, CP and research teams from the Universities of Alberta and Calgary learned about the complex factors that influence grizzly bear behavior along the rail line in Banff and Yoho national parks. Between 2010 and 2015, at any given time, a minimum of 11-13 grizzly bears with GPS radio-collars were being tracked by researchers. The data collected showed specialists where, when and sometimes why bears were using the railway. Based on the recommendations from the research initiative and in keeping with the Canada National Parks Act and Banff and Yoho Park Management Plans, Parks Canada and CP will implement measures on and off the railway to help reduce the risk of grizzly bear train collisions including the use of prescribed fire and forest thinning, development of alternative travel routes for bears, targeted vegetation management and a pilot exclusion fencing program near railway greasing stations. CP will focus on mitigation efforts within its existing right-of-way, including investing in a targeted, multi-year vegetation management program throughout Banff and Yoho national parks that will decrease attractant vegetation and open escape paths in confined areas and a pilot exclusion fencing and electromat program around railroad greasers aimed at keeping bears away from this potential attractant. The results of the research and subsequent action from CP and Parks Canada will reduce the likelihood of bear-train collisions and further protect this iconic species for present and future generations.
February 2017
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INDUSTRY TODAY Union Pacific employees mark 2016 as safest year on record Union Pacific achieved its best annual employee-safety rate in 2016, improving on the record set in 2015 and making 2016 the safest year in the Class 1’s 154year history. The company’s employee reportable injury rate, measure by injuries for every 200,000 employee hours worked, declined 14 percent from 0.87 in 2015 to 0.75 in 2016. In 2015, the employee reportable injury rate improved 11 percent from 2014. “Union Pacific’s employees achieved an incredible milestone reflecting their dedication to operating safely in work areas and the communities we serve,” said Rod Doerr, Union Pacific vice president – Safety. “This unrelenting focus ensures everyone goes home safely as we work toward our ultimate goal of zero accidents.” The company also made safety gains with an approximately three-percent improvement in its 2016 derailment rate compared with 2015. The reportable rail equipment incident rate per million train
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miles dropped from 3.10 in 2015 to 3.02 in 2016. “While we made only a slight improvement on the reportable rate, enhanced [Train, Engine and Yard employee] training and continued infrastructure investment helped significantly reduce the absolute number of incidents, including those that did not meet the reportable threshold, generating a record low incident rate for the sixth consecutive year,” said Cameron Scott, executive vice president and chief operating officer, during Union Pacific’s 2016 fourthquarter earnings call. Union Pacific employs a variety of safety and risk mitigation activities, including the Courage to Care personal commitment, which empowers employees to look out for their peers and “stop the line” on any operation that could result in an incident. The company also occasionally pauses systemwide operations for safety stand-downs, during which employees have candid safety discussions and share experiences to learn from each other.
Supplier News station area planning study for work planned to take place in the downtown Dallas region. London Trackwork Inc. received a contract for special trackwork for Canada’s Valley Line light-rail project in Edmonton, AB. The Sound Transit Board of Directors awarded Max J. Kuney Company a $93 million contract to build its BelRed/130th Station and guideway. The Massachusetts
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INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Bay Transportation Authority awarded a $16.97 million construction contract to
McCourt Construction Company to build the its Blue Hill Avenue station.
Stacy and Witbeck, Inc., received a contract from the Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority to serve as the Construction Manager At-Risk for the transportation authority’s Tempe Streetcar project.
CTA awarded $1.07 billion for Red and Purple Modernization Project The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) received a commitment of approximately $1.07 billion in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to support phase one of its Red and Purple Modernization Project (RPM). The grant will enable the CTA to reconstruct a section of the rail lines on the city’s north side and boost capacity on one of the CTA’S busiest corridors. The project scope entails track improvements to be made north of the Belmont Station to ease congestion at a connection point for the Red, Purple and Brown lines. The CTA also plans to rebuild and expand four stations to address current and projected demand, in addition to completing upgrades to the power, track and signal systems. The transit authority will also purchase 32 new railcars. The Full-Funding Grant Agreement with the FTA is the final step in securing the funding needed for the $2.1 billion first phase of
the RPM project. Federal funds being used include a core capacity construction grant agreement for $956.61 million through the FTA’s Capital Investment Grant (CIG) Program, and approximately $116 million through the Department’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program. The CIG funds will be allocated throughout a period of nine years on an annual payment schedule, which will also be subject to Congressional approval during the yearly appropriations process. “This historic funding agreement for the Red and Purple Lines is great news for CTA customers, because we can now move forward with one of the biggest modernization projects in CTA history and follow through with our promise to reduce crowding and increase station accessibility,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “I thank Sen. Durbin and our Congressional leaders, Mayor Emanuel and the City Council, Acting FTA Administrator Carolyn Flowers and the countless others for their vision and support of this project.”
Safe photography practices We received an inquir y regarding the circumstances under which the photo featured on the cover of the Track Buyer’s Guide was acquired. While the photo looks like it could have been shot from the center of the track, the photographer confirms that the image was taken from the Fayette Station Road crossing in New Haven, W.V., which is signalized. We at Railway Track & Structures strive to adhere not only to journalistic best practices, but to those that support efforts within the rail industry, as well. We welcome inquiries or comments about our content and would like to wish all of our readers continued safety in their work and home environments. #SeeTracksThinkTrain
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Proposed federal directive aims to end stop signal overruns The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) published a proposed General Directive aimed at reducing the frequency of stop signal overruns in the rail transit industry. FTA issued the public notice on Jan. 17 and comments can be submitted through March 20, 2017. The proposal would require rail transit agencies and State Safety Oversight Agencies (SSOA) to work together to understand the significant risks of death, injury and property damage associated with stop signal overruns, establish mitigations to reduce the risks and monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the mitigations. The proposal also would, for the first time, establish a definition for stop signal overruns in the rail transit industry as “a revenue or non-revenue rail transit vehicle passing any signal displaying a visual aspect that indicates to an operator that a train does not have authority to proceed.”
The FTA recognizes that there is a lack of standard practice, definitions and requirements to protect against unauthorized passing of stop signals. The establishment of a common definition would be a significant safety advancement that would support the development of an industry-wide database on the issue. The proposed General Directive would require a rail transit agency to conduct a systematic safety risk evaluation of the potential for stop signal overruns on its system, evaluate its operational activities to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of existing mitigations and develop a corrective action plan, as necessary. In addition, the proposed General Directive would require SSOAs to participate in, review and approve the safety risk evaluations conducted by rail transit agencies they oversee and monitor and report the status of corrective action plans to the FTA.
FTA approvals progress rail transit projects Arizona, California The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued approvals that moved a Valley Metro light-rail extension and Orange County Transportation Authority’s (OCTA) streetcar project to the next phase of development. FTA issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Valley Metro South Central Light Rail Extension in Phoenix, Ariz., following extensive environmental review of the project. The review studied potential impacts to the neighboring environment including noise and vibration, air quality, as well as historical and archaeological resources. With the FONSI received, the project now moves into final design. The proposed five-mile project will connect with the current light-rail system in downtown Phoenix and run south to Baseline Road. In January 2016, the Phoenix City Council approved accelerating segments of the future high-capacity/light-rail transit system to advance into the Regional Transportation Plan, which includes the South Central light-rail extension. With the acceleration, the South Cenwww.rtands.com
tral Extension will open in 2023 rather than 2034. The advancement will be funded through Transportation 2050, a 35-year, multi-modal transportation plan approved by Phoenix voters in August 2015. In California, FTA published a letter declaring its support for OCTA’s first modern streetcar this week, enabling the project to begin the engineering phase. Representatives say the FTA’s review of the project targeted ridership projections and OCTA’s financial commitment to the streetcar project, as well as evaluating the transportation authority’s ability to construct and operate it. Crews are set to begin construction on the OC Streetcar in 2018, and testing and operations work is expected to start in 2020. The OC Streetcar will run along a 4.1-mile route from the Santa Ana station, through Santa Ana Boulevard and Fourth Street and on the Pacific Electric right-of-way to Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove. The line is set to transport up to 7,500 passengers daily within its first year of operation. Railway Track & Structures
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INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Trackmobile announced a new partnership with RAIL SAFE
TRAINING, INC., through which each sale of its rail car mover will come with safety training provided by Rail Safe and Trackmobile operator training. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors awarded a $1.37 billion contract to joint venture TUTOR PERINI/O & G to construct section two of its Purple Line Extension Project.
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Legislation to make shortline tax credit permanent re-enters House A bill that would make the shortline maintenance tax credit permanent was introduced to the House of Representatives during the evening of Jan. 30. The Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy (BRACE) Act, H.R. 721, would permanently extend the 50-cent tax credit, also known as 45G, shortline and regional railroads can claim for each dollar spent on track improvements up to $3,500 per mile of track owned or leased by the railroad. The tax credit has been active since 2004, going through a series of five short-term extensions–many times being extended retroactively. The most recent extension of the credit expired Dec. 31, 2016. In 2016, the BRACE Act was introduced to make the credit permanent and received a majority of sponsors in both the House and Senate during the 114th Congress. “The 45G tax credit for freight infrastructure improvement and development has been a bi-partisan solution, ensuring that U.S. goods flow from towns and industries across America to U.S. markets, and beyond,” said
February 2017
Linda Bauer Darr, president of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA). “The BRACE Act allows for our small railroads to avoid the uncertainty of extending deadlines, ensuring that investment will be continuous. The BRACE Act will of course aid our small railroads, but much more importantly directly support the more than 10,000 customers along our lines and the suppliers to our industry.” ASLRRA says the tax credit has enabled shortline railroads to increase their infrastructure investment by 180 percent from its inception in 2004 through 2015. The association notes the capital-intensive nature of the industry and says 45G has been instrumental in allowing shortlines to invest a large percentage of their earnings (24 to 35 percent) in track and bridge rehabilitation. Citing a survey of its members, ASLRRA says the shortline industry’s overall annual federal tax liability has increased by 64 percent since 2003, the year prior to the credit being enacted.
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INDUSTRY TODAY MTA, PATH move individual sleep apnea screening programs forward The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH) have each taken steps to move forward their respective efforts to combat sleep apnea among employees filling safety critical roles. MTA is expanding its sleep apnea screening and treatment opportunities to rail engineers and conductors across multiple area networks to bolster safety for operators and passengers. The program began on Metro-North in 2015 and will be expanded to nearly 20,000 employees of the Long Island Rail Road, New York City Transit train operators and conductors, bus operators for New York City Transit and the MTA Bus Company. “Safety is our top priority, and MTA is going further than any other transportation agency in the country to prevent the risks of apnea. With this proposal, we are not just working to implement industry best practices, the MTA is defining best practices,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast. “Sleep apnea is a serious illness and treatment will improve the quality of life for those who have it and help them live longer.” Representatives say sleep apnea screenings will allow those deemed at risk based on screening results to be referred for further testing and possible diagnosis and treatment. The MTA has evaluated proposals from 13 healthcare companies who responded to a request for proposals issued in April 2016. To accelerate the program’s implementation, MTA says it is maximizing capacity and geographic coverage by proposing the use of four firms to conduct screenings and sleep studies and make physician referrals. At PATH, the Port Authority’s Office of Medical Services
has been devising evaluation programs to test current and prospective employees for sleep disorders. Those employees in safety-critical roles found to be at risk are referred for further evaluation, recommended for treatment and are regularly monitored for compliance. “PATH’s number one priority remains the safety of our passengers and employees,” said PATH Director/General Manager Michael Marino. “While we perform rigorous safety checkpoints on a regular basis throughout the system, given recent events we’re going the extra mile to enhance our safety programs as an added precaution.” PATH notes that these efforts to mitigate sleep disorders and provide personnel with the latest in safety training are just some of the elements the agency is applying to ensure rider and employee safety. PATH is also increasing the number of inspections it conducts under an existing rule that mandates engineers approaching bumping blocks should be traveling eight miles per hour or less. In 2016, PATH examiners conducted nearly 140 observational tests through the rule, with 100-percent compliance. In 2017, PATH will use data recorded in the cars to gauge compliance with this safety requirement, while relying on additional observational techniques to help measure compliance.
