RT&S April 2014

April 2014 | www.rtands.com

Meeting needs for

materials handling

PLUS Carlsbad bridge and double tracking project Shortline maintenance: Reading & Northern and also AREMA News p.41

Contents April 2014

News

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Features

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Industry Today 5 Supplier News 10 People

Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project Details of the first phase of a project designed to improve the capacity and reliability of passenger and freight train service.

Columns

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Showing enthusiasm for shortline maintenance For Pennsylvania’s Reading & Northern Railroad, track maintenance isn’t just a good business practice, it’s a passion.

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Handling materials calls for brawn, versatility Equipment that does more and performs in a safe and versatile manner is what customers need and suppliers provide.

Moving materials requires proper handling. Photo coutesy of RCE .

Story on page 34.

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On Track FYI: I’m giving you homework

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RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

34 Departments 14 TTCI R&D 41 Arema News 47 Calendar 48 Products 49 Advertisers Index 49 Sales Representatives 50 Classified Advertising 51 Professional Directory

NRC Chairman’s Column The work has just begun

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Railway Track & Structures

April 2014 1

On Track

RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

Vol. 110, No. 4 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 RT&S Railway Track & Structures (Print ISSN 0033-9016, Digital ISSN 2160-2514), (USPS 860-560), (Canada Post Cust. #7204654), (Bluechip Int’l, Po Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Agreement # 41094515) is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 55 Broad St 26th Fl., New York, N.Y. 10004. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices. Pricing, Qualified individual in the railroad employees may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year Railroad Employees (US/ Canada/Mexico) $16.00; all others $46.00; foreign $80.00; foreign, air mail $180.00. 2 years Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $30.00; all others $85.00; foreign $140.00; foreign, air mail $340.00.

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All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. For reprint information contact: PARS International Corp., 102 W 38th St., 6th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10018 Phone (212) 221-9595 Fax (212) 221-9195. For Subscriptions & address changes, Please call (800) 895-4389, (402) 346-4740, Fax (402) 346-3670, e-mail rtands@halldata.com or write to: Railway Track & Structures, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, PO Box 1172, Skokie, IL 60076-8172. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Railway Track & Structures, PO Box 1172, Skokie, IL 60076-8172.

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FYI: I’m giving you homework

I

t finally happened, the end of a winter many of us thought would never end. With the change of seasons, comes the thought that an increase in track construction isn’t too far behind.

As some of us prepare to tackle maintenance projects, others gathered in Washington, D.C., this past March for another spr ing event: Railroad Day on Capitol Hill, the annual trek east to discuss issues that affect the industry. Another record number of participants attended 360 appointments with elected officials and their staff.

The event’s organizing associations did a great job, as always, of making sure those of us who do not make it into the nation’s capital more than once a year knew what to say and where to go.

The key issues for 2014’s Railroad Day were familiar to those in the industry: Preserve balanced regulation; oppose bigger and heavier trucks and extend the 45G tax credit.

To give a brief run down, there is, thankfully, no active legislation in Congress that would threaten the current regulatory framework as it pertains to railroads, but there is a bill in the House of Representatives (H.R. 612) that proposes 97,000-pound trucks be allowed on the nation’s highways. Attendees asked officials to oppose this bill and wait until November when a Department of Transportation study on the effects of heavier trucks is expected to be complete.

Finally, attendees asked elected officials to co-sponsor and support legislation (H.R. 721 and S. 411) that would extend the 45G tax credit smaller railroads can claim for the track maintenance they perform.

A good example of the positive impact the shortline tax credit can have on smaller railroads is found on page 26 of this issue. The word “passion” is often associated with Andy Muller, chief executive officer of Reading & Northern Railroad. He’s

passionate about his railroad, he’s passionate about track maintenance and he’s passionate about the critical nature 45G plays into the success of his and all smaller railroads and that comes through in the article.

While those of us in the industry think the 45G tax credit is a nobrainer to support, the current D.C. climate is not entirely friendly to tax breaks and the industry may be facing a tougher battle on this subject than in years past.

I attended two meetings with staff representatives of House members who were co-sponsors of the 45G tax credit in the 112th Congress, but not in the 113th Congress. So, what changed? Well, both representatives serve on the House Ways and Means Committee and, according to one of the staffers, the committee’s chair, Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI), has asked committee members to hold off on sponsoring any legislation containing tax breaks. While both staff members said the representatives they worked for would not co-sponsor the 45G legislation, at least one said his boss would support it if it were brought to a floor vote.

This brings me to my next point and one that I warned you about with the column title, while Railroad Day on Capitol Hill 2014 is officially in the books, the work is not over. Given the example above, the industry needs to continue its push and we have fantastic representation through our many associations that do this on a daily basis, but they would never decline your help. Please reach out to your elected officials. It only takes five to 10 minutes to make a call or send an e-mail and tell your story.

Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor Railway Track & Structures

April 2014 3

INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Atkins has been awarded a construction management services contract by the Fort Worth & Western Railroad (FWWR) for a bridge and retaining wall construction project adjacent to FWWR’s operational facilities on East Long Avenue in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Metra Board of Directors in Chicago approved an $8.1-million contract to John Burns Construction Co. of Orland Park, Ill., to construct a pedestrian underpass and related improvements at the Lombard Station along the Union Pacific West Line.

The Jacksonville Port Authority in Florida awarded

Federal safety review prompts action on Metro-North, LIRR A 60-day safety assessment of Metro-North Railroad by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) found that the passenger railroad’s management “emphasizes on-time performance to the detriment of safe operations and adequate maintenance of its infrastructure, resulting in a deficient safety culture, increased risk and reduced safety on the Metro-North system.”

The assessment directs Metro-North to address 25 specific recommendations covering eight safety-critical concerns identified by FRA, which include track safety standards, railroad operating rules, certification requirements for locomotive engineers and conductors, safety training for roadway workers and employees who maintain rolling stock, train control systems, operations Control Center and fatigue management for maintenance-of-way employees.

The report requires Metro-North to submit plans to FRA within 60 days on how it will improve the effectiveness of its Safety Department and training programs. The railroad had four notable accidents on its property in 2013, including an accident in December that prompted FRA to perform the safety assessment.

In reaction to the report’s findings, Metro-North President Joseph Giulietti said, “Safety was not the top priority. It must be. And it will be. I have a clear message for our customers and our employees: Safety must come first at Metro-North. I will not allow any MetroNorth trains to run unless I’m confident that they will run safely.

“I take seriously each and every one of the report’s observations, recommendations and mandates…there is a problem with the culture. As I’ve learned in the last month, it’s not just a problem with one or two departments. Culture develops over years. And it will take time to change culture, as well.”

Giulietti said the railroad is reorganizing its Safety Department, creating a confidential close-call reporting system, as well as improving how inspections are performed on tracks and equipment.

Within a week of the FRA report being released, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Metro-North’s parent agency, announced it is proceeding with installation of cameras on Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) trains and unveiled plans for a train monitoring system on both railroads.

The planned train fault detector system will be able to detect defective or overheated wheels and loads of freight trains that operate on publicly-owned tracks. The information would then be conveyed in real time to the railroads’ control centers.

MTA said the LIRR installations are in addition to fault detection improvements on CSX property that were agreed to by CSX in August 2013. Metro-North’s installations are in addition to an existing wheel impact detector in the Park Avenue Tunnel and the hot box detector just south of Poughkeepsie.

Railway Age names shortline, regional Railroad of the Year Railway Age magazine has named Coos Bay Rail Link the 2014 Short Line Railroad of the Year and Arkansas & Missouri Railroad Co. its 2014 Regional Railroad of the Year. The awards will be presented at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s annual meeting in San Diego, Calif., Friday, April 25, 2014.

Headquartered in its namesake town on the Oregon coast, Coos Bay Rail Link has rebounded from a moribund property, shut down in late 2007 and idle for four years, to a resurgent shortline moving 4,845 revenue carloads in 2013, up 95 percent from 2012.

Springdale, Ark.-based Arkansas & Missouri Railroad Co. has upgraded its 140-mile mainline trackage and

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clearances to allow for higher speeds and doublestack container trains, while modernizing its locomotive fleet and locomotive shop and adding local traffic moves to its existing feeder/distributor market role.

“Shortline and regional railroads are not just benefitting from the slow economic recovery; they’re helping to drive that recovery, “ said Railway Age Publisher Jonathan Chalon. “The business opportunities and obstacles, be they in terms of reach or of geography or product movement, may differ. But the entrepreneurial spirit of the two winners affects and assists customers large or small, making efficient business and business growth possible with the most efficient surface transport mode: Rail.”

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INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News The Dana B. Keynon Company a contract to design and build an intermodal container transfer facility at Dames Point to facilitate the direct transfer of containers between vessels and trains.

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has awarded Keolis North America a $2.6-billion, eight-year contract to manage, operate and maintain the passenger rail service.

6 Railway Track & Structures

AAR: Railroads spending record amount, continue hiring push in 2014 Freight railroads in the United States are projected to spend approximately $26 billion in 2014 to build, maintain and upgrade their nationwide rail network, according to an estimate by the Association of American Railroads (AAR). In addition to record spending, U.S. railroads also expected to hire more than 12,000 people in 2014, which is up from the projected 11,000 new hires in 2013.

“This year’s projected record investments continue a decades-long trend of private railroad dollars that sustain America’s freight rail network, so taxpayer’s don’t have to,” said AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger. “The result is a rail network that is the envy of the world, serving both freight and passenger railroads and this massive private financial commitment is a demonstration of the industry’s resolve to never stop improving.”

Hamberger noted that freight railroads have invested approximately $550 billion of their own money into the rail network since 1980, including $115 billion in the past

April 2014

five years alone. AAR said that thanks to a strong rail network infrastructure, railroads in recent years have been able to successfully meet increased demand for intermodal shipping, a booming domestic energy market and more. The industry’s investments also include implementing the latest safety technology across the rail network.

“The rail industry is committed to safety and we’re investing record amounts to implement safety-enhancing technology across the network,” Hamberger said. “Railroads are working to deliver a safe, modern and efficient rail network that can reliably serve our customers and communities. And at the same time, this spending creates jobs for more American workers.”

