RT&S February 2016

February 2016 | www.rtands.com

RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

2016 Capital Forecast:

Mixed Bag PLUS WSDOT, BNSF Landslide Mitigation PATCO Bridge Rehab AND ALSO AREMA News p.30

Contents February 2016

News

Features

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Industry Today 5 Supplier News 8 People

2016 capital expenditure report The bubble has burst on record capex numbers. However, Class 1s are keeping maintence programs consistent.

washington state department of transportation

Columns

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Ben Franklin Bridge rehab project PATCO spent 18 months and $103-million to replace the entire track structure of a key bridge linking New Jersey to Pennsylvania.

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Washington state landslide mitigation WSDOT, BNSF and additional stakeholders are taking on a series of slope stabilization projects to curb the threat of moving earth.

Maintaining key components, such as rail, will dominate 2016 capex. Photo courtesy of ROBEL. Story on page 16

railroad Construction Co., Inc.

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RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

22 Departments 12 TTCI R&D 30 Arema News 36 Products 36 Calendar 37 Advertisers Index 37 Sales Representatives 38 Classified Advertising 39 Professional Directory

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On Track Capex is only a number

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NRC Chairman’s Column Second generation

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Railway Track & Structures

February 2016 1

On Track

RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

Vol. 112, No. 2 Print ISSN # 0033-9016, Digital ISSN # 2160-2514 EDITORIAL OFFICES 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910 Chicago, Ill. 60603 Telephone (312) 683-0130 Fax (312) 683-0131 Website www.rtands.com Mischa Wanek-Libman/Editor, mischa@sbpub.com Jennifer Nunez/Assistant Editor, jnunez@sbpub.com CORPORATE OFFICES 55 Broad St 26th Fl. New York, N.Y. 10004 Telephone (212) 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr./ President and Chairman Jonathan Chalon/Publisher Mary Conyers/Production Director Wendy Williams/Creative Director Maureen Cooney/Circulation Director Michelle Zolkos/Conference Director

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Capex is only a number

t first glance, our cover story on expected North American Class 1 2016 capital expenditures (page 16) can be shocking. The numbers, on the surface, have a bit of a gut-punch effect: • $3 billion: The approximate dollar amount that North American Class 1 railroads capital spending will be down in 2016 when compared to 2015. This represents a 15 percent drop in year-over-year spending.

• -27.7 percent: The difference in Canadian Pacific’s 2016 program versus 2015, the biggest percentage drop followed by BNSF with a 25-percent reduction.

• 0 .4 percent: The percent that Canadian National is increasing its year-over-year capital spend, bucking the trend.

After so many years of placing the word “record” in front of “expected spending,” it’s disappointing and a bit disheartening to see that kind of dip.

Numbers only tell part of the story, what’s beneath those numbers can give a clearer picture of what is really going on.

As I wrote in my January column, the general freight network is stronger than ever. During year-end earnings calls, the general consensus among the Class 1 brass when capex spending had the spotlight turned on it was that ramping up spending during the past few years has reaped tremendous benefits that allow for the current reduction in spending.

Coupled with the downturn in traffic and the need to conserve cash flows, a reduction in capital spending doesn’t seem that out of line.

Additionally, as our report states, expansion capital has taken the brunt of the reduction, but maintenance spending remains consistent. Those projects where Class 1s will focus their attention in the next year will have maximum impact on their systems.

Jim Vena, chief operating officer and executive vice president, Canadian National, answered a question during the railroad’s last earnings call regarding strategic investment. He pointed

to the work the railroad put into double tracking Steelton Hill in Duluth, Minn., saying it was expensive for such a small stretch of route, but the effects were far reaching.

“There’s some points where if you spend the right capital at the right time, it increases capacity through the whole corridor, not just in one place.

And that’s exactly what we’ve been doing,” said Vena. “What that specific expansion on the Steelton Hill did, it opened up capacity all the way from Winnipeg to Chicago for us, not just in that one mile pinch point.”

A test that may come in the next year concerns safety. The Association of American Railroads has a wonderful graph that illustrates during the past 10 years as the amount of railroad spending has increased, the train accident rate per million train miles trends down. The freight industry had a dip in spending from 2008 to 2009, but the train accident rate continued to go down. Another slight dip occurred from 2012 to 2013 and the train accident rate remained about the same. While the overall trend on safety is improving, it could be a factor those outside the industry point to should safety not continue to improve through 2016.

Interestingly, and on the topic of safety, four of the Class 1s will be increasing their spend on Positive Train Control in 2016 and one will spend an equal amount. The remaining two anticipate a slight reduction in spending.

Railroading is about the long game.

While current market conditions require a reduction in spending, the Class 1s are not going to let the tremendous effort of the past few years go unmaintained.

Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor Note: All capex numbers are preliminary and subject to change.

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INDUSTRY TODAY WisDOT awards freight rail funds The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) awarded more than $31 million in grants and loans for seven freight rail projects in the state. WisDOT said the goal of the state’s freight railroad assistance program is to increase the use of rail transportation and support economic development and job creation.

Wisconsin and Southern Railroad Company (WSOR) received grants from the Freight Railroad Preservation Program, as well as loans from the Freight Railroad Infrastructure Improvement Program for four projects. WSOR will use the funds to advance the Prairie Subdivisions Phase 1 and Phase 2 projects, as well as the second phase of the Waukesha to Milton track rehabilitation. Work on the projects include the construction of public crossings, 15 turnouts, installation of continuously-welded rail, crosstie replacement and resurface work. WSOR will also use the funds to advance the Spring Green Bridge replacement.

CSX , NS plan to consolidate operating divisions to boost efficiencies CSX and Norfolk Southern each announced plans to consolidate operational divisions in a move designed to drive efficiencies on each of the Class 1 networks.

CSX will divide it’s 10 divisions into nine and close administrative offices at Huntington, W.Va. The administrative responsibilities of the Huntington Division will be reassigned to five adjoining divisions: Atlanta, Baltimore, Florence, Great Lakes and Louisville.

The 121 management and union employees who report to the Huntington Division offices will remain employed to support the transition. Once the transition has concluded, many employees will be given an opportunity to fill positions in other areas of the network.

CSX will continue to run trains over the territory and its yards and other facilities in the Huntington region – including the Huntington locomotive shop – will continue operations.

The railroad said the decision to consolidate divisions was part of CSX’s focus on reducing structural costs and aligning resources with demand in its coal fields and follows the reduction of train operations at Erwin, Tenn., and the closing of mechanical shops at Corbin, Ky. Norfolk Southern will consolidate its Virginia and Pocahontas divisions into a new Pocahontas Division, headquartered in Roanoke, Va. The new Pocahontas Division will comprise 2,581 route miles, mainly in Virginia and West Virginia, extending from the Port of Virginia to Portsmouth, Ohio, and from Bristol, Va., to Hagerstown, Md. The railroad said combining the divisions will improve service by placing most of the company’s coal routes under the operating authority of a single division. Additionally, the move further consolidates operational control over the company’s Heartland Corridor, a double-stack intermodal route through Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio.

The company will continue to operate its rail yard in Bluefield, W.Va. Trains moving Appalachian coal comprise most of the business handled there and yard traffic has declined as coal volumes moved by the railroad have dropped over the past five years. Currently, about 130 people work in operations departments at the yard, including in transportation, engineering and mechanical.

NS said the consolidation is part of the company’s ongoing drive to enhance operating efficiencies and support long-term growth. The announcement follows other recent strategic initiatives, including the reduction from three corporate office locations to two, restructuring of the Triple Crown Services subsidiary and integration of the D&H South Line to increase options for shippers.

In a related move, Norfolk Southern is changing traffic patterns and idling parts of its “West Virginia Secondary,” a 253-mile line between Columbus, Ohio, and central West Virginia that has experienced steady declines in business in recent years. This follows the idling of a 33-mile mainline between Elmore and Princeton, W.Va., in September 2015.

BNSF’s Ice named Railway Age 2016 Railroader of the Year Carl R. Ice, president and chief executive officer of BNSF, has been named 2016 Railroader of the Year

by Railway Age, Railway Track & Str uctures’ sister publication. Ice is the magazine’s 53rd Railroader of the Year.

“Under Carl Ice’s leadership, BNSF continues to make significant investments in four key areas— capacity, locomotives, people and equipment—to ensure future capacity to meet its customers’ needs,” said Railway Age Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono.

“Carl Ice exemplifies the commitment to excellence and growth the Railroader of the Year represents.”

“I’m humbled by this honor and believe this recognition is a reflection of the hard work and

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dedication of everyone at BNSF,” said Ice. “I have always said BNSF is great company with great people. We all know that to continue to be successful we must keep our focus on operating safely in the communities we ser ve and running a strong operation to provide the level of service that our customers expect.”

Ice is the second BNSF CEO, following Matt Rose in 2010, to be named Railroader of the Year. Modern Railroads magazine founded the award in 1964 as the “Man of the Year.” Railway Age acquired Modern Railroads in 1991 and has presented the award annually since then. Ice will be honored on March 15, 2016, at Chicago’s Union League Club.

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SEPTA could begin Positive Train Control roll out in February The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) believes it can begin rolling out Positive Train Control (PTC) on its network in February if all goes according to plan.

Referencing the three-year extension of the PTC implementation deadline, SEPTA wrote in an update, “While this will give some transit systems a longer window to complete infrastructure improvements, for SEPTA, the extension effectively resets the clock on our deadline for the final phases of the project.”

SEPTA said it has received its safety plan back from the Federal Railroad Administration and has submitted a revised implementation plan.