MTA testing two prototype vacuums New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is testing two prototypes of portable track vacuum systems to bolster the network’s efforts to keep tracks clean. The transportation authority says both of the vacuums can be quickly deployed, operated from platforms and easily transported from one station to another. MTA says the new units are part of its continuing Track Sweep initiative launched in June 2016—a multi-pronged plan aimed at drastically reducing the presence of trash on subway tracks, improving station environments and minimizing track fires and train delays. The first prototype is being tested currently, and the transportation authority says the second set will be deployed within two weeks. Both of the prototype units are powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries, utilizing a battery management system that works to protect the batteries and load from over current. The prototypes can both be moved from one station to the next via a conventional revenue train, and the tests are scheduled to last about 30–45 days. The MTA says it plans to move aggressively to acquire and deploy additional units following successful completion of the tests. www.rtands.com
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INDUSTRY TODAY Chao becomes Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and sworn in to serve as the 18th Secretary of Transportation on Jan. 31, 2017. In her first tweet in her new role, Secretary Chao said, “It is an honor to rejoin the extraordinary people of @USDOT and begin working to rebuild America’s infrastructure.” U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, said “Elaine Chao has the experience, ability, and now the bipartisan backing of the Senate to address our nation’s transportation and infrastructure challenges. Her unwavering commitment to public service will be an asset to the Department of Transportation and the new administration.” Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said of Secretary Chao’s confirmation, “We have a tremendous opportunity to improve our transportation systems, reduce regulatory burdens, encourage innovation and private-public partnerships, strengthen our competitiveness and build a 21st century infrastructure for America.” Secretary Chao is a former Secretary of Labor under George W. Bush and also served as deputy secretary at USDOT. A USDOT blog post detailing Secretary Chao’s background called her a “popular speaker on jobs, the economy and America’s global competitiveness” and noted that as Secretary of Labor, she achieved record results in workplace safety and health. Reaction from the rail industry was encouraging as various associations expressed their willingness to work with USDOT in the future. Edward R. Hamberger, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads (AAR), said, “The rail industry is also encouraged with statements by Secretary Chao in which she has indicated regulations should be focused and based on data, something the AAR supports, as America’s freight rail industry believes new rules should be empirically driven, supported by cost-benefit analysis and geared towards today’s innovation economy.” Linda Bauer Darr, president of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, echoed Hamberger’s support of regulations based on sound science and praised Chao’s call for finding innovative strategies and incentivizing private investment in any infrastructure plan. “Shortlines embrace this type of initiative already being delivered by the 45G tax credit. Since its inception, shortlines have invested nearly $2 billion back into rail and bridge maintenance and upgrades, providing a safer, more efficient freight rail network,” said Darr. Amtrak Chairman Tony Coscia and President and CEO Wick Moorman also offered congratulatory words. “We welcome Secretary Chao to the Amtrak Board of Directors where we look forward to working with her as we continue to strengthen Amtrak,” said Coscia. “As a former deputy secretary of transportation, Secretary Chao understands the importance of mobility and high-quality infrastructure to the American people and our economy. We are eager to work with Secretary Chao and the department on ways to advance these goals,” said Moorman. 10 Railway Track & Structures
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PEOPLE Keith Creel was named Canadian Pacific’s president and CEO, following E. Hunter Harrison’s decision to retire. Jim Umpleby took the helm of Caterpillar, Inc. Tom Pellette, Construction Industries Group president, became group president of Energy & Transportation. Bob De Lange was named group president of Construction Industries and Billy Ainsworth, senior vice president and strategic advisor, was appointed to the Caterpillar Executive Office.
Kansas City Southern President and CEO Patrick Ottensmeyer was named the U.S. chairman of its strategic trade initiatives working group by the U.S.-Mexico CEO Dialogue. KCS’ subsidiary, KCSM Servicios S.A. de C.V., has appointed Kurt Jacobs as vice president transportation.
Norfolk Southern named Thomas G. Werner vice president corporate communications and chief sustainability officer; C.H. “Jake” Allison, Jr., vice president and treasurer; Susan Stuart vice president audit and compliance; Bruno Maestri vice president government relations; Jerry Hall vice president mechanical and Karol Lawrence vice president network and service management. Vice President Mechanical Donald Graab and Assistant Vice President Corporate Communications Frank Brown retired. Jim Trogdon was sworn in as North Carolina Secretary of Transportation and will lead the North Carolina Depart-
ment of Transportation.
The Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association Executive Committee promoted Urszula Soucie from director of trade shows and operations to chief operating officer and Sean Winkler to director of advocacy.
RailPros Field Services, Inc., hired David Fitzwater, PE, as its new senior project manager.
R. J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC, named Nathan Henderson as president of R. J. Corman Railroad Services, LLC. Noel Rush will serve as senior vice president Commercial Development, R.J. Corman Railroad Group.
Transdev named Luke McCaul general manager of the Cincinnati Bell Connector operations. He replaces Interim General Manager Mark Young. TranSystems Corp. selected Tim Rock as its market sector leader for its freight rail and intermodal sector and David Maas, PE, as senior vice president of its freight rail and intermodal sector. Mass is expected to aid Rock in his new role to further develop the practice. Railroad industry veteran Jeff Davis joined TNW Corporation as its chief operating officer.
Trimet hired Patrick Preusser as executive director of transportation. He will lead the agency’s Transportation Division. www.rtands.com
NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN
Strong start 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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The 2017 NRC Conference was another huge success, with more than 1,270 attendees, an energizing exhibit hall (thanks to the Railway EngineeringMaintenance Supplier s Association for their partnership!) and more than 150 exhibitors. Thank you to our world-class lineup of speakers: Kevin Hicks of Union Pacific, Greg Dunaway of BNSF, Tod Echler of CSX, David Becker of Norfolk Southern, Jim McLeod of Canadian National, Kristine Storm of Genesee & Wyoming, Ron Close of Watco, Zac Vallos and Bob Snyder of OmniTRAX, Albert Her nandez of Miami-Dade Transit, Bruce Marcheschi of Chicago Metra, Tim Elsberry of Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Beth McCluskey of Illinois Department of Transportation, Adrian Share of All Aboard Florida/ Brightline, Rob Castiglione and Jerry Powers of the Federal Railroad Administration, Tony Hatch of the Tony Hatch Railroad Financial Analysis Empire and Keith Hartwell of Chambers, Conlon and Hartwell. We enjoyed a unique panel of Class 1 gover nment aff air s exper ts and congressional staff discussing political, legislative and regulator y prospects. Thanks to Jason Larrabee, chief of staff, U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-CA), Andrea Niethold, chief of staff, U.S. Representative Lou Barletta (R-PA), Jamie Houton, assistant vice president, external relations, UP, Ian Jefferies, senior vice president government affairs, Association of American Railroads, Anne Reinke, vice president, federal legislation, CSX, Mike Smythers, assistant vice president government affairs, BNSF, Darrell Wilson, assistant vice president gover nment relations, Norfolk Southern, and David Woodruff, assistant vice president and head of U.S. public and government affairs, CN. Congratulations to the NRC special awards winners: Field Employee of the Year Greg Dunn, a project manager for Herzog Contracting Corp; Large Railroad Construction Project of the Year the Los Angeles Exposition Light Rail Transit February 2017
Phase 2 Design-Build (Expo 2) project by Skanska-Rados Joint Venture and the Small Railroad Construction Project of the Year the Union Pacific Walong to Marcel 2nd Track project by Granite Construction. The NRC also inducted three members into our Hall of Fame: • J o h n Z u s p a n o f Tr a c k G u y Consultants, a long-time NRC Board member, Safety Committee member, leader of our Safety Video program. • Rick Ebersold of Herzog Services, Inc., a past NRC board chairman, who played a huge role in kicking off the current period of success at the NRC. • Ron Brown, founder of Annex Railroad Builders, which joined 13 other companies to form RailWorks Corporation. Ron was a founding member of the NRC and was instrumental to its success. He was also a member of the Union Negotiating Committee and a management trustee. Thanks to those who attended the conference. We trust you found the event to be a productive, enjoyable start to the year. If you missed it, it’s never too late to get on the NRC train. Save the date for Jan. 10-13, 2018, in Los Angeles. The NRC has two more major events coming soon: • Railroad Day on Capitol Hill will be held on March 2, 2017, in Washington, D. C . A l l N R C m e m b e r s a r e encouraged to attend. We will advocate for the renewal of rail investment tax credits, fight potential increased economic regulation and discuss many other issues pertinent to the rail industry. Register at: www.aslrra.org. • The NRC Rail Construction and Maintenance Equipment Auction will be held April 6, in Paulsboro, N.J., and hosted by Railroad Construction Co. of South Jersey and Railroad Constructors. Our auctioneer will, as always, be Blackmon Auctions. The details for these important events can be found on www.nrcma.org. I hope everyone has a safe and successful month. by Chris Daloisio, NRC Chairman www.rtands.com
TTCI R&D Evaluation of: A track substructure management system TTCI evaluates the practicality of a track substructure management system as a track maintenance resource.
by Colin Basye, Principal Investigator, and David Read (retired), Transportation Technology Center, Inc.
T
ransportation Technology Center, Inc., (TTCI) has developed a computer- and mobile platformbased document, called the Track Substructure Management System (TSMS), that contains background information and offers user guidelines and maintenance recommendations for those managing localized track substructure problems. The TSMS is intended to be a practical resource for track maintenance personnel who frequently deal with substructure problems, but may not have formal training in geotechnical engineering. The system provides fundamental geotechnical practices and concepts, as well as standard railroad industry practices related to the design, inspection, evaluation, maintenance and repair of the track substructure. It does not, however, address extraordinary events such as landslides, flooding or other mass wasting events geotechnical professionals should deal with. The TSMS is organized in two parts as shown in Table 1 (page 15): substructure basics and inspection and remediation. Primary categories within each part are shown below, with some divided into secondary and tertiary subcategories. The TSMS was designed to be as comprehensive as possible. Document navigation is enhanced with numerous links that connect primary categories to subcategories, as well as to
Figure 1a, (top) shows the TSMS title page with links to the document’s primary categories and to a glossary. The links also connect to subcategories and related topics throughout the document for simple navigation. Figure 1b, (middle) shows the 3.0 “Ballast and Subballast” primary category page, which opens if selected on the title page. Figure 1c, (bottom) showing the subcategory 3.1 “Ballast Material,” is one of the secondary categories that can be selected from the Ballast and Subballast primary category page. It is the secondary categories that have specific and detailed information that make up the core material of the TSMS. www.rtands.com
Railway Track & Structures
February 2017 13
TTCI R&D Figure 2, top, shows an example of the table for Inadequate Drainage. Each of the items listed in columns two, three and four of the summary tables have links to other parts of the document that cover the item in more detail. Figure 3, opening the link at the “Lateral trench drains” solution in the above table takes the user to the 8.2 “Lateral Trench Drains” subcategory page shown to the left in Figure 3.
be incorporated as needed into future TSMS versions and updates will incorporate feedback and suggestions from users, as well as information regarding new technological developments.