Regarding the projected hiring numbers, Hamberger said, “Freight rail is a great industry for a potentially life-long career with one of our great railroad companies. America’s railroads also have a long history of hiring veterans and railroad careers rank among the best for military veterans and their families.”

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INDUSTRY TODAY BNSF plans $250 million capital program in North Dakota BNSF’s 2014 capital program includes approximately $250 million in investments for rail transportation improvements in North Dakota. The railroad’s overall capital plans total $5 billion.

“In 2014, we plan to make our largest, single-year capital investment in our company’s history. Our investments of capital in expansion and maintenance in North Dakota will be a critical part of efficiently and safely facilitating the growth from the state, in particular, crude and agriculture and growth elsewhere on the network,” said BNSF Chief Executive Officer Carl Ice. Enhancements include spending $162 million to double track the rail line from Minot, N.D., to Glasgow, Mont., to help address major congestion issues for westbound traffic to destinations in the Pacific Northwest; spending $26 million to add sub sidings to address congestion from Fargo, N.D., to Grand Forks, N.D., along the Hillsboro subdivision; spending $14 million to add sub sidings to address con-

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Supplier News

gestion from Bismarck, N.D., to Glendive, Mont., along the Dickinson subdivision; spending $13 million to add sub sidings to address congestion from Minot, N.D., to Grand Forks, N.D., along the Devils Lake subdivision; spending $13 million to add sub sidings and an interchange track to address congestion from Canada into the United States through the Port of Pembina along the Noyes subdivision; spending $11 million to invest in centralized traffic control to improve service from Bismarck, N.D., to Fargo, N.D., along the Jamestown subdivision and spending $8 million to add sub sidings and conduct signal work along the track from Fargo to Minot, N.D., along the KO subdivision.

“With the great increase in rail transportation in North Dakota, BNSF needs to make significant investments so the line can meet the many needs of our state,” said U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.). “Our businesses need to know their products will be transported efficiently by rail.”

RailComm has supplied a North American rail yard in Kansas City, Kan., with its remote control derail system to its diesel shop; the company also provided its Domain Operations Controller System to a North American railroad yard in North Baltimore, Ohio.

Stella-Jones Inc. has signed a nonbinding letter of intent to acquire the wood treating facilities of Boatright Railroad Products, Inc., located in Montevallo and Clanton, Ala.

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INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Tutor Perini Corporation has been awarded two contracts by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority for portions of the East Side Access project, collectively valued at approximately $844 million.

Wabtec Corporation signed a definitive agreement to acquire Fandstan Electric Group Ltd., a rail and industrial equipment manufacturer, for about $215 million.

8 Railway Track & Structures

NRC Grassroots program brings Rep. Duncan to Knoxville for facility tour U.S. Rep. John Duncan, Jr. (R-TN), joined representatives from UNITRAC Railroad Materials, the National Railroad Constr uction and Maintenance Association (NRC), the Gulf & Ohio Railway and Nisus Corp. for a tour of UNITRAC’s manufacturing facility in Knoxville, Tenn., on March 17.

The NRC-organized event began with a safety briefing; followed by a tour of UNITRAC’s facility, which manufactures track components and facilitates the distribution of new rail, relay rail and rail accessories. UNITRAC will celebrate its 25th anniversar y this summer and representatives discussed the company’s tremendous growth during the past decade, its creation of jobs and how the company is positively impacting the local economy in Knoxville, as well as providing crucial materials for the national rail network.

Rep. Duncan, who is a senior member of the House Transpor tation and

April 2014

Infrastr ucture Committee’s Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials and chairman of the Panel on Public-Private Par tnerships, praised the four th-generation family ownership of UNITRAC stating, “I have toured every kind of business [that] you can think of in this area, and that’s a wide variety, and I can tell you I don’t believe I can find another business that has grown 800 percent in the last thirty years.

“I think most people in the railroad industr y don’t toot their horn nearly enough,” said Rep. Duncan. “The economy is better, our environment is better when we are doing as much as we can with the railroad industry. I am pleased to learn more about UNITRAC Railroad Materials’ growth and expansion happening right here in Knoxville. They are producing essential components for rail infrastructure, which is vital to the movement of goods and people.”

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INDUSTRY TODAY Amtrak outlines 2014 capital plans, seeks change to federal passenger rail funding Amtrak outlined plans to move forward on key improvement projects, including continued installation of positive train control, the start of major construction to upgrade Northeast Corridor (NEC) high-speed rail and expansion of station accessibility for passengers with disabilities.

Amtrak will also move forward in 2014 on other infrastructure projects including: various planning elements of the Gateway Program to expand track, tunnel and station capacity between Newark, N.J., and New York Penn Station; ongoing construction of a concrete casement through the Hudson Yards commercial development project to preserve a possible pathway for a future Hudson River Tunnel into Manhattan and design work for replacing major Northeast Corridor and centuryold assets, such as bridges and tunnels.

By the end of its 2014 maintenance program, Amtrak expects to install or replace nearly 165,000 crossties, 23 miles of rail and several dozen track switches, turnouts and interlockings. The railroad is also upgrading numerous sections of its electrical and signal systems along the Northeast and Keystone Corridors and performing various maintenance projects on property it owns in Chicago, New Orleans and elsewhere in the country.

“With limited federal capital funding, we are doing the work that needs to be done to keep the railroad operating

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and taking action where we can to achieve safety, operational and passenger travel improvements,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Boardman. “However, to truly realize the mobility and economic benefits offered by passenger rail, there must be dedicated federal funding to support a multiyear planning and construction program.”

In its Fiscal Year 2015 budget request to Congress, Amtrak is seeking a change in federal passenger rail investment and warns that continuation of current funding levels leave NEC infrastructure vulnerable to a bigger, costlier and far more damaging failure than anything yet seen. For FY 2015, Amtrak is requesting $1.62 billion in federal capital and operating support, an increase of approximately 16 percent from FY 2014 federal appropriations.

Boardman explained a new federal policy and funding arrangement should create a significant and reliable multi-year capital investment program to reverse the decay of NEC infrastructure and support other intercity passenger rail projects.

Boardman said that NEC revenues exceed operating costs by more than $300 million per year and are used to cover some costs of state-supported and long-distance trains. He said to provide additional funding for NEC improvements, Congress should fully fund the operating and capital needs of the long-distance routes so the NEC revenues can be reinvested in the NEC.

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PEOPLE CSX appointed Gary Sease to vice president of corporate communications for the railroad.

Harsco Corporation named David Everitt interim president and chief executive officer after Patrick Decker stepped down.

North American Equipment Sales (Canada) Ltd. appointed David Wylie to vice president.

The Las Vegas Railway Express, Inc. (X Train), Board of Directors elected Michael Barron as chairman of the board, succeeding John McPherson, who is moving to become the chairman of the Compensation Committee.

Watco Transportation Services named Ron Chadwick as general manager of the Ann Arbor Railroad; James Moore general manager of the Pacific Sun Railroad; Garrett Bolyard general manager of the Eastern Idaho Railroad; Travis Herod vice president of transportation safety and compliance and Larry McCloud to general manager of the Grand Elk Railroad.

The Union Pacific Board of Directors voted to elect the company’s chief executive officer, Jack Koraleski, chairman of the board and has also added David Dillon to the board, effective immediately; the railroad also promoted Jason Hess to vice president and general manager, agricultural products, succeeding Paul Hammes who retired after 10 years with UP; Kate Betsworth succeeds Hess as vice president of the National Customer Service Center; Kari Kirchhoefer leads UP subsidiary Streamline as president, succeeding Tom Brown who retired; Kenny Rocker is now assistant vice president of chemicals, succeeding Jon Panzer, who was appointed vice president of planning and analysis; Michelle Gerhardt succeeds Rocker as assistant vice president of industrial products marketing; Mike Parker is now general manager of UP Distribution Services, succeeding David Giandinoto who was appointed assistant vice president of operations for the Northern Region; Ed Weber now leads the Network Planning and Operations team as vice president, succeeding Cameron Scott who recently was named executive vice president of operations; Paul Borseth succeeds Betsworth as vice president of intermodal operations; David Connell is now vice president of engineering alongside Joe Santamaria; Greg Garrison succeeds Connell as regional vice president of transportation for the Northern Region; Brian McGavock succeeds Garrison as assistant vice president of operations for the Southern Region and Tom Lischer succeeds McGavock as assistant vice president of locomotive distribution and network operations at the Harriman Dispatching Center; Jack Huddleston succeeds Lischer as general superintendent of transportation services for the Houston Service Unit; James Rawlinson is now general superintendent of Transportation Services for the Roseville Service Unit, succeeding Huddleston; David Giandinoto is now assistant vice president of operations for the Northern Region; Jon Panzer is now vice president of planning and analysis, succeeding Ed Weber who was appointed vice president of network planning and operations; Mike Staffenbeal is now assistant vice president of investor relations, succeeding Michelle Gerhardt and Jim Lusk is now assistant vice president of insurance, succeeding Warren Beach who is retiring.

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NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN

The work has just begun

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

12 Railway Track & Structures

The weather is starting to turn favorable and the 2014 construction and maintenance season is off to a good start. NRC members around the country are seeing many opportunities to offer proposals for capital improvements, general maintenance and new construction.

There is a lot of work being let for bid, just as we were informed there would be by our customers at our conference in January. The opportunities for trackwork are welcome, but at the same time, we must also keep an eye out on the political and regulatory climate in Washington, so that our industry can continue to grow.

On March 13, in Washington D.C., we participated in Railroad Day on The Hill and we saw that there is, in fact, strength in numbers. In partnership with the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and Association of American Railroads, we had a record crowd of 450 people attend more than 360 meetings with congressmen, senators and their staff.

NRC members made a strong showing.

We expressed to Congress our support for extending the shortline railroad rehabilitation tax credit, preserving the current balanced economic regulatory system for freight rail operations and maintaining the existing size and weight limits on heavy trucks. At the end of the day, gains were made and our time was well spent. We picked up some additional shortline tax credit cosponsors and reminded our friends of the benefits of extending the credit sooner rather than later, shored up our already strong support from both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol on avoiding re-reg and we also got great feedback on our truck size and weight limits arguments.