The transit agency has completed work on its signal system, its communication system and its car fit-out on the Silverliner IV and Silverliner V fleets. The fit-out of its electric

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Supplier News

locomotives and cab cars should be completed in early February. SEPTA has substantially completed employee training and is in the final stages of testing of its control center software installation.

SEPTA currently plans to implement PTC on its Regional Rail Lines in three phases with each phase taking several weeks to complete.

Phase 1 would deploy PTC on its single track service; Phase 2 would deploy on its two track service lines and Phase 3 would deploy where SEPTA operates multi-track service.

Amtrak’s Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System will be added to the Harrisburg Line in February. SE vPTA is testing its cars to see how its system interfaces with Amtrak’s. Deployment of SEPTA’s PTC equipped vehicles within Amtrak service territory will be interspersed in the phases noted above.

AECOM has been selected to design and build the world’s first Hyperloop test track as part of the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition, a university-focused challenge to help spur student innovation.

Ansaldo STS was awarded a $31.5 million contract to design, furnish, test and commission a

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INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News signaling and train control system for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority West Side Subway Extension.

California HighSpeed Rail Authority has identified California Rail Builders as the apparent best value proposer for the design-build services contract for Construction Package 4, the next segment of construction through the counties of Tulare and Kern and the

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Two rail issues make NTSB’s 2016 “Most Wanted” list The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its 2016 Most Wanted List of transportation safety improvements on January 13 at the 95th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board.

Two rail specific issues from the 2015 Most Wanted List, Positive Train Control (PTC) and rail tank care safety issues, have been combined into one item on the 2016 list: Promote The Completion of Rail Safety Initiatives.

New to the list in 2016 is “Improve Rail Transit Safety Oversight,” which joins other issues making their debut on the list, including “Strengthen Occupant Protection,” “Reduce Fatigue-Related Accidents,” “Expand Use of Recorders to Enhance Transportation Safety” and “Promote Availability of Collision Avoidance Technologies in Highway Vehicles.”

Regarding PTC and strong tank car safety rules, NTSB said “these measures save lives – but only where implemented. They should be implemented broadly and with minimal delays.”

NTSB notes that congressional action to

February 2016

extend the PTC implementation deadline to 2018 should allow many more railroads to comply, but NTSB encourages implementation as soon as possible and recommends not allowing new extensions from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).

NTSB also encourages introducing safer tank cars to the industry as soon as possible.

“Bottom line: We have laws and regulations to implement PTC and improve tank car design, but we must avoid delays. Safety delayed is safety denied and any given day without these lifesaving advances might be the day of the next Philadelphia or Lac-Megantic,” the NTSB said.

The new entrant on the list, “Improve Rail Transit Safety Oversight,” was added because “We have seen too many fatalities and injuries on rail mass transit,” said NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart.

“Although each system has unique equipment, operating environments and challenges, all need strong safety oversight to continue safe operations,” wrote NTSB.

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INDUSTRY TODAY CSX eyes Johnston County, N.C., for intermodal terminal CSX proposed a terminal in Johnston County, N.C. The railroad says the planned intermodal rail terminal, the Carolina Connector, or CCX, will be a state-of-the-art facility that will create distinct competitive advantages for North Carolina businesses and ports while serving the metro-Raleigh area – one of the south’s largest and fastest growing markets.

“We are excited about developing infrastructure within North Carolina that makes the state’s ports more competitive, lowers transportation costs for business and promotes reliance on freight rail, the most fuel efficient and environmentally-friendly form of land transportation,” said Louis Renjel, CSX vice president, strategic infrastructure initiatives. “CSX has committed to working closely with Johnston County officials and community members to build an environmentally responsible terminal that benefits the local economy and surrounding area.”

Once operational, the terminal will serve as an intermodal transportation hub in the South, transferring a broad range of goods

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– from food to furniture to appliances – between trucks and trains.

The terminal is expected to spur economic development in eastern North Carolina by enhancing transportation infrastructure, creating jobs and encouraging industrial growth. The terminal is forecast to produce more than $329 million in public benefits for the state over 30 years. The construction of the terminal is estimated to create 250 to 300 short-term construction jobs. Over time, up to 1,500 long-term jobs will be created statewide as a result of this development.

Total estimated project costs for CCX are $272 million. CSX is committed to investing $150 million – the majority of funds needed to complete the project. The execution of the project is contingent on securing $100 million in infrastructure investment funds that have been proposed in the state of North Carolina’s Strategic Transportation Investment process. The balance of the funding will come from other infrastructure and investment programs that are currently in place.

Supplier News cities of Wasco and Shafter.

RailComm has been selected to replace an obsolete control system with its DOC® system at a Class 1 yard in Buffalo, N.Y. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board awarded the final major contract for the East Side Access project to Tutor Perini Corporation for the three and a half year caverns project at a contract value of $663 million.

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INDUSTRY TODAY Private entity to study Minnesota HSR The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) suspended its work on the proposed high-speed rail line project, Zip Rail, between the Twin Cities metropolitan area and Rochester, Minn.

Zip Rail was initiated as a partnership between MnDOT and Olmsted County to explore the feasibility of a highspeed rail connection that would serve the state’s two largest economies. The recent completion of the Zip Rail Alternatives Analysis report identified eight possible alternatives; however, considerable additional public resources would be required in order for MnDOT to study the alternatives.

Additionally, MnDOT issued permits to the North American High Speed Rail (NAHSR) company, which will begin a feasibility study in the near future for a high-speed rail line in southeastern Minnesota.

The NAHSR proposal would not require public funds to move forward. However, MnDOT officials noted that any high-speed rail project that is developed will need to follow federal and state regulations and provide public participation opportunities during development. NAHSR will further define the proposed project’s potential benefits to the region and state as it conducts its own feasibility study.

PEOPLE Canadian pacific appointed Matthew Paull to the CP Board of Directors, replacing Paul Hilal, who resigned.

CSX named Dean Piacente vice president-intermodal, Clark Robertson vice president-chemicals and Tim McNulty vice president-agriculture; all reporting to Fredrik Eliasson, executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officer; Bill Clement, who previously headed intermodal, has left the company.

John Rhone has been appointed as the new vice president of capital design and construction at Dallas Area Rapid Transit.

Scott Goehri was named director of professional services for HDR’s transportation business group and Peter Gertler joined HDR’s strategic consulting team as vice president.

Bonnie Murphy, a former commuter rail executive and Federal Railroad Administration official, will become president and chief executive officer of Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Orgo-Thermit, Inc., hired Geoff Bell as technical sales/ service associate for the Midwest territory.

Parsons has appointed Patrick Cassity as group executive vice president of Parsons Infrastructure.

Railway Supply Institute promoted Amanda Patrick to the vice president of trade shows and member relations.

The Regional Transportation District of Denver’s board elected Tom Tobiassen chairman for 2016.

Association of American Railroads Senior Vice PresidentLaw and General Counsel Louis Warchot has joined the transportation practice of Sidley Austin LLP as counsel in its Washington, D.C., office.

TranSystems named Alex Houseal regional vice president for its Pennsylvania and New Jersey operations and Richard Morsches, PE, chief executive officer.

Valley Metro Chief Executive Officer Stephen Banta resigned; Scott Smith, former mayor of Mesa, Ariz., and president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (2013-214), has been named as the interim chief executive officer.

Virg inia D e partm e nt of R ai l and P u b l ic Transportation named Peter Burrus chief of rail transportation, a newly created position.

The state of Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Railroads named Yash Wadhwa commissioner of railroads; Jeff Plale resigned.

Obituary Charles W. Hoppe, who served as Metropolitan Transportation Authority Long Island Rail Road’s 34th President, from April 2, 1990, to August 31, 1994, passed away December 22, 2015.

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NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN

Second generation

The National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association, Inc. 500 New Jersey Ave., N. W. Suite 400 Washington D. C. 20009 Tel: 202-715-2920 Fax: 202-318-0867 www.nrcma.org info@nrcma.org

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The 2016 NRC Conference was another huge success. We had record attendance with more than 1,250 registrants and record crowds in the exhibit hall with more than 140 exhibitors. I want to thank Chuck Baker, Matt Bell, Matt Ginsberg, Lindsey Collins and the rest of the NRC staff from Chambers, Conlon & Hartwell for making this year’s conference the best ever. Also, a big thank you to Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA) for running such a fantastic exhibit hall. Our partnership with REMSA has been a great success for the NRC and we look forward to many more years of working together.

We had a host of great speakers from Class 1 railroads, shortlines, state departments o f t r a n s p o r t at i o n , t r a n s i t a g e n c i e s , congressional staff and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). A special thank you to Rob Castiglione from the FRA for not only giving a very informative presentation on the new FRA Part 243 Minimum Training Standards Rule, but also for hosting a seminar to provide more detailed information on this rule and the requirements for all railroad employees and contractors who perform safety-related work. He provided some excellent information on the history of the rule, the requirements and timeline for implementation. This was extremely helpful for all who attended. The NRC, with the help of former board member and good friend to the association John Zuspan, is working handin-hand with the FRA to ensure as painless of an implementation of this rule as possible for NRC member companies. We will keep everyone updated as the progress is made.

The 2015 NRC special awards were a highlight of the convention. Congratulations to Herzog/Reyes for winning the Project of the Year for the Pier E project at the Port of Long Beach. The project was very special, being completed on schedule, within budget and zero “lost time” accidents with 313,046 man-hours. Also, congratulations to Dennis Riggs of Railroad Construction Co. of South Jersey for winning the Field Employee of the Year award. I have had the privilege and honor to work with Dennis my entire career. He is truly a special person, a great railroader and our company would not be where it is today without him.