Background
Track substructure includes the ballast and subballast (granular) layers, the subgrade and the track’s drainage system. The substructure supports and stabilizes the track superstructure (rail, rail fasteners and ties); therefore, track performance and sustainability in general is directly related to the state of the substructure. However, substructure conditions may be overlooked or misinterpreted when attempting to solve track performance problems. TTCI has developed the TSMS for track managers and planners. Because of the increased poten¬tial for liability, cost and remedial effort, the user will need to carefully limit this document’s use to relatively simple, routine practices described in AREMA documentation or railway specific maintenance-ofway literature.
Organization
related topics found in other parts of the document. For example, opening the primary category “Ballast and Subballast” presents a list of secondary categories that include ballast material, ballast gradation, ballast functions, ballast layer design, ballast fouling, subballast and granular layer depth recommendations. Opening any of the secondary categories produces information about the category 14 Railway Track & Structures
and links to third level categories and/or related topics. Although the TSMS material is technical in nature, it is presented in a straightforward manner using images to augment the text. The material was released to Association of American Railroads member railroad managers in 2015 for their evaluation and for training purposes. Additional modifications will
February 2017
Navigating the TSMS is expedited by links that are available to connect primary categories to secondary subcategories and associated information located in other parts of the document. Figures 1a through 1c show three linked pages that illustrate typical connections within the document. Figure 1a (page 13, top) shows the title page with links to the primary categories and a glossary. Figure 1b (page 13, middle) displays the 3.0 “Ballast and Subballast” primary category page, which would open if selected on the title page. Figure 1c (page 13, bottom), showing the subcategory 3.1 “Ballast Material,” is one of the secondary categories that can be www.rtands.com
Table 1, top, shows the organization of the Track Substructure Management System. Table 2, shows the TSMS scope of primary categories.
selected from the Ballast and Subballast primary category page. The secondary categories contain detailed information that makes up the core material of the TSMS.
Category descriptions
The material in Part 1 of the TSMS has been included to provide the user with a working knowledge of geotechnical basics, guidelines and practices that apply to the railroad substructure. Part 2 of the document focuses on the inspection, evaluation and remediation of typical substructure problems. A brief description of the scope of each primary category is given in Table 2 (bottom right).
TSMS summary table
The TSMS category 9.0 “Substructure Management Summary” summarizes the material contained in the previous categories organized in a table format. Five tables each address a basic substructure problem area, including: • Mud fouled ballast • Subgrade deformation • Inadequate drainage (shown and discussed in Figure 2 on page 14) • Embankment problems • Rough track geometry requiring frequent maintenance Each table in Category 9.0 is divided into five columns: the first column identifies and describes the problem, column two lists probable causes of the problem, column three lists applicable investigation techniques, column four gives potential solutions and column five offers comments regarding the problem and basic information relating to solutions and management. An example of the table for Inadequate Drainage is shown in Figure 2. The Problem column one lists the numerous negative effects of poor drainage. The Causes in column two include blocked drainage paths, ground water and culvert problems. The Investigation methods listed in column three include drainage inspection, GPR and www.rtands.com
cross trenching. Numerous solutions are listed in column four, such as ballast cleaning, side ditch maintenance, installing lateral trench drains, diverting surface water, installing impermeable layers within the substructure and ground water drainage. Each of the items listed in columns two, three and four of the summary tables have links to other parts of the document that cover the item in more detail. For example, one of the solutions to address inadequate drainage is the installation of lateral trench drains to remove water trapped in the ballast/subballast. Opening the link at the trench drain solution in the table takes the user to the 8.2 “Lateral Trench Drain” subcategory page shown in Figure 3 (page 14).The TSMS also has a Glossary that is accessible with a link on the title page and provides definitions of technical terms and acronyms.
Results and conclusions
The TSMS is intended to be a practical resource for track maintenance personnel who frequently deal with substructure problems but may not have formal training in geotechnical engineering. The TSMS provides geotechnical practices/concepts, as well as standard railroad industry practices related to the design, inspection, evaluation, maintenance and repair of the track substructure. The TSMS will be updated periodically as needed, to incorporate new information available. Notices of new version releases will be sent out to users and will available at no charge for Association of American Railroads members. Requests for the most current document or updates can be made by emailing the following address: TSMS_info@aar.com.
Railway Track & Structures
February 2017 15
2017 capital expenditures:
down
not out
A nine-percent reduction in year-over-year anticipated spending carries the silver lining that North American railroads continue to invest in basic capital and leverage technology to increase productivity savings. BNSF
by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
T
he Association of American Railroads (AAR) estimates U.S. freight railroads will spend approximately $22 billion in 2017 on capital programs. AAR says the projected spending in 2017 equates to an output of about $60 million per day to meet demand and make a safe network even safer. Concentrating on North America’s largest railroads, Class 1s anticipate spending more than $14 billion on capital programs in 2017; a $1.47 billion reduction over 2016 with approximately $8.5 billion marked for basic capital. BNSF and CSX have reduced yearover-year total capital spending by $500 million each, while Union Pacific has reduced its program $400 million and Canadian National’s has reduced $200 million as compared to 2016. Norfolk Southern’s program is level and Canadian Pacific is the lone Class 1 planning a slight increase in spending. While the initial numbers seem bleak, many Class 1s have completed, 16 Railway Track & Structures
reduced or rescheduled big ticket equipment deliveries, such as locomotives, which have adjusted overall capital numbers down. Additionally, all have found productivity savings to push capital dollars further and all note that more can be done on this front. While uncertainty remains in the industry as it adjusts to changing traffic patterns and potential policy shifts with the new administration, AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger says the best thing to continue the industry’s significant self-investment is for legislators to take a “hands off” approach. “Unlike most other transportation modes, we do not have a hard ‘ask’ of policymakers other than to remain free to do what we do best: safely, affordably and efficiently move goods and earn the revenues needed to continue this massive investment,” Hamberger said. Our annual round up of what and where the North American Class 1 railroads will be spending their money came
February 2017
from year-end earnings reports, industry association presentations and general reporting. As of press time, BNSF and Union Pacific were the only Class 1s to make official announcements regarding their 2017 capital programs. All dollar figures are reported to the best of our ability, but should be read as estimates, are subject to change and are dependent on approval from the various Boards of Directors at the Class 1s.
BNSF
BNSF Railway announced a $3.4 billion capital expenditure plan for 2017. The railroad plans to spend $2.4 billion on replacement and maintenance along its core network. Projects related to this work will include replacing and upgrading rail, crossties and ballast and maintaining the railroad’s rolling stock. The railroad’s maintenance program for 2017 will entail roughly 20,000 miles of track surfacing and/or www.rtands.com
2017 capital forecast
“We think maintaining a pace, both in good times and bad times, allows us to better utilize [and] deploy the capital.” –Michael Ward, CSX undercutting work, as well as replacing about 600 miles of rail and nearly 3 million crossties. The capital expenditure plan also includes $400 million for expansion projects, $400 million for locomotives, freight cars and other equipment acquisitions and $100 million to support the implementation of positive train control (PTC). BNSF said eight states will see substantial investments in 2017, including $225 million in Texas; $190 million in Illinois; $175 million in Washington; $170 million in California; $125 million in Kansas; $120 million in Missouri and $100 million each in Montana and Nebraska.
Canadian National
Canadian National will reduce its spending in 2017 to CA$2.5 billion (US$1.91 billion) from CA$2.75 billion (US$2.1 billion) in 2016. CN notes that the railroad does not anticipate any large locomotive purchases in 2017, which reduced the 2017 capital envelope. Additionally, the railroad was able to adjust unit costs, which allowed them to install an additional 122 track miles of rail and 136,000 crossties in 2016, a practice it will continue this year. The program includes CA$1.6 billion (US$1.2 billion) for basic track infrastructure and close to CA$400 million (US$305 million) for PTC. CN plans to install 625 track miles of new rail in 2017 and 2.2 million wood crossties. CN executives said during the railroad’s 2016 Fourth Quarter earnings call that they are committed to reinvesting in the business long-term and will continue to reinvest around 20 percent of revenues. 18 Railway Track & Structures
Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific is targeting a CA$1.25 billion (US$955 million) 2017 capital plan, which is a six-percent increase over the 2016 program of CA$1.18 billion (US$903 million). Nadeem Velani, vice president and chief financial officer, said approximately 70 percent of the program will focus on basic replacement while the balance will be spent on improving productivity and service reliability. Andy Cummings, spokesman for CP, said the split between rail, crossties and ballast remains similar to 2016 and the trend of seeing an above average rate of rail replacement will continue on the railroad. Cummings notes that the Western Corridor (Vancouver to Calgary) will see more focused investment, which corresponds to CP’s heavier traffic volumes and revenue production. He also notes that the spending increase is to account for one-event purchases, such as equipment related to geometry testing, material pickup and distribution.
CSX
CSX revealed a preliminary 2017 capital investment of $2.2 billion, which reflects an approximate 18.5-percent reduction from the 2016 program of $2.7 billion. However, the 2016 capital plan included payments of $307 million for locomotives purchased under seller financing and delivered in 2015. “As a result, we expect our 2017 capital investment to decline nearly $500 million from the 2016 level and begin returning to our long-term core capital investment guidance of around 16 percent to 17 percent of revenue,” said Frank Lonegro, executive vice president and chief financial officer. CSX will devote 55 percent of its pro-
February 2017
gram to infrastructure and 12 percent, approximately $270 million, to PTC. CSX is on schedule to meet the 2018 PTC installation deadline and anticipates the total cost of installing the technology to be upwards of $2.4 billion. Anticipated spending on equipment will account for five percent of the planned program for 2017, but the Class 1 has significantly increased its strategic spending, which accounts for 26 percent of the planned program. To contrast, in 2016, CSX devoted 13 percent of its annual spend toward the strategic pot. Lonegro explained this increase in strategic investment will “support improved service, long-term growth and efficiency initiatives under the CSX of Tomorrow strategy.” Lonegro said the railroad believes domestic intermodal business will be an area of long-term growth and to expect investments in facilities that will expand the terminal footprint in order to handle the increase in domestic business. While the 2017 program is down, the amount CSX anticipates spending on maintenance this year, $1.2 billion, has remained steady during the past three years. “We have had a very consistent capital program especially during downturns, which is a change in the past. We think maintaining a pace, both in good times and bad times, allows us to better utilize [and] deploy the capital,” said Michael Ward, chairman and CEO.
KCS
Kansas City Southern will spend between $550-$560 million on it’s capital program in 2017, which is a four to five percent reduction from its 2016 capital program of $584 million. Close to 45 percent, between $247$252 million, of the anticipated spend will go toward maintenance activities, while six percent, between $33-$33.6 million, will go toward technology. Jeff Songer, executive vice president and chief operating officer, says general and maintenance spending will be down in 2017 due to infrastructure improvements made during the past several years and reiterated the railroad’s commitment to capacity enhancements across the network. The two big growth projects KCS will focus on in 2017 will be the continued work on Sanchez Yard, located www.rtands.com
2017 capital forecast
north carolina department of transportation
Union Pacific
Norfolk Southern forces building a siding as part of the Piedmont Corridor’s Graham to Haw River railroad improvements. Major elements of the Piedmont Program will be completed in March 2017.
in Mexico across from the Nuevo Laredo yard, and the Sasol project. The Class 1 plans to spend 11 percent of its 2017 capital program, approximately $60 million, on the Sasol project and seven percent, approximately $39 million on Sanchez Yard. In 2016, KCS completed 10 classification tracks, one circulation track, car repair tracks and a wye track at Sanchez. The three-year project is on schedule to be complete in 2017 with 10 additional classification tracks and additional repair tracks, as well as a car repair facility and locomotive shop. Also scheduled to be completed in 2017 is the Sasol project. In 2015, KCS reached an agreement with Sasol Chemicals LLC for the construction and longterm lease of a storage-in-transit (SIT) rail yard to support Sasol’s new ethane cracker and derivatives project in Lake Charles, La. In addition to building the SIT yard for lease to Sasol, KCS will replace and expand its existing rail car classification yard in Mossville, La. KCS also aims to spend 10 percent of its 2017 capital program on PTC. Executives said 2017 would be the big push year for PTC and they anticipate a substantial reduction in spending for this category beginning in 2018.
Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern plans a 2017 capital program worth $1.9 billion, which is 20 Railway Track & Structures
level with what the railroad spent in 2016. Marta Stewart, chief financial officer, credited the efficiency of NS engineering forces for stretching those dollars further. More than half of the anticipated program, $1.01 billion, will go toward improvements to what NS calls “roadway and infrastructure.” The railroad anticipates a slight increase in its rail program with more than 85,000 tons scheduled to be installed. Additionally, crosstie and surfacing plans are level with 2016 as NS plans to replace 2.35 million borate treated crossties, place 3.32 million tons of ballast and renew crossings along 5,700 route miles. NS plans a bridge program that is slightly down over 2016, but plans to install 28,000 bridge ties and progress key bridge projects located in Portageville, N.Y., and Painesville, Ohio, as well as a tunnel project in Belden, N.Y. In 2016, NS was able to generate $250 million in productivity savings, partially because it managed and adapted its approach to capital spending. James Squires, chairman, president and CEO of NS, said 2016 demonstrated the railroad’s flexibility toward capital spending as it faced an evolving business environment. This approach will allow NS to target capital spending at 17 percent of revenue post the 2018 PTC installation (NS will spend $240 million on PTC in 2017).
February 2017
Union Pacific aims to spend approximately $3.1 billion on its 2017 capital program. The bulk of the anticipated 2017 spend, $1.860 billion, will go toward infrastructure replacement, including an estimated 4.22 million crossties and 657 track miles of rail. The remainder of the program includes $435 million that will go toward locomotives and other equipment, $300 million will go toward PTC, $255 million toward capacity and commercial facilities and $240 million toward technology. The estimated 2017 spend represents an approximate 11 percent decline over Union Pacific’s 2016 capital program of just under $3.5 billion. The biggest change year over year is the railroad’s planned spend on locomotives and equipment. Cameron Scott, executive vice president and chief operating officer, noted during Union Pacific’s 2016 Fourth Quarter earnings call that the railroad had planned to acquire 100 locomotives in 2017 per a previous purchase commitment, but the plan has been revised to include 60 locomotives in 2017 and the remaining 40 to be delivered in 2018. When asked about the reduction in planned spending between 2016 and 2017 during the Q4 earnings call, Robert Knight, executive vice president and chief financial officer, noted the reduced spending in locomotives and PTC as two notable areas of reduction, but also explained Union Pacific’s approach to capital spending. “We always look at kind of a clean sheet approach if you will in terms of capital investments that we’re confident will drive returns and remember that every year, year in, year out, we spend just north of $2 billion on replacement capital, so everything above that is driven based on commercial decisions and with an eye on returns and capacity expansion, et cetera,” said Knight. He said the 2017 plan “reflects our continued commitment to safety, productivity and future profitable growth,” While spending on PTC is down slightly, the railroad is still on track to meet the 2018 deadline for installation. As of Sept. 1, 2016, the railroad has more than 800 track miles in revenue service demonstration operation and has invested $2.1 billion of what is anticipated to be a total cost of $2.9 billion. www.rtands.com
Unmanned aerial vehicles may seem out of reach to some, but the devices could soon become another option in the MOW toolbox, affecting the industry’s safety, inspection, maintenance and spending tactics.
by Kyra Senese, assistant editor
An unmanned aerial vehicle in flight. Photos courtesy of Dennis Wierzbicki.
giving the railROAD industry a
bird’s eye view M
ost people think of a drone as a flying robotic device equipped with a camera that they can buy at their local Best Buy, but as many industry members well know, these unmanned aircraft are nothing to mess around with. The dynamic of how aircraft interact in the airspace changes drastically without a pilot onboard, said Charlton Evans, senior manager for Insitu Commercial Aviation, in an interview with RT&S. There are many areas of interest for using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the railroad industry, but significant challenges are also present. The Pathfinder Project with BNSF, which Evans worked on heavily, was meant to reveal and tackle many of those challenges. This month’s RT&S UAVs coverage deals with the current regulations, implementation and future of the devices’ use in the rail industry.
The Pathfinder
While BNSF was not the first company to be granted permission by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) to use UAVs 24 Railway Track & Structures
February 2017
under test conditions, it was the first railroad to take on such a task in May 2015, with the help of Insitu. A subsidiary of The Boeing Company, Insitu designs, develops, produces and operates UAVs. “We were trying to give [BNSF] video from the rail overhead that was high in frequency and a lot of it,” Evans explained. “They’ve got stacks of inspection criteria to meet. We were trying to get them some visibility on the rail that they couldn’t get from the ground and get it to them in a way that would make our revisit rates much higher than what they would get from the ground without putting vehicles on the railway. If we can do that from the air, then that allows them to keep more trains running.” Insitu and BNSF spent about seven months working faceto-face with the FAA to establish the ground rules and get the approvals to fly into Mexico, which was deemed risky in the sense that BNSF wanted to be able to fly beyond the FAA’s line-of-sight regulations and there would be more aircraft and traffic present in the airspace. “The process [requires] presenting a concept of operations www.rtands.com
that outlines what we want to do, then defining the hazards that concept creates,” Evans said. “Once the hazards are defined, you’re identifying ways to mitigate the associated risks.” The primary concerns about such flights are risk of midair collision with another object and the risk to people and property on the ground. Insitu’s ScanEagle weighs less than 55 pounds and flies at 60 mph. “It’s not the biggest thing in the sky, but it’s big enough that we don’t want it to swap paint with anything else,” Evans explained. “We mitigated the risk of collision with other aircraft by flying in a low-air traffic area and using an intensive communication plan with all of the elements within that region.” Insitu communicated with both civilian and military authorities in the area—at times weeks in advance of a flight— to ensure the safety of all involved in the mission. Through the FAA approval, Insitu and BNSF operated the UAVs above the usual 400-foot requirement, reaching about 1,000 feet. “It worked really well, and I think our collaboration with the FAA set a high standard and a good example of how to get new things done with [UAVs],” Evans said. He added that both companies share a forward-leaning approach to technology and BNSF’s focus on safety motivates the rail road to explore ideas such as this. “[BNSF] saw this as a way to enhance the overall system safety, ultimately, to prevent derailments and other accidents that may not be common, but they take the approach that one derailment is too many. They want to do everything possible to reduce that [risk],” he said.
Regulations
Steve Endacott, co-owner and CEO of Flight Test Concierge, LLC, and Rich Gent, president and CEO of Hot Rail LLC, have both worked with unmanned aircraft for military clients for about 20 years. They helped to simplify some of the FAA’s crucial regulations. Per the FAA, unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 55 pounds (25 kg.) and the unmanned aircraft must remain within the visual line of sight of the remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the small UAV. The device also must remain close enough to the pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls for those involved in the operation to be able to see the aircraft while unaided by any device other than corrective lenses. Endacott noted that while the current FAA rules can keep operators in a pretty tight box when it comes to flying UAVs, there are many valid reasons for these limitations. The FAA also requires daylight-only operations, meaning flights can only legally take place 30 minutes before official sunrise through 30 minutes after official sunset (local time) and operators must use the appropriate anti-collision lighting. UAV flight ranges cannot exceed the maximum altitude of 400 feet above ground level. If the device reaches an altitude higher than 400 feet above ground, the UAV must stay within 400 feet of a nearby structure. Anyone operating a small UAV must also hold a remote pilot airman certificate with a small unmanned aircraft system rating or be under the direct supervision of a person in possession of the certification while operating the aircraft. Those applying for certification must go through www.rtands.com
a series of steps. Operators must demonstrate aeronautical knowledge by passing a test at an FAA-approved testing center or through prior Part 61 pilot certification beyond the student pilot level. They also must complete a flight review within the previous two years and a small UAV online FAA training course. “All that requires [operators] to do is have a basic understanding of the airspace, basic maintenance functions, and I think the FAA set the bar fairly because the risk is fairly low as long as [operators] stay within the line of sight and below 400 feet,” Evans said. “That mitigates the risk of bumping into another airplane.” Certified UAV operators have to be at least 16 years old and be vetted by the Transportation Security Administration. Gent and Endacott also noted that any UAV operations involving an incident that leads to loss of consciousness, serious injury or any property damage costing $500 or more must be reported to the FAA within 10 days of the event. Another word of caution from Gent raised the concern of privacy. Though the laws vary “drastically” from state to state, some UAV operators need to take special care to learn the rules of various states when flying across those borders. “In certain states, if you fly over a private property less than 400 or 500 feet, it’s considered trespassing,” Gent explained. “As railroads are developing these things, those are the aspects they have to think about. Where are we flying these things? What states are we flying through and what are their rules? These are concerns to figure out when developing your Concept of Operations.” PrecisionHawk, a provider of UAV remote sensing applications and data processing services, also works to shape regulations and policies that promote the safe and swift adoption of UAVs through work under the FAA Pathfinder program and development of its own safety platform.
Implementation
PrecisionHawk says the company is using its technology to increase safety, improve asset management and boost profitability. Market needs have evolved through recent years, and PrecisionHawk says today’s decision makers require hyper accurate, hi-resolution data in nearly real-time, which many noted is difficult to achieve using traditional rail and bridge inspection methods. Now that UAVs have entered the remote sensing arena, flights can be conducted daily for smaller areas at low altitudes, resulting in higherresolution images at a fraction of the cost. “[UAVs] are quickly moving from being an interesting technology with a lot of potential, to a technology that has many applications, fewer regulatory hurdles and the capability to address very specific concerns across business verticals,” PrecisionHawk said. “However, even now, the future of this technology depends on the industry finding new ways to better understand the world around us.” PrecisionHawk’s comments reflect an idea expressed by many. As Endacott said, the technology exists to better address some of the rail industry’s needs, but railroads need to be able to recognize those needs and specify their requirements of the technology so UAV developers can better customize the technology to fit their qualifications. “We’re trying to help the rail industry come up with a Railway Track & Structures
February 2017 25
UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES Dennis Wierzbicki, a rail industry advisor for Unmanned Experts, says while not every one of the thousands of bridges in the U.S. will be candidates for UAV bridge inspections, the majority will be “drone-friendly.”
the tracks or recording photographic evidence of any parties encroaching on the railroad’s boundaries. One of the challenges companies face using this technology, referred to as the big data problem, is that turning the information gathered on a flight into something that is useful for the customer is not always obvious to UAV operators or consultants. “The big problem we face now is collecting and storing the data in a way that we can analyze it and creating information out of that data that is useful to the customer,” Evans said. “Meeting those inspection criteria that BNSF has by using the unmanned aerial vehicles and then doing analysis of the pictures and video that reveal any anomalies or problems with the track faster and better than they can with sensors on the ground.”
