RT&S June 2019

2019 REPORT

Grade-Crossing SURFACES STEEL BRIDGE FITNESS

JUNE 2019 | www.rtands.com

TTCI evaluates steel girder railway spans’ safe service life

Derailment services

Prevention in a changing operating environment

AND ALSO rtands.com

AREMA p. 28

February 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 1

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contents

June 2019

FEATURES

14

Derailment services Strategic initiatives are explored to reduce derailments in a changing operating environment.

22

22 NEWS

DEPARTMENTS

4

Industry Today Tariff on Mexico could cripple some railroad companies; NTSB finds inadequate planning, training led to fatal Amtrak derailment; Officials clash as FRA cuts CHSRA funds

10 28

7

AREMA News Message from the President, Professional Development, Committee chair Q&A

Supplier News Acquisitions, contracts and other news

33

Calendar

8

People New hires, promotions and appointments

34

Products

37

Ad Index

37

Sales Representatives

38

Classifieds Advertising

38

Professional Directory

A Metra commuter train crosses over a grade crossing in downtown Elgin, Ill. For more on grade crossings go to page 22.

Photo Credit: Polycorp

Credit: Bill Wilson

TTCI Steel bridge fitness for service estimate

Grade-crossing surfaces Suppliers see increased demand from transit systems while customers remain focused on safety and ease of maintenance.

Columns

3

On Track An introduction from new Editor-inChief Bill Wilson

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On Track

Ready to earn my train jacket Vol. 115, No. 61 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 Bill WILSON Editor-in-Chief wwilson@sbpub.com Kyra Senese Managing Editor ksenese@sbpub.com Bob Tuzik Consulting Editor btuzik@sbpub.com btuzik@sbpub.comCORPORATE OFFICES CORPORATE OFFICES 55 Broad St 26th Fl. 55 Broad St 26th Fl. New York, N.Y. 10004 Telephone New York,(212) N.Y.620-7200 10004 Telephone Fax (212) (212) 633-1165 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. Arthur Jr. President J. and McGinnis, Chairman President and Chairman Jonathan Chalon Publisher Chalon Jonathan Publisher Mary Conyers Production Mary Conyers Director Production Director Nicole D’Antona Art Director Nicole D’Antona Art Director Aleza Leinwand Aleza Graphic Leinwand Designer Graphic Designer Maureen Cooney CirculationCooney Director Maureen Circulation Director Michelle Zolkos Conference Michelle Zolkos Director Conference Director Customer Service: 800-895-4389 Customer Reprints: PARS International Corp.

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T

he all-white Winnie the Pooh jacket must have been for special occasions.

Since I was four years old at the time, I really do not know if my Mom had the coat wrapped and moth-balled in some closet so it could be well-preserved for the right moment. I think I only wore it a total of two times.

It was the early 1970s and I was soaking in a rare field trip with the rest of my nursery school friends, standing in my white Winnie the Pooh jacket on the Naperville, Ill., platform for the Metra commuter train. As a small child, locomotives are about the coolest moving object on planet Earth. However, I never got into the counting cars craze. I know parents (I have three kids) use this clever tactic to keep children from entering the boredom zone, but after 10 or so cars I was already, well, bored. I went to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, and there are a couple sets of tracks that run right through the middle of town. I remember having to wait for long freight trains to pass on many nights en route to taking on The Strip, which is a row of bars and restaurants banking on Mommy and Daddy’s college spending money for the month. Instead of counting cars, kids killed time trying to cremate a good-sized rock or two. While waiting they would toss these rocks at the track in hopes one would be crushed by a car wheel. I always

thought the practice lacked a certain degree of intelligence.

Over the last 20 years I was the head editor for a business-to-business magazine called Roads & Bridges. Fresh from the newspaper business (I was a sports writer for the Daily Herald newspaper, which is a daily publication serving the suburbs of Chicago, and a sports editor for a string of family-owned papers headquartered in Glen Ellyn, Ill.), I had no idea how roads were maintained, how bridges were built or how work zones were set up. However, I am a journalist and I would like to think I know how to ask the right questions to educate myself. It did not take long before I was writing about complex span structures and construction on critical interstates that serve as key commerce veins of this great country.

So here I am, fresh from the road and bridge business looking at a new endeavor: railroads. Yes, there will be a learning curve, but I anticipate it will be rather tame. I have won 20 editorial awards over the last 15 years. News is a big part of me, and I am wired for quality. I hope to meet many of you on the trail in the future, but if you expect to see that classic white jacket you will be, well, incredibly disappointed.​

Bill Wilson Editor-in-Chief

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.

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June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 3

Industry today

Tariff on Mexico could cripple some railroad companies

K

ansas City Southern was keeping a close eye on what happened with Mexico regarding tariffs in mid-June.

The railroad company has an operating line in Mexico and serves 90 percent of the auto assembly plants in the southern country.

It also has four automotive distribution facilities and access to three major Mexico ports on the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts.

The Trump administration was looking to apply a 5 percent tariff on Mexican imports beginning June 10 as a way to apply pressure on the illegal immigration problem on the border. President Trump wants Mexico to stop the movement of those crossing over in the U.S. Kansas City Southern is not the only railroad company stressed over the situation.

The Association of American Railroads wants Congress to ratify the United StatesMexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is the trade agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The association said Washington should do what it can to promote more trade across the continent.

According to Kansas City Southern,

cross-border traffic represents about 40 percent of its total traffic, and 60 percent of cross-border traffic starts in the U.S. and goes to Mexico, while 40 percent originates

in Mexico and moves to the U.S. The Association of American Railroads and its members are continuing to monitor the tariff situation.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced in late May its stance on the probable cause of the fatal Dec. 18, 2017, Amtrak accident near DuPont, Wash., after a board meeting. The NTSB cited a failure to provide an effective mitigation method for a hazardous curve and inadequate training of a locomotive engineer as causes that led to the

4 Railway Track & Structures // June 2019

overspeed derailment of the Amtrak passenger train that hurtled off of a railroad bridge and onto a busy highway.

On the morning of Dec. 18, 2017, Amtrak Cascades train 501, on its inaugural run on the Point Defiance Bypass between Seattle and Portland, Ore., derailed on an overpass as it entered a 30-mph curve at approximately 78

mph, NTSB said. The lead locomotive and four rail cars fell onto Interstate 5, where they struck eight passenger vehicles. Three of the 77 train passengers were killed in the accident, and injuries were sustained by 57 passengers and crew members aboard the train and eight people who had been traveling on the highway.

The NTSB said during a public meeting that Sound Transit failed to adequately address the hazard associated with a curve that required the train to slow from 79 mph to 30 mph in order to safely traverse it. NTSB also noted that Positive Train Control had not been implemented for the track at the curve.

Although the engineer on duty was somewhat familiar with the route from observational rides and three training runs, it was the first time he operated the train on that route in revenue service. Additionally, NTSB reports that the engineer was operating a locomotive with which he had very little experience.

The NTSB determined the engineer had insufficient training on both the route and rtands.com

Photo Credit: Washington State Police (bottom), USDOT (top)

NTSB finds inadequate planning, training led to fatal Amtrak derailment

Industry today

the equipment.

Amtrak had equipped the locomotive with an inward-facing image recorder that provided investigators with both a visual and audio recording of crewmember activities during the accident even though this device was not required by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Officials said the recording allowed investigators to rebuild a depiction of the actions and words of the engineer and the conductor during the trip.

The engineer told investigators he did not see the speed-reduction sign. The recordings also show that he took no action to reduce the train’s speed before the derailment.

Investigators concluded the conversations between the engineer and the conductor did not distract them from their duties or abilities to identify the speed-reduction sign.

Investigators also found the trainset involved in the crash—which did not meet current crashworthiness standards and was only permitted to operate through a grandfathering agreement with the FRA—was structurally vulnerable to high-energy derailments or collisions.

Responsibility for the planning, safety and oversight of the Cascades operation involved several organizations, including Amtrak, the WSDOT, the FRA and Sound Transit.

Investigators concluded there was “a general sense that none of the participants fully understood the scope of their roles and responsibilities as they pertained to the safe operation of the service, which allowed critical safety areas to be unaddressed.”

Following the investigation, the NTSB issued a total of 26 safety recommendations to the FRA, the WSDOT, Oregon Department of Transportation, Sound Transit and the United States Department of Defense. In addition, the NTSB reiterated three recommendations to the FRA.

Officials clash as FRA cuts CHSRA funds The future of the California High-Speed Rail Authority project is uncertain and some rail industry leaders and government officials are at odds following the mid-May announcement that the FRA cancelled its Cooperative Agreement with the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA).

The development means the FRA has deobligated the $928,620,000 in funds the authority relied upon per the FY10 agreement. FRA officials concluded that CHSRA violated the terms of a FY10 agreement by failing to make sufficient progress toward the project’s completion and repeatedly failing to submit critical required deliverables.

“The decision follows FRA’s Notice of Intent to Terminate and consideration of the information provided by CHSRA on March 4, 2019,” FRA stated. “California has abandoned its original vision of a high-speed passenger rail service connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles, which was essential to its applications for FRA grant funding. FRA continues to consider all options regarding the return of $2.5 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds awarded to CHSRA.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom also spoke out regarding the agreement’s cancellation: “The Trump administration’s action is illegal and a direct assault on California, our green infrastructure, and the thousands of Central Valley workers who are building this project,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement issued in response to the FRA. “Just as we have seen from the Trump administration’s attacks on our clean air standards, our immigrant communities and in countless other areas, the Trump administration is trying to exact political retribution on our state. This is California’s money, appropriated by Congress,

THE

and we will vigorously defend it in court.”

Andy Kunz, president of the U.S. High Speed Rail Association, said the association supports Newsom’s efforts to bolster highspeed rail.

“Transportation is not, and should not be partisan,” Kunz said. “Transportation is what makes our economy operate, and enables Americans to get to jobs, visit family, and other activities, it enables cargo to get delivered, food to the stores, and more. Anyone making this political is undermining the basic operation of America, going against true America values, undermining our economy, and harming the America people.”

Kunz added that he believes industry and government leaders need to work as a team to “build for the future the best forms of transportation possible.”

“It’s time for those standing in the way to lead, or get out of the way so America can build our future now,” Kunz said.

Paul Skoutelas, president and CEO of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), expressed hope that CHSRA and the FRA can come to an agreement to further the project in the future.

“The California High-Speed Rail Project is critically important and has the potential to transform mobility in California and serve as an example of what can and needs to be done in major travel corridors across America,” Skoutelas said in a statement. “We urge the California High-Speed Rail Authority and the federal government to find common ground to continue to advance and accelerate this important transportation investment. Let’s fulfill a bold vision to create more travel options and restore our preeminence in the world as a leader on transportation.”

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June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 5

Industry today

Supplier News Rail and track material provider BIRMINGHAM RAIL & LOCOMOTIVE CO. (BR&L) recently announced that it has acquired Austintown Rail Supply (ARS), a supplier of switching materials and other railroad track products.

Loram acquires Finland-based Roadscanners

Utah’s Seven County Infrastructure Coalition board voted to s e l e c t D R E X E L H A M I LT O N INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERS, LP for a public-private partnership to finance and build the proposed Uinta Basin Railway.

E N C O R E R A I L SYS T E M S , I N C . announced EnduraPlugTM as the new name for the company’s tieplugging compound, which has been performing in the field for decades.