The NRC also inducted our fourth person into the NRC Hall of Fame, Cosmo Lawrence “Larry Sr.” Laurello from Delta Railroad Construction. This was definitely

well deserved. Larry Sr. became the president and chief executive officer of Delta Railroad Construction in 1979. Under Larry and his wife Ida’s leadership, Delta became one of the country premier railroad contractors.

He also was a strong support of the NRC and was on the Railroad Maintenance and Industrial Health and Welfare Fund as a management trustee representing the NRC’s union contractors. Larry Sr., Delta Railroad Construction and the entire Laurello family are icons in the industry. Congratulations for this great honor.

The ending of the 2016 NRC Conference marks the beginning of my two-year term as chairman of this great organization. Bill Dorris, the outgoing chairman has set the bar high for the next two years. Thank you Bill for all of your hard work and dedication to the NRC. I look forward working with Bill, the NRC Board of Directors and the team at Chambers, Conlon, & Hartwell. By way of introducing myself, I am a fourth generation railroad contractor and a second generation NRC Chairman. My father, Jim Daloisio, was the NRC chairman in 1996 and 1997. He is also a member of the NRC Hall of Fame. I remember traveling to NRC conferences as a child with my family. We always looked forward to the conference because it was always at a beautiful resort like The Biltmore in Coral Gables, Fla. This is a great tradition the NRC continues today just on a much larger scale.

The 2017 NRC Conference will be at the Boca Raton Resort January 8 - 11, 2017, which is another great example of this. Save the date - I hope to see everyone there.

Also, the NRC has a major event coming early this year, which is critical to what we do as an association. Railroad Day on the Hill will be held on March 3, 2016, in Washington, D.C. All NRC members are encouraged to attend and support the rail industry at this event. We will be advocating for the renewal of rail investment tax credits, arguing against increasing the size and weight of trucks allowed on our roadways, fighting potential increased economic regulation and discussing many other issues that are important to the rail industry as a whole.

All of the details for these two important events and everything else NRC related can be found on www.nrcma.org.

In closing, I wish everyone a happy, safe and prosperous year.

by Chris Daloisio, NRC Chairman Railway Track & Structures

February 2016 9

TTCI R&D Revenue service evaluation of a continuous mainline rail turnout

by David Davis, senior scientist and Rafael Jimenez, senior engineer I, TTCI.

TTCI reports findings on tests performed on turnout prototype; finds they provide superior ride quality and longevity.

T

ransportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), BNSF and Progress Rail Services have developed a prototype of a continuous mainline rail turnout for low speed and low volume diverging traffic.1 This is the third article on the continuous mainline rail tur nout. The fir st, published in 2011, reviewed the design concept and feasibility study. 2 The second, published in 2013, gave results of the prototype testing done under heavy-axle-loads at TTCI’s Facility for

Accelerated Service Testing (FAST) in Pueblo, Colo., and the initial revenue service results on BNSF.3 This article provides an update on the performance of the first switch in revenue service and will discuss implementation.

The prototype turnout has been in service for two and a half years and has performed successfully in mainline operations of more than 180 mgt of freight and passenger service up to 79 mph. To date, it is performing well with no operating issues.

Introduction

Under a Strategic Research Initiative project sponsored by the Association of American Railroads, TTCI developed and modelled a switch based on the successful lift frog concept. The same concept had been used more than 100 years ago in developing the vertical switches of that era. Figure 1 shows a typical mainline split switch. Notice the schematic to the right of the photograph. Shown in red are the moveable rails or switch points. This switch type is called a split switch. The pair of mainline rails essentially split, with one going down each route of the turnout.

The continuous mainline rail turnout (CMRT) differs from the split switch turnout in that both mainline rails continue down the mainline route 12 Railway Track & Structures

February 2016

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Figure 1, opposite page: Conventional split switch turnout at FAST. Table 1, top: Comparison of measured wheel/rail forces for mainline moves in the prototype and conventional switch turnouts.

Table 2, middle: Comparison of measured wheel/rail forces for diverging moves in the prototype and conventional switches.

Table 3: Comparison of wear on vertical switch points and stock rails.

of the turnout. Thus, both switch points are on the diverging route. Trains operating on the mainline route have continuous running rails through the switch. Figure 2 shows the prototype CMRT as tested at FAST. The CMRT functions by having the switch points override the mainline rails. There is an elevation change for vehicles operating on the diverging route. The operation is similar to a lift frog, in that the wheels climb over the mainline rail(s).

The CMRT switch, however, does not require flange bearing.

BNSF and Progress Rail Services developed and built a prototype No. 11 switch from the concept.

The prototype was evaluated under 39-ton-axle-load traffic at FAST. 4 After a proof-of-concept test and some minor modifications, the same turnout has been installed in revenue service. The testing at FAST showed that the CMRT g reatly reduced dynamic forces for mainline traffic through the turnout. Table 1 shows measured lateral and vertical forces on the prototype No. 11 CMRT and a nearby No. 20 split switch, rail bound manganese (RBM) frog tur nout.

Reduction of lateral forces to levels typical of open track were measured throughout the CMRT. In addition, the lack of a mainline guard rail reduces a source of lateral impacts at the frog. The lift frog will also have lower vertical impacts than a conventional frog at higher train speeds.

Conversely, there is a performance penalty in operating on the diverging www.rtands.com

route. Vertical forces will be higher as the vehicle has to climb a ramp to get above the mainline rails, as shown in Table 2. Lateral forces are similar for both switches. Due to the short length of track beyond the turnout, diverging route operations were limited in speed.

Due to this ramp requirement, the practical operating speed for diverging traffic is limited to 10-15 mph for a No. 11 turnout. This speed limitation makes larger CMRTs impractical. It would not be desirable to use CMRTs on a mainline crossover, for example, due to ride quality and speed limitations.

Wear of the stock rails and switch points was also measured during the FAST tests. The switch points, with their nonconformal shapes and short vertical ramps, wore at a much higher rate (per mgt) than the stock rails.

Table 3 shows wear rates for each of the four running rails in the prototype switch. The switch point wear rates are two to three orders of magnitude higher. Note, however, that the initial wear in the first measurement interval of 0.22 mgt was about 50 and 90 percent of the total wear of the gaugeand field-side points, respectively.

The wear rate is expected to continue decreasing as the points reach shapes that are conformal to wheels. Also note that the stock rail wear rates are similar to tangent track rail wear rates under 39-ton-axle-loads.

There are similarities and differences in wear of the two switch points. In both cases, the locations of highest wear rate are at the point ends — this is where the

wheel impacts the end of the point as it rolls in a facing point move. Somewhat higher wear is also noted at the crest of the switch point ramps. The effect of running surface profile may explain the higher wear rate (reported as cross section area loss) on the field-side point. Both points started with the same rectangular shape. The running surface available to the wheel on the field-side point is much smaller and perhaps less conformal, as well. In addition, the field-side point is a composite structure consisting of three pieces. Shifting of the pieces relative to each other may cause some of the reported wear for this switch point. Since the profiles are aligned using the non-wearing surface of the point guard, any relative movement of the tread bearing portion will be interpreted as wear.

Revenue service testing

The prototype turnout was installed in a BNSF mainline near Clifton, Texas, in April 2013. Figure 3 shows the turnout lined for the diverging route. The turnout connects the single track mainline to an industrial siding that serves a company that receives aggregates in 286,000-gross-rail-load (GRL) hopper cars. Traffic on the mainline includes passenger trains at 79 mph and a variety of freight trains at speeds up to 70 mph. Annual tonnage rates on the turnout are approximately 70 and 0.13 mgt/year on the mainline and diverging routes, respectively. The diverging traffic amounts to about 1,500 cars per year. Turnout performance was as-

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TTCI R&D Figure 2, top: Prototype continuous mainline rail turnout at FAST. Figure 3: Prototype continuous mainline rail turnout in service near Clifton, Texas.

sessed by monitoring any component failures, measuring track parameters (such as gauge) and measuring running surface wear.

There have been no operations or component f ailures to date.

Performance of the switch has been good. Mainline ride quality is excellent.

However, there are some areas for improvement. These include reduction in required throw effort, wear in the point lock mechanism and fatigue in 14 Railway Track & Structures

the thin section switch point tips.

The high effor t required to throw the switch is likely due to the additional mass of the points (compared to conventional designs).

Figure 4 shows the right point in the turnout. The additional mass on this point includes the diverging running surface, which overlays the mainline rail and a lateral guarding surface.

Additionally, the original roller design, which is integral to the plate work, was

February 2016

not successful. Use of conventional rollers should reduce the effort needed to throw the switch.

Lastly, the gauge-side switch point experienced cracking in the horizontal surface that overlays the mainline running rail. Figure 5 shows an end view of the cracking. As can be seen, the switch point is made of a milled rail and a replaceable “tip.�

The two-piece design allows for some vertical deflection under load. This is beneficial as the intent of the design is for the load path to be mostly through the switch point to the mainline rail, with some load being carried through the switch point to the plate work.

Track gauge and cross level were monitored on the prototype turnout.

The performance has been good with the turnout remaining in railroad maintenance and track safety limits.

Figure 4 shows a plot of mainline track gauge versus distance from the point of switch. Similar results were measured for the diverging route, as well.

Running surface profiles were taken periodically in the switch of the turnout on both stock rails and both switch points. These measurements were concentrated in the areas where the wheels transition from stock rails to switch points. The profiles were used to calculate wear (in cross section area) on these components.