Looking ahead
vision and a road ahead,” Endacott explained. “I think we’ll find that the industry will rise to the challenge.” Dennis Wierzbicki, a rail industry advisor for Unmanned Exper ts, has been utilizing unmanned aircraft for many years. He said while some UAVs can be relatively inexpensive—in the range of a couple thousand dollars— those companies that are more serious about using the technology will need more serious equipment, allowing them to perform their jobs in more challenging environmental situations. However, the more serious equipment can range in costs reaching into six figures, which may keep them out of reach to some railroads as of now. Endacott agrees regarding value justifying cost, “One of the hurdles in the railroad industry is that it’s got to pay for itself, so if it’s a great system but it ties up a lot of people, that doesn’t work. Even though the technology is there to do some of these things for the rail industry, you need to make it really efficient. It’s got to be automated and smart.” Although the costs may currently be too steep for some budgets to spare, Endacott emphasizes the ability to customize the UAV to a specific railroad’s needs, allowing it to get the most efficient tool for a certain goal or other preferred applications. “We’re not trying to sell anybody any hardware and trying to paint them into a box, we want you to develop a great big box and have industry fill it for you,” he explained. Depending on a specific railroad’s to-do list, UAVs can be customized for tasks such as general bridge and rail inspections and vegetation management and control work, as well as for other criteria such as spotting trespassers on 26 Railway Track & Structures
February 2017
Companies like Unmanned Experts and similar organizations are currently using UAVs to take images and video on all aspects of a bridge in all three dimensions. “Essentially any part of a bridge that you would inspect with a human being and/or with a truck or other types of equipment, you can do with a [UAV],” Wierzbicki noted. Some exceptions exist, such as operations that are so straightforward the use of a UAV might be deemed as overkill, or when flying underneath a bridge. Some operators have learned that customization of the vehicle to place the camera on top can allow UAV inspections to capture images overhead, as well. Aside from improved customization efforts, the next step for UAVs is offering better automation in terms of compiling, storing and presenting the data the aircraft collect in the most comprehensive way possible. “Successful companies are figuring out ways to take that data, very effectively analyze the data, organize it and then produce a report that’s going to be, essentially, familiar but better,” Wierzbicki explained. He says that at Unmanned Experts, a lot of time is spent not only training operators on what to look for during an inspection, enabling them to write a report that will be familiar to the railroads, but also in the ability to quickly sort through large amounts of data and distill it into a report with conclusions that are actionable. “There’s so much data that doing it manually isn’t feasible. What we’re working on is automated analytics that will do the work for us on the video and stills to pick out the anomalies on the track,” Evans said, echoing the same sentiments as Wierzbicki. “If we can automate how we analyze that data and create the inspections that the end-user customer needs, that’s really where it becomes a new way of doing business.” As for the future of UAVs in the railroad industry, Wierzbicki believes the unmanned aircraft will be considered as a normal part of the railroad bridge inspection relatively soon. “There are just so many advantages to using the UAV that you have to look at it,” he said. “The UAVs produce better information, faster, more frequently, and cheaper in terms of not requiring track time. It’s a no-brainer that this is going to happen, and we think that within three years or so, UAV’s are going to be universally accepted tools in a railroad bridge inspector’s tool box, just like other equipment and processes employed in the past.” www.rtands.com
Long island rail road:
ellison Ave.
Bridge replacement LIRR worked with its design-build team to provide a new bridge on schedule and under budget that met requirements of the railroad, state and community. by Robert Fazio, P.E., assistant chief program officer; John Sucharski, P.E., senior project manager, Dominick Cervo, E.I.T., project coordinator, Long Island Rail Road
T
top: Demolition activities during the first weekend track outage. bottom: Safety barrier used between work zone and LIRR tracks.
28 Railway Track & Structures
February 2017
he Ellison Avenue Bridge is a roadway bridge over the Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) Main Line, which carries 200 trains and approximately 120,000 riders each day. In 2015, the bridge was replaced, utilizing two double track mainline shutdowns on weekends for the demolition of the existing bridge and installation of new precast concrete beams and single-track outage for abutment demolition and reconstruction. The Ellison Avenue Bridge is located in the Village of Westbury, N.Y., and carries two vehicular traffic lanes over the LIRR. Originally constructed as an overpass in 1896, it was rebuilt in 1941 as a two-lane roadway bridge with pedestrian sidewalks on both sides. Ellison Avenue is a main north/south artery that runs through the community and connects Jericho Turnpike and Old Country Road. Over time, the bridge had greatly deteriorated and was rated one of the worst roadway bridges on Long Island. Steel plates were placed on the roadway to support traffic and an underdeck shielding system was installed to prevent the deteriorating concrete from falling onto the railroad tracks below. LIRR awarded the 30 percent Preliminary Design for the new Ellison Avenue Bridge to a third-party design consultant in 2012. The goals of this bridge replacement project were to provide safe travel over and under the bridge by resolving the structural issues and to prepare for a future third track on the LIRR’s Main Line by increasing the total span between bridge abutments. The design consultant generated a base design and two alternate designs during the preliminary phase in order to find the best way to meet the LIRR needs and the New York State Department of Transportation’s (NYSDOT’s) requirements. Prior to the preliminary design award, the NYSDOT had stated that any new bridge on this line should allow for a minimum of 20 feet 8 inches vertical clearance from the top of rail in order to accommodate double container freight train service. However, raising the bridge to this elevation would require major property acquisitions and/or major utility relocations. As a result, the LIRR requested a waiver from NYSDOT to allow www.rtands.com
Ellison Avenue Bridge replacement top: Placement of the new precast prestressed concrete beams during the final weekend track outage. bottom: View of the completed Ellison Avenue Bridge from the track level.
an 18-foot vertical clearance from the top of rail. A base design was developed meeting the LIRR’s needs using a steel girder bridge at the requested 18-foot vertical clearance. In addition, two alternate designs were generated in case the NYSDOT waiver was not granted which would require the bridge to be at a minimum of 20 feet 8 inches from the top of rail. The first alternate was to undercut the LIRR Main Line tracks to meet this clearance and the second was to raise the bridge deck with minimal property acquisitions while maintaining a safe roadway grade north and south of the bridge. Undercutting the railroad in this location was not feasible due PSEG oil-o-static cable and National Grid transmission gas pipeline utilities which runs perpendicular to the railroad and was adjacent to the east side of the bridge. Both facilities transitioned onto Ellison Avenue approaches roadway. As the preliminary design progressed, the LIRR and NYSDOT determined that the bridge could be replaced at 19 feet 6 inches above top of rail without property acquisitions and the NYSDOT issued a waiver for this vertical clearance. The consultant then incorporated this option for 19 feet 6 inches clearance in the design, as well as setting the bridge abutment footings deep enough to allow for additional clearance by undercutting the tracks in the future, if necessary. This option was selected by the LIRR and the NYSDOT and was required in the final design. After the completion of the preliminary design in June of 2014, the procurement of the design-build contract began. This contract included completing the design and constructing the new Ellison Avenue Bridge. The LIRR chose to use the design-build project delivery process because there are many advantages over using a more standard designbid-build process. These advantages included allowing the design to be dictated by the means and methods of how the contractor would proceed with fieldwork, a more compressed construction schedule and allowing for creativity and innovation to complete the project efficiently. On Dec. 19, 2014, the contract was awarded to the designbuild team. Notice to Proceed was issued on Jan. 29, 2015, and final design and construction activities commenced. During the design process, the designer chose to use 12 prestressed precast concrete beams to span across new cast-inplace concrete abutments. The pre-stressed precast concrete beams utilize high-strength pre-stress concrete, which was chosen over a steel superstructure due to time constraints while installing the main span of the bridge during a weekend track outage. In addition, a helical pile system was used in conjunction with the existing crib walls to support the raised approach roadways to meet the bridge at its new elevation. Preliminary construction activities included the design and installation of a Soil and Erosion Control Plan to be used throughout the project limits to prevent any excess precipitation or material runoff into private properties or the LIRR right-of-way at track level. Also, all aerial utilwww.rtands.com
ity lines adjacent to the bridge, which could impact the bridge demolition and erection during the track outage weekends, were relocated ahead of time. All aerial utilities running north/south on Ellison Avenue including PSEG, Verizon, Cablevision, Optical Communications Group and Light Tower were rerouted to a location outside the bridge construction site. PSEG also de-energized their east/west transmission line running on the LIRR ROW, which could not be relocated, during major construction activities. LIRR communications and signal lines on the south side of the bridge were permanently relocated into underground utility troughs while the LIRR communications fiber line on the north side was buried and protected prior to the bridge demolition. This approach allowed the contractor to work safely during the demolition of the existing bridge and also during the erection of the new bridge. All underground utilities within the project limits including the high-pressure gas line, electric transmission oil-o-static cable and the Westbury water main were marked out as a safety precaution before construction activities began. Furthermore, the third rail was gapped within the work zone to ensure the safety of all contractor personnel when walking across the LIRR tracks while also under the supervision of LIRR flagmen. Railway Track & Structures
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Ellison Avenue Bridge replacement top: The Ellison Avenue Bridge prior to the replacement project. bottom: View of the Ellison Avenue Bridge from the roadway.