V i r g i n Tr a i n s U S A ( f o r m e r l y Brightline) recently announced that th e H U B BA R D CO N S TR U C TI O N COMPANY, Wharton-Smith Inc., The Middlesex Corporation, Granite and HSR Constructors will be the rail construction contractors for Phase 2 of its expansion between Orlando and South Florida.

SIEMENS MOBILITY is the winner of a mid-life overhaul service contract for TriMet’s Type-2 and Type-3 lightrail vehicle (LRV) fleet, which is made up of 79 Siemens SD660 LRVs.

Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc., is the new owner of Finland-based Roadscanners Oy Rail Division business after an acquisition in early May. Loram announced the purchase, which included its Rail Doctor software and related intellectual property rights. Roadscanners specializes in developing tools and services for road and railway infrastructure asset management. Mika Silvast, managing director of Loram Finland, has been working closely with the HyGround division of Loram since 2006.

“We’re excited to finally have Mika and his very clever team join the Loram family,” said James Hyslip, Loram’s chief engineer civil.

“Roadscanners’ expertise and its cuttingedge analysis software have been instrumental in the acceptance and growth of ground penetrating radar in the railroad industry,

both in North America and world-wide.”

Roadscanners Oy continues its business in other sectors, including its Road Division and Software and Hardware Division, in the field of road, street, bridge and airport condition surveys, diagnostics and asset management. Roadscanners will also continue investing in ITS-related research and development work.

The acquisition will allow Loram the opportunity to advance its mission to deliver advanced equipment, solutions, and customer service in a safe and reliable manner, the company said.

“We are excited to welcome the railway division of Roadscanners Oy to the Loram family to help grow our vision of being respected globally as the leader in the railway infrastructure markets we serve,” Loram said.

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NRC Board taps Daloisio as next secretary, treasurer The National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors has selected Joe Daloisio of Railroad Construction Company to serve as the board’s new secretary/treasurer.

Daloisio will assume his new role at the 2020 NRC Conference in San Diego, Calif.

“The NRC thanks Joe Daloisio for his leadership and commitment to the NRC and the railroad construction industry,” said NRC Chairman Mike Choat. “Joe has served on the NRC board for over 7 years and has lead the very successful NRC Scholarship Program. The NRC is excited to have selected Joe as the incoming secretary/treasurer.”

Daloisio was initially elected to the NRC Board in 2013. Daloisio grew up in the railroad construction industry and is a third generation “trackman,” NRC said.

He has great pride for his family history and the ability to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, father and uncles, as well as continuing to work with his family today.

“Joe has been very active as current chair of the Scholarship Committee, member of the Education Committee, Transit Contracting Committee, Golf Committee and recently, the Finance Committee,” NRC said. “Joe is a member of AREMA and currently serves on AREMA Committee 41 – Track Maintenance.”

Daloisio graduated from Seton Hall University with a bachelor of science in Business. Daloisio and his wife, Lauren, live in New Jersey with their three children, Joseph (16), Nicholas (13) and Annabella (9).

The NRC said in a statement that Daloisio is very dedicated to giving back and volunteering in his community, serving on a LandUse Board, a Special Needs Housing Board and community holiday enrichment organization.

“Being a part of the NRC Board, having the ability to serve the entire industry and to work with some of the best people in our industry, has been an honor and a true privilege for the past 7 years,” stated Daloisio. “I am humbled to have been chosen to serve on the Executive Committee in January and I’m excited for the years to come. Our industry is changing and we have a lot of work to do and I can’t wait to jump in to help get it done. I want to say thank you to our current Executive Committee, Mike Choat, Chris Daloisio, Jim Hansen and Steve Bolte, and to all my fellow board members. Your time, effort and leadership has benefited our member companies and the entire contracting industry and have made the NRC the great organization it is. “

Watco Companies, SCH Services announce joint venture Watco Companies, LLC, is now part of a joint venture with SCH Services, LLC, (SCH), in an agreement the company recently entered to build an inland terminal network in the four rivers area of Illinois-Kentucky capable of handling bulk materials.

Watco’s Cora Terminal, located on the Mississippi River in Rockwood, Ill., along with the SCH Calvert City Terminal, on the Tennessee River in Calvert City, Ky., and Four Rivers Terminal, on the Ohio River in West Paducah, Ky., will form the SCH terminal network. rtands.com

June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 7

People CANAD IAN NATI O NAL appointed Rob Reilly as its new EVP and COO, effective July 1. The Class 1 also promoted Michael Foster to serve as EVP and chief information and technology officer, effective June 3.

CSX announced the departure of Frank Lonegro, executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO), a n d h a s b e g u n a se a rc h fo r a n ew CFO, appointing Kevin Boone as interim CFO. The railroad also appointed Farrukh Bezar to serve as its new senior vice president and chief strategy officer. Officials said he will lead the development of strategic initiatives.

THE GREENBRIER COMPANIES, INC. announced that its senior vice president and acting chief financial officer Adrian Downes has been appointed to serve as chief financial officer.

Rail industry equipment leasing and finance veteran Matt Siemer joined H E ARTL AN D R AI L LLC as vice president of Leasing. He brings experience at The David J. Joseph Company and then CIT Rail.

Jennie Santoro, AIA, NCARB, is HNTB CORPORATION’s new Seattle architecture studio leader. Based in the firm’s Bellevue, Wash., office, Santoro oversees HNTB’s growing staff of architects and structural engineers.

KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN promoted two individuals within its Ch em ical & Petrole um an d In dustrial & C o n s u m e r c o m m o d i t y g ro u p s . G i n g e r A d a m i a k , previously Vice President energy, industrial development and innovation, was appointed VP energy and chemical products. Yesica Gloria Marrufo was promoted from AVP sales for metals, industrial, forest products, chemicals and petroleum to VP sales and marketing for industrial and consumer products in the U.S. and Mexico.

J e re m y K ra m e r i s t h e n e w v i c e p re s i d e n t a t LOUISVILLE & INDIANA R AILROAD (LIRC). In his new role, LIRC said Kramer will be responsible for all railroad transportation processes.

T h e N AT I O N A L R A I L R O A D C O N S T R U C T I O N & MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATION (NRC) Board of Directors has selected Joe Daloisio of Railroad Construction Com pany to ser ve as th e board’s n ew secretar y and treasurer.

NJ TRANSIT announced that it has hired Bilal Khan to serve as its Chief Technology Officer for Infrastructure and Operation (CTO – I&O).

Operations planner Peter Windschmitt has joined national rail and transit firm QUANDEL CONSULTANTS as the firm’s new director of railroad operations.

WSP USA recently announced that Thomas Sorel has been named area manager for the Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota region of the engineering and professional services consultancy.

CONTACT Mary Jo Balve Global Trade Show Services, Inc. 33 Prince Place, Little Silver NJ 07739 T +1 732 933 1118 mjbalve@globaltradeshow.com

8 Railway Track & Structures // June 2019

RTS_USA_InnoTrans2018_87x254_en.indd 1

OBITUARY Jack Stephens, retired executive director of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), died June 2 of natural causes in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

15.05.2019 10:01:22

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TTCI r&D

Steel bridge fitness for service estimate using probabilistic method TTCI evaluates steel girder railway bridge spans’ safe service life performance at FAST.

by Anna M. Rakoczy, Ph.D., Principal Engineer I; Duane Otter, Ph.D., P.E., Scientist Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI)

T

ransportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) is testing five riveted steel girder railway bridge spans for fatigue and safe service life performance at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST), located at the Transportation Technology Center (TTC) in Pueblo, Colo.

These bridges carry approximately 150 MGT per year of heavy axle load (HAL) traffic. TTCI is using the bridges to investigate improved fitness for service estimates for common steel railway bridge spans.1,2 Service life estimation using a probabilistic method can be used not only to trend the risk of

fatigue crack development, but also to inform decision-making regarding appropriate programs of inspection. The probabilistic method provides risk-based information about the fitness of a bridge and its safe-use longevity. The method is demonstrated on a 32-foot riveted deck plate girder (DPG) span located at FAST.

using a conventional Category D analysis but only about 25 percent probability if considered using Category C. • The new resistance parameters provide confirmation that for lower stress ranges, riveted steel bridges are closer to the performance of fatigue Category C than that of fatigue Category D.

Highlights Of The Probabilistic Method: • By using a probabilistic method, the number of load cycles or accumulated traffic is estimated in terms of probability of crack initiation. Inspection programs can be calibrated against the risk of crack formation. For example, inspections might be scheduled with a higher frequency as a bridge member approaches a higher probability of crack development.

• Rather than using standard fatigue categories, the proposed method uses test data specifically from full-size riveted girders, which in some cases allows longer life estimates in the stress ranges experienced by many railroad spans.

• Results show that the 32-foot span at FAST has more than 99 percent probability of fatigue crack initiation with the current accumulated 2,280 MGT when considered

Motivation Current service-life evaluation procedures do not account for the considerable degree of uncertainty in load and fatigue resistance of bridges. Simplified calculations can lead to significant reductions in estimated life.

Many methods for service life evaluation have a low probability of fracture. That means, even if a bridge reaches its estimated design fatigue life, the structure likely remains fit for future safe service with more frequent inspection.3

Figure 1: Two-slope S-N Curve

10 Railway Track & Structures // June 2019

Literature Review The National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report 7214 indicates that a larger amount of uncertainty is involved in fatigue evaluations as compared to bridge strength evaluations or load ratings. The use of probabilistic methods is recommended to determine the level of safety for various evaluation cases.

NCHRP Report 721 provides guidance on evaluations at four levels of finite service life.

• Minimum expected fatigue life (conservative design fatigue life, 5 percent probability of crack initiation); • Evaluation Life 1 (conservative fatigue life for evaluation, 15.9 percent probability of crack initiation); • Evaluation Life 2 (safety level that corresponds to a probability of crack initiation of 32.9 percent); • Mean fatigue life (the most likely fatigue life, 50 percent probability of crack initiation). While a bridge will show an increase in estimated service life, use of higher probabilities of fatigue initiation carries greater risk and should be accompanied by more frequent inspections.

Uncertainty In Fatigue Resistance NCHRP Report 721 refers to the standard fatigue categories C and D, which cover a variety of steel connection details. For rtands.com

TTCI r&d

Table 1. Statistical Parameters for Riveted Members

Slope

Mean N

Mean A

Variation

m =3, >10ksi

N = 18153 ¡ S-3

60 x 10^8

15.2%

m =5, ≤10ksi

N = 2255 ¡ S-5

58 x 10^8

15.3%

Load history

Accumulated MGT

Car type

Effective stress, ksi

Revenue service

900 MGT

263 kip

7.10

Revenue service

800 MGT

286 kip

7.72

FAST operation

580 MGT

315 kip

9.85

Table 2. Load History

better bridge life estimates, data from fullscale riveted bridge girders was gathered to evaluate fatigue resistance of riveted details.

