RT&S 0113

January 2013 | www.rtands.com

On the Hunt for

Rail Flaws plus A Plan for Weeds Shortline M/W: Coos Bay Rail Link Safety Focus: WMATA And also AREMA News p.31

Contents

RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

January 2013

News

5

Features

15

Industry Today 5 Supplier News 9 People

Weed control can be a long journey The latest brushcutting technolgoies and herbicide treatments help railroads control the unrelenting encroachment of Mother Nature.

Columns

15

19

Coos Bay Rail Link rail rehab project After an abrubt shut down in 2007, a rail line in Oregon gets new owners, new operators and a multimillion dollar makeover.

23

WMATA: A look at transit safety development The transit agency has spent the past three and a half years revitalizing its safety program.

3

10

27

27

A hunt for defects on the rails A look at how the industry’s railflaw detectors deal with tight work windows, accuracy and finding flaws that can cause major headaches.

A Herzog Services, Inc., vehicle testing for rail flaws along a bridge.

On Track Shortlines and the community

NRC Chairman’s Column On to the challenges of 2013

Story on page 27.

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Departments 11 TTCI R&D 31 Arema News 36 Products 37 Advertisers Index 37 Sales Representatives 38 Calendar 39 Classified Advertising 40 Professional Directory

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19

Railway Track & Structures

January 2013 1

On Track

RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

Vol. 109, No. 1 Print ISSN # 0033-9016, Digital ISSN # 2160-2514 EDITORIAL OFFICES 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910 Chicago, Ill. 60603 Telephone (312) 683-0130 Fax (312) 683-0131 Website www.rtands.com Mischa Wanek-Libman/Editor, mischa@sbpub.com Jennifer Nunez/Assistant Editor, jnunez@sbpub.com CORPORATE OFFICES 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 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.

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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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Community building blocks

S

hortline and regional railroads’ place in the freight system has long been established as the first mile and the last mile of transport.

Where those first and last miles are located geographically packs a large wallop on a local economy.

I was privileged this past November to travel out to Oregon and view the ongoing rehabilitation work being performed on the Coos Bay Rail Link (CBR). I flew out thinking I was going to find a pretty straight forward construction story: line given up, line purchased, money found for rehab, contractor awarded and construction underway. While the rehabilitation part of CBR’s story appears on page 19 of this issue, there is a second major element to this story: The railroad’s effect on the surrounding community.

The rail line’s 2007 sudden shut down left many scrambling for alterative jobs and transportation options. The shut down nearly spelled disaster for American Bridge in Reedsport, Ore. The company, which manufactured many of the original steel spans still in use on CBR, had a project stranded because of the service termination, which added an unexpected $4,000 to the transportation cost of the project. According to Fred Jacquot, sales manager of American Bridge, within a year of the shut down, there was a sapling growing in the tracks on American Bridge property, the company lost the ability to compete at a national level and its work force was reduced from 100 to 10.

Without a rail connection, American Bridge’s survival was threatened.

Now, more than a year after service has returned to the line, Jacquot says the company is back up to 55 employees and is in the middle of a large project for Portland’s TriMet. When asked whether the company would bid on anticipated bridge work on the rail line, Jacquot broke out in a large grin and said, “Absolutely, we look forward

to the opportunity.”

In addition to American Bridge, the rail line’s positive effect expands to former railroaders returning to their jobs, sawmill shipments increasing, added longshoreman jobs at the Port of Coos Bay due to increased traffic and many of the rail contracts have been awarded to local companies.

This kind of community impact, while significant, is not unusual for a shortline railroad. Early in 2012, a group of farmers and business leaders who did not want to loose their rail connection purchased 30 miles of track that was set to be abandoned.

The community group’s reason for making the rail purchase and turning it over to a shortline operator is the same reason the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay had for buying the CBR line: Once rail service leaves, it rarely, if ever, returns.

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association says there are more then 550 smaller railroads in existence and that means more than 550 communities that depend on those railroads for jobs, movement of goods and other commerce growth.

In 2013, RT&S will focus more of its feature editorial coverage toward shortline and regional railroads. In addition to the Coos Bay Rail Link story in this issue, we’ll look at the importance of the shortline tax credit in March to coordinate with Railroad Day on the Hill (you’re attending, right?) and we have two articles planned in our April and September issues to coordinate with major industry conferences. We look forward to detailing the innovative ways the nation’s smaller railroads continue to fill their large roles.

Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor

Railway Track & Structures

January 2013 3

INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Axion International Holdings, Inc., received its third purchase order for an additional 270 switch ties from San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit.

L.B. Foster Co. agreed on a multi-year contract extension with Union Pacific for the supply of prestressed concrete railroad ties from its Tucson, Ariz., facility.

IntegriCo Composites, Inc., recently had a railroad company in Mexico install its recycled plastic railroad ties in track.

Kimley-Horn and AECOM received preliminary engineering contracts, each for $16.8 million, for the Southwest Light Rail Transit line in Minnesota.

Rideau Transit Group was awarded a CA$2.1billion (US$ 2.118-billion) contract to design, build, finance and maintain the Ottawa Light Rail Transit project in

KCS’ Starling outlines U.S./Mexico infrastructure plans for 2013 David L. Starling, Kansas City Southern’s president and CEO, outlined the state of the railroad in a letter posted to the KCS website and dated Dec. 21. Starling says the railroad’s 125th anniversary year has been a success; something he aims to continue into 2013.

The upcoming year will further develop KCS’ cross-border gateway strategy to extend its network reach, which includes extensive investment in infrastructure on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

In the U.S., production gangs installed more than 600,000 ties and 47 track miles of new rail in 2012. Additionally, the first bridge was replaced in the Sabine River bottoms with the second bridge replacement set to be completed in second quarter 2013. The Gulfport TIGER stimulus project, which included replacement of 60 miles of rail, 67,500 ties and $12 million in bridge improvements, including five major bridge rehabilitations, was also completed. Finally, work progressed on the Shreveport Terminal Complex with expected completion in second quarter 2013. Upon completion, KCS will have doubled the length of mainline with uninterrupted 30 mile-per-hour track through the area.

Starling said 2013 will be another big year for track, capacity and capital projects tied to new business development. Major projects will include replacement of 550,000 ties and 20 miles of curved rail across the U.S. network, new siding construction in San Diego, Texas and completion of the Shreveport Terminal Complex expansion project with additional Centralized Traffic Control.

In Mexico, KCS installed the highest number of ties to date. Projects completed in 2012 included the installation of 342,780 wood and concrete ties between Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo, upgrading and replacing track, constructing new turnouts and culverts and a maintenance-of-way project that increased speeds along key routes.

KCS’ 2013 Mexico track investment will continue with its primary project of installing 27 miles of new 136-pound rail and 75,000 concrete ties on the line between Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo, replacing and installing ties elsewhere on the system, undercutting and beginning the second phase of Sanchez yard, which includes more switch tracks, a north lead and locomotive and car repair tracks as part of the five-year plan for the yard.

“The Operations department continues to invest smartly ahead of growth in both the U.S. and Mexico. We are consistently impressed by our team’s ability to accept and meet new challenges. Our franchise is unique, as are our opportunities and we continue to develop innovative ways to meet our customers’ needs as we progress to becoming the best growth story in North America,” said Starling.

The February issue of RT&S will contain more on the railroads’ projected capital expenditures in 2013.

STB grants approval to GWI’s acquisition of RailAmerica The U.S. Surface Transportation Board approved the application of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) to control RailAmerica, Inc., and the RailAmerica railroads, effective December 28, 2012. The voting trust that controlled RailAmerica since the transaction closed on October 1, 2012, was dissolved on December 28, 2012. Thereafter, GWI assumed control of RailAmerica and began integration of the two companies.

GWI’s acquisition of RailAmerica will combine the two largest shortline and regional rail operators in North America, strengthening GWI’s ability to serve its

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industrial customers and Class 1 railroad partners. In a statement announcing the acquisition, GWI stated the combination should yield significant synergies and provide strong leverage to the eventual recovery of the U.S. economy, while creating a powerful platform for future industrial development along railroads in the 37 U.S. states in which GWI will do business.

GWI has integrated 65 railroads through 36 acquisitions since 1985. A joint integration team from both companies will lead the operational integration of RailAmerica.

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January 2013 5

INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Ontario, Canada.

Pedre Contractors Ltd. of Langley was awarded a CA$683,000-contract (US$692,000) to install underground power lines in Coquitlam, BC, for the Evergreen Line.

Progress Rail Services Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., has purchased mobile welding assets from RibbonWeld LLC. Protran Technology and QinetiQ North America have partnered to provide the Maryland Transit Authority with the first real-time network of remote sensors

6 Railway Track & Structures

WisDOT awards funds for freight rail service restoration The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is contributing more than $17 million toward a rail restoration project in Sheboygan County, including re-establishing freight rail service along a nearly 11-mile stretch of track between Plymouth and Kohler.

“This project represents the department’s multi-modal approach to addressing transportation needs in Wisconsin,” said department Secretary Mark Gottlieb. “The revival of this rail corridor will give local businesses an additional freight transportation option, while retaining and creating new jobs in Sheboygan County. We are pleased to partner with several businesses, local governments and organizations to move this project forward,” Gottlieb added.

WisDOT’s $17,135,472 in funding includes a $15,298,197 Freight Rail Preservation Program (FRPP) grant, a $1,000,000 Transpor tation Economic Assistance (TEA) grant and s $837,275 Freight Rail Infrastructure Improvement

January 2013

Program (FRIPP) loan.

The FRPP grant and FRIPP loan are being awarded to Wisconsin and Southern Railroad (WSOR), the railroad that will operate the corridor. The TEA grant goes to Sheboygan County to improve access to businesses along the line. Bemis Manufacturing recently completed an expansion project that will retain 1,000 jobs at its Sheboygan Falls location.

Total project costs are estimated at $19.1 million, with the remaining funds coming from WSOR; cities of Plymouth and Sheboygan Falls; Sheboygan County and four local companies, Bemis, Kettle Lakes Co-op, King Structures and Morrelle Transfer and Warehouse. The trackwork is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2014.

Shippers in the Sheboygan Falls area have been without rail service since 2006 and the Plymouth to Sheboygan Falls corridor has been out-of-service for more than 20 years and was purchased by WisDOT in 2009.

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INDUSTRY TODAY NRC to honor Hall of Fame, special award winners at annual conference

Constructing a transit line next to an active freight corridor is one challenge Project of the Year winner Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog Contracting Corp. overcame.

The National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) will be honoring its 2013 Hall of Fame Inductee, as well as the winners of the 2012 Field Employee and Rail Construction Project of the Year Awards at its conference in Miami, Fla., January 9-12, 2013.

James J. Daloisio, chairman and CEO,

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Railroad Construction Company of South Jersey, is the 2013 Hall of Fame Inductee.

NRC says the award recognizes and honors those individuals who have made significant contributions to the NRC and the rail construction and maintenance industry.

“Jim’s mastery of the railroad construction industry from bottom to top, his leadership of successful companies, his consistent record of excellence and his incredibly wide ranging contributions to a variety of organizations, associations and charities make him an exemplary choice for the NRC Hall of Fame,” the association said in a statement.

The NRC said the Field Employee of the Year Award recognizes and honors the rail contracting field employee who has demonstrated the most dedication and excellence in his or her job, going above and beyond what is required on a regular basis, demonstrating innovation and perseverance, is a team leader and a great asset to the company. Dave Friehl of Herzog

Supplier News installed on continuous welded rail for testing and evaluation.

Alton and Southern Railroad will expand its existing RailComm Yard Control System by adding several new components to the yard.