Ellison Avenue was closed to traffic on April 15, 2015, and a Maintenance and Protection of Traffic Detour Plan was implemented in coordination with the Village of Westbury and Nassau County to safely move the flow of traffic to other main roads and allow for the next phase of construction activities. Once the roadway was closed, temporary access ramps were created on the northeast and southeast sides of the bridge to move equipment and materials down to track level. Preparatory work for the demolition weekend outage included asbestos abatement on the existing bridge abutments and piers and removal of the railings on the existing bridge. Also, during foul time acquired by the Transportation department (RWIC - Roadway Worker In Charge) the contractor was able to place timber runners to be used as the base of the track shield that would be installed during the demolition weekend outage to protect the running rail. The RWIC would communicate daily with the train dispatcher to find 20 to 25 minute gaps between trains from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to allow work to commence safely. Foul time and track outages were not granted between 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. morning or 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. afternoon rush hours during the week to minimize train service disruptions. Foul time is required to be used by the LIRR RWIC and the FRA to ensure the safety of all contractor and LIRR personnel within the project work zone. On May 16 and 17 the bridge was demolished during a Main Line Double Track Weekend Outage. The LIRR planned this major weekend outage by holding weekly meetings with all internal LIRR departments (Transportation, Service Planning, Public affairs, etc.) involved a year prior to the work activities. The outage time allotted by the LIRR was from 1 a.m. Saturday morning and would be returned to service at 1 a.m. Monday morning for a total of 48 hours. 30 Railway Track & Structures
February 2017
This time included four hours at the beginning and end of the outage for LIRR preparatory and inspection work to make sure all operations were safe for the workers and for train service to be restored properly. During this weekend, the LIRR utilized a bussing program between Hicksville Station and Mineola Station to replace train service during the outage. In addition, some trains were rerouted to the South Shore Branch to help minimize delays. In order to execute this weekend outage, extensive coordination between several LIRR departments had taken place to sufficiently inform the public of the LIRR service changes. The public outreach plan included ads in newspapers, internet, radio, seat drop pamphlets, press conferences, videos shown in train stations, info boards posted on parkways and expressways and meetings with elected officials and local residents. The weekend closure of the LIRR Main Line allowed the contractor to place a track shield underneath the bridge to protect the tracks while excavators hammered the existing concrete roadway deck safely onto the shield. Then a crane lifted the steel beams off the existing piers and abutments. As the contractor continued to work around the clock the existing piers were also demolished. At the conclusion of the demolition the track shield was removed and train service was restored for the Monday morning rush hour. Following the first weekend outage, demolition of the existing bridge abutments was initiated utilizing single-track outages, which required close coordination with LIRR Service Planning, Transportation and the contractor. After several track outage meetings with internal LIRR departments it was determined that the contractor would be able to use the same single track outages as the ongoing normal track maintenance work between New Hyde Park and Hicksville on Main Line Track 1 and 2 in June 2015. The contractor then constructed a track barrier and placed it at a safe distance from the rails, which retained any debris from rolling down into the track envelope from demolishing the abutments. The demolition of the south abutment commenced first while the contractor was able to piggyback a single-track outage on Main Line Track 2 to perform this work safely. Next, the north abutment was demolished utilizing the same type of track barrier and a piggyback single-track outage on Main Line Track 1. Each day the single-track outages were coordinated with the onsite RWIC of the normal track maintenance work and the Block Operator who provided approval that the track would be taken out of service. Then, the Track RWIC would contact the RWIC of the Ellison Avenue Project who would give the contractor approval to get to work. The contractor was given from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day during the week to work between the morning and afternoon rush hours to limit the disturbance of train traffic. Throughout the summer and after the bridge demolition, temporary sheeting was installed to support the excavation required to begin building the new abutment footings on both sides of the tracks. Foul time was acquired by the onsite RWIC www.rtands.com
Ellison Avenue Bridge replacement during the installation of the temporary sheets that impeded the LIRR clearance envelope to make sure all work activities were operated safely. These foul shots were given at intervals of 20 to 25 minutes between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. during weekdays. The contractor prepared for each foul shot by setting up their equipment and having their workers ready to move into position to begin work activities once the foul time was granted. Once the sheeting was in place, the contractor set the formwork and installed rebar for the footings. Adopting this construction method precluded the need for foul time and track outages, which maintained train service with no schedule impacts. After inspection of the placement of the rebar, concrete was poured into the footings using a pump truck from the approach roadways above and cured until the minimum compressive design strength was met. Next, the abutment stems and wing walls were formed, rebar was placed and concrete was poured and cured up to the bridge seat elevation. Once the abutments and wing walls were stripped of their formwork backfill was placed above the footings to reach the current track elevation. Shortly after, the temporary sheeting was removed (where feasible) and the bearing pads were placed atop the bridge seats in preparation for the installation of the precast concrete beams. On Oct. 24-25, 2015, a second Main Line Double Track Weekend Outage was utilized to install the 12 new pre-stressed precast concrete beams. These precast beams began fabrication in July 2015 at Jersey Precast once the superstructure design package and shop drawings were approved. The design called for the use of high-strength pre-stressed concrete to achieve the required strength to support the vehicular traffic and maintain a 50-year service life. Throughout the fabrication process a third-party independent testing agency was hired to maintain quality control at the plant and observe and review daily activities. In addition, LIRR project team made weekly site visits to the fabricator to ensure conformance with the specifications. The LIRR project team then reviewed the testing reports of each individual beam and confirmed that the strength was higher than the required strength. After fabrication was completed, the beams were shipped by tractor-trailer to a staging area until the weekend outage. The beams were inspected at the shop prior to shipment and at the construction site for cracks. This second Main Line weekend outage was executed in the fall for the following reasons. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the utility overhead transmission lines could not be de-energized due to their summer moratorium period when electricity peak load ( i.e., with increased air conditioning.) De-energization is required to operate a crane safely in placing the concrete beams atop the abutments. Also, the LIRR service planning does not allow weekend double track outages during the summer because of increased ridership to the Hamptons and Montauk. The contractor set the precast beams into place on the bearings by crane during the weekend track outage. Next, mixers were set up to batch Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) to be placed between the beams to finish the bridge deck. This UHPC is a flowable concrete grout that has steel fibers mixed in it to generate the required compressive strength, which well exceeded the design criteria. As the mixers were set up, foam backer rods were placed in between the beams along with sealant to prevent the UHPC from leaking onto the tracks below. As a safety precaution a www.rtands.com
protective tarp was placed over the tracks. Once completed and the UHPC had cured to meet its design strength the tarp was removed from the tracks and service was restored to the LIRR for the Monday AM rush hour. Throughout the winter months of 2015 the stone curb was placed along the main span of the bridge and the bridge deck sidewalks and parapet walls were formed and poured. The upper wing walls on each corner of the bridge were then installed and backfilling continued up to the elevation of the bridge back walls. During the backfilling, tie rods were installed which connected the existing retaining walls to a new concrete dead man placed to support the raised elevation of the roadway above. Demolition of the existing roadway sidewalks and parapets began in early January of 2016. Prior to these construction activities, all underground electric and gas utilities were marked out again to prevent damage to the lines and ensure the safety of the workers. After the approach sidewalk and parapet demolition, helical piles were installed within the existing crib walls and moment/ pile cap slabs were formed and poured to reach the new sidewalk elevation of the approaches. This construction method allowed the contractor to work within the project limits and have no impacts to the adjacent private properties. Concurrently, the approach slabs and bridge parapets were formed and poured to tie into the new bridge beams. Once the backwalls were formed and poured, subbase was placed and compacted to meet the new elevation of the bridge. Additionally, the roadway approach parapets were formed and poured once the moment/pile cap slabs had cured and reached their minimum required design strength. In the beginning of April 2016 the bridge deck was grinded, saw-cut grooved and sealed to prepare the integral wearing surface for traffic. Chain link fencing with privacy slats was then installed atop the parapet walls. The approach roadways were paved and striped in preparation for a press conference and Ellison Avenue reopened to traffic on April 15, 2016, on schedule and within budget. Following the road opening, contractor work continued to progress with the installation of the ornamental fence on the bridge parapets. Next, anti-graffiti coating was placed on all concrete faces and the construction access areas were graded to prevent drainage issues within the LIRR rightof-way. Topsoil, seed and trees were planted to finish the landscaping and restore the site. Contractor work was fully completed in June of 2016. The Ellison Avenue Bridge Project was a successful designbuild project in which all stakeholders including the LIRR, NYSDOT, Village of Westbury, PSEGLI, National Grid and the design-build team were able to work together to build a new bridge under budget and on schedule, which provided safe transportation to the traveling public on the bridge and to the LIRR ridership below the bridge. Adopting the design-build project delivery system allowed for the contractor to work jointly with the engineer in developing a design, which reduced the overall project schedule by approximately eight months. Lastly, this project was selected for two of the following awards: The American Society of Civil Engineers Long Island Branch awarded this project the 2016 Long Island Bridge Project of the year and the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) New York awarded this project the 2017 Platinum Award in the category of Category C: Structural Systems. Railway Track & Structures
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AREMA NEWS Message from the President
Empowered by innovation
David A. Becker, PE AREMA President 2016–2017
I welcomed the first day of 2017 by sitting down to write this column. As I did so, I reflected on what a challenging year 2016 had been for the industry in terms of reduced carrier revenue and tight transit agency funding streams. These conditions had a direct impact on engineering spending for mater ials and ser vices and, unfortunately, may have indirectly caused a shortterm brake to be put on some areas of innovation. Considering this overall situation, the importance of our supply chain partners to the long-term success of the industry came to mind. The North American railway and rail transit supply chain is often taken for granted by the engineering depar tment or rail contractor employees that are on the receiving end of products or services. However, the journey from idea to delivery is long and complex. Taking that spark of innovation from concept through the engineering and testing process and then to a marketable state, is an immense challenge. Making sales in an always technically conservative industry (that is now also increasingly cost conscious), and then finally manufacturing and delivering products, is a complex and expensive endeavor. While some railroad spending sectors were very strong in 2016, such as communications and signals, which was largely driven by the positive train control mandate, other areas, such as network and yard expansion, were flat at best. Discretionary spending on general engineering projects was also reduced by many carriers in 2016. This likely impacted to some degree the ability of the supplier community to innovate. New products and innovative processes are often introduced by suppliers and tested in revenue service via small scale applications supported by carriers’ discretionary budgets. On many roads, these smaller project opportunities were ripe for elimination, as limited resources were focused on more pressing basic maintenance needs. In late October, I had an opportunity to learn about another aspect of the railroad supply chain when I represented AREMA at the Railway Tie Association’s Annual Symposium and Technical
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Conference. This was the 98th annual meeting for this group and, like AREMA, that organization’s longevity speaks volumes to the importance of that aspect of the supply chain to the railway industry as a whole. I have always been on the consuming end of the railway tie supply chain and had given scant thought to the complexity of the supply chain or the innovation that is required to meet the demands of the industry in the 21st century. The presentations I heard ran the gamut from sustainable forestry to the politics of energy and regulation. Several items were very eye-opening, such as how the basic wood tie product we rely on is impacted by global factors. For example, the demand (or lack thereof) for related heavy timber products such as crane and drilling mats and marine construction materials, is directly linked to global energy production. However, the biggest takeaway was the need for balanced consumption of the entire tree to make the whole enterprise work in an efficient manner. Given the global economy, the economics of a North American crosstie are impacted by the decline in domestic production of hard wood furniture and even tied to the consumption of paper products. While I hadn’t considered this aspect of the supply chain before, it brought to mind similar comments I heard in the past from ballast producers—they love to sell ballast, but they also need to have secondary markets for the byproducts of that production to make money. AREMA continues to play an important role in the supply chain process, connecting the suppliers with the industry’s decision makers and company’s internal innovators. AREMA offers opportunities for suppliers to identify needs and reach new markets both through sales and marketing opportunities at its expositions and through membership in the organization. Dependent upon the role they play within their organization and their tenure within the rail sector, employees of the supply community may apply for AREMA membership as either full or associate members. Many technically-oriented members of the supplier community are active participants on
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2017 Committee Meetings Feb. 23-25
Committee 24 - Education & Training
March 1
Committee 28 - Clearances
March 9
Committee 27 - Maintenance of Way Work Equipment Las Vegas, NV
March 21-22 Committee 37 - Signal Systems
Jacksonville, FL Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX
Fort Worth, TX
March 22-23 Committee 30 - Ties
Colorado Springs/Pueblo, CO
April 10-11 Committee 14 - Yards & Terminals
Salt Lake City, UT
April 23-24 Committee 34 - Scales
Mobile, AL
April 25-26 Committee 4 - Rail
Manchester, NJ
March 22-23 Committee 36 - Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems
May 10-11 Committee 18 - Light Density & Short Line Railways Cedar Rapids, IA
May 16-17 Committee 2 - Track Measurement and Assessment
Fort Worth, TX
Oakland, CA
For a complete list of all committee meetings, please visit www.arema.org/events. Negotiated airline discount information for AREMA committee meetings can be found online at: http://www.arema.org/meetings/airlines.aspx.
FYI…
Online dues renewal: Be sure to renew your membership online today at www.arema.org. If you have any questions about your dues renewal, please contact Janice Clements at jclements@arema.org. Thank you for being a loyal AREMA member! Order Now: 2017 Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices. Please visit www.arema. org or contact Morgan Bruins at 301.459.3200, ext. 711, or mbruins@ arema.org to place an order. Do you want to generate leads, p ro m o t e a p ro d u c t a n d re a c h a target audience? S i g n u p f o r sponsor ship of the AREMA 2017 Annual Conference in conjunction with Railway Interchange. Please contact Lindsay Hamilton at 301.459.320 0, ext. 705, or lhamilton@arema.org for more information on sponsorship investment opportunities. 2017: The year to advance your career. The New Year is a chance for a fresh start in your career. Visit www.career s.arema. org and take the first steps toward m a k i n g y o u r 2 01 7 r e s o l u t i o n a reality.
Not an AREMA Member? Join today at www.arema.org www.rtands.com
AREMA’s technical committees, sharing valuable insights to help formulate recommended practices. In many cases, these recommended practices are the foundation of purchasing requirements used by the carriers. While the need for process or product improvements are likely to continue to be driven by input from leadership of the railroad operating companies, it is now the supplier community that often develops the product. Frequently, they are also the entity funding the necessary testing to successfully bring the product to market. As an industry we are fortunate to have an innovative and resilient supplier community that has demonstrated time and time again a willingness to make progress even during times of strong economic headwinds. Keep up the good work—it is appreciated!
Call for Entries
AREMA is now accepting entries for the 2017 Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence. The selection process for the 19th W. W. Hay Award has begun. Entries must be submitted by May 26, 2017. Please visit www. arema.org for more information.
AREMA Website Advertising Want to be listed on the AREMA website to gain greater exposure to the more than 6,700 AREMA members? Contact Lindsay Hamilton at 301.459.3200, ext. 705, or via email at lhamilton@arema.org now to get advertising rates!