A plot of the selected fatigue test data (Figure 1) reveals that the data follows two trends. The data points below a stress range of about 10 ksi have a different distribution than data points above. Details about the data and the process of developing the statistical parameters is described in an AAR research report.5 TTCI developed a two-sloped S-N curve based on available data Zhou (1994)6 and statistical analysis. The first part of the curve, for stress range above 10 ksi, is taken with a slope of 3, as is common; the second part of the curve, from 10 ksi to 6 ksi, is assumed to have a slope of 5, similar to Eurocode. 7 The variable amplitude fatigue limit is taken to be 6 ksi, as in most current recommended practices. Equation 1 is used to estimate the expected number of cycles: (1) where N = number of cycles to failure, A = fatigue constant, Seff equivalent stresses, and m = the slope of the log-log curve again determined by fitting.

Based on the data presented in Figure 1 and Equation 1, TTCI developed improved statistical parameters for fatigue resistance rtands.com

for riveted members and connections. The parameters are listed in Table 1.

The parameters presented in this section were used to calculate the probability of crack initiation for the 32-foot DPG span at FAST.

the span has accumulated total estimated traffic of 2,280 MGT. Fatigue Evaluation Using Probabilistic Method The 32-foot span at FAST has reamed holes, according to the original drawing. The description of the span and fatigue life estimate using traditional deterministic methods were published previously.1 The bridge accumulated at least 900 MGT of 263,000-pound railcar traffic and at least 800 MGT of 286,000-pound railcar traffic in

revenue service. The lower stress levels in revenue service, shown in Table 2, are related to the lower axle loads of the traffic and the bridge location in tangent track with no unbalanced curving loads. The FAST train loading on the high rail girder of the 32-foot span is E-72 at the normal operating speed of 40 mph.

The analysis for the 32-foot span as presented in Figure 2 shows that the bridge span has more than a 99 percent probability of fatigue crack initiation with the current 2,280 MGT when considered as fatigue Category D, but only ~25 percent probability if considered as fatigue Category C. In comparison, when using a new set of resistance parameters based on the bilinear S-N curve, the results are notably different.

Using the proposed parameters, the bridge span has about 50 percent probability of fatigue crack initiation with the current 2,280 MGT. However, the probability of crack initiation is rising faster when using slope 3. Further, when the bridge approaches 3,000 MGT, the probability of crack initiation exceeds 95 percent, whereas the probability remains below 90 percent for slope 5. Figure 3 shows the comparison of the probabilistic fatigue June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 11

TTCI r&D

Figure 2: Probability of Fatigue Crack Initiation versus MGT for South Girder of 32-foot FAST Span

Figure 3: Comparison of Fatigue Life Estimates for FAST 32-foot (9.75 meter) Span

evaluations using different values for statistical parameters.

Using Probabilistic Method and NCHRP Report 721 Provisions Using fatigue Category D is too conservative for estimating service life for riveted members subjected to equivalent stresses less than 10 ksi. The service life estimate using fatigue Category C is close to the new statistics developed for a bilinear S-N curve.

Based on the statistic presented in this study it is appropriate to use slope 5. For the 12 Railway Track & Structures // June 2019

considered bridge, the probabilistic method with slope 5 predicts three times more MGT (or service life) than estimated using fatigue Category D. Conclusions The service life estimate of a steel bridge depends on the fatigue category and applied load for various levels of risk (probabilities of fatigue crack initiation). During the service life of a bridge, accumulated fatigue damage increases in time at different rates, depending on tonnage per year and train

type. All these factors must be specified in order to obtain accurate results from any reliability analysis: • Use of fatigue life data specifically from full-scale girders, in conjunction with probability of failure, can provide the most versatile estimate of the remaining service life of a span; • Using a probabilistic method, the number of cycles or accumulated traffic is estimated in terms of probability of crack initiation.

As a bridge management practice, inspections could be scheduled more often as a bridge member approaches a higher probability of crack initiation; • The reliability analysis also can be used for estimating years of service life (or MGT) of a bridge with different levels of safety.

To date, the 32-foot span at FAST has performed well with no maintenance required. Since its commissioning, the span has accumulated total estimated traffic in the amount of 2,280 MGT, with over 580 MGT of HAL traffic since its installation at FAST. This level of traffic corresponds to about 50 percent probability of crack initiation.

References 1. Otter D., Rakoczy A. M., and Dick S., “Fatigue Life and Fitness-for-Service Analysis: 32-foot Steel Deck Plate Girder Bridge Span at FAST,” Technology Digest TD-16-025, Pueblo CO, 2016.

2. Rakoczy A. M., and D. Otter. 2016.

“Steel Bridge Fatigue Life Estimate Using Probabilistic Method.” Technology Digest TD-16-057, AAR/TTCI, Pueblo, CO. 3. Sweeney R. A. P., “Resistance and Loading for Steel Bridge Fatigue Life Evaluation,” Proceedings of AREMA Conference, 2015.

4. Bowman, M. D., Fu, G., Zhou, E. Y., Connor, R. J., and Godbole, A. A. “Fatigue Evaluation of Steel Bridges,” National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), Report 721, Transportation Research Board, Washington DC, 2012.

5. Rakoczy, Anna M., Duane Otter, and Stephen Dick. 2017. “Steel Bridge Fatigue Life Estimate using the Probabilistic Method and New Fatigue Resistance for Riveted Details.” Research Report R-1027. AAR/ TTCI, Pueblo, CO. 6. Zhou, Y. “Fatigue Strength Evaluation of Riveted Bridge Members”. Dissertation Thesis, Lehigh University, 1994.

7. Comité Européen de Normalisation, EN 1993-1-9, 2005. Design of Steel Structures, Part 1-9: Fatigue, European Committee for Standardization. rtands.com

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derailment prevention

The worst-case scenario: when vehicle/ track interaction all goes south.

Strategic Initiatives to Reduce Derailments in a

Changing Operating Environment

D

erailments are an unpleasant fact of life on railroads. The good news is that the number of derailments on Class 1 railroads has declined significantly over the past several decades. The not so good news is that the trend in derailment rates has plateaued over the past six to seven years, and, in fact, increased over the past three years (See Figure 1). While it is not clear if this short-term trend will continue, it is clear that significant progress has not been made on continuous process improvement when it comes to preventing derailments over the past several years. It is also clear that a new generation of railroaders is upon us, and the need for training and understanding is paramount. And with the implementation 14 Railway Track & Structures // June 2019

of Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR), it is more important than ever to keep an eye on derailment prevention.

Six of the seven Class 1s have now embraced all or parts of the PSR operating model. One of the basic tenets of PSR is to “do more with less,� i.e., less track and fewer cars, locomotives, and people. The implication is that less track will see greater ton miles; fewer wheels will generate greater ton miles; and train lengths and tonnages per train will increase. Under this type of scenario, assets wear and degrade more quickly, while windows for preventive and corrective maintenance shrink—a recipe for accelerated fatigue (of personnel and the physical plant) and the potential for accidents and derailments.

There is nothing more disruptive to a carefully scripted precision operating plan than a derailment that takes a main line out of service for two days. Fortunately, there is a wealth of information that research and technology have provided over the past 30 years that big and small, passenger and freight railroads can implement to prevent costly and disruptive derailments.

There is no one size fits all. Every railroad must incorporate the research findings and technologies as resources allow. But every railroad should embrace and, in some form, adopt the 10 strategic initiatives and breakthrough technologies shown in Figure 2 in order to further reduce derailments and disruptions to the network, particularly as we move into the PSR world. These rtands.com

Photo Credit: Gary Wolf, Wolf Railway Consulting, LLC.

The application of research and technology has helped reduce the number of derailments over the years. Implementation of key strategic initiatives can help railroads stay focused on derailment prevention as they adopt the Precision Scheduled Railroading operating model. By Gary Wolf

derailment prevention

initiatives include organizational, infrastructure, equipment, and human assets.

1. Corporate focus: Top down, bottom up Derailment prevention starts at the top.

It must be embedded in the corporate culture. Some railroad management will say that derailment prevention is everybody’s responsibility. The problem with this is, when it is everyone’s responsibility, it ends up being nobody’s responsibility. An individual or group must own the process and be accountable for its success.

That owner should establish goals, objectives, and a strategy to eliminate derailments. Ideally, that person/group should have a neutral reporting relationship within the organization to avoid the bias and politics that inevitably occur. The derailment prevention leader should establish a multidisciplinary team comprised of engineering, mechanical, and operations personnel that can be involved in investigation and prevention efforts.

A basic tenet of derailment causation is that in nearly all derailments there is some contribution from each operating group to put a car on the ground. Therefore, engineering, mechanical, and operating departments must be part of the investigation team. The team should review all derailment causes, both reportable and non-reportable, and ensure that causes are accurately identified. All costs, including the cost of failure, must be assigned to every incident. The team should implement and monitor corrective actions following each incident. The team should also have access to simulation tools and metallurgical analysis if they are needed to determine the cause of a derailment.

2. Develop a network of integrated and automated inspection/detection systems Detection technology entered a new age starting with Wheel Impact Load Detectors in the 1990s, and Truck Performance Detectors, Hunting detectors, Acoustic Bearing Detectors, and Machine Vision Systems in the 2000s. Modern detection technology, coupled with communications infrastructure and data analysis, can detect incipient conditions before they become derailments. However, there must be a corporate commitment to take action on the alerts, and not simply collect and store the data in a black box somewhere.

Two of the leading derailment causes rtands.com

over the past 50 years have been roller bearing failures and rail defects. Both of these derailment causes have been significantly reduced in recent years. For instance, in 1975 there were 61 roller bearing failurecaused derailments reported to the FRA; in 2018 there were 16. Similarly, in 1975 there were 154 Transverse Rail defect-caused derailments reported; in 2018 there were 20.

These reductions are the result of improved detector technology and greater deployment of detectors.

A prime example of detector technology is the bearing temperature trending

technology developed on Union Pacific. Integrated hot box detector networks report the temperature of every bearing. Using trending algorithms, these systems can predict a potential failure before a bearing reaches the critical burn-off state. Other detectors can measure wheel flange height and thickness and tread hollowing and assess how every wheel on a freight car steers in a curve, and report any “bad actor” cars for preventive/corrective maintenance. Machine vision systems can identify if components such as truck springs are missing or broken, measure brake shoe thickness, and count

Figure 1: U.S. FRA reportable derailments from 1984 to 2018.

Top 10 Strategic Initiatives to Reduce Derailments 1. Corporate focus: Top down, bottom up.

2. Develop a network of integrated and automated inspection/ detection systems.

3. Ensure correct curve elevations.

4. Proper management of the wheel/rail interface.

5. Develop an effective rail lubrication/friction management program.

6. Eliminate rail cant (differential tie plate cutting).

7. Eliminate tight side bearings and excessive friction casting wedge rise.

8. Effective management of CWR and rail neutral temperature.

9. Develop train make up rules and strategies.

10. Perform real root cause analysis on human failure derailments.

In-track wheel profile measurement detectors use laser technology to measure parameters such as wheel tread hollowing and flange height and thickness.

June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 15

derailment prevention

Hollow tread wheels have a significant impact on wheel/rail interaction. The current AAR interchange standard allows a maximum of 4-mm hollow wear. If this standard was tightened to 2 mm, the industry could see improved wheel life, less hunting and fewer rail rollover derailments.

coupler retainer bolts, for example, at track speed.

Railroads can also leverage the data in the AAR InteRRIS database to identify marginally performing equipment and prevent it from reaching critical levels. Whatever the approach, railroads need to use the available information to identify the incipient conditions in track and vehicles that lead to derailment if not corrected.

