August 2012 | www.rtands.com
2012 M/W Wish list
plus
Ballast Maintenance Create Update And also AREMA News p.37
Contents August 2012
News
RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES
Features
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18
Industry Today 5 Supplier News 11 People
Railroad engineering departments speak Of all the bells and whistles available, the one thing every piece of equipment must have is safety.
Columns
24
Ballast provides better support and drainage Research and equipment advances are helping railroads with ballast maintenance and distribution.
24
34
An update on the Chicago area’s CREATE program Progress continues on the first-ofits-kind program to “fix” the capacity headaches found in Chicago.
18 Departments 13 TTCI R&D 37 Arema News 46 Products 47 Calendar 48 Advertisers Index
Photo courtesy of Herzog Railroad Services, Inc.
3
On Track Thinking and doing
12 52
Story on page 24.
48 Sales Representatives 49 Classified Advertising 50 Professional Directory
NRC Chairman’s Column Productive partnerships Field Report Cooperation gets the job done
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Railway Track & Structures
August 2012 1
On Track
RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES
Vol. 108, No. 8 Print ISSN # 0033-9016, Digital ISSN # 2160-2514 EDITORIAL OFFICES 20 South Clark Street, Suite 2450 Chicago, Ill. 60603 Telephone (312) 683-0130 Fax (312) 683-0131 Website www.rtands.com Mischa Wanek-Libman/Editor, mischa@sbpub-chicago.com Jennifer Nunez/Assistant Editor, jnunez@sbpub-chicago.com CORPORATE OFFICES 345 Hudson Street New York, N.Y. 10014 Telephone (212) 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr./ President and Chairman Jonathan Chalon/Publisher Robert P. DeMarco/Publisher Emeritus George S. Sokulski/Associate Publisher Emeritus Mary Conyers/Production Director Maureen Cooney/Circulation Director Jane Poterala/Conference Director
Railway Track & Structures (Print ISSN 0033-9016, Digital ISSN 2160-2514), (USPS 860-560), (Canada Post Cust. #7204654), (Bluechip Int’l, Po Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Agreement # 41094515) is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 345 Hudson Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10014. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices. Pricing, Qualified individual in the railroad employees may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year Railroad Employees (US/ Canada/Mexico) $16.00; all others $46.00; foreign $80.00; foreign, air mail $180.00. 2 years Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $30.00; all others $85.00; foreign $140.00; foreign, air mail $340.00. BOTH Print & Digital Versions: 1 year Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $24.00; all others $69.00; foreign $120.00; foreign, air mail $220.00. 2 years Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $45.00; all others $128.00; foreign $209.00; foreign, air mail $409.00. Single Copies are $10.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2012. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. For reprint information contact: PARS International Corp., 102 W 38th St., 6th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10018 Phone (212) 221-9595 Fax (212) 221-9195. For Subscriptions & address changes, Please call (800) 895-4389, (402) 346-4740, Fax (402) 346-3670, e-mail circulation@sbpub.com or write to: Railway Track & Structures, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, PO Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Railway Track & Structures, PO Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010.
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Thinking and doing
P
rog ress is cer tainly a ter m t h at f i t s N o r t h A m e r i c a n railroading. That mixture of creative thinking, innovation and robust business has pushed the industr y through a long lifetime and has set a firm foundation for an enterprising future. Theodore Levitt, an economist and former editor of the Har vard Business Review, said, “Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.” Creativity and innovation, separate but complementary concepts, both are needed for progress to occur and both are plentiful within the North American rail industry. I, along with two other RT&S representatives, Jon Chalon, publisher and Emily Kalmus, midwestern regional sales manager, witnessed an example of how progress has advanced the industry during a visit to a Norfolk Southern tie gang at the beginning of June (see “Field Report” on page 52). As we watched the parade of machines pass by, a hydraulic spiker toward the back of the gang wasn’t functioning as it should. While the crew’s mechanic worked on the machine, Jon Mick, senior supervisor and Mike Robinson, process engineer, stepped in with a spike maul. With precision aim, Mick launched the maul over his head and in three solid swings, drove the spike. Mick handed the maul over to Robinson who repeated the process: a perfectly driven spike in just three swings. My colleagues and I stood slack jawed (and thoroughly impressed). Had the maul been in any of our hands, the rail and more likely a foot, whether it was clad in a steel-toed boot or not, would have been in serious danger of being thwacked. See-
ing our faces, Mick and Robinson reminded us that, at one point, a maul was the only tool available to drive a spike and asked if we could imagine using the maul for ever y spike on every tie. My mind erased the machines I was looking at and replaced them with non-hydraulic hand-held tools and other elements I’ve seen from sepia-toned photos of the “old days.” I didn’t even need to go that far back in history, just flipping through old RT&S issues from the 1970s and 80s is enough to realize that while I would never say modern-day railroad maintenance crews have easy jobs, the work has certainly become less labor intensive thanks to a mixture of creativity and innovation. It’s in this same spirit that we have also included our annual survey of railroad engineers in this issue (see page 18). When we interview industry suppliers and manufacturers, we always pose a query into what their customers are asking of them. Now, we go to the railroads and ask what they need to make their jobs easier, better, safer and more productive. We refer to this story as the maintenance-of-way wish list because the information is direct from the engineering source. It just takes one good idea to start off down the road toward progress. This industry is full of creative thinkers and innovative doers. I look forward to seeing what the combination of thinking and doing will present down the road.
Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor
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INDUSTRY TODAY Beijer Electronics, through its subsidiary Westermo, won a $4 million contract from Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. BEL Contracting was awarded a $2 million Trans Link Evergreen Line contract in Coquitlam and Port Moody, B.C., Canada. The joint venture of E.E. Cruz and Company and Tully Construction Company Inc. was awarded a $324.6 million contract by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Harsco Corporation has secured an extended role in its ongoing support of the Houston Metro lightrail project to refurbish the historic Main Street Bridge in Houston, Texas. HDR Engineering, Inc., has acquired InfraConsult LLC, an infrastructure management and advisory firm with five offices in
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California to upgrade infrastructure Califor nia Gover nor Edmund Brown signed SB 1029, which approves funds for the first 130 miles of the planned high-speed rail corridor, as well as modernizing regional rail improvements. The $4.7 billion investment will be matched by an additional $7.9 billion in federal and local dollars for statewide improvements to transportation in California. “[The] vote to commence high-speed rail construction, like all major public policy decisions, is the result of hard work and collaborative effort. Credit must go to Governor Brown whose courage and steadfast leadership has improved the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s plans and operations,” said CHSRA Chair Dan Richard. “Not only will California be the first state in the nation to build a high-speed rail system to connect our urban centers, we will also modernize and improve rail systems at the local and regional level. This plan will improve mobility for commuters and travelers alike, reduce emissions and put thousands of people to work while enhancing our economic competitiveness.” SB 1029 invests $4.7 billion of state bonds to improve regional rail service statewide and help commuters arrive where they need to be faster. These funds include a $2.6 billion investment (matched by additional federal funds) for construction of the high-speed rail corridor. California will receive an additional $7.9 billion in federal and local funds for transit systems that provide more than 950 million trips per year. The bill also includes $1.92 billion state investment in local rail projects to improve connectivity across the state including light-rail systems, such as LACMTA in Los Angeles and San Diego’s Blue Line; electrification of the Caltrain system in the San Francisco Bay Area; replacing train cars on major commuter services like BART in the San Francisco Bay Area; and upgrades for Positive Train Control. Including matching federal and local funds, SB 1029 ensures approximately $3.6 billion of economic investment in Northern California, $2.8 billion in Southern California and $6 billion in the Central Valley. SB 1029 imposes additional reporting requirements on CHSRA to improve accountability, manage project risks and keep construction on schedule and within budget.
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Office of Gov. Edmund Brown
Supplier News
INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Arizona, California, New Mexico and Hawaii. PCL Civil Constructors Inc. was awarded a $3.6 million contract for steel, mechanical, electrical and substructure repair work on the bascule span bridge on the Carolina Coastal Railroad over the Newport River in Carteret County. Phoenix Management Services, through its affiliate PMCM, LLC, sold the assets of Conshohocken Rail, LLC, to Conshohocken Recycling & Rail Transfer,
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New surface transportation bill signed into law A two-year, $105-billion surface transportation reauthorization bill, “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century,” or MAP-21, passed through Congress and was signed into law by President Obama. MAP-21 runs through September 30, 2014 and replaces the nine-time extended SAFETEA-LU. “In an important victory, the bill maintains funding at existing spending levels by transferring approximately $18.8 billion from the general fund to the Highway and Mass Transit Accounts of the Highway Trust Fund, offset by changes to public and private contribution requirements and transfers from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank trust fund. While not a sixyear bill as previous surface transportation legislation has been, the bill does provide some certainty for state DOTs and transit agencies going forward, which should also spur some increased infrastructure investment activity. The bill also maintains approximately the historic 80-percent/20percent funding split between highway and transit programs,” the National Railroad
August 2012
Construction and Maintenance Association said in a prepared statement. MAP-21 also provides the Federal Transit Administration safety oversight for the first time. MAP-21 requires, among other things, that FTA define and establish a State Safety Oversight program to ensure that rail transit systems are meeting stringent safety requirements. FTA will implement the new law in consultation with the transit community and the DOT Transit Rail Advisory Committee for Safety, which has been working since September of 2010 to help guide this effort. Under current law, FTA, which finances nearly half of the capital expenditures for transit systems nationwide, is not authorized to issue basic safety standards to protect rail transit passengers and rail workers. The result, according to the FTA, is a patchwork of state laws that do not provide seamless or consistent safety coverage. The transit safety provisions in MAP-21 will help to remedy these longstanding shortcomings.
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Graphic by Business Wire
GWI plans acquisition of RailAmerica, Inc.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. and RailAmerica, Inc., have entered into an agreement under which GWI will acquire RailAmerica for an all cash purchase price of $27.50 per share. GWI’s acquisition of RailAmerica will combine the two largest shortline and regional rail operators in North America. Once complete, GWI will have 111 railroads (108 in North America), 15,100 miles of track (12,900 in North America) and 4,300 employees (3,900 in North America).
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Supplier News
Jack Hellmann, president and CEO of GWI commented, “The acquisition of RailAmerica by GWI is a straightforward combination of two organizations with overlapping holding company structures and complementary railroad geographies. As a result, the synergies between the companies are expected to be significant and we anticipate unlocking significant shareholder value.” GWI is an experienced acquirer of shortline railroads, having integrated 65 railroads through 36 acquisitions since 1985. A joint integration team will lead the operational integration of RailAmerica from both companies. John Giles, president and CEO of RailAmerica commented, “This is an exciting day for both RailAmerica and Genesee & Wyoming. A combination with Genesee & Wyoming is the logical next step in creating a combined organization that will be a powerful driver of North American rail traffic for decades to come.”
LLC, a subsidiary of Regional Rail, LLC, a holding of FirstCity Crestone LLC. RailComm added Canadian Railroad Operating Rules to it’s Domain Operations Controller train control system; the company will also provide the system for the Rio Grande Pacific Corporation. Stella-Jones Inc. will not proceed with the acquisition of certain pole treating assets of Brisco Wood Preservers Ltd., which is located in British Columbia.
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INDUSTRY TODAY REES 2012 a success for railway engineering education A successful Railway Engineering Education Symposium (REES) was held June 11-13 in Overland Park, Kan. REES 2012 brought together 28 “student professors” and 21 instructors, who represented more than 30 universities from both the United States and Canada. The American Railway Engineering and Maintenanceof-Way Association (AREMA) first put together the REES program in 2008 as a way to promote railway engineering education. The symposium has convened every two years and REES 2012 is the third time the event has been held. According to AREMA, “REES is intended to foster interest among university faculty in railway engineering with the goal of encouraging and supporting their interest in adding railway engineering content to their current engineering courses and curricula.” While all attendees participated in general presentations, new at REES 2012 were two content modules, one for firsttime attendees and one for the 10 returning attendees. In addition to presentations, attendees also saw the BNSF Argentine Yard where they visited the dispatching office, hump yard and operational tower. For those REES members who had extra time, a tour of the BNSF training facilities at Johnson County Community College was also included.
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Attendees of REES 2012.
“This was an excellent symposium for me. It was sharply focused on the topics and made clear not only what is available for educators, but also how much of a need there is for new engineers,� one attendee wrote on their end-of-symposium survey. Putting on an event of this nature takes coordination among many parties. Those involved in making REES 2012 a success include AREMA staff, AREMA Committee 24, the Rail Transportation Committee of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the member universities of the National University Rail Center (NURail).