In comparing the performance of the turnout in revenue service and at FAST, TTCI determined that the running surface wear rates are far lower in revenue service. The current wear rates on the mainline rails are less than 25 percent of the wear rates at FAST. The current wear rates for the switch points are less than 10 percent of the corresponding wear rates at FAST. TTCI attributes these changes to two factors: running surface shape and wheel load. The as-built shapes www.rtands.com

TTCI R&D Figure 4, top: Right (field side) switch point (end view).

Figure 5: Left (gauge side) switch point (end view).

of the rails and switch points were not conformal to the wheels running over them. This is especially true for the switch points. The flat plate work of the switch also makes the mainline rails less compatible with worn wheels. Thus, the components wore to more conformal shapes during the 20 mgt test at FAST. The second factor is wheel load. All test cars at FAST had 39-kip wheel loads; whereas, cars in revenue service have wheel loads from about eight kips to 36 kips. Wear is significantly higher with higher wheel loads.

Based on the decrease in wear rates during the FAST test period,2 TTCI estimates the more conformal shapes account for about half of the decrease in wear rates with wheel load accounting for the rest.

Implementation

Implementation of CMRTs is proceeding on BNSF. Based on the results of FAST and revenue service operations to date, the railroad is installing these turnouts in mainline set-out tracks and low volume sidings in mainlines. It is expected that approximately 12 CMRTs will be in service by the end of 2015. The superior ride quality and expected longevity of these turnouts for the intended applications (i.e., set-out tracks and low volume sidings off of high volume mainlines) will provide significant operating and lifecycle cost benefits.

Conclusions

The first prototype has performed successfully for two and a half years in a revenue service mainline following a brief heavy-axle-load test at FAST. The prototype has performed successfully in mainline operations of more than 180 mgt of freight and passenger service up to 79 mph.

During this period, approximately 4,200 cars have been operated on the diverging route of the turnout. The turnout has performed without any accidents or condition-based speed restrictions. Ride quality on the mainline route is superior to conventional turnouts; matching the surrounding conventional track.

Results show that wear rates on the switch points are significantly higher than those for the mainline stock rails.

Thus, the design is best suited to locations with low volumes of diverging route traffic. In the prototype, total wear on the switch points has been similar to wear on the mainline stock rails. But the traffic on the mainline is about 500 times heavier.

There have been no component failures to date. However, there are some areas for improvement. These include reduction in required throw effort, wear in the point lock mechanism and fatigue in the thin section switch point tips. www.rtands.com

Reshaping the switch point running surfaces to make them more conformal to freight car wheels would greatly reduce the high initial wear.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank John Bosshart, formerly director track standards, BNSF; Russ Hein, director, engineering, Progress Rail Services; Marcos Lechuga, manager track standards, BNSF and Erik Frohberg, director track standards, BNSF, for their vision and genius in turning concepts into practical solutions.

References

1. Davis, D. and Akhtar, M. May 2010, “Development of a Vertical Switch Design,” Technology Digest TD-10-014, Association of American Railroads, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colo.

2. Davis, D. and Akhtar, M. August 2011, “Development of a Vertical Switch,” Railway Track & Structures, pp. 20-22.

3. Davis, D. and Jimenez, R. February 2014,“Field Evaluation of a Continuous Mainline Rail Turnout Under Heavy Axle Loads,” Railway Track & Structures, pp. 14-17.

4. Davis, D. et al. April 2013, “Demonstration of a Continuous Mainline Rail Turnout,” Technology Digest TD-13-006, Association of American Railroads, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colo.

Railway Track & Structures

February 2016 15

2016 capital expenditures:

don’t panic

by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor

NORFOLK SOUTHERN

A 15-percent decline in anticipated capex puts Class 1 spending on par with 2013 levels.

Norfolk Southern said it will focus on construction projects that result in service improvements via capacity increases and customer specific improvements.

T

he business of railroading is a long-term proposition. While Class 1s have been ramping up their capital programs for many years, 2016 is showing a pull back on spending. In 2015, the North American Class 1s spent an approximate $19 billion on their individual capital programs, but preliminary 2016 estimates are putting capital spending down about 15 percent at $15.9 billion.

Canadian Pacific and BNSF each have capital programs that reflect a 27 percent and 25 percent reduction respectively from 2015, but officials at each railroad say they can reduce spending due to heavy capital spending in previous years.

In general terms, Class 1s are short on expansion capital this year due to traffic declines. However, maintenance capital is shaping up to be relatively consistent year-over-year with the Class 1s expecting to spend approximately $9.4 billion to maintain their core networks.

Additionally, five of the seven Class 16 Railway Track & Structures

1s will be increasing or maintaining their Positive Train Control (PTC) spend, with BNSF expected to invest $100 million more on the technology in 2016 than it did in 2015.

Our annual round up of what and where the North American Class 1 railroads will be spending their money came from year-end earnings reports, industry association presentations and general reporting. As of press time, BNSF was the only Class 1 to make an official announcement of its 2016 capital program. All dollar figures are reported to the best of our ability, but should be read as estimates, are subject to change and are dependent on approval from the various Boards of Directors at the Class 1s.

BNSF

BNSF plans a $4.3 billion 2016 capital expenditure program focused on helping to ensure the company continues to operate a safe and reliable network this year and beyond.

BNSF’s record setting $6 billion cap-

February 2016

ital plan in 2015 contained $1.5 billion in expansion capital alone. While the 2016 plan is an approximate 25-percent reduction in capital spend over 2015, the railroad said this year’s capital program reflects BNSF’s success in adding capacity to support customer demand while bringing investment more in line with current volumes.

“Our railroad is in the best shape it has ever been,” said Carl Ice, BNSF president and chief executive officer.

“Each year, our capital plan works to balance our near term need to regularly maintain a vast network that is always in motion with the longer term demand outlook of our customers. While our customers’ demand outlook has softened in a number of sectors, regular maintenance of our network continues to drive the majority of our annual investments and helps ensure we continuously operate a safe and reliable network.”

The largest component of this year’s plan is approximately $2.8 billion to replace and maintain BNSF’s core netwww.rtands.com

2016 capital forecast

work and related assets to keep its railroad infrastructure in top condition.

These projects will go toward replacing and upgrading main track components, such as rail, ties and ballast. BNSF said keeping the railroad well maintained helps ensure trains can run safely and helps limit the need for unscheduled service outages that can slow down the rail network and reduce capacity.

The 2016 capital plan also includes more than $300 million for continued implementation of PTC and more than $600 million for locomotives, freight cars and other equipment acquisitions. Approximately $500 million of this year’s capital plan is for expansion, including a continuation of projects that were started in 2015, such as installing a new bridge and second track to cross the Pecos River and double track near Fort Sumner, N.M. This year’s projects also reflect various other double track work and additional Centralized Traffic Control signaling that will add capacity and

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“We have an opportunity to do the work at the right time. There is no better time to work at our infrastructure than now.”

–Claude Mongeau, CN improve efficiency in constrained parts of the network.

canadian national

Canadian National is the one Class 1 to slightly increase its capital spend in 2016 to CA$2.9 billion (US$2.07 billion). This represents an approximate US$10 million increase over 2015.

CN will spend CA$1.7 billion (US$1.2 billion) on network invest-

ments; CA$400 million (US$285 million) on PTC and CA$600 million (US$428 million) on equipment.

Luc Jobin, chief financial officer and executive vice president said during CN’s Fourth Quarter earnings call, “Doing this in 2016 will allow us to take full advantage of market conditions that provide easier access for working on the tracks, availability of external contractors and low commodity costs.”

Railway Track & Structures

February 2016 17

2016 capital forecast The railroad’s 2016 network spend reflects an increase in rail purchases, ballast resurfacing and undercutting work. Additionally, CN plans an approximate 10-percent increase in tie purchases in 2016.

When asked about the robust spending plan during CN’s last earnings call, Claude Mongeau, president, chief executive officer and director, said, “We have an opportunity to do the work at the right time. There is no better time to work at our infrastructure than now. We can do it cheaper. We can do it faster and more productively and we can gain long-term advantage that way.

That’s our mindset.”

canadian pacific

Canadian Pacific has been reducing its capital expenditures steadily over the past few years and 2016 will bring more of the same. The railroad plans a CA$1.1 billion (US$785 million) program in 2016, which is an approximate 27.7 percent reduction from its CA$1.5 billion (US$1.08 billion) spend in 2015.

The specifics of the 2016 plan are not readily available, but CP officials said during the railroad’s fourth quarter earnings call that capacity capital has been scaled back due to declining traffic and the next few years are expected to have a similar level of spending.

“With our large program spend largely behind us, train speed and other operating improvements ahead of schedule and a softer demand environment, we can now responsibly dial back on

18 Railway Track & Structures

our capex spending,” said Mark Erceg, executive vice president and chief financial officer. “We have completed a lot of the infrastructure upgrades that were required from years of under investment.

At this point, we think [the current capital program] is probably a reasonably sustainable level. Obviously, it might grow a little bit with the overall economy or overall business.”

CSX

CSX is aiming for a $2.4 billion capital expenditure program in 2016, which reflects a $100 million reduction over 2015 numbers.

The railroad said core investment will decline to $2.1 billion in 2016.

It was at $2.2 billion in 2015. The railroad will spend 52 percent of its program, or $1.24 billion, on infrastructure investments that target rail safety and performance. Infrastructure portion of the capital program is up slightly compared to 2015 numbers.

CSX will devote 23 percent, or $552 million, of its program to equipment, which will focus on upgrading its locomotive fleet. While same percentage of the program is spent on equipment, the dollar amount is down slightly, $23 million, when compared to 2015 numbers.