3. Ensure correct curve elevations The correct amount of curve elevation in each curve is necessary to optimize the asset life of the track structure and to prevent derailments. The curve elevation that was correct in 1960, might not be right for the current operating environment.

Curve elevation must be analyzed in light of current operating conditions, such as the actual train speeds in a given curve. Overelevation of curves is common on regional and short line railroads that inherit secondary lines from Class 1s that may have maintained the track to FRA class 3 or 4 standards.

Given its current service requirements (and budget constraints), the short line operator may opt to operate at lower speeds and maintain the track to FRA class 1 standards, in which case every curve on the system would be significantly over-elevated.

Over-elevated curves reduce the vertical weight on the high, or outside, rail while significantly increasing the vertical weight on the low, or inside, rail of the curve—a recipe for low rail rollover derailment.

Over-elevation in combination with even marginal crosslevel variances can also lead to wheel climb derailments on the high rail. In addition to increased derailment risk, over-elevation also leads to increased maintenance costs associated with crushed rail head and defect growth on the low rail, ballast degradation, tie plate cutting and 16 Railway Track & Structures // June 2019

spike kill, excessive rail cant, and the development of rolling contact fatigue (RCF).

The Engineering Department should work with the Operating Department to review curve elevation in light of actual train operating speeds. Railways can also reduce downhill speeds to bring uphill and downhill speeds closer together so that curve elevations can be optimized.

Vehicle dynamics simulation programs are excellent tools for determining the correct elevation.

4. Proper management of the wheel/rail interface The rail industry has learned volumes over the past 30 years about the importance of managing the contact stresses that occur at the wheel/rail interface. When 125-ton trucks were introduced on 125-ton doublestack cars in the late 1980s, 25 unexplained low rail rollover derailments occurred in quick succession. This generated a crisis that almost brought the fledgling doublestack business to a grinding halt. Through the dedicated efforts of the Doublestack Dynamics Task Force, research focused on truck dynamics and track strength. The research showed how important it was to develop maximum steering effort at the wheel/rail interface. It showed that the wheel must contact the rail at the proper location on both the high and low rails to develop optimum steering forces.

We now know that if the rail is not properly ground and the wheel profile shapes are not maintained, the wheelset will not steer properly, and very high gage-spreading forces will be developed.

The rail profile must be monitored to ensure that it does not wear into a shape that promotes rail rollover or wheel flange climb.

The rail profile shape must be maintained by a comprehensive rail grinding strategy to: • Eliminate the development of RCF, which

increases the potential for the development of rail flaws and the attendant risk of a broken-rail derailment.

• Provide optimum wheel/rail contact to promote positive wheelset steering and reduce gage-spreading forces.

• Minimize overall rail wear and extend rail life.

• Optimize the wheel/rail contact points to maximize the b/h ratio to prevent rail rollover.

• Maintain the gage-face angle at or above 80 degrees to minimize the potential for wheel climb. The Nadal coefficient for wheel climb is significantly reduced (i.e., the derailment potential is increased) when the gage-face angle is worn in the range of 70 degrees.

The wheel profile shape should also be maintained to: • Provide optimum steering effort in curves by generating the maximum radius differential between the high and low rail contact points. A good steering truck is less likely to promote wheel climb or spread gage.

• Eliminate vertical and thin-flange wheels that are often involved in picked-switch and switch point climb derailments.

• Reduce flange throat conicity that promotes violent truck hunting at high speeds. When wheel treads become hollow worn, the effective conicity increases. This generates excessive lateral accelerations and reduces the onset speed of hunting. Violent truck hunting leads to flange climb derailments.

An iron ore railway in Canada completely eliminated rail rollover derailments, which had been occurring frequently, when they began re-profiling wheels when they reached 2 mm hollow wear. Wheel life nearly doubled, as well. The current AAR interchange standard in North America allows a maximum of 4 mm hollow wear. If this standard was tightened to 2 mm, it may be possible to see fleet-wide improvements in wheel life and a commensurate reduction in hunting and rail rollover derailments. While it is difficult for an individual railroad to have an impact on wheel shape, railroads can and should ensure that the rail profile shape, which contributes to wheel wear and shape, is maintained at an optimum level.

5. Develop an effective rail lubrication/friction management program Mention lubrication and most railroaders think: rail life extension. While that remains true, we learned through the introduction of 286K and 315K wheel loads, that a more comprehensive approach to friction rtands.com

derailment prevention

management also plays an important role in reducing derailments. Most notably, top-of-rail (TOR) lubrication can reduce lateral curving forces by an average of 35% -40%, which substantially reduces the risk of gage-spreading derailments. Proper lubrication of the gage face of the high rail in curves reduces the risk of a wheel-climb derailment by raising the Nadal coefficient for wheel climb.

Currently, there are two primary types of friction modifiers: traditional greases and oils, and non-carbon-based friction modifiers. Greases and oils have two potential downsides for TOR friction control: 1) Their effectiveness is dictated by the amount of lubricant applied; over-lubrication can lead to traction problems. 2) Under wheel pressure, grease can act like a hydraulic pump to propagate and grow small cracks in the rail head into larger cracks.

Friction modifiers, which were developed in the early 1990s, are engineered products that are able to maintain a constant friction coefficient in the range of 0.35, a friction level that should not affect traction,

rtands.com

Figure 3: As rail cants outward, the vertical force moves toward the field side base of the rail. This decreases the base/height (b/h) ratio, which greatly increases the risk of rail rollover.

Lateral wheel forces cause the rail to rotate toward the field side, placing high stresses on the field side of the tie plate, resulting in an outward tipping of the rail.

even on modern AC locomotives. Another advantage is that unlike lubricants, friction modifiers are less likely to propagate cracks at the rail surface. With rail and wheels representing the costliest assets in the operating world, railroads are well advised to develop a comprehensive friction management program (see Friction Management: A Balancing Act, RT&S December 2018 p. 18).

6. Eliminate rail cant (differential tie plate cutting) Lateral wheel forces tend to cause rotation of the rail toward the field side, which places higher stresses on the field side of the tie plate. This tends to cut the wood fibers more on the field side than on the gage side, resulting in an outward tipping of the rail.

(Rail cant can also occur on concrete ties

June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 17

derailment prevention

component is moved closer to the field side base of the rail. This decreases the base/ height (b/h) ratio, which greatly increases the risk of rail rollover (see Figure 3). Heavy gage-face wear in tandem with outward rail cant can further reduce the b/h ratio and increase the risk of rail rollover. Outward rail cant can also dramatically change the wheel/rail contact position, and accelerate the development of RCF. Although rail cant is not currently regulated in North America, most geometry cars measure it.

Every railroad should have a standard that they monitor aggressively.

Figure 4: Poorly performing trucks often warp in curves, causing an increase in gage-widening forces.

due to rail seat abrasion.) When outward rail cant exceeds roughly 2.5 degrees, the risk of rail rollover derailments is increased.

As rail cants outward, the vertical force

7. Eliminate tight side bearings and excessive friction casting wedge rise Two mechanical issues are complicit in many types of derailments, such as gage widening, harmonic rocking, truck hunting, vertical bounce, and wheel climb. These two mechanical defects are: 1) Tight side bearings on the standard roller design, or insufficient set up height on constant-contact designs that cause an increase in turning resistance.

2) Excessive friction casting wedge rise and

degradation of damping levels.

Tight side bearings, or insufficient set up height, can significantly increase the turning resistance of the truck. This can cause an increase in lateral wheelset forces, which tend to spread gage on loaded cars, and the potential for wheel climb on empty cars. In addition, cars with tight side bearings will no longer negotiate even marginal track warp without experiencing a significant loss of vertical wheel load on the opposite end of the car, which can also set up derailment potential.

Friction casting wedge rise causes a reduction in the column damping force. Friction damping acts as the shock absorber in the freight car truck. When damping values are compromised, the truck starts behaving badly. The truck will harmonically rock and roll; bounce at high speeds; hunt violently; and warp in curves, causing an increase in gage widening forces (see Figure 4). All of these violent dynamic actions of the truck lead to wheel climb and rail rollover.

There are AAR rules in place to identify and address these two mechanical

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derailment prevention

conditions. AAR rule 46, promulgated in 2007, regulates friction casting wedge rise for every type of truck in North America.

Five AAR gages are required to inspect all the different trucks. AAR rule 62, which was significantly improved in the early 2000s with the addition of specifications for the inspection and maintenance of constant-contact side bearing designs, provides specifications for side bearing set up height. Given the variety of side bearing designs, identifying the correct set up height is crucial: A few sixteenths of an inch below the required set up height could result in a wide gage derailment.

8. Effective management of CWR and rail neutral temperature More than 50 track buckle derailments were reported to the FRA between 2015 and 2018.

Areas like the upper Midwest, with temperature extremes between -30 degrees F. in the winter and 105 degrees F. in the summer, is where thermal track buckling is most likely.

Track inspectors should be aware that Rail Neutral Temperature (RNT) generally

ratchets downward with cyclical weather changes every year after the rail is installed.

Rail that is installed and anchored at an RNT of 95 degrees F. may end up with an RNT of 65 F. after six or seven years. Given that a rise in temperature of roughly 50 degrees above the RNT can produce rail buckling, it is easy to see how these rail temperatures can be reached when the RNT is in the 60- to 70-degree range. There are several important factors that precipitate track buckle derailments: • Low RNT in the 60- to 70-degree range.

• Insufficient ballast section, cribs and shoulders.

• Insufficient or ineffective rail anchor pattern.

• Failure to adjust rail after rail replacements.

• Failure to monitor curve pull-in during the winter.

• Failure to properly re-compact ballast after track disturbance.

• Failure to apply and monitor slow orders on disturbed track.

Railroads are required to submit a CWR Maintenance Plan to the FRA. It is incumbent on railroads to monitor and inspect

Friction casting wedge rise is a causal factor in poorly performing trucks. This measurement shows excessive wedge rise of 2 in.; the allowable limit is ¾ in.

CWR according to the plan. Particularly important is accurate record keeping of rail disturbances, additions, or replacements. A robust inspection and adjustment should

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derailment prevention

occur every spring, before the hot summer temperatures hit.

9. Develop train make up rules and strategies PSR is going to induce changes to train lengths and tonnages across the North American landscape.

Mixing bulk commodity cars into mixed manifest trains will add another level of concern to those tasked with assembling trains. Large blocks of bulk commodity cars at the rear end of a train can render even the most skillful engineer unable to control train slack action forces. And the use of high-horsepower, high-tractive-effort locomotives dictates that train coupler forces must be precisely controlled. Train coupler forces must be maintained at a level that is appropriate for the topography of a territory. In heavy grade and curve territory, in-train forces must be controlled to prevent damage to the rolling stock, lading and track infrastructure. Railroad timetable instructions should address the following for each territory: • Maximum number of allowable powered

axles in traction and dynamic braking, dependent on the class of locomotive.

• Proper tonnage rating by class of locomotive for the territory.

• Speed restrictions for certain car types, such as empty tank cars, bulkhead lumber flats, and centerbeam cars.

• Restrictions on the placement and number of End-of-Car (EOC) Cushion cars.

• Restrictions on the placement of solid blocks of loaded commodity cars.

• Trailing tonnage restrictions behind lightweight intermodal cars and platforms.

• Trailing tonnage restrictions behind long car/short car combinations.

• Restrictions on non-aligning coupler locomotives.