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INDUSTRY TODAY
TRB accepting IDEA Proposals for railroad safety or performance by Harvey Berlin, IDEA Programs, Transportation Research Board
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Calif. High-Speed Rail Authority
T h e Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n R e s e a r c h Board (TRB) is currently accepting IDEA proposals for funding projects that suppor t innovative approaches to improving railroad safety or performance. Safety IDEA proposals can be considered for development or testing of promising but unproven innovations to advance railroad practice. Such proposals can focus on application to any type of railroad, including high-speed rail, intercity passenger rail or freight railroads. Safety IDEA proposals on innovative methods for improving railroad safety or performance or advancing railroad practice are due September 7, 2012. The Safety IDEA program is funded by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and managed by TRB. TRB is also accepting proposals for the Transit IDEA program, which considers proposals for innovations with potential to advance transit practice. Transit IDEA proposals can focus on application to any type of public transportation, including light-rail transit, rail rapid transit (Metro), commuter rail, transit buses or paratransit. Transit IDEA proposals for the next cycle are due November 1, 2012. The Transit IDEA Program
is funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), as part of the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP). Instructions for preparing and submitting IDEA proposals are available starting on page 8 in the IDEA Program Announcement, which is on
the IDEA website at: www.TRB.org/ IDEA. IDEA proposals can be for up to $100,000 in IDEA funds. If there are questions about preparing IDEA proposals, they can be addressed by e-mail to hberlin@nas.edu, or by phone to Harvey Berlin of TRB at (202) 334-2441.
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PEOPLE A m t ra k n a m e d J a s o n M o l f e t a s chief information officer to lead the company’s information technology team. Atkins hired Jonathan McDonald, PE, as vice president and senior practice manager for the company’s transit and rail practice. Canadian Pacific appointed Hunter H a rr i s o n a s p r e s i d e n t a n d ch i e f executive officer and a member of the Board of Directors. Gannett Fleming named Bryan Mulqueen national manager of its transit and rail practice. Kansas City Southern promoted Jeff Songer to vice president and chief engineer of the company. Nordco Rail Services & Inspection Technologies, Inc., hired John O’Neil as general manager of compressed gas cylinder systems and services. Mike Ogborn will retire from OmniTRAX, Inc., as its managing director and executive vice president. Patriot Rail Corp. hired James Schultz to its management team as executive vice president and chief administrative officer. William D. Kennedy, a respected expert on tunnel ventilation and former vice president and senior engineering manager with Parsons Brinckerhoff, died on June 23 at the age of 69. SFMTA appointed Vince Harris as director of capital programs and construction. Wa t c o Tra n s p o r t a t i o n S e r v i c e s hired Dan Garrett as manager of track/ roadmaster for the Great Northwest and Palouse River & Coulee City Railroads, hired Joe Via as director of switching for the West Region and promoted Michael Gibson to vice president of transportation safety. Watco Companies named Gary Vaughn senior vice president, regulatory relations and compliance. www.rtands.com
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NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN
Productive partnerships
The National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association, Inc. 500 New Jersey Ave., N. W. Suite 400 Washington D. C. 20009 Tel: 202-715-2920 Fax: 202-318-0867 www.nrcma.org info@nrcma.org
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I recently attended the excellent Midwest Association of Rail Shippers (MARS) Conference in Lake Geneva, Wis., and was struck by the repeated discussions of productive partnerships between shippers and railroads. This spirit of productive partnership is one of the hallmarks of the extraordinarily successful and efficient U.S. freight railroad network and it was good to hear it re-affirmed by some of the industry’s major players. The spirit extends beyond just the shipper/freight railroad relationship – in fact, the partnerships that NRC member rail construction and maintenance contractors for m with both shipper s and railroads is crucial to the effective functioning of the transportation system. Before a new shipper comes online, the loop tracks, spurs and sidings to serve the facility must be constructed and it’s us contractors who typically do that work. And we do it quickly, when delays to track construction would mean delays to hiring and production and shipping. Similarly, when a railroad lets a customer know that it needs to update its industrial track to stay in compliance with railroad specifications, it’s us contractors who get the urgent call. We’re proud to play this crucial role in the world’s premier freight rail transportation system. Many NRC contractors and suppliers also form productive partnerships with rail transit agencies throughout the country that are developing light rail, commuter rail, subway, metro and intercity passenger rail options to serve the growing transportation needs of millions of Americans. These partnerships form the basis of the highprofile, high-stakes, high-dollar projects that are transforming urban landscapes across our country in cities like New York, Washington D.C., Dallas, Houston, Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Por tland, Seattle, Minneapolis and Chicago. Back in D.C., we finally got a surface transportation reauthorization bill signed. It lasts for less time (27 months) than it took to write it (30 months) and it is hardly perfect, but it’s much better than nothing. You can go to http:// www.nrcma.org/download.cfm?ID=28017 for the NRC’s full reporting on the outcomes in the bill of the issues that the NRC has targeted, but here’s a very brief overview. The good: - Maintains funding at existing spending levels by transferring approximately $18.8 billion from the general fund to the Highway and Mass Transit Accounts of the Highway Trust Fund (but does not increase the gas tax to fix the long-term problem and
August 2012
does not increase funding to address our true needs). - Provides funding certainty for 27 months (but not the six years that we had pushed for). - Maintains historic 80 percent/20 percent funding split between highway and transit programs. - Maintains $220 million in annual dedicated funding for the Section 130 Rail-Highway Grade Crossing Program. - Authorizes (but does not actually appropriate) $500 million in funding for a multi-modal discretionary Projects of National & Regional Significance (PNRS) grant program. - Incorporates an aggressive set of provisions to expedite project delivery and reduce delays caused by environmental permitting and review procedures. - Expands the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program. - Maintains the existing size and weight limits on heavy trucks and mandates a comprehensive study of the issue before considering increasing those limits. - Does not include the proposed unnecessary new passenger rail licensing provision. The bad: - Even though billions of new general fund dollars are being used to prop up the highway trust fund, the bill contains no new flexibility for state DOTs to use these dollars for freight rail or maritime projects even if a state DOT determines that would be the best use of the funds. - Does not make any improvements to the Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing loan program process. - Does not restore parity for pre-tax parking and transit commuter benefits, skewing the economic incentives for commuters to drive instead of taking rail transit. Moving on from the grind of Washington to the sunny shores of Miami Beach, registration is now available for the next NRC Conference, January 9-12, 2013, at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel in Miami, Fla. Go to www.nrcma.org/go/conference for all of your information, or go straight to https://www. nrcma.org/form3.cfm? for registration. The conference will include close to 1,000 executives from the rail constr uction and maintenance industr y, including a 100-plus company exhibit hall and speakers outlining capital programs from Class 1 railroads, shortline railroads and major rail transit agencies. I hope to see you there. Work safe and keep those around you working safe. by Terry Benton, NRC Chairman
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TTCI R&D Evaluation of:
ballast under heavy-axle-loads In cooperation with the AAR, FRA and UP, TTCI is evaluating the life cycles of different ballast types under heavy-axle-load traffic. David Read, principal investigator and Dingqing Li, scientist, TTCI; Eric Gehringer, director of standards & technology, Union Pacific; Erol Tutumluer, professor of civil and environmental engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
T
ransportation Technology Center, Inc., is investigating the perfor mance of ballast materials under 36-ton-axle-load coal traffic. TTCI is focusing on ballast degradation while monitoring ballast particle breakdown with tonnage and correlating the particle size distribution to the strength and deformation properties of the various materials. Measuring the relationship between gradation and strength allows a better understanding of the behavior and life cycles of different ballast types. Initial laboratory test results show promise in predicting ballast performance under heavy-axleload (HAL) operations. Quantifying the potential for ballast permanent deformation and settlement will significantly aid in the understanding of uneven track settlement and related track geometry problems. This investigation is a par t of the Track Substructure and HAL Revenue Service Test Strategic Research Initiatives sponsored by the Association of American Railroads and the Federal Railroad Administration. The project is also part of Union Pacific’s internal ballast research effort.
Test overview
Figure 1 shows installation of ballast boxes with test ballast (a) and boxes with track panel reinstalled prior to final surfacing and shoulder ballast installation (b). www.rtands.com
The test was initiated in November 2010 with new ballast material from four separate UP sources. The ballast was installed on UP’s South Morrill subdivision near Ogallala, Neb. South Morrill carries approximately 250 million gross tons (mgt) of coal traffic annually on Track 2 and is the location of the western HAL revenue service test mega site. Railway Track & Structures
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TTCI R&D Figure 2 presents a ballast particle breakdown after 234 mgt.
in developing ballast maintenance guidelines based on the relationship between strength and fouling that will be defined as the test progresses.
Ballast box test
Test zones for particle breakdown monitoring were established at a two-degree curve and tangent location. The four ballast types are separated by steel boxes that are 14-feet long and 12-feet wide, with ballast depth beneath ties of about 14 inches. The installation procedure involved removal of the existing track panel and ballast, placing the boxes at roughly the subgrade depth, filling the boxes with the new test ballast, reinstalling the track panel and final surfacing and ballast dressing. The boxes in the curve zone have steel bottoms and the boxes in the tangent zone have fabric bottoms. The layout of both zones was the same with boxes 1 through 4 containing ballast types 1 through 4, respectively (Figure 1). Ballast types 1 through 4 were placed in a 3/8inch sieve after being delivered and before being installed in the box, meeting the AREMA 4a gradation limit of three percent. The ballast in boxes 5 through 8 was installed in the as-delivered condition without additional sieving and was designated as the UP control ballast.
Gradation monitoring
The ballast is being sampled twice yearly and sieve analysis is performed to determine the change in the particle size distribution. Following the sieve analysis, the potential for permanent deformation and settlement of the samples is being evaluated using a large-scale repeated load triaxial testing device designed and fabricated under the direction of Dr. Erol Tutumluer at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign (UIUC). Repeated load triaxial testing is a standard laboratory technique for determining modulus and deformation characteristics of soils, including coarse aggregate materials such as ballast and subballast. Although strength and per manent defor mation test procedures are still being developed and checked for consistency and repeatability, initial laboratory test results show promise in predicting ballast performance under HAL operations. Quantifying ballast permanent deformation and settlement potential will significantly aid in the understanding of uneven track settlement and related track geometry problems. The data will also be instrumental 14 Railway Track & Structures
August 2012
Ballast performance deteriorates as traffic and maintenance cause individual particles to fracture and wear. The change, or breakdown of ballast particles, is determined with sieve analysis (also referred to as gradation analysis) that measures the percentage of the total ballast sample weight that passes through various sieve sizes; i.e., the percentage of the sample by weight that is smaller than a specific sieve size. The gradation specifications recommended by AREMA for new mainline ballast generally limit the percentage of particles passing either a 3/4-inch or 1/2-inch sieve to less than five percent. Sieve analysis was performed on samples of the new ballast before being installed. Subsequent sampling and gradation analysis of the test ballast was performed in April and November 2011 and in May 2012. Figure 2 shows a comparison of the percentages of the four ballast types passing the 1/2-inch, 3/8-inch and No. 4 (0.187-inch) sieve sizes at 0 mgt and 12 months later after accumulation of approximately 234 mgt. Figure 2 indicates that the as-installed gradations for all ballast types were within the AREMA limits for material passing the 1/2- and 3/8-inch sieves. Figure 2 also shows that after 234 mgt, Type 4 ballast has degraded at a significantly higher rate in terms of particle breakdown than the other materials with 16 percent of the sample passing the 1/2-inch sieve, compared to about one percent when installed.
Triaxial testing
Repeated load triaxial testing involves a cylindrical specimen being subjected to a number of repeated load pulses along its longitudinal (vertical) axis, while also subjected to a constant surrounding or confining pressure. www.rtands.com
Figure 3 top, a view of the University of Illinois Triaxial Ballast Tester (TX-24).
The elastic (or resilient) and plastic (or permanent) deformation of the specimen is measured during each load cycle. The University of Illinois Triaxial Ballast Tester (TX-24) has been designed and built specifically for ballast shear strength, resilient modulus and permanent deformation characterization. The TX-24 accommodates 12-inch diameter by 24-inch high cylindrical ballast specimens. Load pulses are applied with a programmable hydraulic actuator operating in load control mode from an onspecimen load cell. Confining pressure is applied using compressed air inside a 3/4-inch-thick acrylic chamber with a 24-inch inner diameter and 48-inches tall. Three longitudinal displacement transducers positioned 120 degrees apart and one circumferential displacement transducer
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TTCI R&D Figure 4 Triaxial test load pulse timing simulates train loading.
mounted on a horizontal chain are used to measure specimen longitudinal and radial deformation. Figure 3 shows the individual components of the test setup. The specimen is prepared by filling an aluminum split-mold with two latex membranes with test ballast. The ballast is placed in the mold in four lifts, with each lift compacted using the vibratory compactor to a precalculated thickness based on the target density. The repeated load pulse applied by the hydraulic actuator is programmed to simulate train loading as Figure 4 shows. The loading sequence has a 0.4-second duration load pulse representing the combined input generated by the trailing truck of the leading car and the leading truck of the trailing car, followed by a 0.6-second rest period.