Siemens has entered into an agreement to acquire Invensys Rail, the rail automation business of Invensys, for approximately €2.2 billion (US$2.9 billion).

Steel Dynamics, Inc., plans to install a heat-treating system at its Columbia City, Ind., Structural and Rail Division.

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January 2013 7

INDUSTRY TODAY Contracting Corp. was selected as the 2012 Field Employee of the Year. Friehl has 32 years of experience as a track superintendent supervising heavy rail, commuter rail and streetcar construction projects. He has demonstrated expertise as a general superintendent and construction manager by coordinating closely with agencies, owners, stakeholders and subcontractors on challenging, tightly scheduled projects while maintaining a good safety record.

The Rail Construction Project of the Year award honors innovation, expertise and quality project management applied towards the successful execution of a rail construction project by an NRC member company. This year’s award winner is the Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog Contracting Corp.’s Joint Venture building the Utah Transit Authority’s FrontRunner South project. The safety record, scope of the project and the cost containment measures utilized in this multi-year project are what made the Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog Contracting Corp. project stand out.

“With more than two million man hours worked in challenging situations without a single lost time accident, the companies have demonstrated that safety was the absolute top priority. The coordination and interface with major project stakeholders, such as Union Pacific, the city of South Jordan and the Utah Department of Transportation, was impressive and displayed a commitment to quality work in a partnership environment,” the NRC said.

More on the NRC honors will appear in the March and May issues of RT&S.

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January 2013

Shortline tax credit extended until end of the year Congress gave the shortline industry a reason to celebrate the new year: Extension of the railroad track maintenance credit.

The 45G tax credit has been extended until Jan. 1, 2014, as part of the “fiscal cliff” deal passed in the Senate and then in the House of Representatives in a last minute deal on January 1. The credit is retroactive and applies to expenditures paid or incurred in taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2011.

The tax credit was originally enacted in 2004 and creates an incentive for shortline and regional railroads to invest in track rehabilitation and improvements by providing a tax credit of 50 cents per dollar spent on those improvements.

Prior to the current deal, the credit, which is capped based on a mileage formula, expired on December 31, 2011.

RT&S will explore this topic more in the March issue.

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PEOPLE Amtrak named David Nichols chief transportation officer and Matt Hardison chief marketing and sales officer, following the retirement of Emmett Fremaux.

Dr. William J. Harris, who contributed to several industry improvements and who served with the Association of American Railroads from 1970 to 1985, died Dec. 5 at age 94.

Atkins is transferring Graham Stroud from Atkins Europe to Atkins’ North American transit and rail practice.

CSX appointed Frank Lonegro to vice president mechanical, Kathleen Brandt to president of CSX Technology and Gary Bethel to vice president northern region, succeeding Craig King, who is retiring.

Harbor Rail Services Company appointed Caylan Myronowicz to executive vice president.

Harsco Rail appointed Joseph Dougherty to vice president international, hired David Baxter as director of global commercial operations and Jay Gowan, vice president of sales for North and South America, will take on additional sales responsibility in Australia and New Zealand.

Houston Metro President and CEO George Greanias resigned, effective December 31, 2012; Thomas C. Lambert, executive vice president, will serve as interim executive until a replacement is found.

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Lhota resigned; Thomas Prendergast, president of MTA New York City Transit will serve as interim executive director until a replacement is found.

Norfolk Southern named Elizabeth Kennedy Lawlor vice president government relations.

Patriot Rail Corp. promoted David Eyermann to vice president planning and design and hired Dennis Marzec as vice president field operations.

Phoenix Valley Metro hired Rick Brown as chief engineer/director of design and construction.

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority promoted Robert Lund Jr., P.E., to assistant general manager of engineering, maintenance and construction.

Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Board of Directors elected Scott MacDonald, senior vice president, system, Canadian Pacific, as a new board member.

Watco Transportation Services hired Pat Black as director of operations for the Gulf Region. www.rtands.com

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January 2013 9

NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN

On to the challenges of 2013

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

10 Railway Track & Structures

Writing this column in mid-December, I am anticipating the upcoming NRC conference to be another great success.

Based on how quickly the room block of hotel rooms sold out and our escalating registration numbers, we are certainly expecting a record crowd. By the time you read this, we hope you agree the attendees, speaker s, seminar s and recreational activities all added up to produce an event that will start your year off on the right foot.

The success of the NRC, both the conference and the full association, is based upon the strength of our members. Back in 2005, we had 200 member companies and conference attendance of about 500 people. This year, our membership stands at close to 350 companies, with annual retention of around 90 percent and conference attendance at more than 1,000 people.

The companies that make up the NRC and the folks that attend our conference are the best and the brightest of the rail construction and maintenance industry. I look forward to the continued growth of our association going forward.

The NRC recently completed our annual process of board of directors elections. I’d like to congratulate our three new board members on their election: • Joe Daloisio, track division manager, Railroad Construction Co. Inc. • Scott Goehri, senior vice president and global director of freight railroads, HDR Engineering, Inc. • Daniel Stout, vice president, STX Railroad Construction Services And also a big welcome back to our three re-elected incumbent board members: • Danny Brown, corporate equipment manager, RailWorks Corporation • Clayton Gilliland, senior project manager, Stacy and Witbeck, Inc. • Dave Minor, vice president, A&K Railroad Materials, Inc. I’d also like to congratulate the winners of the NRC’s Rail Contractor Safety Awards, which will be detailed elsewhere in RT&S. In addition, the NRC presented two special awards at the conference: • The NRC Field Employee of the January 2013

Year Award, designed to recognize and honor the rail contracting employee who has demonstrated the most dedication and excellence in his field, went to Dave Friehl, a track super intendent at Herzog Contracting Corp.

• The Rail Construction Project of the Year went to the Stacy and Witbeck/ Herzog Contracting Corp. Joint Venture that built the FrontRunner South commuter rail project for the Utah Transit Authority.

Also, the NRC inducted our third member into the NRC Hall of Fame, Jim Daloisio of Railroad Construction Company of South Jersey. Jim is a past chairman of the NRC board, a leader in our industry and his community and is more than deserving of this honor.

As we look ahead to 2013, we know that it will present many opportunities and challenges for each of us, on both a personal and business level. We will struggle with our New Year’s resolutions as we try to improve our health habits and lifestyles. We’ll need to work with our legislators, new and old, to create the best environment for business growth and the success of the rail industry. We’ll need to navigate the process of creating a safer workplace for our employees, while gaining new customers and keeping current ones and we need to do it all profitably. I wish each and every one of you success in your endeavors as you tackle all of your challenges.

As you build your calendar for 2013, save these two dates: • Railroad Day on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Thursday, March 14, 2013. http://www.aslrra.org/ meetings___seminars/Railroad_Day_ on_Capitol_Hill/.

• N R C R a i l C o n s t r u c t i o n a n d Maintenance Equipment Auction in Little Rock, Ark., Tuesday, April 16, 2013. https://www.nrcma.org/go/auction.

Work safe and keep those around you working safe.

by Terry Benton, NRC Chairman www.rtands.com

TTCI R&D Facility for Accelerated Service Testing update

by Joseph LoPresti, principal investigator, TTCI

TTCI researchers report up-to-date findings on wear and tear of premium and intermediate hardness rails at FAST.

T

onnage was accumulated at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST) at an accelerated rate in 2012. One hundred sixty four million gross tons were accumulated on the track components and structures being evaluated under the 39-ton-axle-load train.

This tonnage is the highest tonnage recorded in a single year at FAST and exceeds the 10-year average of 132 mgt by 24 percent. The increase was possible due to a newer, longer train (Figure 1) and a temporary supplement to the base-level funding of the Association of American Railroads’ Strategic Research Initiatives Heavy Axle Load Implementation Program. Tonnage in-and-of itself of course, is of

Figure 1: FAST heavy-axle-load train.

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little value to the railroad industry. It is the effects of the tonnage accumulation on the components being tested and what can be learned from those effects that is of interest. Some are discussed here. More detailed results from these and other FAST experiments will be presented in future RT&S articles.

Rail evaluations

A test of premium rails developed to provide better resistance to wear and rolling contact fatigue (RCF) began in 2010. The 10 high-hardness (413 HB average) rail types produced in Europe, North America and Asia have accumulated 424 mgt. Table 1 lists the suppliers and types of rails in test. The rails were installed in a nonlubricated fivedegree curve with four inches of superelevation. The standard 40-mph train operation results

in approximately 1.7-inch overbalance speed. Figure 1 shows rail wear (area loss) for the rails on the high rail of the curve through 381 mgt. There are at least two segments of each type rail in the 1,000-foot curve; the plot shows the average of at least eight profile measurements for each type of rail (there are more segments and more measurements for the rail being used as an experimental control).

Note that the exper imental 400NEXT rail was installed later than the other test rails and, thus, has accumulated less tonnage.

The rail with the best wear performance has worn about 24 percent less than the rail with the most wear. Although there have been some minor changes in the relative wear rankings of the rails, general trends have remained fairly consistent since the 200 mgt measurements. All rail types were showing some RCF after 140 mgt and the rail had to be ground after 381 mgt to remove RCF that was severe enough to interfere with ultrasonic railflaw detection. Studying the effects of vehicle curving and rail metallurgy on the development of RCF has become a major focus of the experiment.

Intermediate hardness (340 HB average) rails from six

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January 2013 11

TTCI R&D Figure 2 illustrates the premium rail wear results.

manufacturers were also installed in 2010 for testing in a lubricated curve with geometr y the same as in the premium rail test curve. These rails are intended to provide acceptable perfor mance under moderately

demanding conditions, at a lower cost than premium rails. Table 2 lists the types and suppliers of the intermediate test rails. All of the intermediate rails installed in the high rail were removed after 382 mgt due

Table 1. Premium Test Rails Supplier

Rail Type(s)

Tata Steel (France)

MHH HE Mill Head-Hardened Hypereutectoid

ERMS Rail Mill (USA)

OCP 1 Percent Carbon

JFE Rail Mill (Japan)

SP2, SP3 Super Pearlite 2 & 3

Mittal (USA)

HC High Carbon

Nippon (Japan)

HE-X Hypereutectoid X

Panzhihua (China)

PG4 Panzhihua Iron and Steel (Group)

voestalpine Schienen (Austria)

VAS 1, VAS 2, 400NEXT

Table 2. Intermediate Hardness Rails Supplier

Rail Type(s)

Corus (France) - grade: MHH HE (as-rolled)

MHH HE (non-head-hardened) Mill Head Hardened Hypereutectoid

ERMS (USA)

IH, IH HS, SS Intermediate Hardness, Intermediate Hardness High Strength, Standard Strength

Lucchini (Italy)

IH Intermediate Hardness

Mittal (USA)

ML Mittal’s Grado MicoAleado AM Asturias

Panzhihua (China)

PG4 (non-head-hardened) Panzhihua Iron and Steel (Group)

Trinecké Zelezárny (Czech Republic)

TZ Trinecké Zelezárny

12 Railway Track & Structures

January 2013

to numerous gauge-cor ner shells.

The shells are being examined to try to determine failure mechanisms.

However, operating conditions in the curve would have increased the propensity of any rail type to develop shells. The rail is lubricated, reducing wear. The 39-ton-axle-load train was operated at overbalance speed, increasing forces on the high rail.

And, the rail was not ground after an initial light grinding. The next test of intermediate rails will include preventive, maintenance grinding.

Improved strength track

New design half-frame concrete ties, conventional concrete ties and modified conventional concrete ties were installed at FAST in 2009 as part of a test of improved strength track.