The good old days of dropping a car anywhere into a train consist are over. With the introduction of multiple types of intermodal equipment, heavier bulk commodity cars, EOC cars, and articulated cars, care must be taken to build outbound trains with an eye toward minimizing undesired dynamic slack action and excessive lateral forces in curves due to sharp coupler angles.

Operators can’t control the degree of curvature on the route, but they can control the magnitude of the coupler forces that develop.

10. Perform real root cause analysis on human failure derailments Between 400 and 600 human-failurecaused derailments have occurred per year over the past 40 years, with no discernable downward trend. It’s a statistically flat line. By contrast, there have been significant reductions in mechanical- and trackcaused derailments over the same period.

Over the past four years, six of the top 10 reported derailment causes have been associated with human failure. Why is it that the industry is not seeing significant improvement in human failure accidents, given the emphasis on certification programs, fatigue management, drug and alcohol testing, and better training, including simulators and computer-based training?

A big part of the problem is that we do not perform robust root-cause analysis of human failure derailments. We typically provide a description of what happened,

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derailment prevention

discipline the guilty parties, and consider the case closed. A review of the roughly 100 human failure cause codes, which include H702: switched improperly lined; H306: shoving movement, absence of man (shoving blind); H607: Failure to comply with restricted speed; for example, shows that the cause codes are merely descriptors of what occurred; they do not address the question of why it occurred. Counting and categorizing human failure does not create safety and rule compliance.

The oil and gas, nuclear, and airline industries have taken a more progressive approach to addressing human failure. They understand that human error is the starting point of the investigation, not the ending point.

They understand that human error is not random, but is linked to the environment, the rules, the tools, and work processes that people find themselves in. And they recognize that human error is often a symptom of problems deeper in the organization.

The rail industry’s investigations into human failure need to take a deeper dive to determine why workers that are well

trained, experienced, periodically tested, and loaded down with rules and procedures decide one day to run through a switch, step between equipment separated by only 10 feet, or walk within the gage sides of the track as a movement is approaching.

To blame these actions on failure to follow rules, loss of situational awareness, complacency, or fatigue is to ignore the reality of why these things happen.

Some possible prescriptions for improving human performance, at a minimum, include: • Stop blaming human failure on “failed to follow rules,” and learn to perform genuine root cause analysis of human failure incidents.

• Do a better job of, training / coaching and observing, followed by rules testing.

• Place greater emphasis on meaningful and interactive job briefings.

• Understand that organizational failure is at the root of many human failures.

• Create a meaningful safety culture that gets buy-in at every level of the organization.

• Create and follow a Safety Management System (SMS).

Storied though it is, the railway industry is a changing one. Keeping it on the rails while managing the introduction of new technologies and wider adoption of PSR against a backdrop of a generational change in railroad leadership and frontline workers is not without challenges. But it can be done. The initiatives provided here don’t cover every potential derailment cause, but they provide a blueprint for understanding the conditions that cause derailments and the corrective actions that can prevent them.

Gary Wolf is president of Wolf Consulting, which focuses on derailment analysis and prevention, vehicle/track interaction, train operations and dynamics, vehicle dynamics, and track maintenance and assessment.

He has investigated more than 4,000 derailments worldwide and trained more than 5,000 railway professionals in the techniques of derailment investigation, and track and vehicle inspection. He is one of the principal authors of the International Heavy Haul Association’s Handbook for managing wheel/rail interaction in the heavy-haul environment.

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June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 21

Grade-Crossing Surfaces

A Polycorp Epflex Railseal Interface being installed at an intermodal facility before asphalt. .

2019REPORT

By Kyra Senese, managing editor

Annual grade-crossing

ailroads continue to seek costsavings while addressing the need for products with long-term performance and reduced maintenance and replacement costs.

American Concrete Products During the past year, American Concrete Products notes that the railroad industry, states, cities and private owners have launched efforts to reduce operating costs.

“We are meeting the task of finding more efficient and cost-saving materials and 22 Railway Track & Structures // June 2019

methods without sacrificing the integrity of the product,” said Buz Hutchinson, Railroad Sales and Service. “We still offer the longest warranty in the industry.”

American Concrete Products describes its surface as a light broom finished concrete that is sealed from contaminates.

Concrete used in manufacturing has much higher compressive strength than specified, Hutchinson said.

Orders from transit systems and shortlines continue to increase, he said.

“Crossing panels for pedestrian areas

at light-rail stations are in high demand,” Hutchinson explained. “Many more locations have ADA-compliant crossings specified. Intermodal yard construction is seeing a major increase. Precast concrete crossing panels make it possible to build these facilities quickly and with less cost.”

With the implementation of Precision Scheduled Railroading, Hutchinson said American Concrete Products is seeing requests for shorter lead times for delivery because installation windows have shrunk.

The Class 1 Railroads have been rtands.com

Photo Credit: Polycorp

R

Manufacturers and suppliers of crossing surfaces see a boost in orders from transit systems and shortlines.

Grade-Crossing Surfaces

thriving along with the rest of the economy, Hutchinson explained, adding that Class 1s understand that growth cannot be achieved without reinvestment.

A challenge Hutchinson said the company has faced this year is the availability of other choices of material that are being offered for crossing surfaces, however, he said the company is up to the challenge.

“Competition is good for the user,” Hutchinson acknowledged. “Concrete crossings continue to be the material type of choice. The long life cycle of a concrete crossing is the largest selling point to owners.”

Century Crossings rtc Century is a provider of customized precast concrete railroad grade-crossing panels to the industrial and light-rail transit industry.

The company’s specialty is to provide custom pedestrian crossings for light-rail transit passenger stations.

“In the last year, Century has provided various custom concrete crossing panels to fit on concrete and steel ties with custom field panel widths to fit properly at light-rail transit stations,” the company said.

Century also designed and produced custom pedestrian crossing panels for a light-rail transit that allows for brick pavers to be placed on the top of the panels to match the brick paver sidewalks.

Century manufactures the Common Standard (8.125 ft. long) crossing panels, the Century standard (9 ft. long) panels for 90# to 136# rail.

The Century precast concrete crossing panels are manufactured for various railroad crossties and are manufactured as lagtype and lagless depending upon the type of crosstie or base they are installed upon.

Century also manufactures customized crossing panels to fit in turnouts, diamond crossovers, curves and direct fixation to concrete foundations in lieu of crossties.

Representatives said the company has experienced an increase in request for quotes for crossings from the light-rail transit industry in the last year.

“These projects are normally slow moving, and sometimes pricing is requested for budgetary estimates as the first step to get funding from local, state and federal governmental agencies in order to proceed with the project,” the company explained.

“Century is currently providing crossings to two light-rail transit authorities.”

The majority of the crossings being provided are for passenger loading/unloading stations. rtands.com

Century said the driving demand for railroad crossings recently is from the industrial/petrochemical industry due to growth and stability in the U.S. economy.

Shortline railroads are benefiting from the industrial expansions and Class 1 railroads are benefiting from the import and export industry, especially with the container cargo industry at ports in the coastal states, the company said.

Budgets for the railroad industry have remained stable, with a good portion of the funds being used to upgrade railroad infrastructure.

“The budget for the railroad grade crossing maintenance and construction is commonly dependent upon shared funding from local, state and federal funding,” the company noted. “There have been numerous mass transit projects that have been planned and designed but have been delayed due to lack of federal and state funding.”

Century, being involved in the railroad grade crossing industry for more than three decades, has designed and developed railroad grade crossings that meet and exceed the various railroad track/crossing infrastructures, the company said.

Century has quoted many railroad crossing projects during the past year, with a large portion of such projects having been slow to issue contracts due to procuring full funding for the projects.

Century Group Inc. is certified by the Association of American Railroads and the National Precast Concrete Association to ensure all precast concrete grade crossing panels meet and exceed industry standards, the company said.

HiRAIL HiRAIL Corporation is currently modifying design features for its product with customer input. The company said it will have more information regarding these improvements in future months.

HiRAIL manufactures a complete line of rubber-grade crossing surfaces including Hi-Rail, Pede-Rail and Hi-Rail Rail Seal.

Hi-Rail Full Depth Rubber crossings are a “green” product, the company said, because its offerings are manufactured from recycled vehicle tires. The crossings can also be recycled at the end of their useful life.

Hi-Rail Full Depth Rubber gradecrossing systems are intended to provide a smooth, safe and attractive crossing surface for motor vehicles, the company said. They are manufactured to accommodate most

common rail sizes, rail fastenings and wood, concrete, composite, or steel ties.

Hi-Rail Full Depth Rubber crossing systems are available in both lagged and lagless designs. The lagless design lessens crosstie degradation, as well as allowing for installation on concrete and steel ties.

Pede-Rail is a pedestrian-crossing surface that meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Pede-Rail has all the features of Hi-Rail Full Depth Rubber and comes with a raised diamond surface for pedestrian stability, the company added.

HiRail rubber rail seal is a product that works in conjunction with asphalt or poured-in-place concrete crossings and is manufactured to fit most common rail sizes on timber or concrete ties using all types of rail fastenings.

During the past year, HiRAIL said the company has continued to see more requests for specialized products to fit different track configurations, different concrete ties and different rail fastening systems.

Jim Overfelt, director of Marketing and Sales, said he believes the demand in the crossing surface business is driven by track maintenance and road maintenance.

“The more maintenance on tracks or roads the more chance there is a need for a new crossing surface,” Overfelt said. “New transit start ups and extensions of current systems also add to demand.”

Industry-Railway Suppliers Industry-Railway Suppliers said the company is stocking, distributing and supporting end-user customers’ distressed crossing surfaces with a product developed and manufactured by Willamette Valley Company (WVCO).

The WVCO Fastpatch DPR is a twocomponent polyurethane, fast curing, VOC patching material for concrete and asphalt.

Fastpatch DPR is intended to serve as an easy-to-apply kit for distressed pavement repair (DPR) applications on asphalt or concrete, said Gary Williams, National Sales Manager, WVCO. It contains a polymer blend of renewable and recycled materials for long-lasting repairs.

Williams said FastPatch DPR is an easyto-install, long-lasting repair material for distressed pavement.

“It is designed to last just as long as the concrete or asphalt around it,” Williams said. “It can also be used with FastPatch Kicker (accelerator) to form a fast-curing permanent repair that is ready for traffic in a short period of time.”

June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 23

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24 Railway Track & Structures // June 2019

According to Williams, DPR has excellent adhesion, absorbs impact and is freezethaw resistant. Minimal site preparation and fast cure times reduce traffic interruptions. DPR can be used on concrete grade crossings, parking lots, sidewalks/curbs, roadways/bridges, or anywhere that a quick pavement repair is needed.

An increased push for ADA-compliance is a trend officials have noticed, Williams said.

“Often, ADA-compliance is not met on existing or new track crossings, or unsafe conditions exist for bicyclists or wheelchairs as roadways are changed,” Williams stated. “Unfortunately, these non-compliant issues, or hazardous conditions, can be expensive to correct, and the design or function of the areas are frequently interrupted to maintain safe and compliant conditions.”

New, innovative materials being developed to perform under track crossing conditions are being discussed, Williams said.

Future opportunities to provide improved safety and compliance with evolving standards and roadway still exist with these innovative materials.

As it relates to FastPatch DPR, public safety is driving the demand, Williams said.