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Figure 5 permanent and resilient deformation response of Type 4 ballast after 117 mgt of traffic accumulation.
This load arrangement is roughly equivalent to a car with 40-foot truck centers operating at 40 mph. A maximum of 10,000 load pulses of 2,714 pounds (24psi stress) are applied under the current test procedure and maintain a confining stress of eight psi.
Triaxial test results
Triaxial testing has been performed on ballast samples collected in April 2011, after accumulation of 117 mgt and is underway on the samples collected in November 2011 at 234 mgt. Deformation test results are shown for the Type 4 ballast sample collected in April 2011 in Figure 5. The behavior of the ballast in Figure 5 is typical of new material that does not have a significant amount of fouling with the permanent deformation increasing with increasing load applications and leveling off after several thousand cycles as the individual ballast particles reorient and achieve a densely packed matrix structure. Insufficient ballast breakdown and fouling had occurred at 117 mgt for the permanent deformation tests to reliably compare settlement potentials of the
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different ballast types. Results of the November 2011 sample testing may begin to show some correlation between changes in ballast gradation or breakdown and accumulated permanent deformations.
Future
The test is projected to continue at least through November 2012, at which time close to 500 mgt will have been accumulated. Triaxial testing will continue on the samples collected in May 2012 and future samples.
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2012 chief enigneers’ survey:
Wish List
Safety remains at the top of engineering department’s list of equipment guidelines.
Y
ou want to impress a railroad engineer with a piece of maintenance equipment? Make sure it’s versatile, reliable, as well as easy to maintain, to transport and to use. Above all else, it must be safe. RT&S asked railroad engineering departments what they want and expect out of their equipment and what follows are their undiluted responses. We thank those railroads that participated in this survey. What features do you look for when in the market for m/w machinery? For example, is it safety, reliability, speed of operation, ease of getting on- and off-track, ease of maintenance, cost, productivity or something else? Amtrak: Safety of personnel and property are always the Number One priority. We would also look for features that would make the equipment operator friendly, reliable and productive while leaving positive results. Canadian National: I look for the kind of equipment that is safe and reliable. The units also must be relatively easy to operate and need to be the correct size for our projects. Canadian Pacific: Safety is the first thing CP looks at. After safety, we consider reliability, availability of spare parts, ease of maintenance and repairs, production rates and versatility. We would also like to see fuel economy information for the different types of equipment in order to compare operating costs. Kansas City Southern: Three key things we evaluate 18 Railway Track & Structures
August 2012
when purchasing new machinery are safety, reliability and parts availability. Norfolk Southern: Safety is always our first concern, with machinery or anything else. We also need machinery that is highly reliable, robust enough to work in a tough railroad environment and with a production rate that will allow us to maximize short track time windows. Other important features include: Ease of operation: We have a lot of new employees and we need machines that are straightforward in operation so people can learn to operate them quickly and efficiently. Ease of transportation: Can the machines be moved by truck, or will they need to go by rail? Will there be weight or dimensional issues? We need equipment that can be transported across our 20,000-mile rail network quickly without restrictions and special routing. Ease of maintenance: Some machines are far too complicated for the typical mechanic to maintain. And the more complicated they are, the more susceptible they are to breaking down. We need machines that can be quickly and easily repaired. What is the most important single feature, after safety, for you and your railroad? Why? Amtrak: Quality production. Optimal track conditions means less slow orders or speed restrictions to keep our trains running safely with little or no delay. www.rtands.com
M/W Wish List CN: After safety, the single most important feature is our production. We grade ourselves based on our production and how effectively we perform in and utilize our work blocks. CP: Ease of maintenance. The rail industry is facing increasing pressure to find a skilled workforce to support our programs and we need equipment that enables self-diagnosis for ease of operation and to increase on-track availability. KCS: New technology is great but ease of use brings the greatest value. NS: Reliability. We need dependable equipment that does not breakdown or malfunction. A machine with a higher production rate, but which has a high failure rate, is less desirable than a machine with a lower production rate, but with a low failure rate. In today’s market, what new features or improvements in m/w machinery have the most appeal to you? Amtrak: The use of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) in equipment
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that require precision results. They can be set up on an LCD touch screen and are very user friendly to both the equipment operator and repairman. CN: The most important features are continued improvements in reliability. The machines that we purchase must be reliable in order to maximize our work blocks and to reduce costs. CP: Programmable Logic Controls installed in recent years has made a significant difference, especially with troubleshooting problems on track. KCS: In-cab design features are appealing. The newer machinery has come a long way to help control ele-
ments like weather, noise and lighting. NS: The new machines that we find most desirable are the DRONE machines and remote-controlled machines. Not many years ago, we had the goal of getting people off the ground and into the seat of a machine. Now, our goal is to have a computer operating the machines or have the operator using a remote control. We are working on acquiring our second set of DRONE machines. We are using DRONE tampers now and we are looking at DRONE anchor adjusting machines. The goal is to have one operator running a lead machine with
New technology is great but ease of use brings the greatest value.
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M/W Wish List several machines behind – all linked by a computer – doing a multitude of jobs. And, we need operators using remote controls to handle as many functions as possible. Operators positioned in safe locations using a remote control to operate a group of machines, which are linked by computer, would improve safety, quality and productivity.
at the sacrifice of quality. They would have a self-diagnostic system to identify problems that would enable repairs to be made quickly – preferably by component change out. And, a detailed record of the work performed would be recorded by the machine and then transmitted to a central location for fast and accurate daily production reporting.
If you could write the specs for an ideal m/w machine, what features would you include? Amtrak: A PLC Production Switch Tamper with a tie finder equipped with WiFi to communicate with an unmanned DRONE tamper behind the lead unit to double surfacing and smoothing operations. CN: The specs would include, outstanding ergonomics in the cab, as well as great visibility, well-defined safety components, plenty of horsepower and the latest in technological advances in controlling functions of the machine. CP: Standardized engine packages, standard cab configuration and quick change from one action to another on the same equipment platform. KCS: Reliability is the most important spec. NS: The ideal machine would actually be a set of machines all linked by computer and operated by one person. The operator would be in a position to maximize safety by having high visibility of the work area, a well-designed and easily operated workstation and a comfortable environment. The machines would have high production rates, but not
Looking at recent purchases, what big-ticket piece of equipment has offered the most benefit to your railroad? What about among lower-priced equipment? Amtrak: One of our 32 Tool Tampers has to be the most beneficial big-ticket piece of equipment we’ve purchased in recent history. It doubles the production of the conventional 16 Tool Tamper. Among the lower priced equipment, the hirail backhoe is very versatile on- and off-track and can assist in all types of our daily construction work. CN: The Plasser 09-32 DYNA CATs and Harsco DRONEs were our big-ticket purchases. These machines can tamp 36-44 ties per minute and are very reliable. The lower-priced items that we have purchased are the Nordco CX Spikers and the Knox Kershaw Cribber-Adzers. CP: Purchase of new production tampers and snowfighters. Increasing our fleet of production tampers has allowed us to reduce slow orders. Increasing and modernizing our snow fighter fleet has allowed faster track cleanup, especially in mountain subdivisions. Use of track drills, using carbide interchangeable bits,
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M/W Wish List has decreased drilling time in production crews. KCS: Due to the number of ties KCS replaces each year, the Nordco TRIPP (Tie Remover/Inserter) has been very valuable. NS: The best big-ticket machine purchase is our new ballast cleaner, which is currently being built. This new machine, along with our current ballast cleaner, will allow us to work at a higher production rate and reduced cost versus using leased equipment. Our best lower-priced solution came from one of our employees, who designed and constructed a simple, but highly-effective Pandrol clip applicator. We are manufacturing the machines in house at our Charlotte Roadway Shop. What is your biggest m/w headache: track time, productivity, etc.? What kind of machine or features would you like to see from suppliers to help alleviate the problem? Amtrak: Equipment down time with our night time surfacing units. A more
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advanced on-board diagnostic system that is repairman-friendly would be helpful, along with parts being more readily available for some of the larger surfacing machines. CN: Track time is our biggest headache. High-production tampers that do not require spending additional time graphing and measuring track to be tamped. This would increase production and maximize our work blocks. CP: Slow orders behind tie crews. We need to have more versatile/interchangeable equipment with quick on-track setup to allow us to increase production time when faced with decreased block availability. KCS: Track and time is always the biggest challenge, which is why the reliability of equipment is so vital. NS: Our biggest challenge is always track time. This is more of a function of interdepartmental cooperation than of machine ability. We must be able to predict the amount of work that can be performed in the amount of track time allowed. And, we must have a machine
that can perform the work without breaking down or malfunctioning. In the future, we should be able to develop machines that can link to the dispatcher’s computer systems, determine track windows and production capabilities and perform the maximum possible amount of work and then clear up. When you meet with suppliers, what are you telling them about your m/w machinery needs? Do you find suppliers responsive to your requests? Amtrak: We have clearance restrictions due to our overhead catenary wires and third rail. Because we move people, we work our production groups primarily at night where there is less competition with trains for infrastructure. Our suppliers are always eager to meet our needs with all restrictions, speed and lighting requirements. CN: New machines need to be more reliable. Ergonomics must be improved and there must be improvements in service and parts delivery. Suppliers
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M/W Wish List are for the most part responsive to our concerns and I feel most suppliers are trying to rectify any past problems. CP: We hold conference calls with major suppliers monthly to discuss bulletins, updates, problem areas etc. These calls allow us to determine accountability and develop action plans to correct issues. KCS: Having an ample supply of parts minimizes downtime. We are working with our suppliers to find solutions to this challenge. NS: We tell manufacturers that we need machines designed and built to accommodate our needs: safety, reliability, production, ease of repair and ease of operation. The suppliers tell us: “This is what we build. We can make some modifications – at a cost. But, this is basically what you will get.” We have found some who want to work with us, but with fewer manufacturers available, it is becoming more difficult to get the machinery that we want and need and lack of competition is hurting innovation. Checking trends, would you say today’s equipment is getting safer, more reliable, more productive, or other qualities? On the negative side, what trends are out there, such as too costly, too complicated, etc.? Amtrak: Today’s equipment has more safety features than in years past and with today’s technology, the equipment has become more productive. However with that being said, we don’t believe
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many of the machines are as reliable as in the past. Extensive use of sensitive electronics in an unforgiving environment drives acquisition costs and ironically, impacts reliability. CN: Equipment is much safer to operate today than in past years. A major challenge is keeping our mechanics and operators up-to-date with today’s latest technology in equipment. Also, the cost to maintain a piece of machinery has risen dramatically over the past several years. CP: The equipment is better ergonomically today, making it safer. Safety is our Number One priority. Cost of equipment is a major consideration, but making equipment too complicated sometime compromises our ability to operate as successfully as we would wish. KCS: The equipment is getting safer and more productive; however, we’ve experienced challenges with getting service in the field for new engines. To resolve these challenges, we are working with engine vendors to understand our capabilities for making field repairs on our own. NS: The trend is definitely toward safer and more reliable machines. While today’s machinery is far superior to what was available in the past, the mistake that some manufacturers are making is getting too complicated with their designs. The more complicated a machine becomes, the less reliable and harder it is to repair. The best machines reach a good balance between simplicity and advanced computerization and electronics.
O n c e yo u ’ve p u r c h a s e d m / w machiner y, are suppliers adequately supporting you with spare parts? Do you feel improvement is needed in this area? Amtrak: This mainly depends on the manufacturer. We have found some to be excellent in supporting and supplying spare parts and there are others that definitely need improvement in all areas of how they do business concerning spare or replacement parts. CN: Getting parts to our work locations is an issue with some vendors. There should be more of a focus from our suppliers to keep parts on hand and available. Great improvements can and need to be made in this area to increase the reliability and production of our equipment. CP: We include parts availability and timeliness in our acquisition decision-making. Having O.E.M. suppliers stocking spare parts and not relying on their supply chain would allow us to decrease restocking especially on slow moving and special items. KCS: It is a challenge and progression toward improvements is slow. NS: Most manufacturers do a good j o b s u p p o r t i n g t h e i r m a c h i n e s. However, sometimes the cost, especially for technicians and specialized spare par ts, can be quite expensive. We try to minimize those costs by using as much off-the-shelf mater ial as possible and by handling our own parts inventory.
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Maintaining ballast below the ties Optimal track conditions rely heavily on ballast maintenance.
by Jennifer Nunez, assistant editor
Loram’s RailVac at work to maintain a good roadbed.
B
allast doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. For those outside of the industry, the flashy signals, rail and crossties are what railroad lines are made of. But those tiny rocks are what keeps the track in place and aids proper drainage, two important staples of a good trackbed. Within the following pages is RT&S’ bi-annual ballast maintenance roundup, featuring the latest technology and equipment to date. Additional photos can be found at www.rtands.com.
Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty Rail, Inc., continues to invest in technology to make track maintenance more cost-effective and efficient. Its Track Solutions division acquired a high-output Mark IV tamper, adding to the three Mark IV and one new Jackson 6700 purchased in the past year. “We continue to test new technology for our track inspection and measurement program that supports maintenance-of-way activities,” said R.T. Swindall, director of rail services equipment and ballast services. “One of these is the SX 8000, a new technology that detects flaws in the rail. We will be testing the SX 8000 this fall. It will enhance Balfour Beatty Rail’s existing Ground Penetrating Radar technologies and help provide even more detailed and accurate scientific information on the root causes of 24 Railway Track & Structures
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trackbed issues.” Through the use of these technologies and a new process called Work Order Recommendation (WOR), Balfour Beatty Rail can provide detailed information for track maintenance planning based on scientific data. The WOR enables the company to make recommendations to the client regarding the appropriate method of track maintenance. Recommendations may include surfacing, undercutting, shoulder cleaning, trackwork, drainage work, or nothing at all. Swindall notes that this approach to MOW has proven to reduce the need for costly rework, improve track utilization, reduce the risk of derailments and maximize budgets. The information and results are available to the client within a desktop viewing software tool called the RASC Viewer. It offers datasets in a synchronized format that clients can use to perform high-level track inspections, maintenance planning and repair. Data sets include Ground Penetrating Radar metrics, ballast/structure profile, track video, track geometry metrics, terrain mapping and GPSpositioned results within Google Earth.
BTE/BTI
“Making the job easier, more efficient and safer is the reason why customers turn to Ballast Tools Equipment Company,” www.rtands.com
Ballast maintenance Ballast was physically removed, then scanned by Grex’s BallastSaver, which measured the volume to be 18.3 cubic feet.
noted BTE personnel. “And lately, many of our customers have been looking for a solution that gives their backhoes and excavators more mobility both on-and off-track.” BTE developed a high-rail system to fit CAT 450 backhoe’s and CAT 308 and 312 excavators, along with various attachments that increases productivity for undercutting, tamping, cribbing and ditching. The company notes that customers can do fast, reliable and safe spot maintenance projects in any situation, keeping them on time and on budget. “Railroads, like any other efficient industry, are looking for ways to save time and money, yet, still maintain safety and efficiency when it comes to ballast maintenance and repair,” explained BTE. “At Ballast Tools and Ballast Tools Equipment, we are committed to servicing our customers with the best performing ballast maintenance equipment available. We have recently developed superior performance undercutting chains and bits and engineered innovative solutions to plow blade and baffle box plates that wear longer and are easily serviced. Our customers are implementing these changes in the field and experiencing terrific results.”
Dymax
DymaxRail, a division of Dymax Inc., has been focusing on innovation and thinking of what the industry will use today and into the future. Dymax notes its patent-pending chain system for undercutters is a prime example. With 360-degree rotation of the bar to position either on-or off-track, the operator has no limitations. The double cut carbide shark teeth allow the Ballast Blaster to cut in both directions, increasing productivity and eliminating hang up under the ties. The BB6 Dymax six-foot undercutter is said to work well with backhoe loaders. “These machines are always working along the railway
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system but usually doing only support work,” explained Allen Switzer, general sales manager. “Now they can become a more useful machine. Using the coupler system on the backhoe end, the undercutter can cut numerous spot sections. The user can switch over to the tie inserter for replacing those broken or decayed ties safely and efficiently, then switch one more time to connect to either the Dymax one or two motor ballast tamper. The backhoe loader is truly a member of the gang. And for getting this backhoe loader machine to all the various locations, the Dymax Rail Rider allows the machine to become high-railed in 60 seconds or less with no additional hydraulics for the machine. Dymax will be sharing a number of new products at the AREMA show in Chicago, September 16 - 19.”
Georgetown
Georgetown Rail Equipment Company’s latest service offering, BallastSaver, utilizes technology as an alternative to the traditional “experience tells us” methods of determining the quantities of ballast needed to maintain safe and efficient track conditions. BallastSaver combines Lidar technology, an encoder wheel and videography to calculate the existing ballast profile. BallastSaver’s software then correlates data calculations determined during a pre-dump survey with the customer provided “ideal” profile and quantifies the exact amount of ballast required to achieve the desired profile. “BallastSaver data not only provides the precise quantity of ballast required, but also the exact locations where it is needed,” explained Lynn Turner, vice president of marketing and sales. “The information is valuable to
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Ballast maintenance One of Balfour Beatty Rail’s Mark IV Tampers performs surfacing work near the Port of Long Beach, Calif.
ensure efficient budgeting for ballast programs and eliminates potentially wasteful spending. In addition, data provided aids in the prioritization
of maintenance projects, allowing the customer to improve the overall safety of a larger portion of the entire system or physical plant. Furthermore, BallastSaver data will allow the life cycle of valuable assets, such as rail and crossties, to be extended due to the correct ballast profile being maintained, which ultimately reduces material costs. Railroad planning officials are able to manage their ballast programs from a loftier point-of-view.” Since BallastSaver’s release, many enhancements have been made. An automated calibration system has been developed and implemented and the ability to view cross sections of the track has been added. Also, the software has been enhanced to detect curves more accurately. BallastSaver, coupled with GREX’s GateSync technology, furnishes the customer with a fully-automated ballast delivery system. The result is the elimination of best guess, subjective ballast programs and institutes an objective-based logic that reduces wasteful spending.
Herzog
Herzog Railroad Services Inc. says its P.L.U.S./SMART trains offer the only ballast-spreading technology powered by the accuracy of GPS. The Herzog GPS ballast unloading systems have undergone many upgrades. However, the company says in the past few years, they have seen their most significant upgrades yet. The first was the second generation GPS ballast train, or the SMART train. This gave the railroads the option of not only dumping on the shoulder, but into the center of the track, as well. Another recent upgrade to its GPS trains was the development of The Herzog Pro Scan Lidar truck, which replaces the traditional survey that is done before every train is dumped. “In the past, the only option was for the Herzog technician to ride in the railroad’s high-rail vehicle and manually input the amount of ballast presumed to be needed,” explained Tim Francis, vice president of marketing. “The Herzog Pro Scan Lidar truck can now take the guesswork out of this process. The railroad representative now rides in our Lidar truck, while we scan the track to determine the appropriate amount of 26 Railway Track & Structures
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Ballast maintenance Left, BTE equipment off-track. Progress Rail Services’ machine performing ballast maintenance.
ballast needed based on the template provided to us from the railroad.” With this technology, the company has the ability to shrink dump zones to 15 feet on the approach to a fixed point and five feet on the departure. “This capability will allow for increased surfacing gang productivity by reducing track and time needed due to
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unnecessary pulling of ballast because of lengthy dump zones,” he noted.
Knox Kershaw
Knox Kershaw Inc. introduced a new snow switch cleaner attachment with a high-capacity blower unit to compliment the KSF 940 snow fighter/ ballast regulator. The KSF 940 snow
fighter can be converted to a ballast regulator in the war mer months, making it an all-season ballast regulator. The company offers dual-gauge ballast regulators for railroads with more than one gauge, allowing one machine to be utilized throughout the whole railroad system, whether it changes from standard gauge to narrow gauge or standard gauge to broad gauge. Knox Kershaw upgraded its small tie inserter to include joysticks and an air-conditioned cab. This machine will enable a small crew to exchange several ties an hour; it can also power the necessary hand tools required to finalize the installation process. “Last year, we received requests from customers to design a brush cutter attachment for our ballast regulator,” noted George Pugh, general manager. “In response to these requests, we developed a design that is currently in production and is available for purchase.”
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Ballast maintenance Loram
Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc., recently introduced a heated nozzle system to the Railvac Fleet that extends the work season. Additionally, the company developed features including track positioning, an improved sledding blade and a tie pad replacement module that enhances the capabilities of the Track Lifter and increases the versatility of the machine. Loram’s Railvac Fleet has completed several high-profile tunnel jobs. “Due to the restrictive clearance issues, the Railvac has proven to be the best solution to complete tunnel work,” noted Joe Ashley, manager of marketing and product development. “In addition, the Railvac’s productivity is unmatched and is a less evasive process in renewing tunnels than any other practice available. The Railvac also has unique flexibility where it can easily access and clean fouled drains and troughs outside the normal operating reach of most on-track equipment.” The Railvac has completed several crossing rehabilitation projects, as well. This work consists of undercutting the entire crossing and excavating a trough for inserting drainage tile. The Railvac has been utilized to assist in cleaning problematic culverts and to undercut mud spots. “Our products continue to work on all Class 1 railroads, several transit and shortlines and on multiple international railroads,” explained Ashley. “Loram continues to experience strong domestic and international interest with our ballast
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Stone to ballast, how does it work?
Ballast isn’t made up of just any type of rock. Michel’s Materials, located in Brownsville, Wis., is a provider of ballast for the Chicago-area market and sells 150,000200,000 tons of ballast a year. The “hard rock” is found by drilling blasting holes every few feet, which are loaded with explosives and blasts the stone into a “rubble pile.” After loading the “shot rock” into a primary crusher that breaks large rocks up to two feet into smaller, eight-inch rocks, they travel along a 500-foot conveyor belt and meets another crusher, where the rock is then broken down into two and a half-inch pieces. Then screening and gradation happens, before it is washed to remove dust and placed in stockpiles before meeting ballast cars for loading.
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Ballast maintenance maintenance products.”
Miner Enterprises
Miner is continuously improving the design and recently improved the performance/life cycle of the linear actuators and electrical systems used in its Miner Electric AggreGate ®, a stand-alone electric aggregate system. The AggreGate enables independent operation of the car from anywhere within a ballast train, eliminating the need for grouping manual and automatic cars. “We have been developing a ballast plowing system to add to existing ballast cars,” explained Chris Gaydos, manager of mechanical engineering. “The plow system will use the existing cars Miner AggreGate power supply system, including electric, hydraulic or pneumatic. A manual version of the plow can be applied to any ballast car.” Gaydos says railroads have been asking for a safe, durable, maintenance-free way to ballast that can be applied to new or existing cars and that the company’s Plow and AggreGate products provide this.
Nordco
“As part of our ongoing continuous improvement initiatives, we recently redesigned the hydraulic system on our M7 ballast regulator to improve the functionality of the machine, as well as to provide a cooler running hydraulic system,” noted Bob Coakley, director of sales and marketing at Nordco. “These changes improve the ser vice life of the hydraulic components. In addition, we also added an on-board air compressor for powering auxiliary tools.” Nordco introduced new ballast regulator attachments that are transit and third-rail friendly and meet the clearance requirements of most transit organizations. Customers can also have their existing ballast regulators, regardless of the original manufacturer, rebuilt or remanufactured by Nordco. Even machines 20 years old can be upgraded with new cabs, engines and hydraulic systems to like-new condition, with a full factory warranty. Nordco also introduced a new product designed to help reduce on-track safety incidents involving work equipment. The Nordstar TM Proximity Awareness creates “virtual” 30 Railway Track & Structures
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Ballast maintenance Top, Norco’s ballast regulator. Knox Kershaw’s ballast machinery performing routine maintenance.
alarm zones and warns the equipment operators with audible and visual alarms when other machines are too close or if another machine is approaching too fast, so both operators have an opportunity to react. The system can retrofit to any piece of work equipment or on-track vehicle.
Plasser American
“Plasser American understands the impor tance of maintaining ballast to achieve long lasting quality of track,” noted Plasser. “The processes required to do this include ballast undercutting/cleaning, shoulder cleaning, subgrade renewal and ballast management. Plasser works continually with its customers to supply them with the tools required to achieve this.” Clean ballast is extremely important to maintain track geometry, notes Plasser American Corp. and says scheduled ballast undercutting-cleaning to create proper drainage and removing fouled material from the track is the first step to long-lasting track. Plasser supplies machines, such as the RM-80, which can undercut and clean plain track, as well as switches, high-capacity double screening unit machines, such as the RM-2003 dual shaker undercutter-cleaner and the RM-802 High-Speed Undercutter-Cleaner, which www.rtands.com
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Ballast maintenance
Top, RCE’s undercutter hard at work. Plasser American’s RM-802.
which in one pass can remove the ballast and sub-ballast, recycle the removed material and then install a compacted formation protection layer and a ballast layer. All work is performed without physically removing the track, allowing for shorter track outages. The BDS 100/200 Ballast Distribution System can accompany the high-speed 09-3X tampers. The machines are equipped with plows to profile the ballast, hopper and conveyors to distribute ballast as needed and double brooms to sweep up and store excess ballast and for final track dressing. MFS Hopper/Conveyor cars may be added for additional ballast storage. All work is performed in a “one pass” operation. “Plasser’s PBR-2005 Ballast Regulator continues to be popular due to its ability to plow, profile and broom in one pass,” said Plasser. “The unique design of the shoulder plows allow the machine to reach out and pull in ballast, which was previously beyond the reach of conventional ballast regulators. The machine is also available with an optional double broom. The PBR-2005 is ideally suited to work behind two-tie tampers or tamper and pup tamper combinations where it can easily keep up with the tamper.”