Tie design configurations in test are half-frame ties with under-tie pads, standard ties with under-tie pads (field installed and factory installed) at 24-inch spacing, standard ties at 24-inch spacing and standard ties at 20-inch spacing. The half-frame ties are larger under the rail seat and have larger vertical and lateral footprints than conventional ties. The ties have accumulated 475 mgt.

Each test zone was ranked after 435 mgt using the following metrics: single-tie lateral-push resistance, railbending strains, loaded rail deflection, rail, tie and subgrade accelerations, ballast degradation and track-surface roughness. The half-frame ties were ranked number one overall. The rank was determined by summing the relative rank in each category (see Table 3). At this time, evidence of rail seat deterioration and rail pad degradation was discovered on the half-frame ties (Figure 3). The pads on the half-frame ties are different from pads typically used in North America (i.e., single-pad design, www.rtands.com

Figure 3 shows tie and pad deterioration on half-frame ties.

thicker and softer). These issues will be investigated at a later time.

Rail welding

Innovative rail welding methods developed by var ious supplier s are being evaluated. Secondgeneration ther mite head-repair welds accumulated up to 277 mgt before being removed to allow for a new test installation. One of the eight welds was removed because of shelling after 177 mgt. In comparison, approximately 40 percent of firstgeneration head-repair welds had been removed by 100 mgt. Welds made directly over ties or as repairs of electric flash-butt welds, have failed at a slightly higher rate than standard installation welds. Electric flash welds are also being evaluated as a method of railhead repair. Two sets of the electric flash head-repair welds, one set made in the shop and one set made in the field, were installed for testing in 2011. The eight welds made in the shop have accumulated

272 mgt with no weld failures and weld condition remains good. Two of the eight welds made in the field had failed within 160 mgt. The welds fractured with initiation at weld collar and grinding roughness under the railhead. Proper weld finish under the head has also been shown to be critical in the performance of thermite head-repair welds.

Rail located adjacent to the weld is typically softened by the heat of the weld. This area is referred to as the heat affected zone (HAZ).

A simple and inexpensive way to harden the surface of the HAZ has been evaluated and seems to be effective. The treatment includes a weld overlay on the rail with shielded metal arc weld material. The weld

is performed while the rail is still hot from the thermite weld. It is ground at the same time that the thermite weld is ground, so there is no additional time from the start of the thermite weld process until the track is returned to service. Initial tests showed that the soft portion of the HAZ was reduced in width and moved away from the thermite weld.

Batter in the HAZ was subsequently reduced. An expanded test started last summer.

Special trackwork

A continuous mainline r unning surface turnout was tested at FAST in 2012. The intended application will be installed at turnout locations where there is very low tonnage diverging

Table 3. Tie Performance Rankings (1 is highest ranking) Relative Rankings

Single Tie Push

Rail Bending Strain

Rail/Tie/ Subgrade Acceleration

Loaded Rail Deflection

Ballast Degradation

Surface Roughness

Zone 1 Half-Frame

1

1*

1*

4

1

2

Zone 2 Conventional Concrete

2

1*

1*

3

2

2

Zone 3 Conventional Concrete Factory Installed UTPs

2

1*

1*

2

4

5

Zone 4 Conventional Concrete Field Installed UTPs

2

1*

1*

2

3

1

Zone 5 Conventional Concrete 20-inch Spacing

2

1*

1*

1

3

4

*No significant difference in relative performance

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January 2013 13

TTCI R&D Figure 4 shows a vertical-lift continuous running surface turnout.

traffic at low speed; e.g., an industrial setout track. The turnout (Figure 4) incorporates a lift frog to eliminate the typical flangeway gap at the frog and vertical lift switch points to eliminate the transition between switch point and stock rail. One switch point was relocated from the gauge side of the stock rail to the field side. Testing with instrumented wheelsets showed that for the mainline, wheel and rail interaction forces are similar to open track. Lateral and vertical forces during diverging moves were as expected and were acceptable for the intended speeds. The supplier, the owner (railroad) of the turnout and TTCI engineers identified several issues and made improvements during testing at FAST.

Future testing

Tests are regularly updated at the direction of railroad committees to ensure that the program meets the changing needs of the industry. Tests to be started in the next year include turnout with lateral and vertical stiffness optimized

14 Railway Track & Structures

January 2013

to reduce wheel/rail forces, thermite welds produced with advanced-flow molds and the reinstallation of a highperformance concrete bridge span.

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tangled

up in a vegetative mess Suppliers are working on new chemical mixes and powerful machines to help the battle against weeds.

DBi Services spraying a herbicide mix to keep weeds at bay.

by Jennifer Nunez, assistant editor

K

eeping the rights-of-way clear of weeds and brush is a neverending war with nature. What sprouts from the ground is catching on to the game, too, causing railroads to spend top dollar on advanced mixes of herbicide and new machines to keep unwanted vegetation from growing into a bigger problem.

Asplundh Asplundh’s use of the Chlorovision system has been deemed successful by the company and treated more than 3,000 miles of track system, mostly on Canadian Pacific, during the summer of 2012.

“The mapping software and images are valuable tools for customers to track the treatment areas and show, with real time images, the track and vegetation conditions at the time of treatment,” explained the company. “A PDF electronic spray report is also generated for the spraying each day and kept on file in a database for the customer to access. We are expanding the program for 2013 and plan to capture images and treatment areas for both hi-rail trucks and continued spray train service. The image data will be expanded to include vegetation at road crossings. Using the system in full-automatic spray mode has reduced the overall chemical usage for the customer, thus saving herbicide dollars.”

Asplundh is in final development and testing of a hi-rail brush mowing system capable of a 28-foot reach and delivering herbicide to the cut material simultaneously as the brush is cut. Asplundh says the systems saves time and money by avoiding the need for a follow up herbicide treatment.

“We recognize that a lot of our customers do not regularly spray the brush with herbicides after spending considerable time and money cutting it,” noted the company. “The result of this causes rapid re-growth www.rtands.com

and shows little for results in subsequent years. Using today’s herbicides, an effective application can be made during the cutting process, which will prevent or greatly reduce the re-sprouting or regrowth.”

Boatright Improvements have been made to Boatright Companies’ herbicide delivery system with new pumps and nozles. Additionally, documentation has been upgraded with the use of iPads and uploading techniques back to accounting and quality control.

“We use iPads to continuously monitor wind and weather,” explained Ashley Baker, assistant vice president. “Our cabs look like pilot cockpits on a 747.”

DBi Services DBi Services has been working in conjunction with its university partners to research and document new types of weed resistance.

This information allows the company to develop new vegetation management protocols for its customers.

“It is important to remember that weeds are constantly mutating and developing resistance to herbicides,” noted Wayne Hug, vice president, Railroad Division. “Often times, using the same herbicide that has worked in the past does not necessarily mean it is going to continue to perform as effectively in the future.”

Hug explains that to overcome weed resistance, several courses of action are available: The rotation of herbicides with different modes of action, tank mixing herbicides with different modes of action, the use of non-herbicidal weed control and the use of newly developed herbicides.

“Any of these actions may result in increased vegetation management costs, but they are necessary to effectively combat weed Railway Track & Structures

January 2013 15

tangled up RCE’s BC120D on-track brush cutter clearing the way.

Green Systems Analytics

resistance,” he explained.

Dow AgroSciences According to Dow AgroSciences, spray drift is one of the most common causes of off-target injury when making a herbicide application. This occurs when the herbicide being applied moves or drifts to areas that are not targeted by the applicator, as a result of physical movement of very small droplets or fines from the target area at the time of application.

“When this happens, even in small amounts, it can lead to off-target damage to desirable vegetation or sensitive crops or unintended environmental and financial consequences,” noted Justin Yancey, U.S. IVM product manager for Dow AgroSciences.

“Understanding the causes of spray drift is essential to minimizing its effects, which is why applicator training on the causes and effects of spray drift is critical. This is especially true, because each spray season can bring significant numbers of new applicators.”

Yancey stresses several factors as key to minimizing drift. First, applicators need to select the right equipment and treatment method, always using larger spray droplets and keeping nozzle heights low when spraying. Also, they must consider things such as current weather conditions and proximity to desirable vegetation.

“We are working to educate applicators that it is their responsibility to apply herbicides in a manner that minimizes potential risk to people and the environment,” Yancey said. “And exercising good judgment and erring on the side of caution will always help mitigate that risk, especially when trying to avoid spray drift.”

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January 2013

Green Systems Analytics, LLC, says there are effective herbicide treatments for controlling an array of weed species, many of which could be biotypes resistant to important railroad herbicides.

“While drift is always important, herbicide resistance is also a critical issue,” noted Harvey Holt, manager. “Drift is an applicator issue; herbicide resistance is an economic issue that comes back directly to the railroad industry as herbicide programs change, which equates to more costly treatment programs.”

Herbicide resistance is a real problem for railroads, especially with the emphasis on total vegetation control and almost total dependence on herbicides for that control. Currently 123 broadleaf species and 87 grasses have reported herbicide resistance, explains Holt. Important herbicide groups having resistant weed species include the ALS inhibitors (sulfometuron, metsulfuron, imazapyr), photosynthesis inhibitors (diuron, bromacil), synthetic auxins (2,4-D, dicamba) and glycines (glyphosate). Important resistant weeds include the pigweeds, ragweeds, marestail, kochia, Russian thistle, prickly lettuce, foxtails, downy brome, crabgrass and bluegrass. These weeds occur almost universally across the U.S. Holt says herbicide tests were established in 2012 in Washington, Idaho and Utah on sites containing many of these weed species.

Tests were established in April with a final evaluation in September (approximately 150 days after treatment).

“The manufacturers decided where to apply their treatments so all of the treatment combinations were not applied to all sites,” he noted.

However, Holt says data indicate consistency over a wide geographical region. The Idaho site was a siding and mainline of Eastern Idaho Railroad. The Ogden site was Union Pacific’s yard in Ogden, Utah. The Wallula, Wash., site is a private railroad serving a Simplot grain elevator. The Mesa and Auburn, Wash., sites were BNSF yards in the respective cities. The George, Wash., site was the shoulder area of the I-90 Interstate. Treatments containing combinations of Esplanade, Perspective, Milestone, Oust Extra and glyphosate consistently resulted in greater than 90 percent bare ground.

MERCIER’S With increased demand to keep rail cars moving in a rail yard, it

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tangled up has become more and more inconvenient and inefficient for the railroad to utilize traditional herbicide application methods for vegetation management, notes Craig Mercier, CEO and president of MERCIER’s, Inc. “Having seen firsthand the challenges in obtaining track time for our yard herbicide application and the cost the railroad incurs to work our spray truck onto the tracks, Mercier’s, Inc., has introduced its Radio Actuated Treator (RAT),” explained Mercier.

RAT is a patented, robotic-based, remote controlled, dry herbicide spreader that is in the final stages of testing on several railroads. It has the capability to be maneuvered between the rails and small enough to ride under a rail car. In the shell of RAT, cameras are mounted to visually control travel down and between the rails. It also features a variable material flow rate from ounces to pounds per acre, as well as an adjustable spread pattern from three feet to 16 feet wide.

“What this means to the railroad industry is that they will no longer have to move railcars for the hi-rail spray truck to gain access to the track,” he said. “No railroad employees are necessary to affect the use of RAT.