He explained it is also important to note that the FastPatch DPR is completely selfcontained. Similar products require a water source or additional materials in order to complete the project. However, with this product all items needed to complete a

repair are included in the bucket.

“Places where the traveling public cross overactive tracks are places where extreme care in design and maintenance is needed to minimize injury, or even death,” he said.

“Even with published standards both by the U.S. Department of Justice (ADA), and public agencies or private railroads, each year people lose their lives, or are severely injured, while crossings tracks.”

Williams said there is often a gap between the written construction standards and the field conditions, making track crossings hazardous.

“In stressing train traffic, crossing traffic and safety, a permanent solution with a quick return to service is the perfect combination for the railroad,” Williams said.

Regarding railroad budgets, Williams said WVCO expects to see an increase in demand. One challenge in particular that Williams noted for grade-crossing work is that there is often “a discrepancy between the city and the railroad as to who is responsible for repairs.”

LT Resources LT Resources expects to introduce some new designs this year or in early 2020, said Linda Thomas, the company’s president.

LT Resources’ offerings include the ENDURANCE®-XL Highway-Rail Composite Grade Crossings, which Thomas said use durable, recycled polymer materials and can be installed in a wide variety of applications.

The panels are supplied pre-drilled and can also be drilled on-site when needed.

Optional rubber flangeway filler, lag screws and composite ties are also part of the package, and both panels and ties can be recycled at the end of their useful life.

The company supplies a complete composite system, including composite ties for use under ENDURANCE composite panels, which Thomas said are intended to extend the life of the crossing. Composite cross ties are also meant to extend the life of concrete and rubber crossings, and Thomas said the trend of using composite ties under grade crossings of all kinds has continued to grow each year.

This year, Thomas said corporate sustainability goals and the desire to use durable “green” products with improved performance features have driven the demand for LT Resources’ products as she said it has in the past. Transit, port and industrial growth also drive the demand for composite products.

Thomas also explained that any new rtands.com

Photo Credit: Century Group rtc

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Grade-Crossing surfaces

Omega Industries As far as its large crossing panel inventory goes, Omega Industries manufactures a Concrete Grade-Crossing System with an innovative, pre-attached/replaceable, rubber flangeway design, said Bob Cigrang, vice president of sales.

Cigrang said Omega serves mainline railroads, shortline railroads, transit, industry and port authorities. The company’s products include: BNSF/UP Common Standard lagdown panels, Canadian standard lag-down panels, non-lag panels for use on concrete ties, curved panels, custom turnout panels, ADAapproved pedestrian panels, steel switch point covers, and steel track boxes.

With five manufacturing facilities located in Washington, California, Nebraska, Texas, and North Carolina, Cigrang said Omega is the largest concrete crossing manufacturer in North America.

www.amconco.com

26 Railway Track & Structures // June 2019

Crossings have also been successfully installed and are currently in service on light-rail systems in Minneapolis, Seattle, Dallas, San Diego, Houston, Portland, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Waterloo, ON, CA, Cigrang said.

For Direct Fixation (DF) Track Crossing Panels, he said Omega crossing panels can be designed and built to sit directly on concrete plinths in DF track. Panels are fastened to plinths using stainless steel concrete anchor bolts with threaded inserts.

Cigrang also explained that Omega’s preattached gauge flangeway filler is designed to meet the strictest ADA requirements, providing a safe crossing for pedestrian, bicycle and wheelchair traffic.

Custom crossing panels are also available to match the exact radius of track.

“Supply track radius or the degree of curve, and Omega will ensure a proper fit,” Cigrang said. “Curved panels eliminate gaps and provide a professional look and fit.”

Typically, curved panels start at 3º and can be manufactured up to 60º-plus for transit yard track. In cases when a curved track with restraining rail is present,

The WVCO Fastpatch DPR is a two-component polyurethane, fast curing, VOC patching material for concrete and asphalt.

Cigrang said the company can accommodate any gauge width.

Omega’s steel switch point cover system can also be built to match turnout crossing needs. A one-inch steel diamond plate cover is held in place with countersunk bolts, and can easily be removed to service switch components. Support bracketry is designed to withstand the heaviest highway loads, Cigrang said.

OMNI Products Inc. Omni’s new “tub” design crossing, called TraCast 2, features Pandrol clips and is in full production at the company’s McHenry, Ill., plant. TraCast 2 comes complete with solid rubber molded f langeways that are fastened down to the panel, the company said.

OMNI surfaces are as follows: the company offers full-depth heavy duty lagged down virgin rubber; VRA Railseal molded virgin rubber; steel reinforced rubber; Omni ECR concrete grade crossing with attached rubber; Omni Improved Concrete with large molded rubber on both sides of the rail; Omni IC/ECR, a combination of the ECR and IC; and the Omni “tub” crossing TraCast 1 and 2 tieless crossings.

Transit projects have been very active with both new construction and crossing renewal on established systems, the company said, also noting a public demand for safer and smoother crossings.

Prefabricated crossings have also become a commodity with most of the bigger railroads, the company said. In the past, they rtands.com

Photo Credit: Industry Railway Suppliers

national infrastructure funding could have a positive impact on future crossing improvements, as well as port improvements and expansions, new transit projects and more.

Grade-Crossing Surfaces

were used when outside funding was available. Now, railroads are using their own money to fund longer-lasting crossings.

Polycorp Polycorp continuously develops new products and aims to improve existing products to complement varying grade-crossing construction styles.

“We have expanded our line of enclosed flangeway products to satisfy the demand for safety-related industrial installations and reductions in tripping hazards,” said Brad Bedford, Railseal Products Manager.

The evolution of Polycorp Epflex Railseal since the mid 1980s has been to focus on allowable deformation of the rubber at the railroad interface with any type of crossing construction such as poured concrete, precast or tub style concrete and asphalt, Bedford said.

Polycorp Epflex Railseal, with its ADAcompliant flangeway, was developed to absorb the destructive energies along the road/rail interface in asphalt crossings.

“These destructive forces along the

interface would typically result in the asphalt lifting, heaving and breaking up, causing drivers to become distracted while ‘picking’ their route through the crossing to avoid vehicle damage,” Bedford explained.

These distractions would far too often result in the driver not seeing approaching vehicle and train traffic, which would lead to collisions in the crossings. The large number of collisions at level crossing led to legislation being written to maintain surface standards through the crossings.

Epflex Railseal Interface offers many features that have been engineered and implemented to increase longevity and reduce crossing maintenance cycles, Bedford said. Through finite element analysis, continuous in-track monitoring and implementing ideas gathered from customer feedback, Bedford said Polycorp has been able to maintain and improve product design. Made of extruded virgin rubber, Epflex Railseal absorbs destructive energy from both rail deflection and vehicular traffic in order to extend the expected crossing life.

“Polycorp Eplfex Railseal profiles are

designed to match exact contours of the rail to seal out surface water and foreign elements to reduce fouled and contaminated ballast while maximizing the structural support of the crossing,” Bedford explained. “This results in the life cycle of the rail fastening system being greatly improved.”

Polycorp says Epflex Railseal Interface will effectively perform for the life of the grade-crossing and will be completely reusable as an interface in a second crossing rehabilitation, leading to a lower cost-peryear when amortized throughout the life of the product.

Port and intermodal facility expansion and improvements have also shown an increase in the use of grade-crossing and rail interface products to take advantage of prolonged surface and rail fastener lifespan and to eliminate unnecessary maintenance costs, Bedford said.

He explained that 2019 has also shown increased maintenance budgets to match increased rail traffic as fuel prices rise.

“We see this trend continuing throughout 2019 and into 2020,” he said.

Washington, California, Nebraska, Texas, North Carolina (360) 694-3221 ● www.omega-industries.com

- INDUSTRY LEADER IN TRANSIT CROSSINGS -

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June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 27

2019 Manual for Railway Engineering

The Manual for Railway Engineering is the recommended practices for the engineering, designing and constructing of railways (except communications and signals), allied services and facilities. This reference material consists of more than 5,000 pages of principles, data, specifications, plans and economics in order to build safe and economical operations.

There are over 40 new, revised, and reaffirmed Parts in the 2019 edition developed by AREMA technical committees. It is published as a guide to the railway industry in establishing their individual policies and practices. Chapters are grouped into four categories: Track, Structures, Infrastructure and Passenger, and Systems Management. The Manual is available in print or thumb drive format. Individual Chapters are available in downloadable, PDF format.

Order Today! www.arema.org

REGISTER NOW Join us in Minneapolis September 22-25.

Visit conference.arema.org to register.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR THE AREMA 2019 ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN CONJUNCTION WITH RAILWAY INTERCHANGE.

Message from the President

A

James K. Kessler, PE AREMA President 2018-2019

Professional Development AREMA is focused on your education and helping yo u a d va n ce i n th e ra ilwa y i n d u s tr y. AR EM A’s i n-p e r s o n seminars provide Professional Development Hours (PDH) to serve your educational needs.

Th re e se m in a rs will b e h e l d in conjunction with the AREMA 201 9 A n n u a l C o n f e re n c e i n conjunction with Railway Interchange in Minneapolis, Minn.: Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering Seminar Date: Sept. 20-22 PDH: 15.5 Track Alignment Design Seminar Date: Sept. 25-27 PDH: 14.5 FRA: 213 – Track Safety Standards Seminar Date: Sept. 25-27 PDH: 15.75 For more information on our educational programs and to register, please visit www.arema.org.

rtands.com

s we head into summer, final preparations for the AREMA 2019 Annual Conference to be held in Minneapolis from Sept. 22 - 25 are getting into high gear.

The presenters for the Technical Sessions submitted their papers in May and the PowerPoint presentations are now being completed. All papers and presentations are reviewed by the Program Committee, headed by Ed Sparks, for content and quality to ensure that they will be of the highest quality. I am looking forward to seeing everyone at this exciting event and encourage everyone to complete their conference registration and hotel reservations if you have not already done so.

The last two months, we have highlighted the Passenger and Transit (P&T) and the Engineering Services Functional Groups.

This month I will continue with the Track Functional Group led by Functional Group Vice President Conrad Ruppert, Jr. The Committees comprising this Functional Group are: • Committee 1 – Roadway & Ballast • Committee 4 – Rail • Committee 5 – Track • Committee 30 – Ties Committee 1 – Roadway & Ballast, chaired by Terrance Bodine, PE, is focused on the development and publication of recommended practices and information relating to the preliminary design, final design and construction of the railroad roadway, track substructure, track ballast and related infrastructure. This Committee is comprised of 12 subcommittees which prepare and update the technical content of the Manual for Railway Engineering (MRE) relating to the roadbed, ballast, natural waterways, culverts, utility crossings, fences, roadway signs, tunnels, vegetation control, and geosynthetics.

Current efforts by the Committee are to update manual materials which include maintenance of roadbed, earth slopes and rock slopes; use of recycled crushed concrete for subballast; recommended practices for tunnels using steel tunnel liner plates; recommended practices for utility encroachments including pipe ramming and jacking and trenchless installations; and the use of geosynthetics for stabilization of the track roadbed, as well as other topic areas. For more information on Committee 1 Chair Bodine, see the profile on page 31.

Committee 4 – Rail, chaired by Mark Austin, PE, is responsible for the development and publication of recommended practices and information relating to all aspects of rail. The Committee is comprised of 11 subcommittees which prepare and update the technical content of the MRE relating to the design, manufacture and use of rail sections, joint bars and other track materials; metallurgical specifications and acceptance tests for rail steel; plant and field welding methods; rail testing, rail wear, grinding and friction modification; and several other topic areas.