I would like to thank everyone that made the trip and spent the day in support of the railroads and the rail industry as a whole. NRC contractors and suppliers attending this event show our Class 1 and shortline customers that we are in their corner and are willing to provide resources in support of them reaching their goals. Great job everyone.

The next NRC event is our rail construction and maintenance equipment auction, set for May 1 in Austinburg, Ohio. We are asking our membership to do some spring cleaning in their yards and shops by sending items they no April 2014

longer need or want to replace to the auction this year. The success of the auction depends heavily on the involvement of our membership companies. If your company has equipment, trucks or tools that you would like to consign or donate to the auction, please call Paul Laurello or Steve Pratt with Quality Track Equipment, a division of Delta Railroad Construction, at ( 4 4 0 ) 9 9 2 - 2 9 9 7 t o c o o r d i n at e yo u r deliveries. You can also e-mail 2014auction@ qualitytrackequipment.com.

Beside the fact that this event is a great opportunity to pick up useful rail construction and maintenance equipment at a good price and is a good networking opportunity for all in attendance, the proceeds go to the NRC Safety, Training and Education Fund, which is used to support the production of our series of NRC Safety DVDs and our scholarship program.

These are both good programs and are worthy of your support.

The auction will be held on Thursday, May 1, 2014, at Quality Track Equipment, a division of Delta Railroad Construction, at 2950 Industrial Drive, Austinburg, Ohio, 44010. The auction will run from 9 a.m. until completion, which is approximately 2 p.m. Equipment inspection is available all day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Wednesday, April 30.

For sleeping arrangements, there is a block of hotel rooms available for $95/night at The Lodge & Conference Center at Geneva-onthe-Lake (www.thelodgeatgeneva.com) at 4888 North Broadway (State Route 534), Geneva, Ohio, 44041. To make your reservations, call (800)801-9982 and refer to the Delta Railroad Group #4G72ZF. There will also be a happy hour/social event the night of Wednesday, April 30, from 5 p.m., until close at the Lodge & Conference Center at Geneva-on-the-Lake, which is always an enjoyable event.

For additional information regarding the equipment auction, as well as other NRC upcoming events, please visit www.nrcma.org.

Delta has also added an auction-specific page to its website at http://www.deltarr.com/2014nrc-auction.

Have a safe day.

by Bill Dorris, NRC Chairman www.rtands.com

TTCI R&D Field evaluation of improved rail welding methods

Daniel Gutscher, senior engineer II, Joseph LoPresti, principal investigator II, TTCI and Martita Mullen, system manager track standards, Canadian National

Researchers test innovative weld heataffected-zone treatment in service conditions.

T

r a n s p o r t at i o n Te c h n o l o g y C e n t e r , I n c. ( T T C I ) , i s conducting service tests of heat-affected-zone (HAZ) overlay treatments for thermite welds at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST) in Pueblo, Colo. TTCI is also working with Canadian National (CN) to test overlay treatments in revenue service conditions at several locations in North America. The test welds at FAST have accumulated 108 million gross tons (mgt) and the welds in revenue service have accumulated from 51 to 54 mgt. So far, for both tests, only one untreated weld has failed at FAST and initial indications are that the HAZ overlay treatment is reducing the formation of HAZ dipping and overall rate of batter across the entire weld running surface.

Background Without intervention, thermite weld running surfaces will tend to degrade under service Figure 1: Profiles for two welds in test at FAST. HAZ overlay treated weld (top), Untreated thermite weld (bottom).

operating conditions, resulting in additional maintenance and possible weld failures.

This is especially true for thermite welds in high strength rail under heavy-axle-load (HAL) service conditions. TTCI conducted laboratory testing and in-track observations at FAST to better understand how and why thermite welds degrade.1 Based on results from these studies, TTCI investigated several means to mitigate the HAZ softening. 2,3 One of these methods was a HAZ overlay treatment. The treatment consists of applying a weld bead to the rail over the region where the soft HAZ forms, adjacent to the weld.

This is done while the thermite weld is still hot (within five minutes of shearing the thermite weld head riser) in order to make use of the thermite weld heat as preheat for the overlay welding. The result of the treatment was a modified HAZ near the running surface of the rail that reduced the width of the softened HAZ by 44 percent in the initial laboratory testing performed

by TTCI. 2,3 Overlays were made using commercially available welding electrodes designed for rail end buildup.

In the fall of 2011, TTCI conducted preliminary testing of the HAZ treated thermite welds in the FAST High Tonnage Loop (HTL). Five pairs of welds, each pair with one weld treated and one untreated, were installed in a six-degree curve (section 25) and monitored for running surface degradation. Based on the results of that test, TTCI began a formal test at FAST in July of 2012. In October 2012, CN worked with TTCI to begin a revenue service test of HAZ treated thermite welds. Following is a report of the preliminary findings for both the FAST and CN tests.

Testing at FAST TTCI installed 21 test welds in the high rail of section 31, a five-degree curve, in the HTL at FAST in July 2012. The test welds included 10 thermite HAZ overlay treated 14 Railway Track & Structures

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welds and six untreated thermite welds from two different manufacturers. Additionally, the test included five head-alloyed thermite welds that were HAZ overlay treated.

As of January 2014, the welds have accumulated 108 mgt. Two welds have been removed. The first weld (HAZ overlay treated) was removed because of an adjacent rail break unrelated to the weld service performance. TTCI replaced the weld with a new weld and HAZ treatment.

The second weld was a control weld (untreated) that broke from a fatigue crack that initiated in the base/web radius near the edge of the weld collar.

TTCI conducted longitudinal profile measurements of the welds along the centerline of the rail. Figure 1 shows representative profiles for a treated and an untreated weld. The first graph, a treated weld, shows minimal HAZ dipping, although still present. The second graph, an untreated weld, shows the HAZ dipping on both sides of the weld. The dipping in the HAZ of the treated weld is more than expected based on the preliminary testing conducted at FAST. This is likely due to a modification in the weld procedure that was implemented with this test. In the standard procedure, the overlay weld is applied to the top of the rail on the thermite HAZ starting at the gauge side and finishing at the field side.

The procedure implemented with this round www.rtands.com

Figure 2: HAZ overlay treated head alloyed thermite weld.

of testing applied the overlay in two steps for improved weldability. The overlay weld started next to the gauge side and ended at the center of the rail. Then, a second weld was started at the field side and finished at the center of the railhead on top of the first overlay. This procedure likely produced a second HAZ at the center of the railhead where the longitudinal profiles are taken. To evaluate this hypothesis, TTCI engineers will examine the internal microstructures of the welds as they are removed.

The HAZ overlay does not directly affect the thermite metal properties; however, the overlay does affect the rate of batter (represented by the vertical spacing between profiles) at the weld centerline. For the profiles shown, this is approximately a 30 percent reduction. This effect is likely due to a reduction in dynamic forces experienced by the weld because of a smoother transition across the weld running surface (i.e., the wheel does not impact the weld as hard).

TTCI previously evaluated in-track performance of head-alloyed thermite welds in high-strength rails at FAST.4,5 The alloying increases the hardness of the weld metal and reduces the rate of deformation. The alloying Railway Track & Structures

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TTCI R&D directly affects the hardness of the weld metal but does not directly improve the HAZ properties because the HAZ forms outside the weld in the adjacent rail. Based on the weld metal performance of the headalloyed thermite welds and the preliminary improvements of the HAZ overlay treatment, TTCI combined the two processes to determine if further improvement in running surface performance could be achieved. Figure 2 shows profiles for the four basic scenarios of welds tested at FAST. There was approximately a 50 percent reduction in HAZ batter for the treated head-alloyed weld compared to the untreated weld. The combination of the two processes (head alloy and HAZ overlay) produced welds with the least amount of overall batter at the running surface.

Testing in revenue service CN worked with TTCI to install three sets of test welds to evaluate HAZ overlay treatments. Six welds (four treated and two untreated) were installed in a line near Superior, Wis., in September 2012. Two treated welds were installed in a line near Toronto, ON, Canada, and one untreated and three treated welds were installed in a line near Winnipeg, MB, Canada, in October 2012. The selected lines accumulate from 40 to 44 mgt of mixed traffic annually.

As of January 2014, none of the welds have failed and all remain in service. The welds near Superior, Wis., have accumulated approximately 56 mgt and the welds near Toronto and Winnipeg have accumulated approximately 51 mgt. Figures 3 and 4 show a treated weld and an untreated weld near Winnipeg. Visually, the treated weld shows almost no metal flow at the running surface; whereas, the

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Figure 3, top: HAZ treated thermite weld running surface at approximately 36 mgt (five mgt after rail grind).

Figure 4: Untreated thermite weld running surface at approximately 36 mgt (five mgt after rail grind).

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untreated weld is already developing signs of lateral metal flow at the soft HAZ. Observing applications of the HAZ overlay in the revenue service environment allowed TTCI to better under stand challenges that may be faced by railroads in implementing the treatment. Individual railroads will have some slight differences in procedures; however, the overall process will generally be the same. All welds produced for the CN tests were conducted using CN cold weather procedures. The overlays were performed as soon as possible after the thermite weld head riser was sheared (but no later than five minutes after shearing).

Upon completion of the overlay, the weld was hot ground and then covered to prevent rapid cooling. In general, the application of the overlay in service conditions worked well. The biggest challenge encountered was that several welds had porosity at the surface of the overlay region. Some small surface porosity can be seen on the left side of Figure 3. TTCI is investigating automation of the welding process, which should significantly reduce quality related issues, such as porosity.

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Conclusions TTCI has conducted testing of HAZ overlay treated welds at FAST and has worked with CN to test HAZ overlay treatments in revenue service. Welds at FAST have accumulated 108 mgt with one weld failure in an untreated weld as of January 2014. Welds in CN revenue service lines have accumulated from 51 to 56 mgt with no failures. HAZ treatments appear to be reducing the overall rate of thermite weld batter, including at the weld centerline.

The combination of HAZ overlay and alloying of the weld head produced the greatest reduction in running surface degradation.