Strategic investment will make up 13 percent, or $312 million, of its program, down from 16 percent, or $400 million, in 2015. The railroad’s strategic investments will go toward supporting growth and productivity.

February 2016

Finally, CSX anticipates spending $300 million in 2016 toward Positive Train Control. The railroad spent the same amount in 2015 and estimates total cost of the technology to be $2.2 billion.

KCS

Kansas City Southern estimates its 2016 capital program will be between $580-590 million, which represents an approximate 10 percent decline from its $649 million program in 2015.

Maintenance commands 45 percent of the program, followed by growth investments at 42 percent, Positive Train Control at nine percent, which is the lone area to see increased spending, and IT/Other at four percent.

The railroad said that while capital spending has been reduced, investments for future growth in capacity and equipment are still planned. KCS will continue its three-year, more than $60 million expansion of Sanchez Yard in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The first phase of the project was completed in 2015. KCS Chief Executive Officer David Starling and President Patrick Ottensmeyer wrote in their “State of the Railroad” letter at the beginning of the month that the second phase of the project remains on target for 2016 with the opening of new classification tracks and improved mechanical repair space.

Out of its planned expenditures on growth, 11 percent will be dedicated to the Sasol storage in transit (SIT) rail

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2016 capital forecast yard. KCS entered into a long-term lease agreement with Sasol Chemicals for the SIT yard for Sasol’s new ethane cracker and derivatives project in Lake Charles, La. Additional projects that will see movement this year include new or expanded sidings to improve line of road fluidity, the APMT Container Terminal at Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, which should open mid-2016 and rail access to a BMW plant being built in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

During a fourth-quarter and year-end earnings call, Starling said, “Though our industry still must contend with economic uncertainty in 2016, the progress we have made during 2015 gives us confidence that KCS is positioned to maximize its near-term and longer-term business opportunities.”

Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern has a planned capital improvement budget of $2.1 billion in 2016, which is $300 million less than its record $2.4 billion capital plan in 2015.

Most areas of in the NS capital plan will see reduced spending including roadway ($817 million versus $927 million in 2015); infrastructure ($89 million versus $104 million in 2015); facilities and terminals ($222 million versus $238 million in 2015) and other projects ($163 million versus $199 million in 2015). The area to see the greatest reduction in spending was in freight cars. In 2015, NS spend $404 million while in 2016 the railroad plans to only spend $135 million.

NS spent about one-fifth of its 2015 budget on locomotives, technology and positive train control. This year, those three areas will all see spending increases and together make up about onethird of the 2016 capital plan. The railroad plans to spend $351 million on locomotives in 2016 versus $238 million last year; $77 million on technology versus $65 million in 2015 and $246 million on PTC, which is a $26 million increase over last years spending.

The 12.5 percent capital reduction over last year is in line with the railroad’s strategic plan to stream-

line operations, reduce costs and drive profitability. NS plans to dispose of or downgrade 1,000 miles of track in 2016 as traffic is rerouted onto higher-density lines. Additionally, the railroad plans to reduce the size of its car fleet and locomotive maintenance expenses.

Union Pacific

Union Pacific is planning for a $3.75 billion capital program in 2016, pending approval from its board the railroad said in an earning release.

The 2016 program is approximately $450 million less than its planned spend in 2015. The 2015 capital program was driven by equipment acquisitions and infrastructure investments, as well as a significant increase in PTC spending.

The 2016 capital plan aims to spend $1.825 billion on infrastructure replacement, down $25 million from the previous year, $965 million on locomotives and equipment, a reduction of $135 million from 2015, $$395 million on capacity and commercial facilities, which is down from the $650 million

2016 capital forecast

spent in 2015, $190 million on technology, down $10 million from last year and $375 million on PTC, down from 2015’s $400 million investment.

UP’s engineering program will focus on tie and rail replacements and the railroad will accelerate bridge replacements in 2016.

Regarding the year ahead, Lance Fritz, chairman, president and chief executive officer said, “This past year was a difficult one in many respects, but our team did outstanding work in the face of dramatic declines in volumes and shifts in our business mix.

Overall economic conditions, uncertainty in the energy markets, commodity prices and the strength of the U.S.

CANADIAN NATIONAL

Canadian National is the only North American Class 1 to slightly increase its year-overyear capital spend. Double tracking a few miles of line at Steelton Hill in Duluth, Minn., added significant capacity gains for the railroad.

dollar will continue to have a major impact on our business this year. However, we are well-positioned to efficiently serve customers in existing markets as they rebound. The strength and diversity of the Union Pacific franchise also will provide tremendous opportunities for new business devel-

opment as both domestic and global markets evolve. When combined with our unrelenting focus on safety, productivity and service, these opportunities will translate into an excellent experience for our customers and strong value for our shareholders in the years ahead.”

All parties involved in the recent reconstruction of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge agree that a focus on scheduling and coordination helped the project finish on time and on budget with no major injuries reported.

by Jennifer Nunez, assistant editor

The Benjamin Franklin Bridge track rehab project at completion.

All photos courtesy of Railroad Construction Co., Inc.

The success of the

Benjamin Franklin Bridge rehab project

T

h e Benjamin Franklin Bridge, a suspension bridge across the Delaware River connecting Philadelphia, Pa., and Camden, N.J., carries 100,000 vehicles and 35,000 rail commuters per day on its seven lanes, two railroad tracks and two walkways for pedestrians and bicyclists. So, when Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) and the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) had to implement two long-term continuous track outages for the first time in history, totaling 110 days for major track rehabilitation and reconstruction, strategic planning and cooperation were a top priority.

Railroad Construction Co., Inc., (RCC) and Iron Bridge Constructors (IBC) formed a joint venture for the $103million Benjamin Franklin Bridge Rehabiliation Project that reconstructed a 2.9-mile track system in 823 days through 22 Railway Track & Structures

February 2016

it’s collective “One Team, One Goal” approach and a slew of safety measures. The project started in August 2013 and finished December 31, 2015.

Scope

The project replaced the entire railroad infrastructure on the bridge, including replacement of the electrical, fiber optic and signals systems; extensive structural rehabilitation of bridge elements supporting the railroad tracks; rehabilitation of the underbridge at the PATCO rail yard in Camden; installation and removal of a temporary underbridge platform and temporary maintenance and projection of traffic.

The entire 30-year-old track system was removed and more than 13,500 feet of continuous welded rail and 9,000 new timber ties were installed. Eighty signal and electrical www.rtands.com

Top, crews worked in coordination with eachother to accomplish many tasks at once during the rehab.

Placement of new timbers with tie plates that were mounted by the fabricator off site.

enclosures were constructed and the electrical system was upgraded with new train and signal controls, fiber optics and 30 miles of signal, power and communications cable. The bridge’s structural steel support members were replaced and/or repaired, including 120 tons of new steel. The existing support steel was also blasted and painted, giving it a fresh, new look.

To remove old timbers and install the new timbers, the joint venture utilized a portable conveyor system on the bridge, eliminating the bundling of timbers and the loading out with heavy equipment.

The conveyor method removed the timber operations from the critical path and allowed the blasting and painting operations to start sooner.

Scheduling; coordination

There were two scheduled track outages during the duration of the project. With the 60-day closure on the south tracks beginning May 30, 2014, which resulted in a 26-minute headway between trains, the joint venture team completed the repairs and replacement of the track system through strong collaboration and coordination of crews and activities. The planned 50-day north side track closure started August 22, 2014, which resulted in 15-minute headway between trains, was actually completed three days ahead of schedule, earning the joint venture an incentive payment from the DRPA. A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e p e d e s t r i a n walkway above the track was closed to coincide with the track outage below it and two roadway lanes were closed adjacent to each track to allow access and space for equipment.

“After planning, the biggest challenge was to maintain schedule during the two continuous 24/7 outages while addressing changes due to unforeseen field conditions,” noted Gene Sullivan, senior project manager, RCC. “Another challenge was maintaining pace between the subcontractors, especially the painter and working ahead of our field crews during inclement weather. We overcame by being patient while still keeping the pressure on and brain storming with our www.rtands.com

team to find other areas of the bridge to work on while issues were being addressed. We also added additional field crews to make up any lost time.

The success was attributed to a team approach that allowed for adjustments to the planned schedule and the positive attitude that we would be successful in achieving the goal.”

For both track outages, the order of work went like this: track demolition, steel repairs, paint rehabilitation, concrete direct fixation rehabilitation, track construction, power and signal system work. The work was performed 24 hours, seven days a week and had multiple disciplines working concurrently at numerous locations totaling 175 workers per day.

“We had good collaboration with the design team (HNTB), contractor

(RCC/IBC JV) and construction monitor (HNTB),” explained DRPA Chief Engineer Mike Venuto. “The DRPA/PATCO staff fully supported the project and were committed to its success. Our PATCO riders, Ben Franklin Bridge patrons and neighbors were patient and supportive throughout the project. The entire team solved problems as they progressed toward completing the challenging project.”

Operating on a single track required intense planning and scheduling to be able to keep passenger trains running smoothly. This included having shift coverage and operating crews, a fleeted train service plan, test scheduling live runs, making sure the in-use track was in reliable condition, managing public outreach and dispatching and supervision efforts.

Railway Track & Structures

February 2016 23

benjamin franklin bridge rehab Installation of the new timber ties.

“The joint venture was cooperative and demonstrated expertise in this type of work,” noted DRPA General Manager John Rink. “They were efficient and professional. Communication is a major issue on why projects fail. The project team focused the effective communication throughout the project.