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Changing Economics of vegetation management Taken from “The Changing Economics of Industrial Vegetation Management” paper by Stew Metzler and Ed Thompson, DBi Services

For many years, IVM customers benefitted from effective and economical herbicide programs. Many customers even experienced a reduction in costs of their programs from the introduction of generic chemistry when the patents from proprietary chemistries expired. But now, changes in weed spectrums and the rapid increase in the number of herbicide resistant weeds is putting upward pressure on the price of new industrial herbicide chemicals as the generic formulations lose their effectiveness against weeds.

Plant scientists today recognize that weed resistance occurs when weeds have adapted or mutated to develop weed resistance to herbicides or herbicide groups. This herbicide resistance occurs in most weeds and invasive plants that have been repetitively sprayed year after year with the same herbicide or combination of herbicides that target certain areas of plant function or mode of action.

Weeds were easily controlled for many years at an economical price per acre, now there are weeds and plants that are only partially controlled or not being controlled at all using the same chemicals. After enjoying low-cost per-acre weed control for so long, weed managers now have to rely on using additional herbicides in their applications, which increases the cost per acre to maintain adequate control.

As weed resistance increases, more and more species of weeds are becoming resistant to many more herbicides, even herbicides with different modes of action. Chemical application to these resistant weeds has now come full circle and per acre costs have sharply increased. Additional treatments may be required, which add to the cost per acre, often with less than adequate weed control benefits.

Control that was easily achieved at $25 to $30 per acre could now be more than $100 per acre to achieve the same weed control objectives as were achieved in previous years. The options available to weed control specialists have narrowed significantly, herbicide costs have increased due to new herbicide chemistry and weed resistance to known herbicide groups is rising dramatically. In order to control weeds that might have developed weed resistance, new chemistry has to be employed.

If new available chemistry is used, it will cost more because there is no generic competitor and development costs must be recouped by the manufacturer while the patent exists. To prevent weed resistance to the new chemistry, new methods of rotating herbicides and multiple product mixes that include more modes of action will be employed again resulting in increasing herbicide costs. All of these steps are necessary to maintain the quality and level of the weed control into the future.

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January 2013 17

tangled up

NMC’s hydraulic excavator brush cutter attachment battling branches.

Additionally, the operator can switch out the brush cutter attachment for other maintenance tools, such as an undercutter, bucket, tie inserter or tie tamper. It also allows for easy adjustment when switching from off-track, to hi-rail and track travel.”

A common occurrence, Haskell says, is re-growth. NMC recommends that customers start brush cutting as early in the season as possible and be aggressive in the amount of cutting done.

The NMC, Inc., team is currently looking into GPS management on machines to better assist in noting areas with high amounts of overgrown trees and vegetation growth. NMC is also currently researching sprayer attachments for weed overgrowth.

NuFarm Additionally, with the proprietary encapsulated blend of dry herbicides, the application can be done during months when yard traffic is not as intense and still provide season-long control for the railroad.”

For outgrowth and/or overgrowth of woody material and trees along the mainline, Mercier’s has a patent pending on a design for a 100-foot high reach chipper/trimmer called Mercury. Mercury is a track-based chipper that can be outfitted with hi-rail gear and on the end of a “Fecon” type head. The head is rotatable by 360 degrees.

Mitchell Equipment Mitchell Equipment says that typically, hi-rail excavators lose 50 percent of its stability when brush cutting over the side of the track.

With Mitchell’s Hydra-Guide Rail Gear for Caterpillar hydraulic excavators, the company notes the excavators can achieve 100 percent stability and are able to reach further with larger brush cutters to cut vegetation that could in the past only be cut with specialty brush cutters or with off-track machines.

“With short work windows on rail lines, it is important to be able to control re-growth by having the ability to reach further on rail and spray or cut vegetation in shorter work windows,” said Estel Lovitt, Jr., president of Mitchell Rail Gear.

From an economic standpoint, Lovitt says, having the ability to utilize equipment, such as the Cat 324 HRE for both vegetation control and other work functions pays a big return for a railroad or railroad contractors’ investment, because a machine such as the Caterpillar 324 HRE that has 100 percent stability while brush cutting and moving at the same time, gets more work done much faster.

NMC This year, NMC, Inc., has dedicated numerous man hours to improve tool function for vegetation management attachments and as a result, the team has developed the following machine and attachment capabilities: Mulcher on Skid Steers and 312 and 324 Excavator brush cutter attachments for right-of-way.

The hydraulic excavator brush cutter attachment can reach and cut low hanging or vision/railcar obstructing tree branches and bushes up to 33 feet high, depending on the model. With blades available in 36 inch and 54 inch diameters, brush cutters are available in either fixed position or 360-degree rotation.

“The 312HRE and 324HRE (hi-rail excavator) provides accessibility to remote rail areas in which other vegetation management equipment might not be able to access,” explained Chuck Haskell, sales manager. “This allows operators to find and manage brush.

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January 2013

Nufarm Americas Inc. has introduced three products for the needs of the vegetation control industry: Aquasweep®, Edict ™ and Pyresta®.

Aquasweep is a formulation of 2,4-D and triclopyr with an allinclusive label covering rights-of-way, range and pasture, plus it is registered for aquatic weed control. It is labeled for more than 150 weed species and is a tool in the management of resistant species.

NuFarm says Edict 2SC will provide an extra punch to Razor (glyphosate) and or Weedestroy AM 40 (2,4-D) tank mixes.

Pyresta herbicide is a combination of Ester 2,4-D and Pyraflufen (Edict) for early season burndown before crops emerge. NuFarm says it is a good choice for early pre-emergent applications to line of road and yard treatments.

“The drift task force continues to review labels and reinforce issues pertaining to drift,” noted George Telesz, Midwest sales manager. “All applicators need to read and follow label directions and comply with the drift standards.

“We are always innovating, whether in the chemistry we offer, packaging and delivery systems or other areas. Our main area of focus now is combating weed resistance and Nufarm’s offerings of Aquasweep, Edict and Pyresta are tools to help customers deal with this issue.”

Telesz says all applicators need to consider rotational herbicides to reduce the spread of resistant species. For this, the Weed Science Society of America is offering Powerpoint training programs for download from its website.

“The presentations are easily understood and are good tools to stay abreast of this growing issue,” he explained.

RCE Rail Construction Equipment Company (RCE) is now building the BC120D on-track brush cutter with Interim Tier 4 Emission compliant engines.

“Most of the customer requests we have seen lately have been to have the ability to perform brush cutting with machines that can be used for other rail maintenance projects,” stated Dennis Hanke, sales manager for RCE. An important factor in maintaining vegetation along the rails includes planning the correct time of year to attack the brush issues, he says.

“We have found that if they cut in the fall or winter months the time it takes is reduced greatly,” said Hanke.

He says it seems the operating budgets are less than other years, which changes the ability to acquire the brush cutting equipment.

“We are seeing more requests to lease the equipment than purchase it,” Hanke explained. www.rtands.com

A shortline’s rail

revival

by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor

After a four-year halt in service, Oregon’s Coos Bay Rail Link reopens and undertakes a multi-million-dollar rehabilitation project with an eye toward future growth.

A crew from Balfour Beatty Rail works to replace ACZA-treated crossties along CBR property.

I

t can be easy to take a single rail line for granted, especially one that has close to a century of history. Not the Coos Bay rail line. It has quietly integrated itself into rural communities and is becoming more than a collection of rails and ties. It’s a vital transportation link for the southern Oregon coast and surrounding region.

A 134-mile rail line between Eugene and Coquille, Ore., began as Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) property before switching over to Union Pacific and then into Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad control. The line, which still has SP mile-markers indicating the distance from San Francisco, is the region’s only rail link to move goods by shortline to the nation’s Class 1 rail system and, being situated on the west coast, also means it’s a trade link for inland communities to the rest of the world.

But by 2007, the line’s maintenance had been deferred for so long, the owners decided it was better to shut down the line than to repair it. They planned to tear up the steel for scrap and sell it, ignoring the impacts to the region. Rail service was abruptly suspended, leaving railroad employees without jobs and customers without rail access. The closure dealt economically fragile communities along the line with a devastating blow.

The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay, which is the largest deep-draft port on the west coast between San Francisco and Seattle, recognized the importance of this rail link to its own success, as well as to that of the region. www.rtands.com

“We had existing customers that needed the railroad and, likely, would not stay long term in Coos Bay without it. It was imperative that we provide that service to them initially,” said David Kronsteiner, president of the port’s Board of Commissioners.

The port filed a feeder application with the Surface Transportation Board in an attempt to prevent the line from being abandoned. If abandonment happened, Kronsteiner said it was likely the former owners of the line would have taken up the track, sold it for scrap and made it difficult if not impossible to ever establish a railroad in the region again.

Using a $12 million grant and borrowing nearly $5 million, the port enlisted the support of rail line communities and elected officials to complete its purchase of the line in 2010. The port hired ARGTrans to operate the rail line as Coos Bay Rail Link (CBR) and set out on a series of emergency repairs and longer-term rehabilitation projects to restore service.

While all involved with the CBR are grateful the line was originally overbuilt and still in serviceable shape, when the port completed its purchase, Duke Rodley, CBR roadmaster, said after years of little or no maintenance followed by four years of zero traffic, the line looked similar to a roller coaster.

Vegetation in and along the tracks was as tall, if not taller, than his hi-rail vehicle.

Along the North Spit of Coos Bay, sand completely covered tracks due to ATV users zipping back and forth onto Railway Track & Structures

January 2013 19

COOS BAY RAIL LINK Poor drainage, cave-ins and rotted timber sets are three of the conditions CBR found in the tunnels. Photo courtesy of Oregon International Port of Coos Bay.

railroad property during the line’s shut down. According to Dan Lovelady, former general manager of the Central Oregon & Pacific and current consultant to CBR, it took six months and the equivalent of removing 218 dump truck loads to clean up all the sand.

Emergency repairs and vegetation control efforts returned the line to service in October 2011. CBR is in the middle of a larger, $31-million rehabilitation project repairing tunnels, fixing surface conditions and bridges to bring the line up to Class 2 standards. Currently, 111 miles of the line are open for service between Eugene and Coos Bay. The line south of Coos Bay to Coquille will see repairs completed by spring 2013.

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January 2013

Lovelady compared the rehab project to a moving target, “We find other areas that we feel are more important than what we’ve already planned to do, so we shift around our rehab project to make sure we get the most bang for the buck.”

The rehab project was broken into three phases: Phase 1 dealt with tunnel repairs; Phase 2, where the work is currently, will perform surface work and replace ties; and Phase 3 will rehab the 150-plus water crossings found along the line.

Lovelady says the tunnels were deemed the initial repair priority because they presented the main safety and passage problems, including cave-ins, drainage issues, unstable ground areas and rotted timbers.

“A lot of the tunnels were lined with wooden sets to hold everything up and over the years, the wood became wet and rotted out at the bottom. We replaced those with steel sets and used a process called shotcrete,” said Lovelady. That’s where a tunnel rehab team installs a steel structure and oversprays the structure and walls with a cement product to strengthen and hold them in place.

The original timber sets were made a 100 years ago from Port Orford Cedar, which is highly bug and rot resistant.

Lovelady believes that had the drainage been kept up on the rail line, all the timber sets still would be in service.

After the tunnel repairs, crosstie replacement and surface conditions were the next priority. CBR is installing 90,000 ACZA-treated wood crossties and replacing 54,000 tons of ballast.

CBR General Manager Tom Foster said the contractor performing the work has a goal of replacing 1,000 ties per day and notes two-thirds of the project is completed. Foster credits the tie and surfacing work success to the railroad for granting the contractor flexibility with its work schedule.

This phase of the rehab is also dealing with the railroad’s 250 public and private grade crossings, 14 of which are signalized. One of the 46 crossing projects worked on during a recent phase was the TransPacific Parkway Realignment.