Future work TTCI is starting a project in 2014 to automate the HAZ overlay welding process in cooperation with industry vendors. Automation is expected to reduce operator dependence of the process and increase consistency in quality.

TTCI is currently working with another railroad to begin a second revenue service test.

TTCI is also investigating the possibility of using a similar treatment for electric flash welds to improve weld running surface performance.

References 1. Gutscher, D. July 2013. “Degradation of Thermite Weld Running Surface in Heavy Axle Load Environment.” Technology Digest TD-13-017. Association of American Railroads, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colo.

2. Gutscher, D. October 2013. “Improving Thermite Weld Heat Affected Zones.”

Technology Digest TD-13-024. Association of American Railroads, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colo.

3. Gutscher, D. October 2012. “Development and evaluation of improved welding methods.” Railway Track & Structures, pp.

14-16. Chicago, Ill. 4. Gutscher, D. and LoPresti, J. November 2013. “Testing of Head Alloyed Thermite Welds at Facility for Accelerated Service Testing.” Technolog y Digest TD-13029. Association of American Railroads, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colo.

5. Gutscher, D. and LoPresti, J. June 2013.

“Testing new weld products at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing.” Railway Track & Structures, pp. 15-17. Chicago, Ill.

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Long girders over the Agua Hedionda Lagoon.

overcoming obstacles:

The Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project

by John P. Eschenbach, senior project manager at J.L. Patterson & Associates

Creating capacity within an existing infrastructure footprint can be a tricky task, but one the Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project succeeds in doing.

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hen commercial airfare first emerged as an option for long distance travel, it quickly became the most popular choice of travel for Americans. Yet as fuel costs – and, in turn, ticket prices – continued to rise along with airport security, railroad operators seized the opportunity to return to the mass transit game. Travel by commuter rail is experiencing a unique resurgence across the United States, as trains are now more energy efficient than ever before. Furthermore, passenger rail has emerged as a convenient and cost-effective travel alternative, allowing passengers to sidestep many of the headaches involved with airport travel.

Train ridership has doubled since 2000 and, in 2013, Amtrak broke its own record for the number of passengers carried in a single calendar year with more than 31.6 million passengers.

While mass transit is shifting in favor of the railroads, much of the country’s existing rail infrastructure is inadequate to handle the influx in both ridership and freight demands. Fortunately, there is a solution, albeit one that is often more challenging to execute than it is to conceptualize: Laying down additional track on pre-existing rail lines to increase routing options.

Usually one additional track is sufficient, but in some cases a third or even a fourth track may be necessary. The passenger and freight train industries have invested more than $75 billion since 2009 in upgrading railroad infrastructure, largely through the addition of new track. This task may seem straightforward, 20 Railway Track & Structures

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but it can pose logistical nightmares without the proper planning or use of technology. One case study indicative of how such a project can be successfully undertaken can be found in the state of California’s Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor. LOSSAN is Amtrak’s second busiest rail corridor in the U.S., making it the target of a multimillion dollar upgrade project designed to improve the capacity and reliability of on-time performance for passenger and freight train services. The first phase, called the Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project, is located in Carlsbad, Calif.

Spanning the Agua Hedionda Lagoon

Projects of this scale and magnitude face a multitude of complex engineering challenges. At Carlsbad, the biggest challenge is spanning water, specifically the Agua Hedionda Lagoon. The Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project is not the first to span this body of water. Below is a brief history of other expansions involving the bridge: 1881: The first railroad bridge across the lagoon is the California Southern Railway, a subsidiary of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (AT&SF). The bridge is a classic trestle, a series of short spans across a number of timber bents and reflects the early trend of railroading. The trestle has 14 spans with a ballasted deck, where the rail fastens directly to ties on the spans.

The trestle timber bents are six pile bents driven into the ground. www.rtands.com

carlsbad double track and bridge project In short, the bridge is a 14-span timber pile trestle bridge.

1948: AT&SF field records indicate a third timber trestle in a new alignment.

1958: The city of Carlsbad adds a 12-inch sanitary sewer timber pile trestle bridge across the creek adjacent to the timber trestle on the inland side.

2006: North County Transit District (NCTD) builds a three-span concrete bridge on a new alignment west of the 1948 timber trestle, meant to replace the trestle. They demolish the timber trestle to accommodate a future second main track or double track.

2009: Amtrak issues a design contract for the Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project.

2010: Amtrak issues a construction contract for the Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project.

2012: The Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project finishes and both main tracks are open for revenue-generating train service.

The two main tracks stand side by side across the Agua Hedionda Lagoon, exhibiting the next evolution of bridge design.

Developing the girders

The first concrete bridge constructed in 2006 has spans made from standard concrete bulb tee girders, which are beams that look like elongated capital “I� letter. The girders support a ballast bridge deck, where the rail fastens to ties that are in a bed of stable ballast material on top of the bridge deck. The outermost girders on both sides support the ballast retainers.

The structural bridge designer on the Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project makes a unique design improvement. He notices that two different components of the 2006 concrete bridge perform the same function, allowing him the option of eliminating one. He decides to eliminate the separate bridge deck altogether from the new concrete bridge.

He redesigns the standard bulb tee girders, widening and thickening the top flanges and web. The redesigned girders now support the ballast directly, eliminating the need for an intermediate concrete bridge deck.

As before, the outermost girders on both sides support the ballast retainers. The short girders have the ballast retainers precast and the long girders have the ballast retainers cast in place after setting.

The redesigned bulb tee girders are the highlight of the Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project, which saved approximately $750,000 in construction costs and two

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An illustration of the modified bulb tee girders.

months of construction time. The savings are the estimated construction costs and time of building a separate bridge deck. As a result, the overall project was completed under budget and ahead of schedule.

Developing the foundation piles

The concrete bridge has conventional cast-in-drilled-hole (CIDH) pile supports, which are concrete piles cast in holes drilled to predetermined depths. Whenever drilling in any scenario, the surrounding ground moves and the ground level shifts to some degree. The ground level also shifts naturally from soil movement or volume changes. The bridge structure and train track may displace, if the ground level shifts too dramatically. To mitigate this risk, the bridge team made ground modifications prior to drilling.

However, the modified drilling still caused a number of stability changes to the environment, most notably ground movement and soil liquefaction. In turn, the track on the adjacent 1948 timber trestle displaced (which the Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project has now replaced). To further complicate matters, the geotechnical evaluation concluded that the loose soil in the area could potentially liquefy below the water table, which is the imaginary line separating ground saturated with water and unsaturated ground. The soil, sediment and rocks are full of water below the water table.

The Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project designer has to determine a safe way to install the substructure piles

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carlsbad double track and bridge project adjacent to the first new concrete structure. The designer has to consider various pile installation methods. From history, he knows that the drilling method, even with ground modifications, does not work. From the geotechnical evaluation, he knows that the driving, boring and vibrating methods would not work because they cause high water table and the risk of more soil liquefaction. The designer, through process of elimination, decides to use the oscillating method.

For added stability and strength, the designer uses cast-insteel-shell (CISS) piles instead of CIDH piles. CISS piles are steel casings with epoxy coated steel rebar cages and filled with concrete inside of each. Each intermediate pier uses two larger diameter CISS piles, while each abutment uses two smaller diameter CISS piles. To stabilize the earth, the designer used auger cast concrete piles and installed seven days before the CISS steel casings. The casing installation process does not cause or encounter any significant ground movement or soil liquefaction. After installation of the rebar cages, a concrete pump truck fills all of the CISS steel tubes with concrete.

Prior to the pile installation, temporary sheet shoring protects the 2006 concrete bridge and track from collapse, rail settlement and other disruptions, allowing train service to continue during construction.

Maintaining existing train service

The design of the train track itself is an ordinary fare. The challenge is developing a new track alignment while maintaining existing train service. The alignment would need to

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Passing trains meet at Agua Hedionda Lagoon

accommodate a second main track, a second main bridge and a universal crossover control point that allows trains to switch tracks when traveling in either direction.

Train service continued on the existing No. 20 turnout at CP Farr until the new No. 24 universal crossovers were installed at New CP Farr.

The railroad at Carlsbad operates according to the General Code of Operating Rules (GCOR), a compilation of operating rules for some railroads in the United States. The GCOR allow crews to perform trackwork that passing trains would otherwise disrupt, as long as certain conditions are met. The Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project secures Form B protection, which allows construction to occur between trains with the use of flags and an Employee In Charge for protection.

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carlsbad double track and bridge project Considering the total system

The new track passes over three existing grade crossings: Tamarack Avenue, Cannon Road and a private power plant grade crossing, which all required new crossing warning devices.

The new universal crossover requires new control point signals, intermediate signals and switch machines. The footprint of the new track requires a retaining wall. The first segment of the wall is a post and panel design and the second segment is an environmental concrete block design.

Evaluating project outcome, future trends

The purpose of the Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project is to improve the capacity and reliability of on-time passenger train service along the Carlsbad portion of the LOSSAN corridor. The problematic bottleneck was the single main train track at either end of the Carlsbad Poinsettia Station. The solution was to create two main tracks, each 5.1 miles long, by extending an existing second main track 1.9 miles.

Recently, Amtrak made an announcement that indicates the high success level of this project. Before the project, only NCTD’s COASTER commuter trains stopped along the Carlsbad portion of the LOSSAN corridor. After the project, effective October 7, 2013, Amtrak has added the service of its Pacific Surfliner trainers, with four new station stops between Oceanside and San Diego.

The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) has 19 rail projects on the southern tip of the LOSSAN corridor under development, with 15 of them already funded.

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The area extends from the Orange County/San Diego County line to the City of San Diego.

Projects such as the one at Carlsbad are happening all over the U.S., with some markets already moving into triple and quadruple tracking. Adding tracks has proven to be a winning solution in most bottlenecking problems, as it enables trains to continue moving past each other and increases train route options.

The Carlsbad Double Track and Bridge Project achieved its specific performance purpose, under budget and ahead of schedule. The enhanced LOSSAN corridor will also help facilitate high-speed trains, the next generation of track transportation. In addition to its notable feats of railroad engineering, this project is also praiseworthy due to the fact that it had no injuries or accidents. The Carlsbad team was committed to ensuring the safety of the project. This dedication to safety is one of the most important qualities of effective project and construction management and one that must continue to be valued highly as the current rail industry renaissance looks to continue unabated.