Progress Rail Services
Speed Undercutter-Cleaner, which works with pre-dumped ballast and the FRM-802 Shoulder Cleaner. The RM-80 was upgraded with design changes this year, allowing the machine to undercut switches from either side, thus eliminating the need to turn the machine around. “In instances where the track quality cannot be maintained due to weak subgrade or continuous fouling from the subgrade, a subgrade renewal machine may be used to correct the problem,” explained Plasser. “Subgrade renewal machines remove the ballast layer, as well as the sub-ballast layer and replace it with a formation protection layer and a layer of ballast. The formation protection layer prevents material from coming up and fouling the ballast, prevents water from seeping down into the subgrade and distributes the load on the track over a larger area reducing the stress on the subgrade by increasing the bearing surface.” Plasser’s PM 200-2 R Formation Rehabilitation Machine, 32 Railway Track & Structures
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The Kershaw Division of Progress Rail Services Corp. launched its Model 4600 Ballast Regulator. This machine addresses issues that have been discussed with its customers during product meetings. The machine is designed utilizing a cab forward design, offering enhanced visibility and improved operator ergonomics. It addresses issues regarding component location and accessibility, making all components easily accessible for maintenance purposes. Progress Rail Services is also active in offering new designs of ballast regulators for the international market, including high-powered machines with hoppers for transferring ballast, sand fighting machines and one pass ballast regulating machines. Ballast cleaning and ballast reclamation is another area where Kershaw has been actively working with customers; this includes high-speed shoulder cleaners and undercutters.
RCE
Rail Construction Equipment Co. continues its program of providing on-and off-track ballast cutting units, either for sale or lease, to help customers acquire equipment. “Versatility is the key. Our customers are asking for the machines to be able to perform our rail maintenance tasks to get the best bang for their buck and limit down time,” noted Dennis Hanke, railroad specialist. Currently, RCE is working on smaller high-rail excavator units to provide a wider range of versatility to customers. The company plans to have units available by the end of the year. RCE will also unveil a larger machine that can handle large undercutter heads for doing switch ballast undercutting. www.rtands.com
Ballast maintenance
Plasser American’s New RM-802 ballast undercutter The original RM-802 began working in 1995. This was the first high-speed ballast undercutter-cleaner to use the predumped ballast method of maintenance undercutting. New ballast was unloaded on the track before the RM-802’s arrival at the work site. The pre-dumped ballast was picked up and mixed in with the cleaned ballast, as it was returned back into the track behind the undercutter chain. This process eliminated the need of a ballast train to be working between the undercutter and surfacing equipment, resulting in more chain time per track block hour. After working hard for 17 years and cutting more than 1,700 miles (more than any other Plasser undercutter), this machine has been retired and replaced with the new RM-802 ballast undercutting-cleaning system.
the side of the track, up to 40 feet away from the centerline of track. The cleaned ballast is sent back to the RM-802 undercutter. On the way, it is mixed with the new pre-dumped ballast, which has been picked up by the Ballast Pick-Up Unit. The RM-802 undercutter removes the remaining ballast from under the ties and cribs cleaning the material using a double screening unit. The waste is discarded along the side of
the track and the cleaned ballast is mixed in with the new pre-dumped and cleaned ballast from the front of the consist and returned back into the track immediately behind the cutter bar while the track is still suspended in the air. This allows the ballasted track to be left at close to final grade. The RM-802 Undercutter-Cleaner and FRM-802 Shoulder Cleaner may also be used as separate individual machines if desired.
The next generation of RM-802 hig h- s p e e d b a l l a s t undercuttercleaners was introduced in spring of 2012 utilizing the pre-dumped ballast concept. The design of the new system results in much higher production rates. The new high-capacity system includes a FRM-802 shoulder cleaner to pick up and clean the shoulder ballast utilizing a double screening unit, placing the waste material along
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CREATE program update:
Keeping Chicago fluid by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
The CREATE program continues to improve movement through the nation’s rail nucleus. CREATE project B2. Construction work by a regulator on Track 2 at Bellwood Station. Photo courtesy of Illinois Department of Transportation.
T
he Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program marked nine years of existence in June 2012. In those nine years, CREATE has completed 14 projects, has 34 more projects in either environmental, design or construction phases and has plans for an additional 22 projects aimed at improving capacity, relieving congestion and improving safety through North America’s rail hub. The ambitious program, a partnership between the United States Department of Transportation, the State of Illinois, City of Chicago, Metra, Amtrak and the nation’s freight railroads, will invest billions in infrastructure improvements and is crucial in keeping Chicago an important facet in the national rail network. “Our early terminal model results indicated that if something was not done, the Chicago terminal would reach gridlock shortly after the year 2015. The recent economic downturn has bought the terminal some additional time to complete the program before we reach such a critical point,” said Bill Thompson, CREATE program manager at the Association of American Railroads. “Had CREATE not been advanced, the current rail infrastructure in Chicago could not have handled the volume increases that are expected to take place as we go forward. Chicago is the key to the rail network in this country. Six of the seven Class 1 railroads, Metra and Amtrak operate 1,300 trains daily. The national economy depends on a strong rail network and you can’t have a strong rail network if it doesn’t include a fluid Chicago terminal.”
The projects
“Prior to the existence of the CREATE Program, the Chi34 Railway Track & Structures
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cago Transportation Coordination Office (CTCO) was established by the railroad industry to ‘fix Chicago.’ Their initial task was to improve the flow of rail traffic through Chicago by implementing management, communications and process improvements. Once these improvements were in place, the focus then moved onto infrastructure improvements. Now that we have CREATE projects under construction, the CTCO coordinates construction activity along with the normal railroad maintenance and renewal activities. CTCO has the responsibility to ‘keep Chicago fluid.’ CTCO reviews and approves the CREATE construction sequencing plans,” said Thompson. In addition to CTCO’s coordination, funding is the other big element when it comes to pacing of a particular project. “It boils down to funding and schedule,” said Thompson. “IDOT and the railroads provided much of the initial funding for the environmental and initial design work (phase 1). As a project’s final design work (phase 2) is completed, again with mixed funding, it is available for construction funding (phase 3). The time it takes to complete the phase 1 and phase 2 work and schedules varies tremendously depending on complexity of projects and impacts. Funding for construction to date has been from FHWA, FRA, IDOT, CDOT, ICC, the railroads and some local communities.” According to Thompson, all the freight corridor projects are currently moving through the design and construction process and the program’s partners are working together to get more of the grade separations moving through the process. CREATE has 22 projects currently in environmental (phase 1) or final design (phase 2) and this summer, the program has experienced a flurry of activity beginning in www.rtands.com
CREATE Update
May with the completion of the B4/B5 projects on the city’s west side. “The B4/B5 projects are a substantial upgrade of the IHB signal system between CP Hill in Melrose Park and LaGrange. The signal system on this portion of the IHB was completely replaced. The project was completed on schedule and budget,” said Thompson. The program will also benefit from the fourth round of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) funds that were announced in June. The $10.4 million TIGER grant received by the State of Illinois will advance the WA3-C and WA2-B projects, which include installing an upgraded signal system on the Western Avenue Corridor between Brighton Park and Ogden Avenue along with several new crossovers near 22nd Street. In July, Metra’s Board of Directors approved a $93-million contract to construct one of CREATE’s higher-profile
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projects, P1, know as the Englewood Flyover. The P1 project will raise the existing two-track Metra Rock Island District Line approximately 29 feet to fly over the existing three-track Norfolk Southern alignment. The new structure will be designed to span six tracks, comprised of the three existing NS tracks and three future tracks, which include track for the planned expansion of highspeed rail through the corridor. P1 also replaces the Metra bridge over Interstate 90/94 near 63rd Street. In addition to those projects listed above, the following nine CREATE projects are under construction or
starting very soon: • B2 near Proviso yard builds three miles of new third mainline on UP. • B15 installs TCS on the main lines through IHB Blue Island yard. • GS7 puts Belmont Rd in Downers Grove under the BNSF mainline. • GS14 puts 71st Street in Bridgeview under the CSX four tracks at Toyota Park. • GS15 builds new NICTD and NS structures over 130th and Torrance in Chicago – this project will result in construction of one of the longest bridge spans in Chicago. • GS16 separates the CP mainline
“The national economy depends on a strong rail network and you can’t have a strong rail network if it doesn’t include a fluid Chicago terminal.”
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create update
East abutment backfilling on CREATE project GS15a. Photo courtesy of Chicago Department of Transportation.
from York and Irving Park Roads in Bensenville. GS25 constructs a new bridge to put Roosevelt Road in West Chicago over UP. • WA10 installs crossovers at Blue Island to connect CSX and CN mainlines. • COP or Common Operational Picture allows railroad dispatchers and managers to more effectively monitor trains on foreign carriers. According to Thompson, CREATE’s largest project, the 75th Street Corridor Improvement, is going through a development of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which is expected to be completed in 2013. •
The future
With almost a decade under the program’s belt, the CREATE coordinators have learned a few lessons over the years but if offered a reset button, they wouldn’t need it. “While property purchase can be a source of project delay, for the most part the projects thus far have been built on existing rights-of-way and experienced minimal delay. Utilities relocations are a source of delay on some projects. We are being more aggressive by providing some utilities with CREATE projects schedule so they can stay ahead of the construction,” said Thompson. “The environmental reviews are taking longer than originally expected,” he continued. “I wouldn’t say we would do anything differently. We have a truly amazing public private partnership between the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago, the federal government and the rail industry. One thing we did learn is that some things take longer to accomplish with so many partners involved. We also learned about the commitments including environmental and minority par ticipation necessar y to design and build projects with mixed funding. The CREATE partners goal is to be good stewards of the environment, good stewards of the available funding and get the projects built. This requires listening, understanding and persistence.”
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AREMA NEWS Professional Development Upcoming Seminars Seminars being held in conjunction with the AREMA 2012 Annual Conference & Exposition in Chicago, IL, September 16-19, 2012:
Message from the President
REES 2012 - success! By Robert J. Verhelle
introduction to practical railway engineering September 14-16
FRA 214: Roadway Worker on TraCk Safety September 15
Rail Bulk terminal design September 15
Environmental Permitting Issues in Railroad construction projects September 16
intermodal design planning September 19-20
Track alignment design September 19-21
FRA 213: Track safety standards September 19-21
Intermodal Design Engineering September 20-21
For more information on upcoming seminars please visit www.arema.org or contact Desiree Knight at dknight@arema.org or +1(301) 459-3200, ext. 703.