The $1.35 million project created a signalized crossing at the south end of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area by combining two existing crossings.

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COOS BAY RAIL LINK A pile of sand sitting on top of Coos Bay Rail Link’s tracks. Inset, a sample of the overgrown vegetation after four years of zero service. Photos courtesty of Oregon International Port of Coos Bay.

While the railroad is working with the state on some crossing upgrades, Rodley notes that the first priority of the crossing rehab was to make sure all appropriate signage was replaced and then the crew could focus on the surface work.

Rodley says once all tie and surface work is complete, a bolt tightening machine will make its way across the line. The result will be rehabilitation of every component of the track structure.

The third and final phase of the current rehab project will tackle the railroad’s 150-plus water crossings, which include culverts and bridges made from timber, concrete and steel. As of this writing, the rail line had an open bid for repairs to timber structures.

“The rail line was built to avoid

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steep grades and in order to avoid steep grades, it created a lot of water crossings,” said Lovelady. “The bridges

were built to handle heavy loads and we’re fortunate that it had larger size rail. Most branch lines end up with

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January 2013 21

COOS BAY RAIL LINK small rail and it’s always an issue, and we’re fortunate enough that we had the larger rail that the Southern Pacific had put on the line.”

Kronsteiner, who grew up in the Coos Bay area, added, “Southern Pacific had a bridge crew just for this line and I don’t think subsequent railroads did. You can imagine what has happened with the bridges over the decades of nothing being done to them.”

The Coos Bay Rail Bridge swing span will have primacy for CBR as it has received electrical maintenance, but it still requires substantial struc-

tural work. While locomotives are able to traverse the bridge, after additional work is performed, Lovelady notes the bridge will be able to handle more traffic, which opens the rail line up to more potential customers.

CBR celebrated its one-year anniversary of service in October 2012. Since the railroad’s return, Kronsteiner said there have been additional memorable accomplishments that stand out in his mind, such as when a CBR locomotive crossed the swing span bridge for the first time since 2007 and when the first train traveled down to the Georgia-

“We find other areas that we feel are more important than what we’ve already planned to do, so we shift around our rehab project to make sure we get the most bang for the buck.”

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January 2013

Pacific sawmill at Coos Bay. “Those to me were the defining moments of accomplishing our goals, our first milestones,” said Kronsteiner.

For Lovelady, the reopening of the line was an accomplishment because it showed the community that the port and the railroad had made good on their word, but he is especially impressed with the current rehab effort.

“The most exciting part was that we did some emergency work in order to open the rail line up for service at 10 mph, which is a huge accomplishment. It was difficult for the railroad because operations are so slow and it takes time to get to interchange [with the UP near Eugene],” said Lovelady.

“Now, when you go out and look at the work that [has been] done, it’s just fabulous. They’re doing a great job and the track speeds are increasing such that operations are becoming much more efficient for the railroad.”

Both the port and the railroad recognize that in order to continue the current level of success, they must invest even more in the rail line’s infrastructure. That means securing private investment.

“Private investment is the key,” said Kronsteiner. “Our long-term goal to get there is that we have to find the traffic and the customer that will require [the infrastructure] be brought up to speed and will pay for the work.”

While CBR has been successful in securing funding from the state of Oregon and federal funds for the current rehabilitation effort, Elise Hamner, spokesperson for the port says the port’s long-term goal is for private industry and rail traffic – not the local community – fund future railroad maintenance and upgrades.

“The rail line reopening has been a kick start to the community with a lot of ancillary benefits to the people,” said Hamner. “The rehab money is coming from grants, but the point is to hold taxpayers harmless. Ultimately, profits will pay for maintenance and upgrades.”

Foster agrees, “Being owned by the port is the best thing for the railroad because they want to put money back into the line, but there is only so much federal and state funds available. Now, we need to find industries to help develop the port, because that’s where we’ll see big volume and we need to find an anchor tenant.” www.rtands.com

Transit M/w:

Placing safety first

by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor

Richard Sarles, WMATA general manager, describes how the D.C.area transit agency transitioned from a “hunkered and bunkered” safety mentality to an open, safetyfirst culture.

A Red Line train departs the New York Avenue Metrorail station. Photo by Larry Levine.

F

or those in the industry who attended the fall 2012 conferences, the subject of safety was touched on several times. One transit agency, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and one incident, the June 22, 2009, Fort Totten Metrorail Station Accident, were used as examples of what occurs when a safety program becomes inefficient.

In the three and a half years since the Fort Totten accident, WMATA has refocused, retooled and revitalized its way of integrating safety into the day-to-day operations of its field employees and management. “Safety-first” isn’t just a mantra at WMATA. It has become ingrained in the way the agency does business.

Richard Sarles, general manager at WMATA, took the time to tell RT&S how this transition was made and how the transit agency continues to work toward keeping its safety-first culture burgeoning.

Sarles arrived at WMATA in March 2010, nearly a year after the Fort Totten accident and found what he called a “hunkered and bunkered” organization.

“People didn’t talk to each other,” said Sarles, “Maybe they were loyal to each other in a work group, but there was not a lot of caring about or attention to safety outside your www.rtands.com

work group.”

WMATA began to look at safety recommendations it had collected from the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Transit Administration and from a report the WMATA Board of Directors had commissioned from industry experts.

“We embraced all these recommendations and said we’re going to deal with this and put in place a safety culture and that’s going to take years to put in place, it doesn’t happen overnight,” said Sarles.

First, was re-establishing, strengthening and expanding the expertise of the safety department, which Sarles says had been marginalized over the years, moved around and its numbers reduced.

WMATA also conducted an anonymous employee survey in order to check the pulse of what its employees were thinking. Sarles said the responses to the survey were frank and identified issues the employees felt hindered their safety.

“Some of these issues had been identified by the experts who were outside looking in at us, but there was one thing in particular that came to my attention and that was a lot of concern about retaliation and not retaliation from management but from their peers when reporting,” said Sarles.

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January 2013 23

wmata: safety first

“As we were talking to the employees about having safer practices for them, they saw the willingness to make the improvements that had to be made to make this a safer place.”

Other problems the employee survey identified included small things, such as tripping hazards or a roof access issue to large things, such as looking at the infrastructure of the railroad and realizing it wasn’t in a state of good repair.

Once issues were identified, management and employees then worked together on solutions and, says Sarles, the board provided the resources to allow the fixes to occur.

The board and surrounding jurisdictions put in place a $5-billion, sixyear capital program to bring the railroad into a state of good repair and focus on safety-related fixes.

24 Railway Track & Structures

While the infrastructure side had a firm solution, WMATA set about to mend the organization. A system was set up where employees can report any potential safety issue they see anonymously, report it outside their chain of command and the issue will be addressed.

Sarles says there is a 24-hour hotline to WMATA’s safety department and if an employee can’t reach a safety office, a hotline to the inspector general also is set up and WMATA monitors how quickly a response is given to these reports. Additionally, Sarles said local safety committees were reinvigo-

January 2013

rated and the safety and operational departments were tasked with keeping them active.

“There is a hierarchy in place of local safety committees, departmental safety committees and then executive safety committee that looks at all safety issues. If there is a safety issue that doesn’t get addressed [at a lower level], we make sure it does at an executive level,” said Sarles.

WMATA also established a more robust roadway worker protection (RWP) program by involving front line employees, as well as visiting transit properties and FRA-regulated railroads to see what was being done.

“We brought people into the safety and operations department that had FRA experience and, in a relatively short time, they developed a totally new RWP program and training program to go with it,” said Sarles. “As we were talking to the employees about having safer practices for them, they saw the willingness to make the improvements that had to be made to

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wmata: safety first make it a safer place.”

Sarles says WMATA has changed the way employees think about the need to report any potential safety issue and has set forth a culture where it’s understood that safety is the first priority.

“It starts at the board, goes all they way down to the front line and all the way back up in terms of communication, responsibility and just creating this atmosphere that we’re not hiding stuff, operations does not take precedent, safety is number one, we can run a good operation in a safe manner,” said Sarles. “People are starting to get it, we’re two years into this and you don’t change a culture overnight.

I know there are pockets that haven’t bought in totally, but we keep at it.”

In order to maintain the hardfought level of safety, WMATA has established a data collection and safety measurement system and a hazard management matrix. Sarles says no matter where or how an issue is reported, it is placed into this data point and actions are assigned to make sure the

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issue is prioritized and addressed.

WMATA is also working on two enhancements to its safety program, one is a close call program and the other is fatigue management. WMATA has been working with the major union that represents its operating employees on the close call program, following what the freight railroads have already established. Sarles says progress has been made and the transit agency is very close to formalizing the program.

As far as fatigue management goes, “we’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, we take what [transportation industry experts have] learned, take the models they’ve used and look at where the problems or issues are and how we address them,” said Sarles. “One, it’s another measure to improve safety here at Washington Metro and two, frankly, if you have people who are more alert, they are more productive, so there’s a dual business interest here, being more safe, as well as more productive.”

Currently, WMATA uses key performance indicators or lagging indicators,

such as the number of injuries, rate of injuries for its employees and for passengers and the accident rate to measure its safety success, but Sarles would like to add leading indicators to the mix.

“The close call program, the employee safety hotline, local safety committees, which are identifying issues before they become incidents and, therefore, don’t fall into those [lagging indicator] categories, become leading indicators.

Where we see a reduction in the number of reports with regard to something like tripping hazards, that’s where I’d like to get eventually. As we develop the safety measurement system, we’ll be able to start drawing out that information because we’ll be able to categorize it,” said Sarles.

With all the changes to the WMATA safety program, Sarles says the foundation is listening to what people say.

“Listen in a very open manner, be willing to take the tough stuff and then solve the problem and devote the resources to doing it and everyone feels better about doing it,” said Sarles.

Railway Track & Structures

January 2013 25

finding

flaws along the rails

Technology drives the business of rail-flaw detection.

Sperry 700X Ultrasonic Inspection Vehicle.

by Jennifer Nunez, assistant editor

A

dvancements in rail-flaw detection are increasing with technology constantly evolving. New products and methods are being made available by suppliers so railroads can keep rail healthy and cargo and passengers safe.

L.B. Foster

According to Jim Aten, president of Salient Systems, a whollyowned subsidiary of L.B. Foster Co., “Rail stress is not visible to the naked eye and it changes based on temperature, track stability, curvature, track maintenance and the trains running on the rail. Whether a rail will break or buckle depends on the longitudinal stress in the rail. But it is impossible to look at track and know if you are in danger of a break or a buckle due to high or low longitudinal stress in the rail. High or low stress is truly the invisible rail flaw.”

Since installed rail is constrained longitudinally and because it expands and contracts with temperature changes, it will most always be in either a tensioned or a compressed state. Aten says The Rail Neutral Temperature (RNT) or Stress Free Temperature (SFT), when rail is neither tensioned nor compressed is key. He notes that ideally, rail is installed at a defined target RNT/SFT that has been established for a particular area with the goal of minimizing track movement, rail breaks and rail buckling. However, over time the RNT/ SFT changes, creating the potential for a rail break or buckle condition. RNT/SFT has been shown to decrease over time due to rail movement through the fasteners, to curves moving or “breathing” and to rail breaks and rail defect repair. If railroads know the actual RNT/SFT, they can judge when www.rtands.com

conditions are such that a buckle or break is likely and then move more deliberately to manage risk and adjust RNT/SFT when necessary.

For example, frequently, railroads issue “slow orders,” which reduce the velocity that railroads can move their cars at predetermined ambient temperatures. Slow orders are issued when the potential for a buckling scenario or rail break is high.