John P. Eschenbach is a senior project manager at J.L. Patterson & Associates, a Southern California-based trackwork engineering firm that spearheaded the engineering of the Carlsbad Double Track. He has more than 37 years of experience in the maintenance and construction management of Class 1 railroads. He can be reached by email at jeschenbach@jlpatterson.com.

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While Reading & Northern may be smaller in size to other railroads, its employees are never short on enthusiasm, dedication and passion when it comes to maintaining its assets.

The real zeal behind

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by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor All photos courtesy of Reading & Northern Railroad

uccess on a small railroad can be attributed to many things, such as good planning, growing traffic volumes and even a little bit of luck. In the case of the Reading & Northern Railroad (R&N), based in Port Clinton, Pa., prosperity comes as a result of all those things, plus a healthy dose of passion and pride in the work being performed.

Chief Executive Officer Andy Muller is an ardent believer in wellmaintained track. In 2013, the railroad had what it calls its most productive maintenance year to date. R&N spent $8.7 million of its own capital, no federal or state funds, on its 320 miles, which breaks down to just more than $27,000 per track mile on engineeringrelated activities.

Erik Yoder, assistant vice president of maintenance of way, wrote in the 26 Railway Track & Structures

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railroad maintenance railroad’s winter edition of its R&N Magazine, “Our track forces are hard at work each and every day. It shows in how clean our railroad looks and the satisfaction we have in a job well done.”

R&N’s 32-man track department had a very busy 2013, beginning with the installation of more than 35,000 crossties on the Lehigh and Reading mainline. Yoder wrote that approximately 13,000 ties were installed between North Reading Yard to just south of Webster; the Pottsville Branch received 2,000 ties and the Lehigh mainline between Independence to just south of Seidel received the remaining 20,000 ties.

The railroad also eliminated 175 joints on its Lehigh and Reading Divisions to prepare for the use of an 88-stone grinding train on those same divisions to re-profile the rail head in

order to prolong rail life, ride quality and overall track maintenance.

R&N performed 12 grade-crossing rehabilitations, four of which were complete replacements and eight that needed either the approaches repaved or new timbers installed and, in a few cases, both. Some of the railroad’s bridges also underwent revamping with fresh paint, new no trespassing signs and milepost signs and repairs made to any bridge timber surface defects.

In addition to the work described above, R&N’s Smoothie Gang, a team of tamping and ballast maintenance experts, provided the final polish to many of the railroad’s projects.

“This special gang is our Mark IV and ballast regulator team. They are responsible for applying the finishing touches to any project we complete on the railroad. They are a vital part www.rtands.com

shortline maintenance This page: Bridge No. 130.90 deck replacement on R&N’s mainline at MP 130.9, north of Jim Thorpe, Pa. Opposite page: Bridge No. 130.90 deck replacement complete.

of every full crossing rehabilitation [and] provide the proper elevation, level and grooming of the railroad,” wrote Yoder. “Every time you see a railroad bed that has no stone on the railroad ties, stone in between each tie or stone gently sloping down away from the ties is all due to the work of the Smoothie Gang. This last step is the moment when we can all look at the railroad and have a great deal of satisfaction.”

With all the work that R&N has taken on in the past year, the big question is where does it get the money?

The short answer is the railroad’s owner and CEO Andy Muller, but he explains the Railroad Track Maintenance Tax Credit, better known as 45G, is critical to the R&N maintenance work and its importance can not

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be overestimated.

“The truth is not really told on the success of the small railroads.

There are starting to be more and

more successful small railroads. However, in many cases, they are not making a profit in the real world and if they were forced to pay for their own

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Shortline maintenance maintenance and they were never allowed to defer maintenance, I don’t know how many would really be profitable out of the 550 [existing small railroads],” said Muller.

“There’s really only two ways to stay in business if you’re a small railroad: One, is getting help from the state and, two, is defer maintenance and, of course, many [smaller rail-

roads] defer maintenance. Here at the Reading and Northern, I love track, but we deferred maintenance for many years because I wasn’t making money. In 2010, we started making a real profit and what really, really pushed us over the top was the 45G credits. There is absolutely no way, even a successful company like mine, could maintain the railroad without

these credits,” explained Muller.

Talk in Washington, D.C., does exist that the 45G tax credit could become retroactive if it is passed as part of an extenders package, but Muller isn’t holding his breath, “I don’t make decisions based on the actions of the government. I don’t sit home at night and worry if the 45G tax credit will be passed. I have to do what I have to do.

“I don’t make decisions based on the actions of the government. I don’t sit home at night and worry if the 45G tax credit will be passed. I have to do what I have to do.”

– Andy Muller, R&N CEO You have to understand, we do nothing with budgets, I just happen to love maintenance-of-way.”

While finding funds isn’t a barrier to the success of the maintenance department, Wesley Westenhoefer, vice president MOW quality control, does point out the obstacles the railroad must contend with.

“Our biggest challenge of late is not having a long enough construction season to accomplish what we would like to accomplish. When you have a CEO whose passion is beautiful track and he has his wallet open, it is hard to keep up,” said Westenhoefer.

Westenhoefer also points to the R&N’s terrain, which poses challenges that many other railroads do not have, such as heavy grades and many eight degree and higher curves.

“It is a constant battle to maintain proper gauge, uniform spirals and correct elevation in many of our curves. In addition, we have six tunnels and 146 bridges to maintain, as well,” said Westenhoefer. “But, we’ve been doing really good, we’ve been keeping up with it.”

He explains that five years ago, Muller implemented a no slow order rule for the railroad. According to Westenhoefer, any slow order must be removed within 24 hours and, if crews are unable to achieve this, they must 28 Railway Track & Structures

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Shortline maintenance R&N has many high degree curves on its mainline, with some reaching 10 degrees. Maintenance performed in 2013 on this curve, which is located on R&N’s Lehigh Division at MP 135.3, included replacing 712 ties, gauge and surface work.

have written approval from Muller and the railroad’s executive vice president of operations, as well as a very good reason as to why the slow order must

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remain active.

Too keep up with that kind of high standard, the people you work with is also an important factor of success.

R&N handles all maintenance work in house with the exception of major tie projects (1,000-plus ties), rail replacement projects and tunnel work.

“We have a very intense hiring procedure at our company. We receive hundreds of applications a year and are very critical of who we bring in for an inter view. Many times, we will interview a potential candidate twice before hiring them,” said Westenhoefer. “We hire smart people who don’t necessarily need to have safety ‘beat’ into them. The safety of our employees is always our top priority and focus. We put a lot of time and energy into our training program for our new employees, as well as recur-

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rent training for our veterans. Our MOW team takes pride in what they do and are always vigilant on going home in the same condition they arrived on a day-to-day basis.”

Staying vigilant in safety and in its dedication to work enabled the railroad to reduce the number of derailments by almost 50 percent from 2012 to 2013.

According to Yoder, maintenance crews are always quick to respond to whatever the need may be from clearing trees from across the tracks following a storm to waking up at 2 a.m. in winter because a temperature drop resulted in a broken rail that need to be repaired immediately to keeping R&N’s switches free of debris or snow, inspecting tracks to catch problems before trains do and many other tasks.

Yoder wrote, “Keeping the trains moving with tireless motivation is what makes this department the best.

They are the reason we can again [call 2013] our ‘most productive’ maintenance year on record.”

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mATERIALS

R.J. Corman’s grapple truck working along the railroad.

HANDLING Safety of employees continues to be top priority when it comes to materials handling equipment.

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uppliers and manufacturers are working hard to provide railroads both big and small with the latest equipment with new technology in order to move material to the work site, unload it and put it in its place.

Georgetown

Georgetown Rail Equipment Co.’s (GREX) Self Powered Slot (SPS) will soon showcase hardware and software combinations to enable downloading of tie set out information from Aurora’s Machine Vision Tie Inspection Systems data for accurate tie replacement distribution.

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by Jennifer Nunez, assistant editor

GREX says Aurora will scan track at 30 mph or greater and grade ties for replacement values using customerspecific grading models. The data will then be processed through optimization algorithms using customer-specific parameters and uploaded to the SPS work platform for accurate, automated placement when ties are unloaded, the company notes. Tie grapple pick up counts will be managed with each swing. GREX says this will optimize exact placement and software will enable accurate set out, regardless of the direction of travel.

“An encoder will insure managed location data and combine with readily available computer-assisted mapping www.rtands.com

software for exact placement for the ties that have been graded for replacement,” noted Lynn Turner, vice president of marketing and sales. “The combination of several technolog ies and advances in computer-assisted modeling and grading, not only maximizes the work that can be accomplished in limited work windows through automation, bu t o f f e r s e n h a n c e d s a f e wo r k practices resulting in fewer incidents and injuries.”

T h e i n t e g r at e d systems f rom GREX are currently going through field testing and will be commercially available for the upcoming heavy maintenance season, GREX says.

and change attachments in just a couple of minutes.”

Herzog has used the M.P.M. to distribute and pick up ties and OTM, pick up scrap rail or move second hand rail (300-foot) short distances for relay, ditch, brushcut, thin trees, remove bridge decks, haul snow from

yards, remove and replace crossings, haul away old code line, install PTC signal foundations and more.

The most recent application for the M.P.M. has been a rail shear the addition of a second excavator and operator to the machine consist.

Perched up on the machine is one

Herzog

Herzog Railroad Services, Inc., offers customers its Multi-Purpose Machine (M.P.M.), which is a single-operator machine that can be maneuvered from the power unit, “b” cab or from the excavator perched on top of the gantry system that extends the length of the six Herzog-built well cars that have a capacity of almost 500 total cubic yards. When stopping to work, four dog-eared clamps lock the excavator bogey into place. Both ends of the machine are set up with a horn, bell, ditch lights and headlight so travel back and for th to work locations can be minimized during short work windows.

M.P.M.’s come standard with two grapples, a bucket and a magnet and, upon request and availability, there is a tree shear available at no extra charge. A brushcutter or auger is also offered, based on availability and for an additional charge. The tree shear is capable of cutting down trees up to 27-feet tall and 14-inches in diameter with just one cut, notes the company.