Not only within the project, but also with the public and within our organization.”

Safety

Safety measures included a platform constructed below the work area, safety cables to allow tying off along the work area, a safety boat on site during all activities above the river, Job Safety Analysis talks conducted each day for each shift and the presence of a safety representative during all work hours. The joint venture said safety was a top priority, which resulted in no major injuries.

“It is challenging to work around an energized active rail line and a heavily traveled bridge,” explained Rink. “Safety is the biggest concern on any construction project. The biggest safety measures were the work platform installed by the contractor under the tracks to safely access the work areas.”

“RCC/IBC JV performed quality work, met all of the project’s milestones and has exceeded our expectations for the project,” commented Venuto. “The Ben Franklin Bridge Track Rehabilitation project is a testament to what can be accomplished with an experienced, knowledgeable and safety minded contractor.”

24 Railway Track & Structures

February 2016

www.rtands.com

WSDOT and BNSF are working to counteract the effects of Mother Nature and human activity in order to stem the impacts of landslides on a rail line near Seattle.

by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor

moving T

he cliffs above Puget Sound between Seattle and Everett, Wash., offer picturesque views and an idyllic setting, but also come with the seasonal threat of landslides.

The coastline has been subject to more than 200 landslides in the past decade.

During the rainy season of 2012-2013, that threat hit a crescendo of sorts with a large number of landslides halting freight service and causing record amounts of interruptions in passenger rail service.

Amtrak Cascades intercity passenger service, managed by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), experienced a 143 percent increase in annulments and disruptions during the 2012-2013 rainy season.

Sound Transit Sounder commuter service was negatively impacted for 27.5 days during the same season. Each time a slide occurs, BNSF, which owns the track along the coast, sets minimum 48-hour moratorium on passenger traffic. This allows the Class 1 railroad to clear the debris, fix any track issues and assess the slope where the slide occurred. Since 26 Railway Track & Structures

2008, landslides along the corridor have directly cost BNSF more than $10 million in clean up and maintenance.

While the indirect toll the slides have taken on passenger and freight service is a harder assessment to make, one marker is the reduction in ridership of 20,000 passengers and $679,915 in revenues Amtrak Cascades lost in 20122013 as compared to the year before.

“More than 500 Amtrak Cascades trains have been cancelled or disrupted in the past five years due to landslides (78 of those in 2015). In addition, a significant number of Sound Transit commuter trains and BNSF freight trains were impacted,” said David Smelser, WSDOT rail capital program manager. “Of course, any disruption in Amtrak Cascades service affects customer perception regarding reliability. When a landslide occurs, there is a 48-hour moratorium on passenger rail service to protect passengers from any further landslide activity. We provide bus service in place of the trains; however, the ensuing delays and changes in schedules are of great

February 2016

wsdot

How to stop the earth from

concern to WSDOT and its Amtrak Cascades passengers.”

Following the 2012-2013 winter season, a Landslide Mitigation Work Group made up of various stakeholders was formed to try to figure out how to stave off the threat of landslides. The group found that a number of converging factors contribute to landslides, including precipitation, the steep topography along the corridor, poor slope management practices and underlying geology.

“Theoretically, long-term engineering solutions are possible. Unfortunately, due to a sharp increase in development along the bluffs overlooking Puget Sound, the number of landslides has significantly increased over the past 100 years. In order to reverse that trend, hundreds of property owners would need to comply with best practices and communities would need to revise their land use policies to better manage future development,” said Smelser.

“In order to advance such an approach, WSDOT has convened a Landslide Mitigation Work Group that includes BNSF, Sound Transit, Amtrak, the state www.rtands.com

m/w challenges: landslide mitigation OPPOSITE PAGE: Newly designed modular retaining walls allow for debris to be cleaned from behind them.

RIGHT: Crews work on a historically landslide-prone slope in 2014.

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wsdot

departments of Ecology and Natural Resources and several municipalities.

The group studies landslide activity affecting rail traffic in our state and recommends potential solutions.”

Washington state was awarded nearly $800 million in federal high-speed rail funds for rail corridor improvements under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). A portion of those funds, $16.1 million, is being used on slide management projects at six locations along a roughly eight-mile corridor.

“On-time reliability is important to WSDOT. The landslide mitigation

project is one of 20 capital improvement projects that WSDOT is undertaking as part of its Cascades HighSpeed Rail program. All of these federally funded projects will be completed by 2017 (as a requirement of ARRA), with performance outcomes that include 88 percent on-time reliability, as well as shorter travel times

and two additional daily roundtrips between Seattle and Portland. Therefore, addressing the disruptions caused by landslides is an important factor in reaching those goals,” said Smelser.

Using data provided by BNSF, WSDOT and the railroad determined the locations that were most prone to slides and where intervention would

Railway Track & Structures

February 2016 27

have the greatest impact. Smelser said WSDOT designed for seven locations in which slide mitigation efforts should be taken; however, funding would only allow for construction of six. Two, one south of Mukilteo and another near Everett, were completed in 2013-2014. The remaining four, three in Mukilteo and one in Everett, began in 2015 and will be completed by the beginning of March.

BNSF is performing the work near the track, which includes installation of retaining walls to catch landslide debris before it hits the tracks; slide detection fences to provide early warnings of active landslides; improved drainage systems and erosion control.

The retaining walls used at the bottom of the slide areas are a new design, said Smelser. Not only are they modular, which allows for individual sections to be replaced if damaged, but the walls also allow on-track equipment to clean out behind the walls should a slide occur.

The area also has additional monitoring occurring to enhance the understanding of the relationship between rainfall and soil conditions in order to better assess potential landslide activity.

“Due to the number of slides in the area, it often is difficult to predict where a landslide might occur at any given time. However, where we have been able to identify potential risk, we have worked with the landowners and municipalities to address the issues,” said Smelser. “We have used both LiDAR and photogrammetry to identify slide areas and obtain historical information based on soil layers. In addition, the US Geological Survey (USGS) has historically used data from rain gauges installed at Sea-Tac Airport and Tacoma to predict landslide activity north of Seattle. To obtain improved data based on rainfall activity in the actual landslide areas, Sound Transit worked with USGS to install additional rain gauges and monitoring devices along the north rail corridor.

These are now providing more accurate data on rainfall and soil conditions in the affected corridor. Once enough data is collected, the USGS model will be updated to more accurately assess rainfall and soil conditions to provide better indicators of potential landslide activity.”

However, monitoring and work on the slopes adjacent to the tracks is not the only solution the Landslide Mitigation Work Group stakeholders are work28 Railway Track & Structures

February 2016

www.rtands.com

m/w challenges: landslide mitigation

ing on. Additionally, the group is working with the property owners located directly above the slopes to educate and institute better drainage practices.

“Geologists say that our coastal slopes will continue to migrate into Puget Sound. The question is how quickly that will occur. Engineering will fix some of the most prevalent issues in the short-term. However, significant changes in human activity are necessary to slow the erosion in the long-term,” Smelser explained.

He notes that included among the working group’s activities are annual public meetings to educate landowners about steps they can take to help reduce landslide risk; as well as working with local jurisdictions to address zoning and development changes they can make to mitigate the risks in their communities.

“Through the end of the year, BNSF is waiving permit fees for landowners to tie into its drainage system,” said Smelser. “There has been moderate response from property owners.

Improvements that we’ve seen include roof drains that they have connected to down slope drainage systems; more stable vegetation plantings and maintenance and less disposal of grass cuttings and other debris over the slopes.”

Future work

Following the completion of the landslide mitigation work at the six locations, Smelser said the project’s suc-

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Hugh shipman, WA department of ecology

BNSF and WSDOT are working with landowners along slide-prone areas to improve drainage activity that could contribute to landslides.

cess would be measured by the reliability of train operations and this winter is proving to be a good trial period.

“Success would be no disruption of train service in the six locations. So far, there have been no slides in the areas where upslope improvements were made. And, in the locations where catchment walls were installed along lower slopes, they have done their job and no landslide materials have reached the tracks. There are no guarantees when Mother Nature is involved, but we’re pleased with how the sites have fared, especially during this fall and winter’s heavy rains,” said Smelser.

When asked about longer-term solutions to the landslide issue, Smelser explains that the ideal solution would allow for the relocation of the rail line to a route that is less susceptible to landslide activity, but notes that, while ideal, it isn’t feasible.

“Washington’s hilly topography and operational limits on railroad grades makes such changes difficult, which is why the railroad was built along

the relatively flat coastline in the first place. Moreover, trying to acquire the land necessary for such a shift would be cost-prohibitive in the highly populated areas north of Seattle where most of the landslides occur,” said Smelser.

Additional landslide mitigation work is being planned thanks to an additional $1.03 million in state funds approved by the Washington state Legislature in 2015. Smelser said WSDOT is in the process of identifying the best use of these funds. Actions being considered include an updated survey of slide prone areas – the last evaluation was conducted in 2012; low-cost fixes working with property owners and cities to mitigate actions (such as landscaping, drainage, or further development) that contribute to landslides; installing more high-tech slide prediction tools; evaluating relevant state/local permitting codes/rules to better address planning decisions and continuing the community outreach and education campaign focused on residents and businesses in coastal bluff areas.

Railway Track & Structures

February 2016 29

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track alignment design February 29-March 1 Fort Worth, TX

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Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering July 2016 Toronto, Canada

Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering August 26-28 Orlando, FL

Please visit www.arema.org to find out more information about these seminars or contact Desirée Knight at dknight@arema.org.