Call for Mentors… As the years pass, it becomes more vital to introduce and educate the next generation to the railroad industry. To aid in this cause, AREMA has developed a mentoring program to benefit the AREMA student members. We would like to extend an invitation for you to influence the next generation as part of this mentoring program. As a mentor, you will be paired with a mentee that is an AREMA student member. The pairing will try to match student members with someone with experience in the areas of the railroad industry they are interested in. Please visit the AREMA website listed under Education & Training to become a mentor today.
AREMA on Social Media Stay up-to-date on the most recent AREMA information through all official social media outlets. Become a fan of the AREMA Facebook Page, join the AREMA LinkedIn Group and now tweet, retweet and tag @AREMArail on Twitter!
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February 2017 33
AREMA NEWS
Getting to know Michael Atzert Each month, AREMA features one of our committee chairs. We are pleased to announce that the February featured chair is Michael Atzert, PE, chair of Committee 14 - Yards & Terminals. AREMA: Why did you choose a career in railway engineering? ATZERT: I always had a strong interest in working with my hands and creative problem solving. I have been hooked on railway engineering since day one. I was presented with a great opportunity as a co-op civil engineer to be a surveyor and draftsman to assist project engineers and perform various other rail-related engineering tasks at Design Nine, Inc. AREMA: How did you get started? ATZERT: I was taking full-time engineering classes and my brother ran into one of his old coaches who owned Design Nine, Inc. They have a great co-op/intern program and my brother connected me to the opportunity. I started out doing intern work, but additional opportunities allowed me to expand my experience both in the office and field throughout college. This included performing construction staking on a major rail project on weekends when the site did not have any construction activity. I always look to take on additional roles and challenges that include frequent travel. AREMA: How did you get involved in both AREMA and your committee? ATZERT: D u r i n g c o l l e g e I wa s involved in the ASCE student chapter, holding various officer positions and it was a great experience. I wanted to continue that experience in my career, and Design Nine, Inc., was a big proponent of AREMA and all it offers the industry. After I joined Design Nine, Inc., full-time, I was heavily involved in multiple large rail yard design-builds and loved the complexity and demand of the complete facility design and the last-minute redesign as the project progresses. Following those projects, I wanted to grow my knowledge of yards and terminals and contribute to their designs. AREMA: What are your hobbies outside of your work? 34 Railway Track & Structures
MICHAEL Atzert, PE Chair of Committee 14 - Yards & Terminals Engineer, Design Nine, Inc.
ATZERT: I will tr y anything once and have a hard time sitting on the sidelines. I will coach any sport for my kids including soccer, basketball and baseball before they know more about sports than me. I also volunteer for both Cub Scouts and my local church. I am a big advocate for taking on any project myself around the house and enjoy helping family and friends. I have been remodeling my current home for the past nine years and my next project is to build my Aging-In-Place home. AREMA: Tell us about your family. ATZERT: My wife, Amy, and I have been married for more than eight years. We have three children: Reece (9), Claire (7) and Max (5). Reece can’t leave the house without his hair fixed, and he can build anything after watching a YouTube video. Claire never fixes her hair when she leaves the house, but she makes it up with her smiling personality. Max has a shaved head so no worries there, but his mind is always working and he is a frequent borrower of my tools (without permission, of course). My wife fulfills the roles of a part-time worker/fitness instructor/ homemaker, as well as my role while I am away. She is a true wife of an engineer, who pays no attention to her husband when he overcomplicates the simplest task. I can attest that opposites do attract.
February 2017
AREMA: If you could share one interesting fact about yourself with the readers of RT&S, what would it be? ATZERT: I am the youngest of seven siblings and the son of wonderful parents who set a solid foundation for me to build my life upon. They say the third child is usually smarter because they learn from the older siblings. I got lucky and got that two times over! I have to credit my large family for what I have accomplished so far in my life. AREMA: W h at i s yo u r b i g g e s t achievement so far? ATZERT: My marriage and my children are definitely my biggest achievements. It has and continues to be challenging to be both career-driven and familyoriented given the many opportunities that lead to early mornings in the office and frequent travel. AREMA: What advice would you offer someone pursuing a career in the railway industry? ATZERT: I advise anyone to set an achievable goal and stay focused on that path, regardless of how his/her surroundings or situations change. When one door closes, another opens, but you need to keep your eyes open for it. I like to read and post quotes. One of my picks is from Bruce Lee, “Obey the principles without being bound by them.” I think this is a great phrase in working to understand and pursue any goal. www.rtands.com
AREMA NEWS
Part 2 of 2: A comparison of three methods of non-destructive testing technology on wood structures by Robert Keller, P.E., senior engineer; Rebecca Arthur, mechanical engineer; Dan Tingley Ph.D., P.Eng., RPEQ, MIEAust CPEng, senior structural engineer, woodtechnologist; Wood Research and Development With limited budgets and an ever-aging timber bridge population, owners are engaging consultants who can provide advanced techniques for timber bridge inspections, which can be performed at lower cost with greater accuracy; hence the advent of vibrational analysis methods and through wave technology. Many old methods of inspection are still used by local governments and railways. The most popular is bore sounding, which fits into a broad group of older inspection methods with pick testing and hammer sounding. More advanced modern methods, such as global stiffness and through compression wave testing are now utilized around the world. However, different bridge designs require different inspection considerations. Part One of this article appeared in the January 2017
issue of RT&S and discussed two inspection methods, bore sounding and global stiffness inspections.
Compression through wave analysis methods Compression through wave analysis is an NDT system that allows the identification of the weakest link and so is more dependable for use when inspecting old timber bridges. Stress wave time (SWT) analysis consists of sending a “compression” wave through a medium (wood) and measuring its velocity. The compression wave is introduced into the material by striking it with a hammer or blunt object. When the compression wave is initiated by the hammer, an accurate timer is started by activating one half of the transducer pair called the start; when the sound reaches a second half of the transducer pair called the stop, the timer is stopped. The distance between the “start” and “stop” (transducer pair) is measured by accelerometer. By measuring the distance (gauge length) and time, the average velocity of the stress wave (sound wave) can be measured. The MOE (parallel or perpendicular to grain) and strength of the material are theoretically related to the velocity of the stress wave and the density. It is the measured velocity of the sound wave that indicates if decay is present or not. In addition, traction cards (a method of utilizing the compression wave shape and style) can be utilized to measure the shear strength.
Previous research of creosote pressure-treated Douglas-fir, has found the following perpendicular to grain stress wave transmission times: for sound wood 1279 μs/m (390 μs/ft), moderately decayed wood 1827 μs/m (557 μs/ft) and severely decayed wood 2430 μs/m (741 μs/ft) 1. These velocities are in agreement with previous findings by the author.
Figures 9a, (top) and 9b, (bottom), Applied load to a horizontal timber bending member and resolution of resisting stresses and an element of the beam in bending where the vertical shear stresses are resolved into horizontal shear stresses which typically govern in a timber element in bending.
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Railway Track & Structures
February 2017 35
AREMA NEWS Figure 12a, Stress Wave Time sample chart relating SWT values in microseconds to SG.
Similar relationships between the density and time of flight have been developed for Australian hard and softwoods utilizing empirical testing to calibrate the SWT values for various species of hardwood. The times have been further calibrated and reviewed utilizing cores recovered from several bridges during inspection projects throughout the past 10 year s. Adjustment factors for SWT values have been developed to reflect submerged measurements where the timber elements are saturated, for timber elements with high moisture contents but not submerged and for treated timbers. Treated and submerged timbers tend to have artificially low times as the velocity of the compression wave is higher in the affected timbers. See Figure 12a for an example calibration chart. Several bridges were tested by the author with a typical data gathering matrix of every meter and at .5 meters at the reactions points on three points of the clock; 3 and 9, 2 and 8, and 10 and 4 along every girder. Figure 12b shows a sample SWT Table. The bridges had also been tested with Global Stiffness systems. The elements were condition-rated as per the Victorian Timber Bridge Inspection Manual and the Canadian Timber Bridge Rating System. T h e s e r e s u l t s we r e t h e n c o m p a r e d t o G l o b a l S t i f f n e s s t e s t m e a s u r e m e n t s. I n m a ny c a s e s t h e weakest links, particularly in older bridges with nontypical constr uction configurations (e.g. concrete top log girder cur tain bridges) were not identified by the Global Stiffness systems. Not only were there many poor element condition ratings found that were
Stress Wave Time (Microseconds) Figure 10, top, Glulam beam tested to failure
in shear with standard ASTM shear test overlaid with a graph of shear stresses at successive loads. Top right, a typical timber beam in bending and the transition of shear stresses from triangular with the max at the bottom at the reaction where shear stresses are associated with the compression bulb to parabolic with maximum at the neutral axis of the beam at approximately 2D from the reaction.
Figure 11, bottom, measuring SWT values across a failed log girder to establish what a typical time would be with such a girder if it were still in service. The through compression wave value was 3474 ms; the time of flight around the annulus on the bottom of the log. This would translate to a time of approximately 2000 ms on a 300 mm gauge length, a very high time.
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AREMA NEWS
Figure 12b: The table above shows typical SWT data portraying the areas where there is caution and areas where there are red zones. Generally, yellow zones are areas where the wood can support dead weights and unknown live weights. Red zones are typically areas where the wood cannot support dead weights.
missed by the Global Stiffness systems, but there were actually bridges that failed before the SWT system could be employed to test the elements as shown in Figure 11.
Conclusion
A reduction in SG of as little as 10 percent can lead to as much as 75 percent loss in compression perpendicular to grain compressive strength and 75 percent reduction in Modulus of Rupture in bending. Compression through wave technology, based on a weakest link theory, establishes the in-situ structural integrity of structural elements throughout the system versus the global system stiffness as determined by vibrational dampening non-destructive testing systems and bore sounding which is a localized measurement of annulus thickness and piping size estimates. Examples www.rtands.com
above show failed timber bridges that were tested with sound bores and global stiffness systems where no indication was given of impending collapse triggered by degraded structural components. A more accurate picture of the in-situ condition of these bridges would be provided by including SWT test methods in the inspection. The identification of poor quality zones over the entire timber structural element, not just the high bending stress zones, is critical. These weakest links cannot be accurately understood or located without the proper NDT system.
Reference
1. Ross, R. J. et al. 1999. Inspection of Timber Bridges Using Stress Wave Timing Nondestructive Evaluation Tools.United States Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service. Forest Products Lab. FPL-GTR-114. Railway Track & Structures
February 2017 37
Dr. William W. AREMA NEWS Hay Award for Excellence 2017 Call for Entries
The selection process for the 19th Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence has begun. This year’s chair, Michael W. Franke, a former student of Dr. Hay, has issued a call for entries. The 2016 Hay Award went to TranSystems for its project, "CREATE P-1 Englewood Flyover in Chicago." The purpose of the award is to honor innovative railway engineering procedures, projects and products and the individual(s) who have created and successfully applied them to the railroad industry. Criteria for winning the award are: • Innovation • Safety • Service Performance and Reliability Consideration is also given to the project’s objective, stated goals, costs and benefit achievement and the general advancement of the base of railway engineering knowledge.
Deadline for entries: MAY 26, 2017 Please contact Alayne Bell at abell@arema. org or +1.301.459.3200, ext. 708, or visit www. arema.org for more information.
38 Railway Track & Structures
AREMA Publications 2017 Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices
©
©
now available 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. Downloadable Sections Available Online.
2016 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: • Track • Structures • Infrastructure & Passenger • Systems Management. The Manual is an annual publication, released every April. It is available in a multi-volume loose-leaf format, CDROM, revision set (loose-leaf only) and individual chapters (downloadable format). Downloadable Chapters Available Online.