“The shear clamps down on the tree before it makes its cut so the trees can be easily loaded into the machine,” explained Timothy Francis, vice president of marketing.

“The auger has been used to install foundations for positive train control (PTC) installation. Another timesaving benefit of this machine is the rotatilt indexator head with quick connect attachments. Operators can travel from one end of the machine www.rtands.com

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materials handling

excavator with a rail shear head for shearing the rail and one with a grapple for loading the rail into the machine. Herzog has been testing this method since early January and the

production results have exceeded the company’s expectations.

Loram

Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.,

says its Raptor Rail Handling System was designed for speed, performance, reliability and safety and, depending on conditions, has a loading productivity output up to 3,000 to 5,000 feet-per-hour.

“The current Nor th American rail train fleet utilizes antiquated equipment that str uggle to meet customer needs,” noted Scott Diercks, manager, prod u ct de ve l o pm en t .

“Fleet renewal is a requirement due to the age and condition of existing equipment. During fleet renewal, customers are seeking new technologies that will allow them to increase productivity, enhance safety and lower cost by reducing the units required to load and unload rail.”

Loram says its customers are not simply replacing old equipment; they examine the whole process and look at ways to reduce resource waste, cost and provide the most value for their company. Notably, this approach is forcing innovation into the rail maintenance industry, the company says.

“In terms of safety, the traditional process of loading rail includes significant risks,” Diercks explained.

“Customer s are seeking a more ergonomic environment with enhanced safety features to reduce risks for their employees.”

Loram says its Rail Handling System was made to diminish risk of injur y by reducing the human interaction with the rail.

“One of the key advantages of Loram’s equipment is that it retains total control of the rail while loading and unloading,” Diercks said. “The equipment also provides a very stable and ergonomic work station that locks the rail in place mechanically when there is a need to come into physical contact with the rail. Loram has experienced zero injuries since the equipment was commissioned in 2002.”

RCE

Railway Construction Equipment Co. (RCE) has added additional machine sizes to its hi-rail excavator line up, offering machines that can handle a wide range of material-handing tasks 36 Railway Track & Structures

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materials handling

“Customers are seeking a more ergonomic environment with enhanced safety features to reduce risks for their employees.”

Scott Diercks, manager, product development, Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

GREX Aurora collecting tie grading data using machine vision (Above). GREX SPS loading in New Mexico for tie replacement distribution (Right).

on- or off-track, such as tie handing and distribution, rail handing, scrap and material reclaiming and larger tasks that require heavy lifting capabilities, such as track panel handling and placement.

“Combing these units with RCE’s swing loader swing crane, we can offer material handling units to fit anyone’s needs,” noted Dennis Hanke, sales manager. “Today’s customer is looking for machine versatility, larger, more versatile machines that are capable of handling the heavier rail components used in building today’s rail systems.”

R.J. Corman

Since its inception, R.J. Corman Railroad Company/ Material Sales says it has delivered to the industry safe, www.rtands.com

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materials handling

This page: Left, Herzog Railroad Services’ M.P.M. V&H Inc.’s Rotary Dump Truck on a Western Star chassis.

Opposite page: Loram’s Raptor Rail Handling System.

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materials handling

quality and cost-effective material management and distribution.

Through 10 maintenance-of-way yards, the company provides material delivery service, 24/7.

“With a continuous improvement approach, R.J. Cor man Railroad Company/Material Sales identifies new technological advancements to improve or replace its existing fleet,” said Nicholas Spalding , director, material sales. “Railroaders want to know how technology can improve safety and efficiencies. We’re currently researching newly-designed grapples, ones that are lighter yet maintain or improve lifting capacity. This allows us to haul more material, safely. The company recently considered cabbed grapples, as well. Providing the safest working environment to our number one asset, employees, is paramount.”

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materials handling

RCE’s 544K Swing Loader handling rail.

“Railroaders want to know how technology can improve safety and efficiencies.”

Nicholas Spalding, director, material sales, R.J. Corman.

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Spalding explains the railroad industr y is evolving and Class 1s are experiencing historic operating margins enabling considerable capital investments. “ T h r o u g h i m p r o v e d s a f e t y, technology and customer/supplier relationships, that trend will continue,” he noted. “The future is bright for our industry and we’re determined to deliver safe, quality service with the innovation that Rick Corman built our reputation on.”

V&H

V&H Inc., Trucks’, Creep Drive System has recently been upgraded with a display that is mounted at the operator’s station. The display has the ability to monitor the chassis oil pressure, water temperature, tachometer and ground speed, along with displaying system trouble codes. The system can also be accessed remotely to help diagnose problems in the field.

“The market for material handlingtype trucks was soft the last quarter of 2013,” said Tim Minor, railroad support, Kansas Division. “I believe this can be attributed to the harsh winter that we had across much of the country. However, the request for material handling trucks and material carts by the contractors has picked up since the first part of the year. Quick lead times are always a concern, especially for the contractors, but we try to keep ‘work ready’ trucks in stock for the customers that have an immediate need.”

Grapples and magnets are usually always standard, Minor says. Options include hitch packages to pull a material cart, tool circuits, train air packages to move railcars and drive systems to move the truck from the operator’s station.

The most unusual request was a jetpowered snow blower, he notes.

V&H is now installing seat pressure switches on all material handling trucks that are equipped with loaders and drive systems. The operator has to be sitting in the seat before the drive system will function and it will shut down if the operator comes out of the seat anytime the system is in use. www.rtands.com

AREMA NEWS Professional Development Upcoming seminars

bridge inspection April 22-24, 2014 Newark, NJ Streambed erosion hazard recognition & countermeasures for railroad embankments April 25, 2014 Newark, NJ bridge inspection April 28-30, 2014 Portsmouth, NH Streambed erosion hazard recognition & countermeasures for railroad embankments May 1, 2014 Portsmouth, NH

Introduction to practical railway engineering April 28-30, 2014 UNLV Las Vegas, Nevada

Sign up for IPRE and TADS and SAVE $100 off your registration fee. Register by April 7 to receive an additional discount.

track alignment design May 1-2, 2014 UNLV Las Vegas, Nevada

Sign up for IPRE and TADS and SAVE $100 off your registration fee. Register by April 7 to receive an additional discount.

www.rtands.com

Message from the President

Research and education

By Joe Smak

Joe Smak AREMA President 2013-2014

Spring is finally here and I am sure all of us are weary from the unprecedented winter we all experienced. In typical railroad fashion, the industry weathered the storm (no pun intended) and started the year stronger than ever. Business predictions and capital programs are at a peak. Here at Amtrak, we continue to break ridership records. I think it is safe to say, railroads are here to stay. The railroads in North America have existed for more than 100 years and they continue to thrive. It is unfortunate, however, that the uneducated public considers the railroad as an old, non-progressive industry. Sometimes the media paints a picture of our industry in black and white, with steam locomotives right out of a wild western movie. Little do they know that the railroads have taken technology to the limit. Railroads have embraced research and education, among other methods, to operate safely, economically and efficiently.

Some of the major railroads still maintain research and test depar tments. They investigate problems that might be unique to their railroad, but they also develop new uses of materials and new technologies and procedures. Other railroads partner with their suppliers and contractors to improve on established material. They might try a new material or use it in a way that was not previously tried.

One good example of railroads working with manufacturers is modifying existing equipment or developing new machinery to suit the needs of the railway. Some suppliers, as part of their business strategy, recognize a need on the railroad and develop a solution on their own. All of these strategies have helped the railroad maintain their foothold in the North American economy.

One other area where railroads can harvest research initiatives is from our colleges and universities. AREMA has had a huge increase in Student Chapters recently and the schools with a Student Chapter have a railroad engineering curriculum or at least an interest in railroad engineering.

Many of these institutions of higher learning can help the railroads when it comes to research. Some railways partner directly with the schools, while others are funded by sources such as the Federal Railroad Administration and the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Some suppliers recognize the wealth of talent and knowledge available and partner directly with the schools. The bottom line is that there is good, solid work being done at the colleges and universities and we are the lucky recipients of those results.

I recently had the experience to attend the Transpor tation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), Annual Review. This event has grown over the years and, this year, the technical presentations were held at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs.

This session had outgrown all available venues in Pueblo, Colo., and the Cheyenne Mountain location was impressive. What was even more impressive were the presentations on the research that is taking place at the TTCI. The following day, the track walk gave everyone a chance to experience the research on the ground, to actually visit TTCI and see the test sites firsthand. The AAR and the Continued on page 45 Railway Track & Structures

April 2014 41

AREMA NEWS

2014 Upcoming Committee Meetings April 21-22 Committee 16 - Economics of Railway Engineering

& Operations Chicago, IL April 27-28 Committee 34 - Scales Tampa, FL May 8 Committee 9 - Seismic Design for Railway Structures Chicago, IL May 13-14 Committee 18 - Light Density & Short Line Railways Loveland, CO May 13-15 Committee 5 - Track New Orleans, LA

May 15-16 May 20-21 June 5-6 June 10-11 Aug. 4-5 Aug. 13-14

Committee 8 - Concrete Structures & Foundations Southern CA Committee 15 - Steel Structures Eugene, OR Committee 30 - Ties Urbana-Champaign, IL Committee 10 - Structures, Maintenance & Foundations Pueblo, CO Committee 1 - Roadway & Ballast New York, NY Committee 7 - Timber Structures Portland, OR

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

FYI…

Check your mail for the AREMA 2014 Annual Conference Registration Book. This will include the entire conference program and highlight keynote speakers.

Advertise in the 2014 AREMA Membership Directory & REMSA Buyer ’s Guide. The Advertising cut-off date is April 29, 2014. See Page 46 for more details.

Registration is now open for the AREMA 2014 Annual Conference & Exposition.

You may now book your hotel reservations at https://resweb.passkey.com/go/AREMA2014.

Introducing the Watford Fellowship.

This new AREMA educational initiative is for “early career” individuals involved with railway infrastructure design. Please see additional information at the bottom of this page or visit www.arema.org.