However, since they really do not know what the longitudinal stress is inside of the rail, many slow orders are unnecessary, Aten says. Rail may also move in extreme temperatures, especially in curves. This is called curve breathing and can typically only be observed via a physical track inspection. Monitoring the RNT/ SFT can allow railroads to administer their track in a safer and much more cost-efficient manner he states.

L.B. Foster offers a product called a Rail Stress Module (RSM) to alarm when potential buckling situations exist or when a break has occurred.

“Current technologies to manage rail stress are time consuming and highly disruptive to the operators,” said Aten.

“Most are also one-time measurements. The RSM provides continuous real-time track monitoring, which is important because the ambient temperature and the RNT/SFT changes over time. This product is believed to be unique in the market in the way that it functions and communicates. Until it was introduced, there was no way for a railroad to monitor rail stress on a continuous basis. Railroads can now constantly monitor rail stress and take proactive corrective actions.”

Once the RSM device is installed on track, it begins to send data to either a wayside or handheld reader. All data is Railway Track & Structures

January 2013 27

finding flaws Top, L.B. Foster’s IntelliTrack Navigator. Herzog Services, Inc.’s calls its fleet of Series 6000 vehicles ultra modern.

cost effective,” Aten explained. “We are very excited about the new business opportunities this unit will bring to L.B. Foster in worldwide rail markets.”

Herzog Services, Inc.

then uploaded via cell towers to a data center. The customer can then access this data through a Rich Internet Application called IntelliTrack® Navigator, which permits exception-based management of large geographic areas of track.

“Due to its continuous operation, the RSM technology is highly effective,” he said. “Stress and temperature are measured once per minute. With the IntelliTrack Navigator software package, proactive alarms and warnings are generated to designated railroad personnel for corrective action.

“Even with the slow global economy, railroads are still very much interested in rail-flaw detection and rail stress monitoring.

Railroads today are running heavier traffic faster and at closer intervals. They need to be proactive about the management of their track structure. A rail break or buckle will disrupt their system throughput, a very expensive proposition for the railroads. So they will take advantage of any systems that will minimize traffic interruptions and reduce the number of slow orders that need to be issued.”

L.B Foster notes it launched IntelliTrack Navigator in September 2012 and released an upgrade in October, which included a number of user-driven enhancements. During the first quarter of 2013, L.B Foster plans to introduce a next generation RSM. “This next generation RSM is smaller, lighter and much more 28 Railway Track & Structures

January 2013

Herzog Ser vices, Inc., continues to work diligently on solutions in rail testing with its 2020 inspection system. When introduced for revenue service, Herzog Services, Inc., says it will be the first to bring the industry phased array technology into a hi-rail testing platform.

“We anticipate an increase in defect detection capabilities for transverse defects that traditional technology may not detect,” noted Troy Elbert, assistant vice president. “Ultrasonic energy is directly affected by the rail head profile and can be skewed away from the intended target area when the running surface and gauge face deviate from the designed profile.”

The 2020 system can compensate for wear patterns, such as in curves where gauge face losses can occur, by measuring the rail head profile with precision laser systems and introducing the profile data into focal law calculators. The inspection system can then adjust the beam characteristics utilizing phased array technology to match the head profile and direct the ultrasonic energy to the intended target.

“There has been an increased focus on surface defects, such as crushed heads, spall and shelling. In the case of crushed heads, the rail head is beginning to have localized collapse that can create stresses in the rail, which can lead to internal defects.

Spall or ‘shelled rail’ is where the work hardened layer has begun to flake away, which can also lead to internal transverse defects,” explained Elbert. “Deviations in the running surface from surface defects such as this can be easily detected with the high-precision laser measurement system utilized by Herzog Services, Inc.’s 2020 test system.”

In addition to increased detection of both surface and internal defects, Herzog Services, Inc., says it will be able to capture other data points, which can be used for rail health and maintenance programs. Information, such as light geometry, rail profile data for grinding programs, joint bar inspection, fasteners and accurate joint counts for CWR programs, fasteners and other items can be captured.

“These data points can then be gleaned with increased frequency over current methods to allow for trending and maintenance program adjustments that can save the railroads both time and money,” he said.

Other programs that are currently in the process of final development are the improved Chase program and an all-new portable hand test cart. Herzog Services, Inc., introduced its Chase technology more than 20 years ago with its highspeed detection vehicles. Utilizing current technologies in communication and spatial locating, Herzog Services, Inc., www.rtands.com

finding flaws will re-introduce the Chase program with advanced features, such as DGPS augmented location resolution and redundant communication methods, including MiFi for reliable and precise communication of inspection points.

“By making efficient inspection requests, we expect to see increased productivity and defect identification,” Elbert explained.

The hand test cart features a probe design that emulates the capabilities of a full-sized inspection system.

The company notes the design of the probe will include a full complement of inspection beams, such as longitudinal wave, 45-and 70-degree shear waves and the only vertical split head detection channel in a pushcart application. The probes and processing unit are housed in an all-aluminum frame to be lightweight and sturdy. Processing muscle comes from a ruggedized Windows-based tablet with a sunlight readable touchscreen for simplicity of use. The unit is also equipped with GPS technology for accuracy in reporting tested areas and defect identification. Windows-based software allows for ease of data transfers and reporting capabilities.

“While on track, making the best use of available track time is vital to our operation,” said Elbert. “A team of highly-trained quality assurance personnel monitors inspection activities that affect performance and accuracy. Constant feedback to the field streamlines the operation, an important element in keeping Herzog Services, Inc., a leader in the industry.”

Possible future products could include GIS ser vices for track and related structures, inspection frequency monitoring and rail asset management.

Nordco

This year, Nordco Inc. is excited to release its latest addition to its rail flawdetection vehicle family, the Nordco Flex.

The Flex features an inspection carriage that can be quickly attached to a maintenance hi-rail vehicle with a hitch, allowing coverage of yard tracks, sidings and turnouts, as well as accommodating clearance envelope constraints. The c o m p a c t , l o w - p o we r e d h a r d w a r e platform for signal processing is said to be easily integrated into the interior of the cab. The system configuration is flexible enough that it can be operated from the driver, passenger or extended www.rtands.com

cab seating areas.

The Nordco Flex is also specifically designed to accommodate different track gauges, which Nordco says, has increased its visibility in the global market. In 2013, Nordco will introduce a skidmounted system, an inspection carriage and hardware, as well as the services of an inspector, that can be dispatched anywhere in the world to respond to specific, short-term needs.

Nordco is also in the process of integrating light geometr y into the product offering.

“Combining these items has created a great opportunity for railroads to decrease the engineering footprint,” noted Patr ick Graham, president.

“Depending on the customer preference, we are able to offer the system operation with less people on board, allowing the railroad to save money.”

Nordco says rail surface conditions continue to drive demand to improve the detection of defects under sub-surface shells. The company introduced its patented Tracer technology in 2009.

“This created great competition in the industry to match this unique approach and the railroads have reaped the benefits,” explained Graham.

“Service failures caused by detailed fractures under sub-surface shells have drastically declined.”

The next phase in the company’s attack on defects under sub-surface shells is underway in its System 48.

This integrates the company’s latest hardware platfor m with new wheel probe technology.

“We have enhanced our Tracer wheel and added a new wheel called the Sweeper wheel,” he said. “While our technology is already considered industry leading, System 48 further ups the ante on subsurface shell defect detection.”

Precision RST

Precision Rail Stress Testing Inc. (Precision RST) is now offering neutral temperature testing as a service. This is in response to demand from the railroad industry for a quick and accurate method for measuring neutral temperature.

“Besides the residual stress issue, the need for a portable unit that produces measurements quickly and accurately is in demand,” noted Rick Middaugh, general manager. “There are very small windows for testing on mainline, so that flexibility to get in and out quickly Railway Track & Structures

January 2013 29

finding flaws Top, the Nordco Flex searching for flaws. Precision RST’s portable rail-flaw detection unit.

without interfering with train traffic is essential.”

The speed and accuracy of the testing unit is definitely driving demand, notes the company and says the testing service is an effective and economical way to find out what the customers’ neutral temperature is.

Precision RST is happy to be doing well amidst the current economic slump in the United States.

“Railroads are looking to Precision more,” said Middaugh.

“Production support, planning and slow order reduction are key areas where Precision is being utilized.”

Sperry

Having experienced the most growth in company history in 2012, Sperry Rail Service is poised to continue that momentum in 2013.

Jamie O’Rourke, general manager of Sperry, said, “Each railroad in the public and private sector we work with around the world is driven by three common themes: Safety, maximizing the traffic potential of their infrastructure and reducing operating costs. That translates directly into ensuring the continuous improvement in rail-flaw detection is about increasing detection and doing so with as little disruption to the railroad as possible. These days, the service has to be accomplished with a technologically-advanced system and 30 Railway Track & Structures

January 2013

process that enables actionable data to be executed with the lowest total cost achievable.”

O’Rourke continued, “The focus during the past year reminds me of the dialog from my business school days in Chicago. Unless we, as service providers, are focusing on the customer’s customer, we’re going to miss the big picture. This is even more important as a slump in the domestic market has emerged. Especially in North America, where the infrastructure is owned privately, the railroad engineering personnel are under tremendous and constant pressure to provide an optimally reliable asset to the transportation side of the business. It is no longer enough to be an effective provider in the maintenanceof-way supply chain. We have got to be ahead of the curve in thinking about how our Class 1, shortline and government customers meet the eventual end-user’s needs for a reliable railroad track network.”

In 2012, the biggest driver of growth for Sperry was the increased utilization of its induction technology.

“This effort is in direct response to what customers are asking for: Better and more detection,” explained O’Rourke.

“Sperry views this as the key challenge in its mission. Although advancements have been made over the past five years to improve the service failure ratio (service failures divided by service failures plus defects), eliminating the remaining defects is the number one need for the railroads.”

Along with the customers’ own needs, Sperry simultaneously focuses on working collaboratively with the Federal Railway Administration (FRA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Sperry says its methodology is to work directly with the railroads to support their efforts in helping public policy generate the most effective safety regulations.

“The recent Rail Integrity Overview and writings of the FRA’s Railroad Safety Advisor Committee (RSAC) continue to codify the best practices put forth by the railroad industry to improve and maintain safety,” O’Rourke said. “I am encouraged by the focus on technology and the training, competency of capability of the personnel who run these complex and safetycritical pieces of equipment on our nation’s railroads.”

Perhaps one of the most interesting factors for Sperry in 2012 was the juxtaposition of the company’s highest revenue year by a wide margin with the global economy.

O’Rourke pointed out, “The industry has seen pockets of reduced testing fleets for certain customers, but those have been small, in the five percent range and more than offset by other territories. The drop in coal business has a direct effect on the need for rail-flaw detection, but we’re finding the drive for safety and continued focus by the engineering departments to improve their track conditions as a much bigger force in the market.”

Sperry is building vehicles, as well as hiring and training new personnel in full anticipation of this trend continuing. www.rtands.com

AREMA NEWS Professional Development Upcoming seminars

introduction to practical railway engineering January 14-16, 2013 Jacksonville, FL REGISTER NOW March 13-15, 2013 Las Vegas, NV-University of Las Vegas, Nevada and UPRR REGISTER NOW June 12-14, 2013 Calgary, AB, Canada More info coming soon

Message from the President

Educate yourself and others

By Jim Carter

Jim Carter AREMA President 2012-2013

AREMA goes to Australia with Bridge Inspection and Streambed Erosion Hazard Recognition & Countermeasures for Railroad Embankments and Bridges Seminar (SCOUR) March 11-14, 2013 Brisbane, Australia and March 18-21, 2013 Melbourne, Australia track alignment design seminar June 11-12, 2013 Denver, CO FRA 213: Track Safety Standards October 2-4, 2013 Indianapolis, IN In conjunction with AREMA 2013 Annual Conference and Railway Interchange 2013 For additional information please contact Desiree Knight at dknight@arema.org or visit www.arema.org.

www.rtands.com

A new year is here, filled with new plans for many, new challenges for our industry and opportunities for AREMA and all AREMA members.