Reflections on a Half Century of Railway Engineering and Some Related Subjects ©
Railway Memoirs by William G. Byers, PE To see a complete list of available publications and to order, please visit www.arema.org or contact Morgan Bruins at +1.301.459.3200, ext. 711, or mbruins@arema.org.
February 2017
2014 Portfolio of Trackwork Plans 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.
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 & post-earthquake inspections. Also included are many color photographed examples in several chapters, as well as a glossary in the back of the book.
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 longtime 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.) www.rtands.com
PRODUCTS Service truck enhancements
Bonded abrasive solutions
Iowa Mold Tooling Co., Inc. (IMT), an Oshkosh Corporation company, has released three new enhancements to its Dominator line of service trucks. The company says it has made improvements to the boom support, master lock system and rear access package to boost quality and dependability. “We developed these three enhancements to improve upon the Dominator’s ease of use,” said Jim Hasty, general manager of IMT. “The upgraded boom support, master lock system and rear access package work together to ensure the Dominator’s position as a top-of-the-line service truck, where every detail matters.” The boom support will now be built standard with molded urethane to replace rubber. The urethane is also shock-absorbing, weatherproof and formed over sheet metal to provide reliable support. IMT’s new master lock is a spring-loaded system with a push-pull operation that the company says provides a secure lock every time. Phone: 641-923-4625.
Railway Track & Structures
February 2017
Weiler Abrasives Group, a provider of surface conditioning products, has added the Tiger® Ceramic to its lineup of bonded abrasive solutions. The company says its line is a series for cutting, grinding and combination wheels. The line is intended to deliver extended product life and boost cut rate. Weiler Abrasives says the line offered up to 40-percent longer life during testing, as compared with competing ceramic solutions. “Tiger Ceramic solutions effortlessly remove material while a hard bond keeps working longer, for unmatched product life,” said Rick Hopkins, senior product manager–Metal Fabrication, Weiler Abrasives Group. “For anyone who puts a premium value on getting work done faster and optimizing wheel usage, Tiger Ceramic delivers.” The line aims to bring operators a higher material removal rate, faster cutting speeds, cooler grinding and reduced friction at less pressure, w h i ch r e d u c e s operator fatigue. Phone: 515-5572068.
www.rtands.com 39
CALENDAR MARCH 1-2. Southwest Association of Rail Shippers Annual Meeting. Moody Gardens Hotel & Spa. Galveston, Texas. Phone: 888-388-8484. Website: http://www.swrailshippers.com/upcoming_meetings.asp. 2. Railroad Day on Capitol Hill. Renaissance Washington. Website: www.aslrra.org. 13-17. Railroad Track Inspection & Safety Standards Workshop. TN Valley Railroad Museum. Chattanooga, Tenn. Phone: 865-974-5255. Website: http://ttap.utk.edu/. 20-24. Management Essentials for the Railroad Industry. The University of Delaware’s Newark Delaware Campus. Contact: Katie Lakofsky. Phone: 302-831-4863. Email: klakofsk@udel.edu. Website: www.outreach.engr.udel.edu/railroad-engineering-management/. 21-22. 22nd Annual Association of American Railroads’ Research Review. Cheyenne Mountain Resort. Colorado Springs, Colo. Contact: Lori Bennett. Phone: 303-617-3300. E-mail: annualreview@ aar.com. Website: www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default. aspx?EventID=1908255 23. New England Railroad Club Rail Tech Conference/Engineering & Transit Night. DCU Center. Worcester, Mass. Website: www. nerailroadclub.com/events/new-england-rail-forum-expo/.
40 Railway Track & Structures
February 2017
APRIL 3-4. Fundamentals of Traction Power Systems and Overhead Contact Systems. University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison, Wis. Contact: Dave Peterson. Email: dmpeter5@wisc.edu. Website: http://epd.engr.wisc.edu/webS587. 4-7. 2017 ASME Joint Rail Conference. Doubletree by Hilton at Philadelphia City Center. Philadelphia, Pa. E-mail: jakubowskim@ asme.org. Website: www.asme.org/events/joint-rail-conference. 10-11. 2017 International Rail Safety Seminar & Expo. Florida Hotel and Conference Center. Orlando, Fla. Phone: 321-473-6066. E-mail: tom@vehicleandtrack.com. Website: railsafetyseminars. com/. 18-20. Light Rail 2017. Grand Hyatt Denver. Denver, Colo. E-mail: conferences@sbpub.com. Website: http://www.railwayage.com/ index.php/conferences/lightrail.html. 22-25. ASLRRA 2017 Connections. Gaylord Texan Resort. Grapevine, Texas. Phone: 202-628-4500. Website: www.aslrra.org. 25-28. Railway Educational Bureau Track Safety Standards Part 213 Classes 1-5 Workshop. Council Bluffs, Iowa. Phone: 800228-9670. E-mail: studentservices@sb-reb.com. Website: www. railwayeducationalbureau.com/TrkInspWrkShp.html.
www.rtands.com
Ad Index Company
Phone #
Fax#
e-mail address
Page #
AREMA Marketing Department
301-459-3200
301-459-8077
marketing@arema.org
Cover 3
Custom Truck & Equipment
816-241-4888
816-2413710
bboehm@cte-equipment.com
4
Danella Rental Systems, Inc.
610-828-6200
610-828-2260
pbarents@danella.com
17
Herzog Railroad Services, Inc.
816-233-9002
816-233-7757
tfrancis@hrsi.com
7
Holland L.P.
708-367-2987
708-672-0119
ptenhoven@hollandco.com
8
Koppers Railroad Structures
800-356-5952
608-221-0618
rrdiv@koppers.com
Cover 2
Landoll Corporation
800-428-5655
888-293-6779
jim.ladner@landoll.com
2
Moley Magnetics, Inc.
844-M-MAGNET (844-662-4638)
716-434-5893
sales@moleymagneticsinc.com
6
Neel Company, The
703-913-7858
703-913-7859
jlewis@neelco.com
5
Plasser American Corp.
757-543-3526
757-494-7186
plasseramerican@plausa.com
19
Railway Educational Bureau, The
402-346-4300
402-346-1783
bbrundige@sb-reb.com
39,40
SensrÂŽ Structural SolutionsTM
512-240-5273
866-521-7417
walt.bleser@sensr.com
Western-Cullen-Hayes, Inc.
773-254-9600
773-254-1110
cp@wch.com
9
Willamette Valley Company
541-484-9621
541-484-1987
alisha.barrowcliff@wilvaco.com
Cover 4
21
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 RTS assumes no responsibility for the correctness.
Advertising Sales general sales OFFICE AL, KY Jonathan Chalon Publisher (212) 620-7224 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1165 New York, NY 10014 jchalon@sbpub.com
OR, SD, TN, TX, 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
CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA, WV, Canada - Quebec and East, Ontario Jerome Marullo (212) 620-7260 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1863 New York, NY 10014 jmarullo@sbpub.com
Responsible for advertisement sales in all parts of the world, except Italy, Italian-speaking Switzerland, Japan, and North America. Suite N2, The Priory, Syresham Gardens, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3LB, UK Louise Cooper International Sales Manager Suite K5 &K6
AR, AK, AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, NM, ND, NV, OK,
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The Priory +44-1444-416917 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom lc@railjournal.co.uk
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
Julie Richardson International Sales Manager Suite K5 &K6 The Priory +44-1444-416368 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom jr@railjournal.co.uk
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
Italy and Italian-speaking Switzerland Dr. Fabio Potesta Media Point & Communications SRL
Classified, Professional & Employment Jeanine Acquart (212) 620-7211 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1325 New York, NY 10014 jacquart@sbpub.com
Railway Track & Structures
February 2017 41
NEW & USED EQUIPMENT
Professional Directory
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Grapple Trucks
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RAILROAD SERVICES
WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?
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ASPENEQUIPMENT.COM/RAIL bharrod@Aspeneq.com Aspenequipment.com/raiLROAD RAILWAY AGE MARKETPLACE SALES Jeanine Acquart • jacquart@sbpub.com Ph: 212/620-7211 Fax: 212/633-1165 42 Railway Track & Structures
February 2017
RailwayAge.com
RT&S2013revAd.indd 1
2/12/13 2:57 PM
The News Destination for the Rail Industry www.rtands.com
NEW & USED EQUIPMENT
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E-Mail: RelamCFE@aol.com Tel: 440-439-7088 Fax: 440-439-9399 Visit our website at: www.relaminc.com EQUIPMENT FOR SHORT OR LONG TERM LEASE HARSCO AND NORDCO TAMPERS 6700S, SJ, SJ2, Mark IV Switch and Production Tampers 3300 and HST Chase Tampers 3000 Tampers w/Raise & Line or Chase Tampers 2400 Tampers w/Raise & Line HYDRAULIC STABILIZERS HARSCO TS-30HDs TIE INSERTERS/EXTRACTORS Nordco TRIPPs 925 S/Ss, Standards, KTR-400s KNOX KERSHAW PRODUCTS KBR-860-925-940 Ballast Regulators & Snow Fighters KBR-940 Dual Head Brush Cutters KTC-1200 Tie Cranes KKA-1000/1050 Kribber-Adzers KPB-200 Plate Brooms NORDCO ANCHOR APPLICATORS, SPIKERS & GRABBERS Model F Anchor Machines and BAAMs Models CX and SS Spikers Model SP2R Dual Grabbers RACINE RAILROAD PRODUCTS Dual Anchor Spreaders, Squeezers, Knockers (Anchor Removers), Anchor Applicators, DAACs (Dual Anchor Adjuster Cribber), Dual e-Clip Applicators, Ride-on Regauge Adzers, TPIs, Tie Straighteners, OTM Reclaimers, SAFELOK IIIs (SAR IIIs) HI-RAIL CRANES, SPEEDSWINGS & RAILHEATERS Pettibone Model 445E/F Speedswings w/Multiple Attachments (F’s with Tier 4 Engine) Geismar 360/360-Tronic Hi-Rail Excavators, (Cold Air Blower, Brush Cutter, Grapple, Heel Boom, Train Air & Knuckle available) Badger 30 Ton Cranes w/Hi-Rails Propane and Diesel Railheaters - Single & Dual Sided, Selfpropelled w/Vibrators HI-RAIL TRUCKS, EXCAVATORS, & CARTS Hi-Rail Gradalls, XL3300 Series III w/Digging Buckets & Brush Cutters Hi-Rail Rotary Dumps, Various Hi-Rail Pickups Hi-Rail Grapple Trucks (available w/Magnet, Rail Racks & Creep Drive) 25-ton Hudson Ballast Cars 25-ton Rail and OTM Carts, 5-ton Tie Carts
NEW & USED Grapple Trucks, Roto Dumps, Mechanics Trucks and Pickups. WE ALSO RENT! Call Rob Wiskerchen at 715-897-2619 Toll Free: 888-405-0110 e-mail: rob@wisktrucks.com • www.wisktrucks.com
Available for Lease 3000 cu ft Covered Hopper Cars 4650 cu ft Covered Hopper Cars 3600 cu ft Open Top Hopper Cars 4480 cu ft Aluminum Rotary Open Top Gons 65 ft, 100-ton log spine cars equipped with six (6) log bunks 60 ft, 100 ton Plate F box cars, cushioned underframe and 10 ft plug doors 50 ft, 100 ton Plate C box cars, cushioned underframe and 10 ft plug doors Contact: Tom Monroe: 415-616-3472 Email: tmonroe@atel.com
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February 2017 43
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Get the inside scoop on and off the track
Rail BRief: The Weekly RT&S Email Newsletter SubScribe at: www.rtands.com/RailBrief
44 Railway Track & Structures
February 2017
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