This Committee serves as a liaison between AREMA and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the Transportation Technology Center Inc. to monitor research for improving quality of rail and improving rail life through rail maintenance practices. They also monitor current AAR research and American Welding Society recommended practices for methods to include in AREMA recommended practices.

Committee 5 – Track, chaired by Patrick Halsted, is responsible for the development and publication of recommended practices and information relating to railroad track.

The Committee is comprised of 8 subcommittees which prepare and update the technical content of the MRE relating to the design, use and maintenance of tie plates, track spikes or other rail fixation devices; the design, use and maintenance of special track work, (turnouts, crossing frogs, etc.); the design and maintenance of track geometry; track construction and maintenance procedures; track hand tools; and railway-highway grade crossing surfaces. The committee also maintains the Portfolio of Trackwork Plans (Portfolio).

Committee 5 coordinates with the P&T Functional Group (and particularly with Committees 11, 12 and 17) for the prioritization and development of passenger and transit-specific trackwork plans for inclusion in the Portfolio.

Committee 30 – Ties, chaired by Scott Tripple, is responsible for the development and publication of recommended practices and information relating to crossties. The Committee is comprised of 7 subcommittees which prepare and update the technical content of the MRE relating to: • The characterization of the load environment and performance of crossties in track; June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 29

• Specifications for design of concrete to be used in the manufacture of concrete ties or switch ties; • Design and use of concrete ties, including devices or systems for fastening rail to the ties; • Design, handling, preservation, inspection, and disposal of wood crossties and switch ties; • Design, material properties, and general considerations for engineered composite ties; • Development and updating of evaluative tests for tie systems.

Committee 30 coordinates with Committee 12 of the P&T Functional Group to develop recommendations related to transit ties.

In addition to their work developing and updating Chapter materials in the MRE, all of the Committees in the Track Functional Group develop and conduct periodic seminars/webinars covering subjects such as track surveying and grade crossings, to name two.

In recognition of the dedicated work by all Committee members, Conrad Ruppert, Jr. says, “The success of each Committee’s work is totally dependent on an active membership who are ready, willing and able to volunteer

their time and share their expertise. The Committees also provide a mentoring environment for young engineers to learn the practical aspects of railway track engineering while also contributing to the work of the Committees.”

The leadership of each Committee are always looking for new members to actively participate in Committee work. More details and instructions on how to join a Committee can be found on the AREMA website.

Thanks to all members of the Track Functional Group Committees for all of your dedicated work.

Upcoming Committee Meetings June 21 - 22 Committee 24 - Education & Training Alexandria, VA September 10 - 11 Committee 15 - Steel Structures Columbus, Ohio *Committee Meetings happening at the AREMA 2019 Annual Conference in conjunction with Railway Interchange in Minneapolis, Minn.

September 21 Committee 27 - Maintenance of Way Work Equipment* September 21 - 22 Committee 24 - Education & Training* September 22 Committee 5 - Track * Committee 6 - Building & Support Facilities* Committee 10 - Structures, Maintenance & Construction* Committee 11 - Commuter & Intercity Rail Systems* Committee 12 - Rail Transit*

Committee 14 - Yards & Terminals* Committee 16 - Economics of Railway Engineering & Operations* Committee 17 - High Speed Rail Systems* Committees 11 & 17 Joint Meeting* Committee 18 - Light Density & Short Line Railways* Committee 24 - Education & Training* Committee 33 - Electric Energy Utilization* Committee 40 - Engineering Safety* Committee 41 - Track Maintenance*

October 15 - 16 Committee 36 - Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems Pittsburgh, Pa.

SEPTEMBER 23 Committee 13 - Environmental*

January 23 - 24 Committee 8 - Concrete Structures and Foundations New Orleans, La.

SEPTEMBER 25 - 26 Committee 8 - Concrete Structures and Foundations* Committee 38 - Information, Defect Detection & Energy Systems* Committee 39 - Positive Train Control* October 14 - 15 Committee 30 - Ties Tucson, Ariz.

October 16 - 17 Committee 37 - Signal Systems Pittsburgh, Pa. 2020 January 1 Committee 10 - Structures, Maintenance & Construction Albuquerque, N.M.

June 1 Committee 10 - Structures, Maintenance & Construction New York, N.Y. September 13 Committee 10 - Structures, Maintenance & Construction Dallas, Texas

If you’d like to learn more about the AREMA Technical Committees and would like to get involved, please contact Alayne Bell at abell@arema.org. For a complete list of all committee meetings, visit https://www.arema.org/events.aspx.

Negotiated airline discount information for AREMA Committee meetings can be found online at: http://www.arema.org/ meetings/airlines.aspx.

30 Railway Track & Structures // June 2019

rtands.com

Getting to know Terrance Bodine 18-month program and chose to go into the Engineering Department starting out in Maintenance of Way and then moving to the Design & Construction Department. I had some good mentors along the way.

Committee 1 – Roadway & Ballast Terrance M. Bodine, PE Senior project manager Hanson Professional Services Inc.

A

REMA: Why did you decide to choose a career in railway engineering?

BODINE: I can go by the old adage that “it is in my blood”. I had family that was in the mechanical department, a grandfather that was a boiler foreman, an uncle who worked in the KC mechanical shops, a cousin who was a road foreman of engines and a great uncle who was Assistant to the Chief Mechanical Officer all for the Missouri Pacific Railroad.

AREMA: How did you get started?

BODINE: I started out in the Operations Management Training Program of Missouri Pacific Railroad. I completed that

FYI

Registration is open for the AREMA 2019 Annual Conference in conjunction with Railway InterchangeTM, September 22-25 in Minneapolis, Minn. Register today and be sure to include access to VirtualAREMA19 On-Demand Learning so you can experience more of the conference on your own schedule.

O rder the 2019 Manual for Railway Engineering now. With more than 50 new or revised Parts, it’s the perfect time to get the 2019 Manual. Order online at www.arema.org or contact

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AREMA: How did you get involved in AREMA and your committee?

BODINE: I started out in the Roadmasters and Maintenance of Way organization and transitioned to AREA and then to AREMA. I joined my committee after about 10 years into my career with the idea I had something to contribute. I was well received into a tight-knit committee. I find it very rewarding.

AREMA: Outside of your job and the work you put into AREMA, what are your hobbies?

BODINE: I like to tinker around the house and I like old muscle cars. However, I still don’t have the garage room to have a muscle car.

interesting fact about yourself with the readers of RT&S, what would it be?

BODINE: At the age of 13 I was the youngest to compete in the Missouri State Fair Pork Bar-B-Que contest. I grilled pork steaks using my own secret sauce.

Judging was done by a panel of judges which included Mrs. Christopher “Kit” Bond (the State’s First Lady at that time).

AREMA: What is your biggest achievement?

BODINE: I would say my biggest achievement is my family.

AREMA: What advice would you give to someone who is trying to pursue a career in the railway industry?

BODINE: Be prepared for a niche, unique, close-knit group of people of whom you can rely on like family. You will make a lot of friends and enjoy your work. Find and rely on mentors along the way.

AREMA: Tell us about your family.

BODINE: Dottie, my wife of 30+ years, and I have 5 children. Three of them are out on their own. We kiddingly say, “Off the food chain”. The two youngest are a junior and senior in high school. So Dottie and I are pressing to be empty nesters. We have also been blessed with two beautiful granddaughters.

AREMA:

If

you

could

share

one

mbruins@arema.org for more details.

Do you want to generate leads, promote a product and reach a target audience?

Sign up for sponsorship at the AREMA 2019 Annual Conference in conjunction with Railway InterchangeTM . Please visit www.arema.org or contact lmcnicholas@ a re m a .o rg fo r m o re i nfo rm ati o n o n sponsorship investment opportunities!

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Leverage the power of your trusted

The Bodine family enjoys fun in the sun on Lake Michigan.

association’s Railway Careers Network to tap into a talent pool of job candidates with the training and education needed for long-term success. Visit www.arema. org/careers to post your job today. Use code RAILCAREER to receive a discount.

Demonstrate that you are a professional by joining AREMA Membership today.

A R EM A M e m b e r s a re d e d i c a te d to improving their practical knowledge and are interested in exchanging information with your peers in order to advance the railroad engineering industry.

Not an AREMA Member?

Join today at www.arema.org June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 31

GET THE INSIDE SCOOP ON & OFF THE TRACK

RAIL BRIEF The Weekly RT&S Email Newsletter

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Calendar

JUNE 18-21. Wheel-Rail Interaction 2019. Hilton New Orleans Riverside. New Orleans, La. Contact: Brandon Koenig. Phone: 8 47-8 0 8-1 81 8 . We bsite: w w w.wh e e lrailseminars.com.

23-26 . A P TA 2 01 9 Ra i l C o nf e re n ce.

S h e rato n C e ntre, 123 Q u e e n Stre et W. Toronto, ON, CA. Contact: Kwakuita Spence. 202-496-4800. Email: kspence@ apta.com. Website: www.apta.com.

JULY 21-23. Minnesota Regional Railroads Association Summer Conference.

Madden’s Resort. Brainerd, Minn. Website: www.mnrailroads.com/news/conference/.

22-24. American Association of Railroad Superintendents 123rd Annual Meeting.

Hilton. Norfolk, Va. Website: https://www. supt.org/event-3097339.

Centre, Harbour Center. Vancouver, CA. Website: www.icri-rcf.org/icri-workshop.

AUGUST 1 9-2 2 . 2 01 9 N a ti o n a l H i g hwa y- R a i l Grade Crossing Conference. Wyndham G ra n d Pi t ts b u rg h D owntown H ote l .

Contact: Tom Avery. Phone: 570-4730915. Email: tavery@nshr.com. Website: nathwyrrsignalconf.com.

SEPTEMBER 11-13. ASLRRA 2019 Central Pacific Region M eeting. San Anton io Gran d Hyat t.

San Antonio, Texas. Phone: 202-5854500. Email: aslrra@aslrra.org. Website: https://aslrra.org/web/Events/Regional_ Meetings/.

2 2 -2 5 . R a i l w a y I n t e r c h a n g e 2 0 1 9.

M i n n e a p o l i s C o n v e n t i o n C e n te r.

Minneapolis, Minn. Organizer: SimmonsBoardman Rail Group. 212-620-7200.

Website: https://railwayinterchange.org/.

23-25. 4th Annual ICRI Workshop on RCF and Wear 2019. Joseph and Rosalie Segal

OCTOBER

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Your Guide to Railway Signals

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JANUARY 5-8. 2020 NRC Conference & REMSA Exhibition, San Diego, Calif. Website: www.nrcma.org.

Elements of Planning, Engineering and Operating Light Rail with Applications in New Jersey

Railway Geotechnics covers track, track substructure, load environment, materials, mechanics, design, construction, measurements, and management. It is written primarily for professionals and graduate students.

Railway Geotechnics

DECEMBER 1 1 -1 2 . 2 0 1 9 B i g D a t a i n R a i l r o a d Maintenance Planning Conference. The University of Delaware, Newark Campus, Newark, Del. Website: www.udel.edu/.

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NOVEMBER 4-8. Railroad Track Inspection & Safety Standards. The University of Tennessee, 309 Conference Center. Chattanooga, Tenn. Website: ctr.utk.edu/ttap.