85% of the booths are sold for the AREMA 2 0 1 4 A n n u a l C o n f e r e n c e & Exposition being held September 28 – October 1, 2014. Please contact Christy Thomas at cthomas@arema. org to book your space today. For more information, including the live expo hall floor plan, please visit www.arema.org/ meetings/2014/2014_expo.

Call for entries for the 2014 Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence. The selection process for the sixteenth W. W. Hay Award has begun. Entries must be submitted by May 30, 2014. Please visit www.arema.org or see page 44 for more information.

Interested in gaining company recognition and building awareness? Think about sponsorship for the AREMA 2014 Annual Conference & Exposition. Please contact Lindsay Hamilton at lhamilton@arema.org or +1.301.459.3200, ext.

705, for more information.

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

The Official AREMA LinkedIn Group Join the official AREMA LinkedIn Group by visiting www.linkedin.com and searching groups for “American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association.”

Put your career on the right track w i t h AREMA ’ s R a i l w a y C a r e e r s Network. Services are FREE and include confidential resume posting, job search and e-mail notification when jobs match your criteria. Please see ad on page 46 for details on April specials for discounts on career postings.

Not an AREMA Member?

Join today at www.arema.org 42 Railway Track & Structures

April 2014

www.rtands.com

Getting to know T. Chris Evensen Each month, AREMA features one of our committee chairs. We are pleased to announce that the April featured chair is T. Chris Evensen, chair of Committee 14 - Yards & Terminals.

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

EVENSEN: Two words: Opportunity and Montana (see next question).

AREMA: How did you get started?

EVENSEN: The consulting firm in Seattle that I joined out of college was providing environmental remediation services to Burlington Northern Railroad at multiple rail yards in Montana. I had the opportunity to design/ procure/build/operate multiple diesel fuel recovery systems for these sites. As a new civil/environmental engineering grad, this was a great opportunity to rapidly experience the full project cycle and do work in my home state. This initial opportunity ultimately expanded to my present career in railroad wastewater treatment, shops, buildings and facilities engineering and returning to live in Montana.

Most important, a good wife, good co-workers, good clients and the good Lord gave me opportunity.

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

EVENSEN: I joined AREMA and Committee 14 when I realized that to effectively serve the railroad industr y, I needed to lear n about railroading in general and my technical service areas, specifically.

I really enjoyed listening and lear ning from the seasoned committee members.

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

EVENSEN: I live in Montana for a reason: Hunting, fishing and downhill skiing. I also enjoy CrossFit. AREMA: Tell us about your family.

EVENSEN: Roxann and I have been married 29 years and have four children: Tyler, Erik, Kevin, Katie; sonin-law John Adams and granddaughter Madysen. With three sons in college, we are accepting donations at www. destituteparents.com. They are all great people and Mady is a delight.

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

EVENSEN: I once thought I saw Elvis at an AREMA exposition. I have published several articles in a popular waterfowl magazine and I have a hobby internet business building and selling decoy carts. Ironic confession: I had zero interest in my transportation engineering classes in college.

AREMA: What is your biggest achievement?

EVENSEN: I hope my biggest present and ultimate

www.rtands.com

T. Chris Evensen Chair, Committee 14 - Yards & Terminals Rail Facilities Practice Leader, ARCADIS

achievement is our family. I also hope I have contributed to the success of those I have worked with.

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

EVENSEN: Now is the best time in more than 100 years to pursue a career in the railway industry. Jump in with both feet, proactively pursue opportunities and take every opportunity to learn from everyone and every source you can. The future is bright.

Railway Track & Structures

April 2014 43

AREMA NEWS

2014 Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence call for entries

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

Railway Memoirs by William G. Byers, PE

2014 Manual for Railway Engineering© NOW AVAILABLE There have been numerous updates to more than 5,000 pages of the Manual for Railway Engineering. The chapters are grouped into four general categories, each in a separate volume: • Track • Structures • Infrastructure & Passenger • Systems Management. The Manual is an annual publication, released every April. It is available in four-volume loose-leaf format, CD-ROM, revision set (loose-leaf only) and individual chapters (hard copy and downloadable formats).

Downloadable Chapters Available Online.

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.

To order any of the AREMA publications, please visit www.arema.org or contact Beth Caruso at +1.301.459.3200, ext. 701, or bcaruso@arema.org.

44 Railway Track & Structures

April 2014

2014 Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices© The Communications & Signals Manual is a manual of recommended practices written by AREMA technical committees in the interest of establishing uniformity, promoting safety or efficiency and economy. The Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices is an annual publication.

Downloadable Sections Available Online.

Practical Guide to Railway Engineering© This guide provides a comprehensive overview and understanding of the railway system. Whether you are new to the rail industry or a long-time contributor wanting to learn more, this bound book and CD-ROM offer in-depth coverage of railway fundamentals and serve as an excellent reference. (Also available in a CD-ROM version only.)

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

The selection process for the 16th 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 2013 Hay Award went to Utah Transit Authority for their FrontRunner South Commuter Rail Line 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.

Deadline for Entries: May 30, 2014 Please contact Stacy Spaulding at sspaulding@arema.org or +1.301.459.3200, ext. 706, or visit www.arema.org for more information.

www.rtands.com

Student chapter highlight University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) When was this AREMA Student Chapter established?

October 2011.

How many members does this student chapter currently have?

8.

Who is your chapter President? Kazem Jadidirendi Has this student chapter had any recent exciting events occur that you would like to share with the readers of RT&S? On October 8, 2013, our student chapter invited Michael Barron, the CEO of X-Train, to give us a presentation on the progress they have building X-Train, a train service from Las Vegas, Nev., to Los Angeles, Calif. This seminar was well attended by faculty and students in the College of Engineering at UNLV. In addition to this seminar, we also invited three speakers to give presentations to our railroad engineering classes. The speakers and their presentations are: • On October 8, 2013, Michael Barron, CEO of X-Train, gave a seminar “Managing Large Scale Civil Engineering Projects in a Dynamic World,” which was attended by students and faculty in the College of Engineering at UNLV. • On October 15, 2013, Ray Gigear from HDR Inc. gave a presentation on railroad engineering and maintenance.

• On October 29, 2013, Jim Wilson, COO of X-Train, gave a presentation on consolidation of dispatching centers in railroads.

• On November 19, 2013, Dr. Edward Neumann, professor of Civil Engineering Department at UNLV gave a presentation on transcontinental railroads and nation building.

Do you have any upcoming events?

• The “Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering” (IPRE) seminar is scheduled in Las Vegas, Nev., for Monday, April 28, through Wednesday, April 30.

• The “Track Alignment Design Seminar” (TADS) is scheduled in Las Vegas, Nev., on Thursday, May 1, and Friday, May 2.

These two seminars are provided by AREMA. For additional information please go to www.arema.org.

President's Column...

Continued from page 41 TTCI staff need to be commended on the great program this year. April is a busy month, as several committees hold their spring meetings. Committee 36 - HighwayRail Grade Crossing Warning Systems and Committee 37 - Signal Systems, held their meetings in Harrisburg, Pa., while Committee 4 - Rail, held its meeting in Pueblo in conjunction with the TTCI event. Committee 16 - Economics of Railway Engineering and Operation, is holding its meeting in Chicago, and Committee 34 Scales is in Tampa for their spring meeting. The work that these committees perform at the meetings is at the core of AREMA’s purpose and your support is greatly appreciated.

Education of the railroad’s personnel is another prime objective for a successful railway. Most railroads have their own training departments and they do an excellent job in training their people. The AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering and the Portfolio of Track Work Plans along with the Communications and Signals Manual are excellent resources for technical information. AREMA also has a full slate of available seminars, among the most popular www.rtands.com

being the Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering Seminar and the Bridge Inspection Seminar. Both of these are being given this month, so check the AREMA website for dates and times. Another seminar held in April is the Streambed Erosion Hazard Recognition & Countermeasures for Railroad Embankments and Bridges Seminar, which is a unique seminar focusing on erosion. There are AREMA Seminars throughout the year and they are an excellent way to further your education. There are online seminars throughout the year, as well and these have become a great alternative to traveling to an on-site seminar.

And speaking of education, I send my congratulations to the winners of the 2014 AREMA Foundation Scholarships.

There were 37 scholarships awarded totaling $63,500. Our engineering students are the future of the industry and a donation to the AREMA Educational Foundation is an excellent way to support our young ladies and gentlemen in their endeavor to complete their college studies. Information is available on the AREMA Educational Foundation website, accessible through the main AREMA website.

Until next month, be safe in all that you do.

Railway Track & Structures

April 2014 45

46 Railway Track & Structures

April 2014

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CALENDAR APRIL 8-11. Track Safety Standards Part 213 Clases 1-5 Workshop. DoubleTree by Hilton Omaha Downtown.

Omaha, Neb. Phone: 800-228-9670. E-mail: studentservices@sb-reb.com. Website: http://www. railwayeducationalbureau.com/TrkInspWrkShp.html.

22-25. ASLRRA 118th Annual Convention. Hilton San Diego Bayfront. San Diego, Calif. Contact: Kathleen Cassidy. Phone: 202-585-3443. E-mail: kcassidy@aslrra. org. Website: www.aslrra.org.

MAY 5-7. Engineering Fundamentals of Rail Freight Terminals, Yards, and Intermodal Facilities. Hilton Chicago/Oak Lawn. Oak Lawn, Ill. Contact: Dave Peterson. Phone: 800-462-0876. E-mail: peterson@epd.engr.wisc.edu.

Website: http://epdweb.engr.wisc.edu/Courses/Course. lasso?myCourseChoice=N895.

20-22. RSSI 54th Annual C&S Exhibition. Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. Nashville, Tenn. Phone: 502-3277774. Fax: 502-327-0541. E-mail: Sharon@rssi.org. Website: www.rssi.org.

JUNE 1-5. RTA 2014 Field Trip. Hyatt House Hotel. Schaumburg, Ill., and other Chicagoland locations. Phone: 770-4605573. E-mail: ties@rta.org.

3-5. 2014 International Crosstie and Fastening System Symposium. University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

Urbana, Ill. E-mail: crosstie-conf@illinois.edu. Website: http://ict.uiuc.edu/railroad/Crosstie/2014/crossties.php.