Before I talk about those, I would first like to welcome our three newest student chapters: The University of British Columbia, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and the University of Alberta. Last year at this time, there were only five AREMA Student Chapters and now there are 12. A current list is available on page 34 and the AREMA website http://www.arema.org/education/student/student_chapters.aspx. This growth is one of the most exciting developments that I have witnessed in my career. Thanks so much to all of our student members and their faculty advisors, along with the members of Committee 24 and others who have worked so hard to make this happen; your efforts have been outstanding and will pay dividends both for many young people and for the rail industry. If you are a member close to those schools, please contact them and offer your services as a speaker or in any other way that you may help.

Another exciting development on the educational side is that AREMA Committees 6 and 24 are sponsoring a design competition for architectural and building sciences college students this spring using a design problem of a commuter rail maintenance facility.

Committee 6 has sent this information to the leadership at each of the 44 accredited U.S. schools of architecture. Two scholarships ($2,000 first place and $1,000 second place) will be awarded from the AREMA Educational Foundation. We look forward to seeing all of the entries. This is a great way of involving students and exposing them to the rail industry and railway design. I encourage all committees to develop similar competitions related to their area in the future.

Now, I would like to discuss the opportunities for members. If you are a committee member, your committee will be meeting soon and you will have the opportunity to attend the meeting, see some old friends, make new friends and continue to help develop and refine the standards that guide this industry. This is very important work and I thank all of you for your continuing efforts.

If you are not yet a committee member, I encourage you to visit the AREMA website to review the committees and teams, choose at least one that interests you and apply for membership. I assure you that you will enjoy the experience and enjoy even more the relationships that you will develop as a committee member. If you are a young railroader, it is one of the best things that you can do to build your professional network and broaden your understanding of this industry and your profession. If I have one regret in my career, it is that I did not become involved in committees at a younger age.

I wish you all the best and a safe and happy new year. Be careful out there.

Railway Track & Structures

January 2013 31

AREMA NEWS

2013 Upcoming Committee Meetings Jan. 17-18 Jan. 21-22 Jan. 24-25 Jan. 29-30 Jan. 31

Committee 24 - Education and Training Jacksonville, FL Galveston, TX Committee 10 - Structures Maintenance & Construction Committee 8 - Concrete Structures & Foundations New Orleans, LA Committee 15 - Steel Structures Galveston, TX Committee 9 - Seismic Design for Railway Structures Spring, TX

Feb. 11-12 Committee 1 - Roadway and Ballast Feb. 20-21 Committee 7 - Timber Structures March 6-7 Committee 30 - Ties March 12-13 Committee 38 - Information, Defect Detection

& Energy Systems

Memphis, TN San Diego, CA Pueblo, CO Jacksonville, FL

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

FYI…

AREMA’s Official Facebook Page Become a fan of the official AREMA Facebook Page and stay up-to-date on the most recent AREMA information.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Put your career on the right track with AREMA’s

Online dues renewal is now available.

To pay online, log into www.arema.org, then select “Dues Renewal” from the “Membership” drop-down menu. Print renewal invoices have been mailed.

Railway Interchange 2013, September 29-October 2, 2013 in Indianapolis, IN . R e g i s t r a t i o n i s n o w o p e n . www.railwayinterchange.org. To register for the AREMA 2013 Annual Conference, please visit www.arema.org. All AREMA badges will be honored for full access into the exhibition halls during operating hours.

Railway Careers Network. Services are free and include confidential resume posting, job search and e-mail notification when jobs match your criteria. Visit careers.arema.org.

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-ofWay Association.”

Check your e-mail. Did you happen to notice the latest news

in the January/February 2013 AREMA News eNewsletter? Be sure to log online and get caught up with AREMA News. Every other month, AREMA will send out a new edition containing important information.

Interested in sponsorship for the AREMA 2013 Annual Conference being held as part of Railway Interchange 2013? Please contact Lisa Hall at lhall@arema.org or +1.301.459.3200, ext. 705, for more information.

AREMA Educational Foundation Scholarship Program is now accepting applications for 2013. Please visit www.aremafoundation.org for a complete listing of available scholarships and to apply online. The application deadline is March 8, 2013.

Call for entries for the 2013 AREMA Student Architectural Design Competition. Please see page 35 for more information or visit www.arema.org. The deadline for all entries is May 1, 2013.

Call for entries for the 2013 Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence. The selection process for the 15th W. W. Hay Award has begun. Entries must be submitted by May 31, 2013. Please visit www.arema.org for more information.

AREMA 2014 Annual Conference and Exposition will be held in Chicago, IL, September 28-October 1, 2014. Exhibit booth sales will begin May 1, 2013.

Receive a 10% discount off your booth purchase between May 1 and October 11, 2013. Please contact Christy Thomas at cthomas@arema.org if you are interested in receiving more information.

Not an AREMA Member?

Join today at www.arema.org 32 Railway Track & Structures

January 2013

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 www.rtands.com

Getting to know David H. Warnock Each month, AREMA features one of our committee chairmen. We are pleased to announce that the January featured chairman is David Warnock, chair of Committee 1 Roadway and Ballast.

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

Warnock: I came into the industry almost by accident.

When I graduated from college, there were only two interviews available for engineers and neither one fit my degree or interest. I was working in the quality control division of a precast concrete company at the time and thought that would be my career path for a while. Within a couple of months I received a call from Southern Pacific Railroad. They were hiring civil engineers to support the work of raising the causeway across the Great Salt Lake. I took a job and changed the whole course of my career.

AREMA: How did you get started?

Warnock: I spent two and a half years working as a rodman/instrument man/project engineer on the Great Salt Lake Causeway project, then the railroad moved me to southern California where I worked on the first modernera rail transit project in Los Angeles County. The railroad then moved me to the Bay Area, where I worked in the headquarters engineering group in San Francisco and finally in Oakland on the I-880 freeway/railroad relocation project. For the past several years, I have been working for various consulting companies, always tied to the design and construction of rail and rail transit projects.

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

Warnock: In October 1987, as the projects on the Great Salt Lake were coming to a close, my boss, Darrell Maxey, was pulling together arrangements to take several buses full of AREA members across the SP Causeway as part of the Fall Conference. He asked me to help with some of the logistics for that trip, as well as for a similar trip he organized a couple of years later as part of an AREA Committee 1 meeting. Due to his encouragement and that of some of the other committee members I met on that trip, I joined the committee a couple of years later.

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

Warnock: It is not necessarily a hobby, but we have some property in the mountains where we like to get away whenever we can. We can hike, ride ATV’s and trail bikes and just enjoy the wildlife. We keep working on projects to make the place more comfortable and eventually, hope to build a cabin.

AREMA: Tell us about your family.

Warnock: My wife JaNae and I have three daughters and a son, complemented by two terrific sons-in-law and three beautiful granddaughters. We enjoy spending time together several times a year when we all end up in the same state. www.rtands.com

David H. Warnock Chair, Committee 1 - Roadway and Ballast Senior Project Manager Parsons

AREMA: If you could share one interesting fact about yourself with the readers of RT&S, what would it be?

Warnock: I have had the opportunity to do a little bit of travel in other countries. I am not as bad as many, but I still like to look at rail and transit systems in other countries to see how they do things. In Australia for instance, I did not have anything to measure with so I got a photo at a grade crossing with my wife’s shoe in the photo so that I could determine the gauge of the track.

AREMA: What would you say is your biggest achievement?

Warnock: Aside from my family, I am most excited about being a part of helping young engineers learn to take the fundamentals they are learning in school and turn those principals into useful skills. At the end of the day, it is always a thrill to attend an opening event for a new line or a new facility and watch them recognize that they had some part in making it happen.

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

Warnock: I try to give the same advice to all of the early career professionals and students I get a chance to talk to: Enjoy the journey, don’t be in a great hurry to tackle the world. There are a lot of important tasks in this industry, try as many of them as you can that interest you. Be curious, talk to people who have been around awhile. You will be amazed at the kind of people you will meet and the things you will learn from them.

Railway Track & Structures

January 2013 33

AREMA Student Chapters

AREMA Publications NEW PUBLICATION

Reflections on a Half Century of Railway Engineering and Some Related Subjects©

2013 Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices©

Railway Memoirs by William G. Byers, PE

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.

2012 Manual for Railway Engineering© There have been numerous updates to more than 5,000 pages of the Manual for Railway Engineering.

The chapters are grouped into four general categories, each in a separate volume: • Track • Structures • Infrastructure & Passenger • Systems Management. The Manual is an annual publication, released every April. The Manual is available in four-volume loose-leaf format, CD-ROM, revision set (loose-leaf only) and individual chapters (loose-leaf format only).

AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook© The AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook provides a comprehensive source of information and criteria for bridge inspections for engineers engaged in the assessment of railway bridges.

This handbook is published as a guide to establishing policies and practices relative to bridge inspection.

It covers such topics as confined spaces, site conditions, loads & forces, nomenclature, bridge decks, timber, concrete & steel bridges, movable bridges, tunnel and culvert inspections, and emergency & 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 visit www.arema.org or contact Beth Caruso at +1.301.459.3200, ext. 701, or bcaruso@arema.org.

34 Railway Track & Structures

January 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.)

2012 Portfolio of Trackwork Plans© The Portfolio of Trackwork Plans consists of plans and specifications that relate to the design, details, materials and workmanship for switches, frogs, turnouts and crossovers, crossings, rails and other special trackwork. This is a companion volume to the Manual for Railway Engineering.

Website: http://www.arema.org/ education/student/ student_chapters.aspx Michigan Tech University “Railroad Engineering and Activities Club” Oregon State University University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Kentucky “RailCats” University of Nevada, Las Vegas University of Tennessee – Knoxville University of South Carolina “Carolina Rail Enthusiasts” Virginia Tech University of Manitoba AREMA Student Chapter University of British Columbia Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology University of Alberta If you are interested in establishing a student chapter at your university/college, please visit www. arema.org/education/ student/student.aspx or contact the student chapter coordinator, Samuel Betten at scc@arema.org or Stacy Spaulding at sspaulding@arema.org at AREMA. www.rtands.com

www.rtands.com

Railway Track & Structures

January 2013 35

PRODUCTS

LED work light

ProBuilt Professional Lighting, LLC, introduced its SmithLight IN120LB battery‐operated LED work light. The work light is said to be a durable, bright and versatile lighting solution. The self‐contained lighting system incorporates a sealed battery that operates up to 30 hours on a single charge and can be recharged with either the 12-volt vehicle or the 120volt wall adapters provided. Rated fully-weatherproof and dustproof (IP65), this light is said to withstand tough environments and is user‐friendly and portable.

Phone: 877‐707‐0800.

Gripping gloves

3M introduced work gloves, incorporating the 3M™ Gripping Material, which is said to enhance traction and hold on tools and equipment. The company says this means, reduced slippage, fewer dropped tools and improved productivity with less fatigue. The work gloves can be used alone or as a two-part system, which mates the gloves with tools or pieces of equipment wrapped with 3M™ Gripping Material tape. The two-part system significantly improves friction over traditional leather gloves and wraps. In addition, the work gloves are resistant to abrasion and punctures so they stand up to the demands of the factory and in the field.