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Robert J. Verhelle AREMA President 2011-2012
Where has this year gone? It is hard to believe that August is here and we are making plans for fall to be upon us. While I have previously focused on the Functional Groups and the committees within them, I would like to take a moment and further highlight the work of Committee 24, AREMA Staff members and some veteran professors in their efforts of making the Railway Engineering Education Symposium (REES) 2012 a huge success. These individuals took time out of their busy schedules to meet with 28 academicians from 28 colleges and universities that attended the event at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kan. While I was not able to attend, BNSF was gracious in hosting the event at their Technical Training Center/ITC Building on campus, which fosters the growth of railway engineering education. AREMA truly appreciates this generosity and acknowledgement of a great program by BNSF. You may not know it, but the symposium included two days of railway engineering lectures to the professors for inclusion in their courses, as well as presentations on current and research activities. The symposium concluded with a half-day field tour of local railway facilities in Overland Park, Kan. These lectures were done by industry leaders who highlighted the exciting challenges and opportunities available to new graduates entering the railway engineering profession. REES 2012 is a great precursor to the fall conference and Meet the Next Generation Event held every year. We, as an organization can be proud of the individuals who represented AREMA at this event. Thank you to Michael Pochop, chair of Committee 24, the veteran professors and the AREMA staff that participated in making REES 2012 such a success. Following up on another topic that our Passenger and Transit Functional Group is heavily involved with, the UIC - High Speed Rail Conference was held in Philadelphia this past July. While AREMA did not formally participate in the conference, many of our members did attend and some made presentations during the technical conference. As our country grips with how to progress high-speed rail, it was interesting to network with more than 4,000 attendees from technical, commercial and political backgrounds that have launched high-speed networks around the world. It was great to hear that China has completed the high-speed line between Shanghai and Beijing that some of us rode on when AREMA sponsored the Asia Rail Technology Tour back in December of 2010. On that tour, we took an overnight trip that was about 10 hours compared to the trip time now of just under five hours. Great improvement for a city pair that is 70 miles longer than the distance between Philadelphia to Chicago. High-speed rail in the United States will bring interesting projects to our industry, which will mean jobs in the engineering field, manufacturing, supply and construction groups as the United States progresses high-speed rail corridors. High-speed rail can bring congestion relief to city pairs that are drowning with commuters sitting in major traffic jams on our highways or waiting in long lines at airports. In addition, high-speed rail projects will bring a much needed economic boost to our country, putting people back to work in rail industry related jobs. I am sure we will hear more on this topic at our conference and I look forward to seeing all of you there. Railway Track & Structures
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AREMA NEWS
2012 Upcoming Committee Meetings Aug. 13-14 Committee 1 - Roadway & Ballast Salt Lake City, UT Aug. 21-22 Committee 7 - Timber Structures St. Louis, MO Sept. 6-7 Committee 8 - Concrete Structures & Foundations Toronto, ON, Canada Sept. 15 Committee 27 - Maintenance of Way Work Equipment Chicago, IL Sept. 15-16 Committee 24 - Education & Training Chicago, IL Sept. 16 Committee 5 - Track Chicago, IL Sept. 16 Committee 6 - Buildings & Support Facilities Chicago, IL Sept. 16 Committee 10 - Structures, Maintenance & Construction Chicago, IL Sept. 16 Committee 11 - Commuter & Intercity Rail Systems Chicago, IL Sept. 16 Committee 12 - Rail Transit Chicago, IL Sept. 16 Committee 14 - Yards & Terminals Chicago, IL Sept. 16 Committee 16 - Economics of Railway Engineering & Operations Chicago, IL
Sept. 16 Committee 17 - High-Speed Rail Systems Sept. 16 Committee 33 - Electric Energy Utilization Sept. 16 Team 40 - Engineering Safety Steering Team Sept. 16 Team 41 - Track Maintenance Steering Team Sept. 18 Committee 18 - Light Density & Short Line Railways Sept. 19-20 Committee 38 - Information, Defect Detection & Energy Systems Sept. 20 Committee 39 - Positive Train Control Oct. 2-3 Committee 15 - Steel Structures Oct. 2-4 Committee 39 - Positive Train Control Oct. 15-17 Committee 37 - Signal Systems Oct. 17-19 Committee 36 - Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems
Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL New London, CT Ft. Worth, TX Germantown, WI Germantown, WI
FYI… Professional Development Hours By attending the AREMA Annual Conference, seminars and workshop, you are entitled to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and Professional Development Hours (PDHs). PDHs for New York and Florida are available through AREMA’s special relationship with the Florida Board of Professional Engineers and the New York Professional Engineers Program. AREMA is also an approved provider for the state of Indiana. Individuals needing PDHs for other states may self-declare using AREMA’s form. In addition to PDHs, CEUs are available through a special agreement negotiated with the University of North Florida. Committee meetings are also approved for PDHs through the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. AREMA is also an approved provider of the Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP). Please note that your individual state board has the final authority on approving all PDHs for activities attended. The CEU and PDH form will be available at the Conference and can be picked up at the AREMA Registration Desk or online at www. arema.org after the conference. Please visit www.arema.org for more information. Sponsorship opportunities for the AREMA 2012 Annual Conference & Exposition are still available. Please contact Lisa Hall at +1.301. 459.3200, ext. 705, or lhall@arema.org for a full listing of available opportunities. AREMA 2012 Exposition - 90% SOLD OUT. Booth sales are still available for the AREMA 2012 Exposition. Please contact Vickie Fisher at +1.301.459.3200, ext. 707, or vfisher@arema.org or visit www.arema.org for more information. The Official AREMA LinkedIn Group Join the official AREMA LinkedIn Group by visiting www.linkedin.com and searching groups for “American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association.”
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Getting to know Raymond G. Verrelle, Jr. Each month, AREMA features one of our committee chairmen. We are pleased to announce that the August featured chairman is Raymond G. Verrelle, Jr., chair of Committee 33 - Electric Energy Utilization. AREMA: Why did you decide to choose a career in railway engineering? Verrelle: My dad had a big influence on my career in railway engineering. He spent 41 years working for P.R.R./ Penn Central/Amtrak. As a kid, listening to “work talk” at the kitchen table made the railroad seem like a very interesting place to work. It was even more interesting when I got to work for Amtrak during the same tenure as my dad before he retired. I got to work on some of the same projects with him and got to meet all the characters I heard so much about as a little kid at that kitchen table. I also realized how much you have to censor railroad stories around little kids. AREMA: How did you get started? Verrelle: After graduating from Temple University, I got a job with Gannett Fleming, Inc., as a bridge engineer. When work got a little slow, I volunteered to work on an electric traction project they had going on with NJ Transit. From then on, I took a strong interest in electric traction. I was able to get a job with Amtrak in the Electric Traction Department and have stayed with this discipline ever since. AREMA: How did you get involved in AREMA and your committee? Verrelle: I had always referred to AREMA (or, at that time, AREA) when I started in the business. When I got to Amtrak, I saw the heavy involvement among my peers. It looked like a great opportunity to be able to contribute to the industry. AREMA: Outside of your job and the hard work you put into AREMA, what are your hobbies? Verrelle: I really enjoy fishing. Whether it is from my boat or from shore, saltwater or fresh water, I’m ready to wet a line. It is also a hobby that my wife and kids enjoy with me. Although, when I’m with them, I’m more of a boat driver and baiter/fish de-hooker. At least that is the excuse I use when they always catch more fish than me. I also enjoy a good home remodeling project.
Raymond G. Verrelle, Jr. Chair, Committee 33 - Electric Energy Utilization Director Electric Traction Design & Standards Amtrak
imagine with a house full of ladies, I’m rarely, if ever, right. AREMA: If you could share one interesting fact about yourself with the readers of RT&S, what would it be? Verrelle: My interest in home remodeling lead me into a complete remodel of a two story colonial in Wildwood, N.J. I was able to take a condemned home, completely gut the interior and remodel it to allow a great summer escape for my family and me. While this, at times, was challenging doing almost all of the work myself, it was very rewarding to see the project get completed and a new life put back into that old home. AREMA: What is your biggest achievement? Verrelle: I would have to say my biggest achievement is helping my wife raise two great kids. AREMA: What advice would you give to someone who is trying to pursue a career in the railway industry? Verrelle: This is a great time to be in the railroad industry. The opportunities are better now then they have been in the past 20 years.
AREMA: Tell us about your family. Verrelle: Stacy and I have been married for almost 16 years. We have two beautiful daughters. Jillian is 12 and Hailey is 10. We have a lot of fun together fishing and spending time at the beach in New Jersey. As one can www.rtands.com
American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association 10003 Derekwood Lane, Suite 210, Lanham, MD 20706-4362 Phone: +1.301.459.3200 / Fax: +1.301.459.8077 www.arema.org
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AREMA NEWS
Arema committee 6 meets in seattle
AREMA Publications 2012 Manual for Railway Engineering© NEW CHAPTER 10 - Structures, Maintenance and Construction. There have been numerous updates to more than 5,000 pages of the Manual for Railway Engineering. The chapters are grouped into four general categories, each in a separate volume: • Track • Structures • Infrastructure & Passenger • Systems Management. The Manual is an annual publication, released every April. The Manual is available in four-volume looseleaf format, CD-ROM, revision set (looseleaf only) and individual chapters (looseleaf format only).
AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook© The AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook provides a comprehensive source of information and criteria for bridge inspections for engineers engaged in the assessment of railway bridges. This handbook is published as a guide to establishing policies and practices relative to bridge inspection. It covers such topics as confined spaces, site conditions, loads & forces, nomenclature, bridge decks, timber, concrete & steel bridges, movable bridges, tunnel and culvert inspections, and emergency & post-earthquake inspections. Also included are many color photographed examples in several chapters, as well as a glossary in the back of the book. To order any of the AREMA publications, please log on to www.arema.org or contact Beth Caruso at +1.301.459.3200, ext. 701, or bcaruso@arema.org. 40 Railway Track & Structures
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2012 Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices© The Communications & Signals Manual is a manual of recommended practices written by AREMA technical committees in the interest of establishing uniformity, promoting safety or efficiency and economy. The Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices is an annual publication released every October. “New” Edition available October 2013.
Practical Guide to Railway Engineering© This guide provides a comprehensive overview and understanding of the railway system. Whether you are new to the rail industry or a long-time contributor wanting to learn more, this bound book and CD-ROM offer in-depth coverage of railway fundamentals and serve as an excellent reference. (Also available in a CD-ROM version only.)
Portfolio of Trackwork Plans© New Edition NOW AVAILABLE The Portfolio of Trackwork Plans consists of plans and specifications that relate to the design, details, materials and workmanship for switches, frogs, turnouts and crossovers, crossings, rails and other special trackwork. This is a companion volume to the Manual for Railway Engineering.
On May 6 and 7, Committee 6 Buildings and Support Facilities, held its spring meeting in Seattle, WA, hosted by Amtrak. As part of the meeting, the committee received a tour of the new Progressive Maintenance Building for servicing the Cascades Corridor rolling stock, including the TALGO trainsets. After the workshop tour, the group toured the new Amtrak office building and materials warehouse and the Sounder Light Rail Maintenance Facility.
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Nominees for Election to the 2012-2013 AREMA Functional Group Board of Directors Nominated For Senior Vice President Name Joseph A. Smak Title Director – Track Standards & Specifications Organization/Company Amtrak Smak began his career in 1980 as an engineering associate with Conrail. He also held the positions of field engineer of special projects, field engineer planning and support and engineer field services at Conrail. From 1999 to 2008, he held various positions at CSX, such as engineer field services, general engineering inspector and engineer track rail services. In 2008, he accepted a position at Amtrak as director track standards and specifications, his current position. He holds a BS degree in Civil Engineering from Pennsylvania State University. Smak has been heavily involved with Committee 4 as the secretary, vice chairman and chairman. He is currently on the Functional Group Board of Directors as group vice president – Track. He has also been on the Publications Committee, which oversees the review of the manual prior to the production of the Manual for Railway Engineering. He is a member of the American Society of Non Destructive Testing. Joined AREMA or Predecessor Organization Joined AREA in 1985/RDM in 1996