12-13. Crude by Rail Railway Age Conference & Expo.

Key Bridge Marriott. Arlington, Va. Contact: Michelle Zolkos. Phone: 212-620-7208. Fax: 212-633-1863. E-mail: mzolkos@sbpub.com. Website: http://www.railwayage. com/index.php/conferences/crude_by_rail.html.

28-30. Timber & Steel RailRoad Bridges. University of Tennessee. Knoxville, Tenn. Contact: Dianna Webb.

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

30-July 2. AAR Damage Prevention & Freight Claim Conference. Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel. Orlando, Fla. Website: www.regonline.com/DPFC2014.

JULY 29-31. 2014 RTA Crosstie Grading Seminar. Stonewall Resort at Jackson Lake State Park. Sutton, W. Va. Website: http://www.rta.org/grading-seminar.

AUGUST 3-8. Global Level Crossing and Trespass Symposium. Illini Union, University of Illinois. Urbana, Ill. Website: http://ict. uiuc.edu/railroad/GLXS/overview.php. www.rtands.com

Railway Track & Structures

April 2014 47

PRODUCTS

Rail trains

Herzog Railroad Services, Inc., has added the GEN II Rail Train to its line of railroad maintenance products and services. The company notes that traditionally, rail trains were built on compressed flat cars, Herzog has moved away from that design and built its first train on an intermodal spine car chassis. Herzog says the reduction in slack due to the removal of the standard couplers and implementation of articulated ones throughout the entire train, was a major improvement and the company is confident that this will allow for improved train handling by reducing the draft and buffed forces commonly associated with conventional rail trains using standard couplers. The company notes that railroads may see a fuel savings, as well. Herzog’s remote-controlled Automated Tie Down Car can also be constructed to fit the train.

Phone: 816-244-5742.

Solar panel ice guard

Snake TrayÂŽ now offers its stainless steel Ice Guard for solar panels, which is designed to prevent injuries due to falling ice. The Ice Guard mounts to any type of solar panel manufactured and is meant as a safety solution for high pedestrian areas including parking lots, train stations and roofs where injuries could occur. Phone: 800-308-6788.

48 Railway Track & Structures

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Ad Index Company

Phone #

Aldon Company, Inc. AREMA Marketing Department Auto Truck Group Balfour Beatty Rail, Inc. Brandt Road Rail Corporation J.F. Brennan Co., Inc. R.J. Corman Railroad Group Danella Rental Systems, Inc. Diversified Metal Fabricators Inc. Dixie PreCast E. O. Paton (Hong Kong) LTD Encore Rail Systems, Inc. Georgetown Rail Equipment Co. Herzog Railroad Services, Inc. Herzog Services, Inc. Holland Co. Hougen Manufacturing, Inc. Irwin Transportation Products Koppers, Inc. L.B. Foster Co. Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc. Neel Company, The Osmose Railroad Services, Inc. PortaCo, Inc. Precision Railway Equipment Co., LLC Progress Rail Services Corp.

Railway Age Crude By Rail RAILCET RailWorks Corporation Railway Educational Bureau, The Schenck Process SIEB Sales & Engineering, Inc. Sperry Rail Service Stella-Jones Corporation Unitrac Railroad Materials, Inc.

V&H Inc., Trucks Willamette Valley Company

Fax#

e-mail address

847-623-8800 847-623-6139 e-rail@aldonco.com 301-459-3200 301-459-8077 marketing@arema.org 816-412-2131 816-412-2191 eschoenfeld@autotruck.com 888-250-5746 904-378-7298 info@bbri.com 306-79 1-7533

306-525-1077 nmarcotte@brandt.com 800-658-9027 ext.236 608-785-2090 markbinsfeld@jfbrennan.com 800-611-7245 859-885-7804 www.rjcorman.com 610-828-6200 610-828-2260 pbarents@danella.com 404-879-7885 404-875-4835 pkrohnert@dmfatlanta.com 770-94401930 770-944-9136 fbrown142@aol.com 219-680-9096 cewing@eopatonhk.com 866-712-7622 303-922-6178 www.encorers.com 512-869-1542 ext.228 512-863-0405 karen@georgetownrail.com 816-233-9002 816-233-7757 tfrancis@hrsi.com 816-233-9002 816-233-7757 rebersold@herzogservices.com 708-672-2300 ext. 382 708-672-0119 gpodgorski@hollandco.com 866-245-3745 800-309-3299 info@trak-star.com 724-864-8900 724-864-0803 bspringer @Irwincar.com 412-227-2739

412-227-2841 ambrosegf@koppers.com 412-928-3506 412-928-3512 glippard@lbfoster.com 763-478-6014 763-478-2221 sales@loram.com 703-913-7858 703-913-7859 btemple@neelco.com

800-356-5952 608-221-0618 dostby@osmose.com 218-236-0223 218-233-5281 info@portaco.com 620-577-2510 620-506-4569 hsmith@precisionrwy.com 800-476-8769 256-593-1249 info@progressrail.com

212-620-7208 212-633-1165 conference@sbpub.com 866-724-5238 217-522-6588 grif1020@yahoo.com 866-905-7245 952-469-1926 jrhansen@railworks.com 402-346-4300 402-346-1783 bbrundige@sb-reb.com

262-473-2441 262-473-4384 mktg@schenckprocess.com 219-924-3616 219-924-3617 sales@siebsales.com 203-791-4500 203-791-4512 mnottelmann@mail.sperryrail.com 412-894-2865 412-325-0208 asutch@stella-jones.com 412-298-0915 865-693-9162 ppietrandrea@unitracrail.com 715-486-8800 714-387-0657 a.thoreson@vhtruck.com 541-484-9621

541-284-2096 03alishab@wilvaco.com

Page #

32 Cover 3 11 8 40 21 13 10 6 10 17 33 36 39 15 31 22 28 27 4 35 7 23 9 30 29 18-19 16 25 47, 48 38 32 Cover 2 2 24 37 Cover 4

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) 620-7224 New York, NY 10014 jchalon@sbpub.com CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA, WV, Canada Quebec and East, Ontario Mark Connolly (212) 620-7260 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1863 New York, NY 10014 mconnolly@sbpub.com AL, AR, IN, KY, LA, MI, MS, OH, OK, TN, TX Emily Guill (312) 683-5021 20 South Clark St. Fax: (312) 683-0131 Ste. 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 eguill@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 Australia, Austria, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Scandinavia, South Africa, Spain, Worldwide Recruitment Steven Barnes Suite K5 &K6 The Priory +44-1444-416375 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom sb@railjournal.co.uk

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

Japan Katsuhiro Ishii Ace Media Service, Inc. 12-6 4-Chome, +81-3-5691-3335 Nishiiko, Adachi-Ku Fax: +81-3-5691-3336 Tokyo 121-0824, Japan amskatsu@dream.com Classified, Professional & Employment Jeanine Acquart (212) 620-7211 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1325 New York, NY 10014 jacquart@sbpub.com

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Railway Track & Structures

April 2014 49

Professional Directory

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

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

EQUIPMENT FOR SHORT OR LONG TERM LEASE HARSCO AND NORDCO TAMPERS 6700S, SJ, SJ2, Mark IV Switch and Production Tampers 3300 and HST Chase Tampers 3000 Tampers w/Raise & Line or Chase Tampers 2400 Tampers w/Raise & Line, 900 Tampers w/Jacks TIE INSERTERS/EXTRACTORS Nordco TRIPPs TR-10s & TKOs 925 S/Ss, Standards, KTR-400s KNOX KERSHAW REGULATORS, KRIBBER/ADZERS, TIE CRANES, PLATE BROOMS, BRUSH CUTTERS, & SNOW FIGHTERS KBR-850-925-940 Ballast Regulators & Snow Fighters KTC-1200 Tie Cranes KKA-1000 Kribber/Adzers KPB-200 Plate Brooms NORDCO ANCHOR APPLICATORS, SPIKERS & GRABBERS Model F Anchor Machines and BAAMs Models CX and SS Spikers Model SP2R Dual Grabbers RACINE RAILROAD PRODUCTS Dual Anchor Spreaders, Squeezers, Knockers (Removers), Anchor Applicators, DAACs (Dual Anchor Adjuster Cribber), Dual Clip Applicators, Ride-on Regauge Adzers, TPIs, Tie Straighteners, OTM Reclaimers, SAFELOK IIIs (SAR IIIs) HI-RAIL CRANES, SPEEDSWINGS & RAIL HEATERS Pettibone Model 445E Speedswings w/Multiple Attachments Geismar 360 Hi-Rail Excavators w/Cold Air Blowers & Brush Cutters Badger 30 Ton Cranes w/Hi-Rails Rail Heaters - Single Sided, Dual Sided, Self-propelled w/Vibrators HI-RAIL TRUCKS, EXCAVATORS, & CARTS Hi-Rail Gradalls, XL3300 Series III w/Digging Buckets & Brush Cutters CAT 320B Excavator on Hytracker Platform w/Gondola Hi-Rail Rotary Dumps, Various Hi-Rail Pickups Hi-Rail Grapple Trucks (Magnet, Rail Racks & Wireless Remote Optional) 25-ton Hudson Ballast Cars, 25-ton Rail and OTM Carts 5-ton Tie Carts & Hytracker Gondolas

www.railwayequipmentservices.net MOW Equipment – Lease & Sale Track Surfacing – Tamp & Reg Brushcutting – Dual side Kershaw Specialized Hauling – Low Boys with Rail 318-995-7006 or 318-469-7133 “A full service company with over 20 yrs exp!”

EMPLOYMENT

bsheehy@railnj.com

Track Construction Superintendent Track Equipment Operator Project Engineer Project Manager Estimator EEO/AA Company

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Railway Track & Structures

April 2014 51

NEW & USED EQUIPMENT

Wayne Daye

Are you a railroad or supplier searching for job candidates? visit http://bit.ly/railjobs The Railway age Job boaRd connects candidates and opportunities in the rail industry.

To place a job posting, contact: Jeanine acquart • 212 620-7211 • jacquart@sbpub.com 52 Railway Track & Structures

April 2014

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