Your Guide to Railway Signals

Basic Principles of Track Maintenance progresses from an overview of the basic track structure to examinations of its components and ends with a comprehensive look at turnouts and right-of-way.

Basic Principles of Track Maintenance

15-18 . 101st Railway Tie Association Symposium & Technical Conference.

Loews Ventana Canyon, 7000 N. Resort Drive, Tucson, Ariz. Contact: Railway Tie Association. Phone: 770-460-5553.

NEW!

Basic Principles of Track Maintenance

BKTMB

13-16. APTA Annual Meeting. Marriott Marquis, New York. Contact: APTA. Phone: 202-496-4800. Website: www.apta.com.

MSFROG

$40.00

Frog Gauge

800-228-9670

www.transalert.com

Add Shipping & Handling if your merchandise subtotal is: U.S.A. CAN U.S.A. CAN

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June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 33

PRODUCTS

Soil stabilization system Due to poor subgrade conditions at the CSX Intermodal Terminal in Charleston, S.C., base and surface reinforcement for two critical areas was necessary.

A collaboration between CSX Rail’s Project Engineer, Presto Geosystems and representatives from local manufacturers led to the creation of a geosynthetic design solution headlined by the GEOWEB® 3D soil stabilization system. Designs for both of the key areas were calculated while considering the subbase type/strength, loading weight and traffic frequency, officials said.

Both of the areas needed to support 120,000-lb. reach stackers for lifting and moving 10,000-lb. containers and stabilize an existing grass area for empty chassis parking.

The GEOWEB® 3D solution enabled the use of on-site fill, eliminated hauling of costly material, and minimized downtime at the high-volume facility.

“Eliminating the need to import costly fill, the downtime of the yard was significantly reduced which was especially important due to the high volume of tractor trailers the facility handles on a daily basis,” a statement said.

The GEOWEB® 3D system performed well even with the lower quality aggregate fill, officials said.

Heavy vehicle loads at intermodal, port and bulk transfer yards can cause potholes, degradation and eventual pavement failure.

For unpaved surfaces, representatives said the GEOWEB system

aims to solve surface stability problems with less aggregate and maintenance, allowing sand or on-site, lower quality aggregate.

The system can also minimize the base depth by as much as 50 percent for paved surfaces, while providing a stable base that resists settlement. Officials said the GEOWEB® 3D system provides benefits that are not delivered by 2D geogrid systems, whether for permeable unpaved surfaces or for base stabilization under hard pavements.

Wesbite: www.prestogeo.com.

The Railway Educational Bureau Track Safety Standards

BKTSSAF

Workplace Safety

Subparts A-F

Track Safety Standards, contains all the Track Safety Standards, Subparts A-F, for Classes of track 1-5. The standards cover general information, Roadbed, Track Geometry, Track Structure, Track Appliances and Track-Related Devices, and Inspection. Includes Defect Codes.

Updated April 3, 2017.

Track Safety Standards, Subparts A-F Only $9.86 for orders of 50 or more!

$10.95

Bridge Safety Standards FRA Part 237 establishes Federal safety requirements for railroad bridges. This rule requires track owners to implement bridge management programs, which include annual inspections of railroad bridges, and to audit the programs. Part 237 also requires track owners to know the safe load capacity of bridges and to conduct special inspections if the weather or other conditions warrant such inspections. Updated April 3, 2017.

Bridge Safety Standards $7.95 BKBRIDGE

Federal Regulations

This reprint includes the FRA's Railroad Workplace Safety Standards addressing roadway workers and their work environments. These laws cover such things as: personal protective equipment, fall protection, and scaffolding for bridgeworkers; and training issues. Also includes safety standards for on-track roadway vehicles. Updated April 3, 2017.

BKWRK

$10.50

Railroad Workplace Safety Only $9.45 for orders of 50 or more!

Track Calculator The Track Safety Standards Calculator is a must for anyone who works on track. This slide rule type calculator contains many of the details for Classes of track 1- 5. Deviation from uniform profile and from zero cross level. Difference in cross level. Updated as of July 11, 2013.

BKTCAL Track Calculator $10.50 Only $9.50 for orders of 50 or more!

Only $7.15 for orders of 50 or more!

The Railway Educational Bureau 1809 Capitol Ave., Omaha NE, 68102 www.RailwayEducationalBureau.com 34 Railway Track & Structures // June 2019

800-228-9670

www.transalert.com

Add Shipping & Handling if your merchandise subtotal is:

UP TO $10.00 10.01 - 25.00 25.01 - 50.00 50.01 - 75.00

U.S.A. $4.50 7.92 10.78 11.99

CAN $8.75 12.65 16.80 21.20

Orders over $75, call for shipping

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Ad Index

FAX #

PAGE #

COMPANY

PHONE #

E-MAIL ADDRESS

American Concrete Enterprises

402-339-3670

AREMA Marketing Department

301-459-3200

301-459-8077

marketing@arema.org

Cover 3

Custom Truck

816-241-4888

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bboehm@customtruck.com

6

Diversified Metal Fabricators, Inc.

404-875-1512

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sales@dmfatlanta.com

6

HiRail Corporation

800-274-7245

319-455-2914

info@hirail.com

7

Hougen Manufacturing

866-245-3745

800-309-3299

info@trak-star.com

17

Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

763-478-6014

763-478-2221

sales@loram.com

25

LT Resources

281-444-3494

2814443495

linda@ltresources.com

24

Messe Berlin GMBH

49 30 30381852

49 30 3038 2278

just@messe-berlin.de

8

Next Gen Train Control

212-620-7208

212-633-1165

conferences @sbpub.com

9

Oldcastle Infrastructure

402-802-5349

wayne.wendel@oldcastle.com

25

Omega Industries, Inc.

360-694-3221

360-694-3882

omegaxings@aol.com

27

OMNI Products, Inc.

815-344-3100

815-344-5086

bcigrang@omnirail.com

20

Progress Rail, A Caterpillar Company

256-505-6402

256-505-6051

info@progressrail.com

C4

Racine Railroad Products, Inc.

262-637-9681

262-637-9069

custserv@racinerailroad.com

17

Railcet

217-331-5522

217-522-6588

tryan@midwestlaborers.org

18

Railway Education Bureau, The

402-346-4300

402-346-1783

bbrundige@sb-reb-com

33,34

bhutchinson@enterprise-properties.com 26

Advertising Sales MAIN OFFICE Jonathan Chalon Publisher 55 Broad St., 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 (212) 620-7224 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jchalon@sbpub.com AL, KY, TN Jonathan Chalon 55 Broad St., 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 (212) 620-7224 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jchalon@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 55 Broad St., 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 (212) 620-7260 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jmarullo@sbpub.com AR, AK, AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, In, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, NM, ND, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, WI, WY, Canada – AB, BC, MB, SK Heather Disabato 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 (312) 683-5026 Fax: (312) 683-0131 hdisabato@sbpub.com The Netherlands, Britain, France, Belgium, Portugal,

Italy, Italian-speaking Switzerland Dr. Fabio Potesta Media Point & Communications SRL Corte Lambruschini Corso Buenos Aires 8 V Piano, Genoa, Italy 16129 +39-10-570-4948 Fax: +39-10-553-0088 info@mediapointsrl.it

Switzerland, North Germany, Middle East, South America, Africa (not South), Far East (Excluding Korea / China/India), All Others, Tenders Louise Cooper International Area Sales Manager The Priory, Syresham Gardens Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom +44-1444-416368 Fax: +44-(0)-1444-458185 lc@railjournal.co.uk Scandinavia, Spain, Southern Germany, Austria, Korea, China, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Russia, Eastern Europe Baltic States, Recruitment Advertising Michael Boyle International Area Sales Manager Nils Michael Boyle Dorfstrasse 70, 6393 St. Ulrich, Austria. +011436767089872 mboyle@railjournal.com

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.

Japan Katsuhiro Ishii Ace Media Service, Inc. 12-6 4-Chome, Nishiiko, Adachi-Ku Tokyo 121-0824 Japan +81-3-5691-3335 Fax: +81-3-5691-3336 amkatsu@dream.com CLASSIFIED, PROFESSIONAL & EMPLOYMENT Jeanine Acquart 55 Broad St., 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 (212) 620-7211 Fax: (212) 633-1325 jacquart@sbpub.com

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.

rtands.com

June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 37

New & Used Equipment

R. E. L. A. M., INC.

SALES – SERVICE – RENTALS – PARTS – HI-RAIL & CRANE INSPECTIONS HI-RAIL TRUCKS IN INVENTORY AND IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE FOR SALE OR RENTAL (NEW AND USED)

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Service Parts

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Email: 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, 6700SJ, 6700SJ2 Switch and Production Tampers 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 TR-10s and TKOs 925 S/Ss, Standards, KTR-400s KNOX KERSHAW PRODUCTS KBR-860s and 925s, KSF-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 Models CX and SS Spikers M-3 Screw Spike Machines Model F Anchor Machines and BAAMs Model SP2R Dual Spike Puller/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/445F 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, Self-propelled 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

Available for Lease

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Professional Directory

New & Used Equipment

MOW Equipment Lease & Sale Brushcutting Specialized Hauling Track Surfacing Low Boys with Rail

www.RailwayEquipmentServices.net “A full service company with over 25 yrs exp!�

MOW Integrated Carbide Tools

MARKETPLACE SALES Contact: Jeanine Acquart Ph: 212/620-7211 Fax: 212/633-1165 Email: jacquart@sbpub.com

6700 Tamping Tool JK-635

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GRM3000 Tamping Tool JK-560C

Replace worn components with Harsco Rail’s complete line of integrated carbide tools.

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June 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 39

Products & Services

REESE

ERIC HEADRICK President 205 N. Chestnut/PO Box 404 Arcola, IL 61910

WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?

• Track construction and maintenance • On-track ditching and rotary dump service • On-track tree trimming and brushcutting • Storm and flood cleanup and debris removal • Tie distribution, removal and disposal

Ph217-268-5110 cell217-259-4823 Fax217-268-3059 email eric@rrcri.com Exchange Units/Related Tamper Parts and Assemblies To purchase parts, contact: New & Rebuilt sales@rrcri.com Electromatic/Hydraulic Units available for same Workheads day shipping

K. W. Reese, Inc.

Box 298 • Mercersburg, PA 17236

(717) 328-5211 • fax (717) 328-9541 • www.kwreese.com

2018 NRC PlatiNum Safety awaRd wiNNeR

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An Authorized Harsco Remanufacturing Facility-An Authorized Harsco Parts Distributor Let Precision remanufacture your non-functional, outdated 6700 into a fully functional 6700 with the latest technology. If you have an old, worn-out 6700 tamper, we have your solution.

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40 Railway Track & Structures // June 2019

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visit www.arema.org our for educational resources Held in conjunction with the AREMA 2019 Annual Conference. *Separate registration required.

AREMA Educational Programs To help your advancement, AREMA offers programs that will extend our ability to serve the educational needs of our railway engineering community with PDH accredited classroom setting seminars.

Three Seminars will be held in conjunction with the AREMA 2019 Annual Conference in Minneapolis, MN Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering September 20-22 PDH: 15.5 FRA 213: Track Safety Standards September 25-27 PDH: 15.75 Track Alignment Design September 25-27 PDH: 14.5

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