Vice President – Maintenance Nominated For Name Donald R. (Ricky) Briggs Director of Safety and Training Title Organization/Company Kansas City Southern Railway Briggs started his career working part time on the section gang in 1979 through 1980 for KCS. His full-time career started in 1981 in the engineering office drafting, developing plans and designs for new tracks and revisions to yards and industry facilities. He has held a variety of positions at KCS which includes assistant engineer, project manager, capital project engineer, assistant bridge engineer and bridge engineer. He was promoted to the director of budgeting and administration, handling operating expenses and capital projects for the Engineering Department. His current position since 2006, is director of safety and training for the Engineering Department. He holds a BS Technical – Mechanical Engineering degree from Louisiana Polytechnical. Briggs is a member of the National Safety Council and the AAR – RSAC. Briggs is currently on the Functional Group Board of Directors as group vice president – Maintenance. He is also involved in Committees 5, 24, 40 and 41. He’s a past member of B&B and Roadmasters. Joined AREMA or Joined B&B in 1992 Predecessor Organization
Vice President – Track Nominated For Name Randy L. Bowman Engineer Track & Materials Title Organization/Company Norfolk Southern Corporation Bowman has worked for Norfolk Souther n for more than 26 years and began his career in 1985 as a metallurgical engineer. In 1993, he began a new position as a senior metallurgical engineer and in 2003, he was engineer materials. In 2006, he was promoted to his current position as engineer track and materials. He holds a BS degree in Materials Engineering from North Carolina State University. Bowman has been active in AREMA and its predecessor organization AREA for more than 20 years. He’s been the secretary, vice chairman and chairman of AREMA Committee 4 and the subcommittee chair of Committee 5. He has previously served on the Functional Group Board of Directors as director and group vice president – Track. He also served as chairman on the AREMA Membership Committee. Bowman is also a member of Gideons International and the Transportation Research Board Committee AR050 Track Design. Joined AREMA or Predecessor Organization Joined AREA in 1991/B&B in 1995
Nominated For Vice President – Passenger & Transit Name Arthur E. Misiaszek, PE Senior Director – Stimulus Title Organization/Company Amtrak Misiaszek has more than 30 years of maintenance, design and construction experience, especially on multi-discipline complex projects. He began his career in 1978 with Conrail. He held various engineering positions through 1990. From 1990 to 1993, he was a project manager, manager of estimating and field services and conversion systems. From 1993 to the present, he has held various engineering positions with Amtrak and currently holds the position of senior director - Stimulus. He holds a BS degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Clarkson College of Technology and he has a Masters Certificate in Project Management from George Washington University. He has a Professional Engineer designation. Misiaszek is the prior secretary, vice chairman and chairman of Committee 17. He was also a prior member of the Nominating Committee. He has served on the Membership committee in the past and is currently the chairman of that Committee. He is also currently serving on the Functional Group Board of Directors as director – Passenger & Transit. Joined AREMA or Predecessor Organization Joined AREA in 1985/RDM in 1984
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AREMA NEWS Nominated For
Vice President – Communications and Signals Name James G. LeVere Title Assistant Vice President - Signal Organization/Company BNSF Railway LeVere has worked at BNSF or BN for more than 30 years. He has held a variety of positions such as signal standards engineer, manager special projects – signal, manager signal, director signal, general director line maintenance and his current position as assistant vice president – signal. The positions he has held have given him a broad exposure to the signal and communications environment. Additionally, his personal development in the line maintenance area has broadened his insight for the need for all departments to work across functional boundaries to ensure safe and reliable infrastr ucture. He’s worked with public agencies and suppliers to ensure that technology is deployed effectively. He studied electrical engineering at Colorado State University. He also attended Metropolitan State College and holds a BS – EET degree. LeVere is a member of IEEE. He has been active in AREMA and predecessor organizations and is currently on the Functional Group Board of Directors as director – Communications and Signals. Joined AREMA or Predecessor Organization Joined AREA in 1998
Director – Track Nominated For James E. Beyerl, PE Name Engineer Standards, II Title Organization/Company CSX Transportation Beyerl has 37 years of railroad exper ience . He began his railroad career in 1976 as a management trainee at Conrail/Penn Central. He held var ious positions such as track super visor, production/project engineer and engineer track analysis. From 1994 1999, he was engineer standards at Conrail. In 1999 until the present time, he has been engineer standards at CSX Corporation. He holds a BS deg ree in Civil Eng ineer ing from Norwich University. He has a Professional Engineer designation. Beyerl has been active on Committee 5, having ser ved as secretary, vice chairman and chairman. He is also involved with Committee 30. He is a member of ASCE. Joined AREMA or Predecessor Organization Joined AREA in 1988/RDM in 1997 42 Railway Track & Structures
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Nominated For Director – Engineering Services Ronald M. Gagné Name Manager, Track Evaluation Title Organization/Company Canadian Pacific Gagne has worked at Canadian Pacific since 1986 and has held various positions such as analyst – eng ineer ing , senior analyst systems, super visor track evaluation systems and manager track evaluation contracts. His current position is manager track evaluation. For the past 30 years, he has been involved in the design, testing and implementation of state-of-the-art track measuring systems, pioneering several technologies used in the prevention of track geometr y derailments and asset management. He holds a Computer Systems Analyst deg ree from Herzing Institute of Technology and ear ned a Social Sciences deg ree from Cegep Saint-Jean -sur-Richelieu. Gagne has been active on Committee 2, having served as secretary, vice chairman and chairman. Joined AREMA or Predecessor Organization Joined AREA in 1996
Nominated For Name Title Organization/Company
Director – Maintenance Paul M. Dannelly General Director MOW Union Pacific Railroad (Retired) Dannelly began his career on the System Rail Gangs for Union Pacific Railroad in May of 1975. He has held a variety of positions at Union Pacific Railroad; section man, section foreman, gang foreman and equipment operator. He advanced to roadmaster in 1981 and in 1984, became the general roadmaster. In 1992, he was promoted to the position of manager of special projects in Omaha where he was involved with maintenance activities in Mexico with the FNM railroad doing tie and surfacing projects. In 1994, he became the director of track projects, splitting his time equally between rail and tie gangs. In 1998, he was promoted to the position of director of track maintenance. He currently holds the position of general director MOW. Dannelly is currently a member of the Functional Group Board of Directors as director – Maintenance. He has presented at numerous AREMA Conferences and was the vice chairman of Committee 41. Joined AREMA or Predecessor Organization Joined RDM in 1983 www.rtands.com
Nominated For Director – Passenger & Transit Name Nathan J. Higgins, PEng, PE Title Senior Vice President Organization/Company Hatch Mott MacDonald, Ltd. Higgins began his career in 1988 as an engineering assistant at Canadian National Railway. He held various positions at Falconbridge, Ontario Northland Railway, Systra and HDR Corporation and currently works at Hatch Mott MacDonald, Ltd. as senior vice president. He holds a B. Sc. degree in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University at Kingston. Higg ins is a member of the Canadian Society for Civil Eng ineer ing , Amer ican Society of Civil Engineers and Per manent Way Institution. He has been ver y active on Committee 17, having ser ved as committee chair man from 2001-2004 and as subcommittee chair man, as well. He is a cur rent member of the AREMA Membership Committee. Joined AREMA or Predecessor Organization Joined AREA in 1988/B&B in 1989/RDM in 1991
Nominated For
Nominated For
Nominated For Director – Structures Name John L. Carrato, PE, SE President & CEO Title Organization/Company Alfred Benesch and Company Car rato began his career at Alfred Benesch and Company in 1980. He holds BS and MS Civil Engineering deg rees from the Univer sity of Illinois UrbanaChampaign. He has Professional and Str uctural Engineer designations. He was the chair of the Building Code Review Board for the Village of Arlington Heights, Ill. He was the 2001 Civil Engineer of the Year/American Society of Civil Engineers (Illinois Section). Carrato is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Concrete Institute, American Council of Engineering Companies – Illinois, Maintenance of Way Club of Chicago, Structural Engineering Institute and Structural Engineers Association of Illinois. He is a past chairman of Committee 15 and Subcommittee 1 – Design of Committee 15. Joined AREMA or Predecessor Organization Joined AREA in 1981/B&B in 1988
Director – Communications and Signals E. Keith Holt Name Title Deputy Chief Engineer C&S Organization/Company Amtrak Holt has 37 years of experience in railway signaling and communications. He began his career in 1975 at Safetran Systems Corp. in Louisville, Ky., where he held positions of signal engineer, project engineer and chief engineer, signal systems. He joined Union Switch & Signal in 1983, where he held positions of super visor and manager of application engineering. In 1990 he joined Amtrak as senior director C&S construction and in 1992, became deputy chief engineer, in charge of the Communications & Signals Department. He holds a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Western KY University. Holt ser ved on the Committee of Direction of the C&S Division of AAR. He has previously ser ved on the AREMA Board of Directors as director – Communications & Signals (two terms) and has served as subcommittee chairman of Committee 37-3 for the past four years. Joined AREMA or Predecessor Organization Joined AREA in 1998
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Director – Communications and Signals Victor R. Babin Name Title Chief Engineering Officer Organization/Company Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation (NICTD) Babin has worked at NICTD since 1991. He was hired as a chief electrical engineer and currently holds the position of chief engineering officer. He has a BS ET degree from Purdue University. Babin is a fellow, Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) and is a member, Local Committee, IRSE North American Section. He was an associate member of AAR Committee E from 1994-1997. He’s a member of Purdue University Calumet Department of Electrical Engineering Technology Industrial Advisory Committee and he’s a member of Northwest Indiana Rail Vision Working Group. He has been heavily involved with Committee 37 and was the vice chairman and chairman. He is also the chairman of AREMA Subcommittee 37-3. Joined AREMA or Predecessor Organization Joined AREA in 1997
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Ad Index Company
Phone #
AREMA Marketing Department Auto Truck Group Balfour Beatty Rail, Inc. Ballast Tools Inc. Danella Rental Systems, Inc. Dixie PreCast Encore Rail Systems, Inc. GENSCO America, Inc. Georgetown Rail Equipment Co. Harsco Rail Herzog Railroad Services, Inc. Hougen Manufacturing, Inc. HYTORC Knox Kershaw, Inc. L.B. Foster Co. - Friction Management Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc. Neel Company, The NMC, Inc. Nordco Inc. Plasser American Corp. Progress Rail Services Corp. - Leasing Racine Railroad Products RAILCET Rail Construction Equipment Co. Railway Educational Bureau, The Sealeze Tensar International Corp. Unitrac Railroad Materials, Inc. V & H Inc., Trucks Willamette Valley Company
Fax#
e-mail address
301-459-3200 301-459-8077 marketing@arema.org 816-412-2131 816-412-2191 eschoenfeld@autotruck.com 888-250-5746 904-378-7298 info@bbri.com 636-937-3326 636-937-3386 sales@ballasttools.com 610-828-6200 610-828-2260 pbarents@danella.com 770-94401930 770-944-9136 fbrown142@aol.com 866-712-7622 303-922-6178 www.encorers.com 416-465-7521 416-465-4489 info@genscoequip.com 512-869-1542 ext.228 512-863-0405 karen@georgetownrail.com 803-822-7551 803-822-7521 mteeter@harsco.com 816-233-9002 816-233-7757 tfrancis@hrsi.com 866-245-3745 800-309-3299 info@trak-star.com 201-512-9500 201-512-9615 btapp@hytorc.com 334-387-5669 ext.208 334-387-4554 knox@knoxkershaw.com 412-928-3506 412-928-3512 glippard@lbfosterco.com 763-478-6014 763-478-2221 sales@loram.com 703-913-7858 703-913-7859 btemple@neelco.com 402-891-7745 866-662-7799 info@nmcrail.com 414-766-2180 414-766-2379 info@nordco.com 757-543-3526 757-494-7186 plasseramerican@plausa.com 810-714-4626 810-714-4680 ddaugherty@progressrail.com 262-637-9681 262-637-9069 custserv@racinerailroad.com 866-724-5238 217-522-6588 grif1020@yahoo.com 866-472-4570 dennishanke@rcequip.com 630-355-7173 402-346-4300 402-346-1783 bbrundige@sb-reb.com 804-275-1675 ext.235 smaclaughlin@sealeze.com 404-214-5374 cmgovern@tensarcorp.com 404-250-9185 412-298-0915 865-693-9162 ppietrandrea@unitracrail.com 913-780-6526 913-780-0045 b.boehm@vhtrucks.com 541-284-2096 541-484-9621 03alishab@wilvaco.com
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Reader Referral Service This section has been created solely for the convenience of our readers to facilitate immediate contact with the RAILWAY TRACK & STRUCTURES advertisers in this issue. The Advertisers Index is an editorial feature maintained for the convenience of readers. It is not part of the advertiser contract and RTS assumes no responsibility for the correctness.