30 Railway Track & Structures

February 2016

Around this time every year, AREMA publishes the latest Manual for Railway Engineering. This multi-volume reference provides thousands of pages of recommended practice for nearly all aspects of railway engineering in use in North America. Most people reading this article are familiar with the Manual, whether provided electronically, in traditional paper volumes or as annual updates for existing manual sets. What many people do not know is exactly how this information is developed, published and maintained.

AREMA’s 31 technical committees are organized by subject matter.

Most committees, comprised of industry personnel from railroads, consultants, suppliers and research institutions, have 100 members or more who volunteer their time to the review, analyze and develop new material for the Manual. Committee assignments are developed from both within the committee, as well as from elsewhere within AREMA and the industry at large to address specific engineering issues. Frequently, topics under consideration relate directly to material located elsewhere within the Manual, so some coordination between committees is required. Once Manual material is developed, it is reviewed by the committee at-large and voted upon for inclusion in the next edition of the Manual. The voting process is regulated such that commercial interests do not influence the process and that each dissenting vote is specifically addressed by the committee.

Once approved by the committee, the material then is reviewed

by AREMA’s Board of Directors. The board of directors has three representatives from each of AREMA’s six functional groups (Track, Structures, Passenger & Transit, Engineering Services, Maintenance and Communications & Signals). The board may approve, not approve or remand the material back to the committee for further review. It should be noted that the latter is not an uncommon event. Material approved each year by the board of directors is then retained until the end of the year.

Yet, the process is not over. At the beginning of each year, the Publications Committee meets at AREMA headquarters to review all of the new material. This is not a subject matter review, but a careful examination to verify that all figures and portions of text are properly labeled and all cross-references to other portions of the Manual are correct. This is a tedious, but critical final step to ensure that the Manual is both consistent and functionally correct. It is only after this is completed that the Manual is updated for annual publication. This process is in fact actually done twice each year, with the Manual for Railway Engineering being published each spring and the Communications and Signals Manual of Recommended Practices being published in the fall.

Some may wonder why the process is so complicated, that the multiple layers of approval and the need to address each dissenting vote simply slows the development of material. It is in fact not as much complicated as it is thorough. The multiple levels of review help to ensure that the material is not only correct, but consistent with www.rtands.com

Upcoming Committee Meetings Feb. 24-25

Committee 7 - Timber Structures

Feb. 25-27

Committee 24 - Education & Training

March 8-9

Las Vegas, NV

March 15-16 Committee 37 - Signal Systems

Oakland, CA

Fort Worth, TX

March 16-17 Committee 36 - Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems

Oakland, CA

Committee 39 - Positive Train Control

Jacksonville, FL

March 24

Committee 33 - Electric Energy Utilization

Philadelphia, PA

March 8-10 Committee 27 - Maintenance of Way Work Equipment

San Antonio, TX

April 13-14

Committee 4 - Track

Minneapolis, MN

April 18-19

Committee 34 - Scales

Atlanta, GA

May 24-25

Committee 15 - Steel Structures

Lancaster, PA

March 9-10 Committee 38 - Information, Defect Detection

& Energy Systems

Jacksonville, FL

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

guidance throughout the Manual as a whole. The process also helps identify and eliminate potential conflicts of interest and the process reduces the likelihood of rash actions which may be short-lived.

So, as your 2016 edition of the Manual for Railway Engineering arrives and you note that “new CD” smell or start replacing the pages in your hard copy, consider all of the work that has gone into the material before it has reached your hands. If you helped, thank you. If you would like to help, consider getting involved in a committee that interests you.

Announcing the "Waterford Fellowship," an AREMA Educational Foundation initiative for “early career” individuals involved with railway infrastructure design. To learn more and apply for this unique learning opportunity, visit www.aremafoundation.org.

Student Chapter Highlight Concordia University

When was this AREMA Student Chapter established?

On November 3, 2014.

How many members does this student chapter currently have?

Currently, we have 11 acti ve member s who participate in meetings etc., although we also have persons involved through our Facebook page and through our mailing list. Our Facebook page has 63 members and we have about 16 people on our mailing list.

Who is your chapter president?

The current chapter president is Emma Åström.

Has this student chapter had any recent exciting events occur that you would like to share with the readers of RT&S? In the 2014 Fall semester, we www.rtands.com

organized a visit to the STM maintenance yard in Montreal, Ontario, Canada. We were given a very interesting tour of the facilities and learned about what maintenance they do on the metro cars and how it is done. One of the interesting facts we could see firsthand was that the brakes on the cars are made out of wood! We also had the great opportunity to get a sneakpeak at the new AZUR metro cars, which are currently being tested.

FYI…

Online dues payment is now available: You should have received your AREMA 2016 Dues Renewal Invoice via e-mail.

If you did not, please contact Janice Clements at jclements@arema.org. Thank you for being a loyal AREMA member.

Call for entries for the 2016 Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence.

The selection process for the 18th W. W. Hay Award has begun. Entries must be submitted by May 27, 2016. Please visit www.arema.org for more information.

Do you want to generate leads, promote a product and reach a target audience? Sign up for sponsorship of the AREMA 2016 Annual Conference & Exposition. Please contact Lindsay H a m i l t o n a t 3 01- 4 5 9 - 3 2 0 0 , e x t .

705, or lhamilton@arema.org for more information on sponsorship investment opportunities.

Put your career on the right track with AREMA's Railway Careers Network Services are FREE and include confidential resume posting, job search and email notification when jobs match your criteria. If you’re hiring, receive 15 percent off a single, 30-day job posting with code: February2016.

AREMA on social media... S t a y up-to-date on the most recent AREMA information through all official social media outlets. Become a fan of the AREMA Facebook Page and join the AREMA LinkedIn Group.

Not an AREMA Member?

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

February 2016 31

AREMA NEWS

Getting to know Tomasz Gawronski Each month, AREMA features one of our committee chairs.

We are pleased to announce that the February featured chair is Tomasz Gawronski, chair of Committee 9 - Seismic Design for Railway Structures.

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

Gawronski: It was really a matter of fate. I wanted to move geographically from Iowa to Colorado to a drier climate. My wife, Robin, and I lived close to the Union Pacific tracks and one day, I told my wife that maybe I should work for the railroad. I said “…they must have some offices in Denver.”

A little later, Robin saw an ad in the Des Moines Register that Union Pacific was hiring structural engineers. I sent in an application and got hired. That was 20 years ago.

AREMA: How did you get started?

Gawronski: I started as a young engineer in a small engineering firm (Calhoun Burns) out of Des Moines, Iowa.

The majority of my work was to design highway bridges, but later on, I took on some railroad bridge design. This experience was very good. I was able to take on projects from beginning to the final delivery of the design. After nearly four years in engineering consulting, I took a position with Union Pacific as a senior structural engineer. While working in that department, I took professional engineering exams and four years later, I decided to move to field operations.

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

Gawronski: While designing bridges for Union Pacific, I followed AREMA guidelines. There were several areas where I did not understand how to interpret the guidelines. Also, I had some questions that were not answered in the AREMA Manual.

I decided that I should find out for myself how the Manual is put together so I could gain a better understanding of the process.

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

Gawronski: My biggest hobby is my family. I have three daughters, the two older ones are in college and the youngest one, Zoe, is in high school. Zoe is a swimmer and is trying to qualify for Olympic trials in Omaha in 2016. I try to attend all her swim meets and support her in all her efforts. When she is not swimming, I take her kayaking and sailing. Even though I do not compete professionally anymore in swimming, I do my 2,000-yard swim workout any time I can find a pool and 30 minutes of free time to exercise.

AREMA: Tell us about your family.

Gawronski: As I mentioned, I have three daughters. My oldest daughter, Elle, is about to graduate from the University of Northern Colorado with a degree in molecular biology.

She is also a swimmer and swam all four years of college.

My second daughter, Ania, just started her first year at Texas A&M University and is studying Nutrition. Zoe is a freshman in high school. My wife teaches English at Lone Star College: Montgomery in The Woodlands, Texas.

AREMA: If you could share one interesting fact about yourself 32 Railway Track & Structures

February 2016

Tomasz J. Gawronski, PE Chair, Committee 9 - Seismic Design for Railway Structures Director Construction, Union Pacific Railroad with the readers of RT&S, what would it be?

Gawronski: Like I said earlier, it is hard to deny fate. There are many railroaders that follow several generations in railroad business. The same is true in my family. My great grandfather worked for the railroad of Czar Nicolas II and my grandfather worked for the Polish National Railroad. I know they would be proud that I, too, work for the railroad.

AREMA: What is your biggest achievement?

Gawronski: There is no question that I place my biggest value in my family. I have three daughters and a wonderful wife.

Besides that, my highest swimming achievement was qualifying for and participating in the World Championships in 1986 in Madrid, Spain, where I placed sixteenth in 1500 meter freestyle.

Two years later, I received a full ride athletic scholarship to attend the University of Iowa.

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

Gawronski: The railroad industry is unique. It goes back to the roots of the United States. There is a lot of history on the railroad. Field work is not for everyone; it can be challenging and definitely demanding, but for those that can embrace the culture and become a part of it, there are many rewards. www.rtands.com

Dr. William w. hay award for excellence

AREMA Publications

Call for entries 2016 Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices

©

©

Now available The Communications & Signals Manual is a manual of recommended practices written

by AREMA technical committees in the interest of establishing uniformity, promoting safety or efficiency and economy. The Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices is an annual publication released every October.

Downloadable Sections Available Online.

2015 Manual for Railway Engineering ©

2016 edition coming soon There have been numerous updates to more than 5,000 pages of the Manual for Railway Engineering.