Phone: 888-364-3577.

36 Railway Track & Structures

January 2013

www.rtands.com

Ad Index Company

Phone #

Fax#

e-mail address

Page #

Aldon Company, Inc.

847-623-8800

847-623-6139

e-rail@aldonco.com

25

AREMA Marketing Department

301-459-3200

301-459-8077

marketing@arema.org

Cover 3

Auto Truck Group

816-412-2131

816-412-2191

eschoenfeld@autotruck.com

22

Danella Rental Systems, Inc.

610-828-6200

610-828-2260

pbarents@danella.com

9

Herzog Services, Inc.

816-233-9002

816-233-7757

rebersold@herzogservices.com

29

Hougen Manufacturing, Inc.

866-245-3745

800-309-3299

info@trak-star.com

17

L.B. Foster Co. - Friction Management

412-928-3506

412-928-3512

glippard@lbfosterco.com

Cover 4

North American Rail Products Inc.

604-946-7272

888-692-1150

cerhart@narailproducts.com

6

NMC, Inc.

402-891-7745

866-662-779

info@nmcrail.com

20

Nordco Inc.

414-766-2180

414-766-2379

info@nordco.com

7

PortaCo, Inc.

218-236-0223

218-233-5281

info@portaco.com

8

Progress Rail Services Corp.

800-476-8769

256-593-1249

info@progressrail.com

21

RAILCET

866-724-5238

217-522-6588

grif1020@yahoo.com

24

Rail Construction Equipment Co.

866-472-4570

630-355-7173

dennishanke@rcequip.com

16

Rails Company

973-763-4320

973-763-2585

rails@railso.com

Railway Educational Bureau, The

402-346-4300

402-346-1783

bbrundige@sb-reb.com

Sperry Rail Service

203-791-4500

203-791-4512

mnottelmann@mail.sperryrail.com

26

Unitrac Railroad Materials, Inc.

412-298-0915

865-693-9162

ppietrandrea@unitracrail.com

14

Western-Cullen-Hayes, Inc.

773-254-9600

773-254-1110

cp@wch.com

6

9 4, 36, 38

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 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 AL, AR, IN, KY, LA, MI, MS, OH, OK, TN, TX Emily Guill (312) 683-5021 20 South Clark Street Fax: (312) 683-0131 Ste. 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 eguill@sbpub.com

www.rtands.com

AK, AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, KS, MN, MO, MT, NE, NM, ND, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, WY, Canada -足AB, BC, MB, SK Heather Disabato (312) 683-5026 20 South Clark Street Fax: (312) 683-0131 Ste. 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 hdisabato@sbpub.com Responsible for advertisement sales in all parts of the world, except Italy, Italianspeaking Switzerland, Japan, and North America. See the contacts below for these areas.

Donna Edwards Suite K5 & K6 The Priory +44-1444-416368 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom de@railjournal.co.uk

Australia, Austria, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Scandinavia, South Africa, South America, Spain, Worldwide Recruitment Steven Barnes Suite K5 &K6 The Priory +44-1444-416375 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom sb@railjournal.co.uk Africa, Britain, Eastern Europe, Far East, France, Germany, all others.

Louise Cooper Suite K5 &K6 The Priory +44-1444-416917 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom lc@railjournal.co.uk

Italy & Italian-speaking Switzerland Dr. Fabio Potesta Media Point & Communications SRL Corte Lambruschini Corso Buenos Aires 8 +39-10-570-4948 V Piano, Int 9 Fax: +39-10-553-0088 16129 Genoa, Italy info@mediapointsrl.it Japan Katsuhiro Ishii Ace Media Service, Inc. 12-6 4-Chome, +81-3-5691-3335 Nishiiko, Adachi-Ku Fax: +81-3-5691-3336 Tokyo 121-0824, Japan amskatsu@dream.com Classified, Professional & Employment Craig Wilson (212) 620-7211 345 Hudson St. Fax: (212) 633-1325 New York, NY 10014 cwilson@sbpub.com

Railway Track & Structures

January 2013 37

CALENDAR JANUARY 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.

24-25. 9th Annual Southwestern Rail Conference. Dallas Union Station. Dallas, Texas. Contact: Bernie Rodriguez.

Phone: 469-569-0136. E-mail: bernie@texasrailadvocates. org. Website: http://texasrailadvocates.org/conference/.

28-31. 2013 NRCA Weed Control Seminar. Indianapolis Marriott East. Indianapolis, Ind. Contact: Kathy Walters.

Phone: 765-494-2758. Fax: 765-494-0567. E-mail: kw@ perdue.edu. Website: http://www.nrca-railroad.com/ weed-control-seminar.

FEBRUARY 4-5. Railway Age/Parsons International Conference on Communications-Based Train Control. Washington Marriot. Washington, D.C. Contact: Jane Poterala. Phone: 212-620-7209. E-mail: jpoterala@sbpub.com. Website: www.railwayage.com.

11-13. Railroad Track Construction Project Management.

University of Wisconsin. Holiday Inn - In the Walt Disney World Resort. Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Contact: Dave Peterson. Phone: 800-462-0876. E-mail: peterson@epd. engr.wisc.edu. Website: http://ctr.utk.edu/ttap/training/.

MARCH 5-6. 18th Annual AAR Research Review. Pueblo Convention Center. Pueblo, Colo. Phone: 719-584-0544.

E-mail: annualreview@aar.com. Webiste: http://www. regonline.com/18threview.

11-15. Railroad Track Inspection and Safety Standards.

University of Tennessee. Chattanooga, Tenn. Contact: Dianna Webb. Phone: 865-974-5255. Fax: 765-974-3889.

Website: http://www.ctr.utk.edu/ttap.

19-21. Railroad Track Design. University of Tennessee. Knoxville, Tenn. Contact: Dianna Webb.

Phone: 865-974-5255. Fax: 765-974-3889. Website: http://www.ctr.utk.edu/ttap.

14. Railroad Day on Capitol Hill. Renaissance Washington D.C. Downtown Hotel. Washington, D.C. Contact: Kathy Cassidy. Phone: 202-585-3443. E-mail: kcassidy@aslrra.org. Webiste: http://www.aslrra.org/ meetings___seminars/Railroad_Day_on_Capitol_Hill/.

18-20. Introduction to Railroad Engineering and Operations. University of Wisconsin. Hilton Garden InnChicago O’Hare Airport. Des Plains, Ill. Contact: Dave Peterson. Phone: 800-462-0876. E-mail: peterson@epd. engr.wisc.edu. Website: http://ctr.utk.edu/ttap/training/.

APRIL 27-30. 2013 ASLRRA Annual Convention. Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Atlanta, GA. Phone: 202-628-4500.

Webiste: http://www.aslrra.org.

38 Railway Track & Structures

January 2013

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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

2011 NRC SAFETY AWARD WINNER NEW & USED EQUIPMENT

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

E-Mail: RelamCFE@aol.com Tel: 440-439-7088 Fax: 440-439-9399

EQUIPMENT FOR SHORT OR LONG TERM LEASE HARSCO TAMPERS 6700S Switch and Production Tampers - 2012, 2011, 2010 & 2009 3300 Chase Tampers 3000 Tampers w/Raise & Line or Chase Tampers 2012 thru 2006 2400 Tampers w/Raise & Line, 900 Tampers w/Jacks TIE INSERTERS/EXTRACTORS Nordco TRIPPs - 2012 thru 2005 TR-10s & TKOs 925 S/Ss and Standards KNOX KERSHAW REGULATORS, KRIBBER/ADZERS, TIE CRANES & PLATE BROOMS KBR-850-925-940 Ballast Regulators & Snow Fighters - 2012 - 2008 KTC - 1200 Tie Cranes - 2012 thru 2006 KKA-1000s Kribber/Adzers – 2009, 2008 & 2007 KPB-200 Plate Brooms NORDCO ANCHOR APPLICATORS, SPIKERS & GRABBERS Models E & F Anchor Machines Models CX and SS Spikers - 2012 thru 2006 Model SP2R Dual Grabbers – 2008, 2007 & 2006 RACINE DUAL ANCHOR SPREADERS, SQUEEZERS, TPIs, DUAL CLIP APPLICATORS, OTM RECLAIMERS AND ANCHOR APPLICATORS HI-RAIL CRANES & SPEEDSWINGS Pettibone Model 445E Speedswings w/Multiple Attachments Geismar 360 Hi-Rail Excavators with Cold Air Blowers Badger 30 Ton Cranes HI-RAIL ROTARY DUMPS, GRAPPLE TRUCKS & EXCAVATORS Gradall XL3300 Series III w/Digging Buckets & Brush cutters - 2012 Badger 1085R with Brush Cutter and Ditch Cleaning Bucket

RT&S Classified Section Craig Wilson 212-620-7211 cwilson@sbpub.com

s r

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r

TM

Railway Track & Structures

January 2013 39

NEW & USED EQUIPMENT

Some things never change. Quality, Service, and Dependability. Since 1910.

Hirail Crew Cab

Grapple Truck

Rotary Dump

Some things never change. Quality, Service, and Dependability. Since 1910.

Utility Pick up Also: Hirail Boom Dump Trucks Hirail Mechanics Trucks Hirail Section Trucks Hytracker for moving equipment Hudson Ballast Cars DMF & Harsco parts, service and installation

Hirail Gradall w/opt.

Brush Cutter Crew Cab Boom Truck RAILROAD SERVICES

Est. 1910

RAILROAD SERVICES

Phone: 315-455-0100 • Fax: 315-455-6008 • Syracuse, NY • Please visit our website www.franktartaglia.com

NELSON SERVICES, INC.

22615 120th Ave., Thief River Falls, MN 56701 Call 218-681-8002 • Fax 218-681-7111 Email nelsonservices@wiktel.com 5 kershaw tie cranes ...................................................lease/sale 4 fairmont spikers ........................................................lease/sale Caboose Office .................................................................... sale 1 burro model 40 w/magnet ........................................lease/sale 3 kershaw 26 side entry regulators .............................lease/sale 2 kershaw scarifers ....................................................lease/sale Box Car Office .............................................................lease/sale 1 teleweld 32 burner rail htr self propelled with vibrator 1 tr 10 tie inserter/remover wide cab .................................... sale 1 2002 sterling Rotary dump truck with hy-rails & grapple ........................................................................lease/sale 2 1995 ford rotary dump trucks with hy-rails & grapple 1995 white Volvo grapple truck w/hyrails & apprentice 120c grapple ........................................................................lease/sale 1 2001 freightliner 4 dr crew truck w/crane & hyrails 2 pettibone 441 B speedswings with tote hook Check out other equipment for lease or sale at our website www.nelsonservices.com Excellent Financing Available on All Units!

RAILROAD SERVICES

Brand new Western Star or Freightliner hi rail Grapple trucks for sale or rent Brand new Ford F350 hi rail pickups for sale or rent (5) 2005 Ford F350 hi rail pickups for sale Contact Andy Wiskerchen for Pricing Omaha Track Equipment 715-570-8885 andy@omahatrackequipment.com

WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE HARSCO/JACKSON MODEL 6700, REBUILDABLE TAMPER CORES, SMALL OR LARGE CAB. ALL CORES WILL BE CONSIDERED, REGARDLESS OF CONDITION. COMPETITIVE PRICES, PAID PROMPTLY. PLEASE SEND INQUIRIES TO: ATTN: DOA, railgroup@sbpub.com

40 Railway Track & Structures

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