Advertising Sales general sales OFFICE Jonathan Chalon Publisher (212) 620-7224 345 Hudson St. Fax: (212) 620-7224 New York, NY 10014 jchalon@sbpub.com AL, AR, IN, KY, LA, MI, MS, OH, OK, TN, TX Emily Kalmus (312) 683-5021 20 South Clark Street Fax: (312) 683-0131 Ste. 2450 Chicago, IL 60603 ekalmus@sbpub.com CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA, WV, Canada Quebec and East, Ontario Mark Connolly (212) 620-7260 345 Hudson St. Fax: (212) 633-1863 New York, NY 10014 mconnolly@sbpub.com
48 Railway Track & Structures
AK, AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, KS, MN, MO, MT, NE, NM, ND, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, WY, Canada -足AB, BC, MB, SK Heather Disabato (312) 683-5026 20 South Clark Street Fax: (312) 683-0131 Ste. 2450 Chicago, IL 60603 hdisabato@sbpub.com Responsible for advertisement sales in all parts of the world, except Italy, Italianspeaking Switzerland, Japan, and North America. See the contacts Donna Edwards Suite K5 & K6 The Priory +44-1444-416368 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom de@railjournal.co.uk
August 2012
Australia, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Middle East, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Scandinavia, South Africa, South America, Spain, Worldwide Recruitment Steven Barnes Suite K5 &K6 The Priory +44-1444-416368 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom sales@railjournal.co.uk
Japan Katsuhiro Ishii Ace Media Service, Inc. 12-6 4-Chome, +81-3-5691-3335 Nishiiko, Adachi-Ku Fax: +81-3-5691-3336 Tokyo 121-0824, Japan amkatsu@dream.com Classified, Professional & Employment Craig Wilson (212) 620-7211 345 Hudson St. Fax: (212) 633-1325 New York, NY 10014 cwilson@sbpub.com
Italy & Italian-speaking Switzerland Dr. Fabio Potesta Media Point & Communications SRL Corte Lambruschini Corso Buenos Aires 8 +39-10-570-4948 V Piano, Int 9 Fax: +39-10-553-0088 16129 Genoa, Italy info@mediapointsrl.it
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CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 5-6. Railway Bridge Engineering. University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison, Wis. Contact: Dave Peterson. Phone: 608-262-2813. E-mail: peterson@epd. engr.wisc.edu. Website: http://epdweb.engr.wisc.edu/ WEBN391. 8-11. ASLRRA Central Pacific Region Meeting. The Depot Renaissance. Minneapolis, Minn. Phone: 202-628-4500. Website: www.aslrra.org. 16-19. AREMA Annual Conference & Exposition. Hilton Chicago. Chicago, Ill. Contact: Vickie Fisher. E-mail: vfisher@arema.org. Website: www.arema.org. 18-21. InnoTrans 2012. Messe Berlin Convention Center. Berlin, Germany. Phone: 732-933-1118. E-mail: mjbalve@ globaltradeshow.com. Website: www.innotrans.com. 30-Oct. 3. APTA Annual Meeting. Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Washington State Convention and Trade Center. Seattle, Wash. Contact: Anitha Atkins. Phone: 202-4964839. E-mail: aatkins@apta.com. OCTOBER 10-11. Railway Age Passenger Trains on Freight Railroads. Washington Marriott. Washington, D.C. Contact: Jane Poterala. Phone: 212-620-7209. E-mail: jpoterala@sbpub.com. Website: www.railwayage.com. 13-16. ASLRRA Eastern Region Meeting. Hilton Scranton and Radisson Lackawanna Station. Scranton, Pa. Phone: 202-628-4500. Website: www.aslrra.org. 16-17. 2012 Railroad Environmental Conference. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Urbana, Ill. Contact: Kimberly Schlichting. Phone: 217-244-0841. Fax: 217-333-9464. Website: http://ict.uiuc.edu/railroad/RREC/ overview.php. 23-25. Railway Tie Association 94th Annual Symposium and Technical Conference. Tampa Marriott Waterside and Marina. Tampa, Fla. Contact: Debbie Corallo. Phone: 770460-5553. E-mail: dcorallo@rta.org. Website: www.rta.org. NOVEMBER 11-13. ASLRRA Southern Region Meeting. Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort. Birmingham, Ala. Phone: 202-6284500. Website: www.aslrra.org. JANUARY 2013 9-12. 2013 NRC Annual Conference & Exposition. Loews Miami Beach Hotel. Miami Beach, Fla. Phone: 202-7152919. E-mail: info@nrcma.org. Website: www.nrcma.org. 13-17. Transportation Research Board 92nd Annual Meeting. Marriott Wardman Park, Omni Shoreham and Washington Hilton. Washington, D.C. Phone: 202334-3504. Website: www.trb.org/AnnualMeeting2013/ AnnualMeeting2013.aspx. SEPTEMBER 2013 29-Oct. 2. Railway Interchange 2013. Indianapolis, Ind. Website: www.railwayinterchange.org. www.rtands.com
Railway Track & Structures
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PRODUCTS
Shielded connectors Belden Inc., signal transmission solutions company for mission-critical applications, added rugged M12 shielded railway connectors to its Lumberg Automation product range. The railway connectors are specially-designed for use in trains while complying with EN 50155, IEC 61373 and DIN CLC/TS 50467 railway standards. The M12 connectors are four-pin D-coding (ProfiNet) and come in either a molded (single- or double-ended) cordset or field, attachable version. The field-attachable version has threaded joints and spring-type terminals enabling simple assembly, while both feature Cat 5 and Cat 5e transmission characteristics in accordance with ISO IEC 11801 and TIA/EIA-568-B.2. Having a number of choices allows for flexibility in the installation process. There are a variety of applications suitable for these connectors, including networking control modules for doors and air conditioning in trains. The shielded railway connectors can also be used in combination with IP cameras or infotainment systems. While the housings of the molded connectors are made of PA plastic, the field-attachable versions consist of nickel-plated die-cast zinc. There are a number of cable options and variable cable lengths including irradiated, halogen-free polymer (FRNC) with a 22-gauge cross-section diameter. The single- and double-ended ProfiNet cordsets are offered in lengths of two, five or 10 meters. Other cable lengths are available upon request. Phone: 510-580-2767.
Terminal block connectors WAGO Corporation introduced its connectors for larger terminal blocks, which is said to extend the functionality of WAGO Corporation’s TOPJOB®S 2006, 2010 and 2016 Series Terminal Blocks. TOPJOB S connectors insert directly into jumper slots to connect sub-assemblies and test circuits. Accommodating conductors 20–10 AWG, the connectors also provide power tap or supply options for testing. For additional versatility, the modular connectors can be snapped together, creating custom connector strips. Optional accessories that complement the connectors include strain relief plates and spacer modules used for skipping individual blocks within an assembly. Phone: 1-800-346-7245. 46 Railway Track & Structures
August 2012
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NEW & USED EQUIPMENT
NELSON SERVICES, INC.
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E-Mail: RelamCFE@aol.com Tel: 440-439-7088 Fax: 440-439-9399
EQUIPMENT FOR SHORT OR LONG TERM LEASE HARSCO TAMPERS 6700S Switch & Production Tampers – 2010, 2009 & 2008 3300 Chase Tampers 3000 Tampers w/Raise & Line or Chase Tampers 2008 - 2006 2400 Tampers w/Raise & Line, 900 Tampers w/Jacks TIE INSERTERS/EXTRACTORS Nordco Tripps – 2008 & 2007 TR-10s & TKOs 925 S/Ss and Standards KNOX KERSHAW REGULATORS, KRIBBER/ADZERS, TIE CRANES & PLATE BROOMS KBR-850, 875, 925 Ballast Regulators & Snow Fighters – 2009 & 2008 KTC-1200 Tie Cranes – 2008, 2007 & 2006 KKA-1000s Kribber/Adzers – 2009, 2008 & 2007 KPB-200 Plate Brooms NORDCO ANCHOR APPLICATORS, SPIKERS & GRABBERS Models E & F Anchor Machines Models CX & S/S Spikers – 2008, 2007 & 2006 Model SP2R Dual Grabbers – 2008, 2007 & 2006 RACINE DUAL ANCHOR SPREADERS, SQUEEZERS, TPIs, DUAL CLIP APPLICATORS, OTM RECLAIMERS AND ANCHOR APPLICATORS HI-RAIL CRANES & SPEEDSWINGS Pettibone Model 445E Speedswings w/Multiple Attachments Geismar 360 Hi-Rail Excavators with Cold Air Blowers Badger 30 Ton Cranes HI-RAIL ROTARY DUMPS, GRAPPLE TRUCKS & EXCAVATORS Gradall XL3300 Series III w/Digging Buckets & Brush Cutter - 2008 Badger 1085R with Brush Cutter and Ditch Cleaning Bucket Nordco_Rebuild_Update8_11.qxd
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8/25/11
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22615 120th Ave., Thief River Falls, MN 56701 Call Mike 218-686-7376 • Fax 218-681-7111 Email nelsonservices@wiktel.com 5 kershaw tie cranes ...................................................lease/sale 4 fairmont spikers ........................................................lease/sale Caboose Office .................................................................... sale 1 burro model 40 w/magnet ........................................lease/sale 3 kershaw 26 side entry regulators .............................lease/sale 2 kershaw scarifers ....................................................lease/sale Box Car Office .............................................................lease/sale 1 teleweld 32 burner rail htr self propelled with vibrator 1 tr 10 tie inserter/remover wide cab .................................... sale 1 2002 sterling Rotary dump truck with hy-rails & grapple ........................................................................lease/sale 2 1995 ford rotary dump trucks with hy-rails & grapple 1995 white Volvo grapple truck w/hyrails & apprentice 120c grapple ........................................................................lease/sale 1 2001 freightliner 4 dr crew truck w/crane & hyrails 2 pettibone 441 B speedswings with tote hook Check out other equipment for lease or sale at our website www.nelsonservices.com Excellent Financing Available on All Units!
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FROM
THE
GROUND
UP
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Rebuilt 6700 Workheads
Rebuilt Tamper Workheads
HST Hydraulic Switch Tamper
Quality Rebuilt MOW Machines, Expert Repair. Nordco, the leading designer and manufacturer of Maintenance-of-Way Machines, will rebuild your existing machine from the frame up, delivering like-new equipment. Rebuilt machines include: • CX Hammer • Grabber •Super Claw • Auto-Lift • Anchor Applicator • Snow Fighters • Regulators • TRIPP • Rail Cranes • Tampers. Nordco also offers rebuilt workhead assemblies, running repairs and an entire fleet of MOW equipment for sale or rental.
www.nordco.com Oak Creek, Wisconsin • Arcola, Illinois
Call 217-268-4823 today for more information. J.E.R. Overhaul is now Nordco www.rtands.com
Railway Track & Structures
August 2012 51
NEW & USED EQUIPMENT Some things never change. Quality, Service, and Dependability. Since 1910.
ATTENTION RAILROAD CONTRACTORS AND ENGINEERS Wanted to buy: locomotive (running or not), tank cars, for parts. Also car bodies (flatcars) for 150-ton and 300-ton railroad crane. Mowing and cleaning the right of way. Chemical spraying on railroad abandoned property. Want to buy a railroad siding in the Western USA and one in the Eastern USA. Also want to obtain railroad property with rail, road service, truck and barge terminal. Also for unloading trains, barges, cut up locomotive, railroad rolling stocks and loading truck for heavy loads. Selling of railroad parts and buyer of salvage surplus material. Rebuilding parts for resale.
The Strength To Deliver
Hi-Rail Grapple Trucks Magnets & Self Propelled
Contact Jerry Stanton, ECO Consulting Group, USA Kentock Group Ltd, 215-758-1698 or 267-997-8133 phone, fax 215-8649665, email jerrystanton95@gmail.com.
Products and services
Hi-Rail Section Trucks Telescoping & Articulating Cranes
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RT&S Classified Section Craig Wilson 212-620-7211 cwilson@sbpub.com s r
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Professional Directory
WEED & BRUSH SPRAYING Specialized fleet of computer operated sprayers
Tree Trimming/Brush Cutting
Line Clearance-Hazardous Trees-Whole tree chipping
POLE LINE REMOVAL
A variety of on/off track removal equipment
Road Crossing Site Safety Maintenance Re-cut & Herbicide Programs 800.822.9246 www.merciers.com
Mercier’s
NEW & USED EQUIPMENT Products and services
BROWN RAIL • ROAD EQUIPMENT, INC.
B
(yard) (office) 5530 Dial Dr.,Granite City, IL 62040 4 Amersham Court, Glen Carbon, IL 62034 Phone: 618-288 6698 • Fax: 618-288-6877 e-mail: brownrr1357@att.net web site: www.brownrr.com
QTY MAKE DESCRIPTION ENGINE MODEL PRICE 4 Nordberg Spike Drive-Dual Diesel Super B $6,500 1 Nordberg Spike Drive-Dual Diesel B $7,500 2 Geismar E Clip Applicator Gas AP21 $6,750 1 Cannon Undercutter Diesel G04 $38,500 1 Racine Anchor Applicator Diesel AF $11,500 5 Nordberg Tie Drill-Dual Gas KT $8,500 2 Racine Anchor Tite-Dual Diesel DAT $19,250 1 Racine Rail Vibrator-Dual Diesel DTV $24,500 2 Kershaw Cribber Diesel 16-3 Lease 1 Safetran Bolt Machine Gas C $6,500 4 Geismar Truck Jacks Diesel PUM $35,000 2 Shop Rail Pullers Gas D $6,500 200 Fairmont Motor Cars Gas All $2,500+
New High Speed Turnout Design For a free report in PDF format send request to HerbLandow@yahoo.com
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ARF Ltd.
Electrical troubleshooting and parts For Mark I, II, III tampers P.O. Box 224 Humboldt, IL 61931 Phone 217-856-3540 Fax 217-856-2193 Railway Track & Structures
August 2012 49
Field Report
Cooperation gets the job done
Top, NS’ super tie gang TS-8 at work. Below, ties marked with white paint will be replaced.
52 Railway Track & Structures
This past June, RT&S traveled to Ohio to spend the day with Norfolk Southern super tie gang TS-8. The gang was NS’ 2010 top-producing tie gang and consists of 39 machines and 58 men from various backgrounds, locales and ages. The gang’s crew includes former military, veteran railroaders, new hires and several mechanics ready to jump into action at the drop of a hat or leak from a hydraulic line. No matter the background, they are all intent on one goal: getting the job done. The day began with a safety briefing, stretching exercises and was then followed up by one of the machines derailing. Mike Robinson, process engineer, explained the only hindrances to the tie gang were down time and track time. On this morning, the down time was short as the quick response of the crew had the machine back on the rails and the tie gang replacing ties within an hour. The members of TS-8 are focused on their job but still bring a jovial attitude to it. When asked what keeps them coming back to work, many of the responses pointed to a family-like feeling among the
August 2012
crew members. A good thing to have with a group who works four days a week in all weather conditions and on average, installs 2,500 ties during the 10 hour work day. Cooperation among the crew is one facet of a successful maintenance operation; the second is cooperation between the railroad and maintenance machine manufacturers. TS-8 utilizes an unmanned DRONE Chase Tamper from Harsco Rail and was also testing the next machine to employ the DRONE technology, an anchor adjuster. The DRONE technology was developed with increased production in mind and both the manufacturer and the railroad see the technology as a chance to move manpower to where it will be better used on the gang. Jon Mick, senior supervisor said it’s useful to have a place to test prototype machines because, “there’s a learning curve with all new equipment and if they can’t test it, it can’t be improved.” Whether a tie gang member or manufacturer, one motivation for a job well done is getting to see the final results. As the last of the machines passed by, revealing the retimbered and resurfaced section of track, Mick pointed down the line and said, “This is the best thing for the men, getting to see the finished product. It just looks good.” Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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