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

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

AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook ©

The AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook provides a comprehensive source of information and criteria for bridge inspections for engineers engaged in the assessment of railway bridges. This handbook is published as a guide to establishing policies and practices relative to bridge inspection. It covers such topics as confined spaces, site conditions, loads & forces, nomenclature, bridge decks, timber, concrete & steel bridges, movable bridges, tunnel and culvert inspections, and emergency & postearthquake inspections. Also included are many color photographed examples in several chapters, as well as a glossary in the back of the book.

Practical Guide to Railway Engineering

The selection process for the eighteenth Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence has begun and this year’s chair, Michael W. Franke, a former student of Dr. Hay, has issued a call for entries.

The 2015 Hay Award went to Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway for their project, “The Tower 55 Multimodal Improvement Project.”

The purpose of the award is to honor innovative railway engineering procedures, projects and products and the individual(s) who have created and successfully applied them to the railroad industry. Criteria for winning the award are: • Innovation • Safety • Service performance and reliability Consideration is also given to the project’s objective, stated goals, costs and benefit achievement and the general advancement of the base of railway engineering knowledge.

©

Downloadable Chapters Available Online.

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

Railway Memoirs by William G. Byers, PE To see a complete list of available publications and to order, please visit www.arema.org or contact Morgan Bruins at +1.301.459.3200, ext. 711, or mbruins@arema.org.

www.rtands.com

2014 Portfolio of Trackwork Plans

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.)

Deadline for Entries: MAY 27, 2016 Please contact Stacy Spaulding at sspaulding@arema.org or +1.301.459.3200 ,ext. 706 or visit www.arema.org for more information.

Railway Track & Structures

February 2016 33

34 Railway Track & Structures

February 2016

www.rtands.com

PRODUCTS

CALENDAR FEBRUARY 17-19. International Railway Summit. Palais Hansen Kempinski. Vienna, Austria. Phone: +44 20 7112 5357.

E-mail: Gebbett on srg@irits.org. Website: www.irits.org.

MARCH 1. Fundamentals of Railway Bridge Engineering and Management. Contact: Dave Peterson. Phone: 800-462-0876. E-mail: peterson@epd.engr.wisc.edu.

Website: https://epd.wisc.edu/courses/.

3. Railroad Day on Capitol Hill. Renaissance Washington. Washington, D.C. Contact: Kathy Cassidy.

Phone: 202-585-3443. E-mail: kcassidy@aslrra.org.

Website: www.aslrra.org.

Track indicator

D.A.S. Rail Enterprises, makers of the Switchrite line of products, has expanded its lineup of railroad track indicators. The new D-200 model is its latest offering in railroad derail indicators. The D-200 Switchrite will only change colors when the derail is activated, not when the lock is removed from the derail. The D-200 can be made with any bi-color combination of: red, blue, green, amber and white. All Switchrite products use reflectors as their primary source of signal, but LED enhancement is available on all models. Phone: 636-734-0094.

Tag reader

Trimble released Juno T41 R-AEI, a rugged, handheld computer with an integrated ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID capability designed to read both the rail-industry specific automatic equipment identification (AEI) tags and the electronic product code (EPC) tags used worldwide. The Juno T41 R-AEI provides power and battery life to read both AEI and the standard EPC UHF RFID tags simultaneously. Tagged rail cars and cargo, such as exposed shipping pallets can be tracked across the transportation spectrum, regardless of tag standard. The Juno T41 R-AEI is lightweight and rugged, allowing mobile workers to record, see and act on data in their hands in real time, instead of waiting on instruction from a back office that has received data remotely from a traditional fixed location reader dependent on rail cars moving by. Mobile workers can stand as far away as eight feet to read an AEI tag and more than 12 feet to read EPC tags. This range allows safety requirements to be met while still providing the flexibility for workers on foot walking near rail cars. The Juno T41 R-AEI includes GSM/CDMA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology, which allows for instant connectivity between the worker in the field and back-office management.

Phone: 541-750-9200.

36 Railway Track & Structures

February 2016

7. Introduction to Railroad Engineering and Operations. Contact: Dave Peterson. Phone: 800-4620876. E-mail: peterson@epd.engr.wisc.edu. Website: https://epd.wisc.edu/courses/.

14-18. Railroad Track Inspection & Safety Standards.

Chattanooga, Tenn. Contact: Diana Webb. Phone: 865974-5255. Website: http://ctr.utk.edu/CTRrailcourses/ index.html.

15. Western Railway Club Meeting/Railroader of the Year. Union League Club of Chicago. Phone: 847-8771514. E-mail: info@westernrailwayclub.com. Website: www.westernrailwayclub.com.

APRIL 3-6. ASLRRA 2016 Connections Convention. Gaylord National Harbor. National Harbor, Md., (Washington, D.C.) Website: http://www.aslrra.org.

12-15. 2016 Joint Rail Conference. Columbia Marriott.

Columbia, S.C. Contact: Mary Jakubowski. Phone: 212591-7637. E-mail: jakubowskim@asme.org. Website: https://www.asme.org/events/joint-rail-conference/.

13. Fundamentals of Traction Power Systems and Overhead Contact Systems. Contact: Dave Peterson.

Phone: 800-462-0876. E-mail: peterson@epd.engr. wisc.edu. Website: https://epd.wisc.edu/courses/.

27-28. Light Rail 2016. Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. Philadelphia, Pa. Phone: 212-620-7208 and 212-620-7205. E-mail: conferences@sbpub.com.

Website: www.railwayage.com/lightrail.

MAY 16-18. Railroad Bridge Inspection. Knoxville, Tenn.

Contact: Diana Webb. Phone: 865-974-5255. Website: http://ctr.utk.edu/CTRrailcourses/index.html.

JUNE: 7-8. Rail Insights. Hotel Allegro. Chicago, Ill. Phone: 212620-7208 and 212-620-7205. E-mail: conferences@sbpub. com. Website: www.railwayage.com/railinsights. www.rtands.com

Ad Index Company

Phone #

AREMA Marketing Department

Fax#

301-459-3200

Brandt Road Rail Corporation

306-791-3287

marketing@arema.org

306-525-1077

sgettis@brandt.ca

800-611-7245

859-885-7804

Custom Truck & Equipment

816-241-4888

816-241-3710

610-828-6200

Georgetown Rail Equipment Co.

512-869-1542 ext.5292

Harsco Rail

803-822-7551

Herzog Railroad Services, Inc.

816-233-9002

Hi Rail Leasing

bboehm@cte-equipment.com

512-863-0405

803-822-7521

Cover 3

www.rjcorman.com

610-828-2260

Page #

301-459-8077

R. J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC

Danella Rental Systems, Inc.

e-mail address

816-233-7757

28 19

18

pbarents@danella.com

6

bachman@georgetownrail.com

Cover 4

mteeter@harsco.com

7

tfrancis@hrsi.com

27

info@hirailleasing.com

29

705-848-0170

705-848-1893

Koppers Railroad Structures

800-356-5952

608-221-0618

rrdiv@koppers.com

Landoll Corporation

800-428-5655

888-293-6779

jim.ladner@landoll.com

2

Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

763-478-6014

763-478-2221

sales@loram.com

25

Moley Magnetics, Inc.

844-662-4638

716-434-5893

sales@moleymagneticsinc.com

28

Neel Company, The

703-913-7858

RAILCET

866-724-5238

Railway Educational Bureau, The

402-346-4300

RailWorks Corporation Unitrac Railroad Materials, Inc.

866-905-7245

Western-Cullen-Hayes, Inc.

412-298-0915

703-913-7859

jlewis@neelco.com

217-522-6588

grif1020@yahoo.com

402-346-1783

773-254-9600

bbrundige@sb-reb.com

Cover 2

5 24

35

952-469-1926

jrhansen@railworks.com

20-21

865-693-9162

ppietrandrea@unitracrail.com

17

773-254-1110

cp@wch.com

8

Reader Referral Service This section has been created solely for the convenience of our readers to facilitate immediate contact with the RAILWAY TRACK & STRUCTURES advertisers in this issue.

The Advertisers Index is an editorial feature maintained for the convenience of readers. It is not part of the advertiser contract and RT&S assumes no responsibility for the correctness.

Advertising Sales general sales OFFICE Jonathan Chalon Publisher (212) 620-7224 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1165 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 Jerome Marullo (212) 620-7260 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1863 New York, NY 10014 jmarullo@sbpub.com AL, AR, IN, KY, LA, MI, MS, OH, OK, TN, TX Marc Condon (312) 683-5021 20 South Clark St. Fax: (312) 683-0131 Ste. 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 mcondon@sbpub.com

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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 St. Fax: (312) 683-0131 Ste. 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 hdisabato@sbpub.com

Louise Cooper International Sales Manager 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 and 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

Responsible for advertisement sales in all parts of the world, except Italy, Italian-speaking Switzerland, Japan, and North America.

Julie Richardson International Sales Manager Suite K5 &K6 The Priory +44-1444-416368 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom jr@railjournal.co.uk

Japan Katsuhiro Ishii Ace Media Service, Inc. 12-6 4-Chome, +81-3-5691-3335 Nishiiko, Adachi-Ku Fax: +81-3-5691-3336 Tokyo 121-0824, Japan amskatsu@dream.com

Suite N2, The Priory, Syresham Gardens, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3LB, UK

Classified, Professional & Employment Jeanine Acquart (212) 620-7211 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1325 New York, NY 10014 jacquart@sbpub.com

Railway Track & Structures

February 2016 37

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40 Railway Track & Structures

February 2016

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