RT&S December 2013

December 2013 | www.rtands.com

Hand-held tools offer railroads

a leg up plus

Railway engineering education Sound Transit tunnel boring And also

AREMA News p. 43

Contents

RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

December 2013

News

5

Features

24

Industry Today 5 Supplier News 10 People

Hand-held tools While safety and ergonomics still factor high on hand-held tools wish lists, manufacturers also throw in innovative and high-tech advancements.

Columns

32

32

University Link Extension tunnel boring Sound Transit unleashes three behemoth TBMs beneath the streets of Seattle to dig a path for its new light-rail extension.

36

Educating tomorrow’s railroad engineers The railroad engineering education torch, once held by only a few, is being picked up by more schools and training programs.

ERICO’s CADWELD PLUS system in action.

3

On Track Constructing track by number?

13

Story on page 24.

24 Departments 16 TTCI R&D 43 Arema News 48 Products 49 Advertisers Index 49 Sales Representatives 50 Calendar 51 Classified Advertising 52 Professional Directory

NRC Chairman’s Column Holidays and then

Palm Desert

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36

Railway Track & Structures

December 2013 1

On Track

RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

Vol. 109, No. 12 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 George S. Sokulski/Associate Publisher Emeritus Mary Conyers/Production Director Wendy Williams/Creative Director Maureen Cooney/Circulation Director Jane Poterala/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.

BOTH Print & Digital Versions: 1 year Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $24.00; all others $69.00; foreign $120.00; foreign, air mail $220.00. 2 years Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $45.00; all others $128.00; foreign $209.00; foreign, air mail $409.00. Single Copies are $10.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2013.

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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Constructing track by number?

F

or those of us who were not bor n with even an iota of artistic talent, paint by number kits were a game changer allowing the inner Picasso to emerge. The kits, which were ubiquitous during my childhood, allowed me to paint a horse that actually looked like a horse rather than a half-melted dinosaur looking thing my free hand attempts produced.

A recently announced study is taking a related approach to building track structure. Researchers at the Institute of Railway Research (IRR), based at the University of Huddersfield in the United Kingdom and headed by Professor Simon Iwnicki, aims to develop modular, all-steel track sections that can be laid quickly and embedded with fiber optic technology. I realize equating modular track systems to paint by number kits is a much-simplified comparison, but they share a lowest common denominator: Striving to deconstruct a complicated task without sacrificing quality of the end result.

The IRR team is one of 47 partn e r s i n C A PAC I T Y 4 R A I L , a g €15-million (US$20.33-million), four-year project funded by the European Union under its Seventh Framework Programme. CAPACITY4RAIL’s goals include low maintenance infrastructure, more resilient and easily repairable switches and higher-speed freight vehicles. The IRR team hopes the modular track concept with embedded fiber optics leads to gains in safety and efficiency, while reducing costs.

IRR’s head of research, Dr. Yann Bezin, said in a release announcing the study, “We will be looking at more efficient designs and methods of building a track, in a modular way rather than by laying down ballast layers and then individual sleepers and putting the rails on top.

That takes a long time and requires

very expensive and heavy machinery.

Modular concepts allow track to be brought pre-assembled in sections for a quick installation.

“A big problem is vertical support of the track,” explained Bezin. “Currently, you get deterioration from one sleeper to the other or the ballast degrades and some sleepers become unsupported. A concrete sleeper is the norm, but we have studied a steel track system that uses steel beams.

This gives consistency of support and better control of dynamic forces.”

Bezin added that the construction of modular track sections in the factory would mean that they could be pre-equipped with smart technology.

“We could make the track system intelligent. Fiber optics running along the rail would enable you to know from the signal whether or not there is an unusual deformation, an indication of fatigue cracking or some other problem,” he said.

The IRR team says this condition monitoring system would make maintenance a much simpler process, adding to the efficiency gains from modular track construction.

The prefabricated concept isn’t new to the North American rail industry, which has experience with precast and prebuilt track elements, but whatever the results of the study may be, it probably won’t be a one-size-fits-all solution to better railroad construction. Should the research team produce favorable results, their findings will become another good tool to apply given the right situation.

And for what it’s worth, the modular rail prototype that exists is much better looking and probably more useful that a half-melted dinosaur looking thing.

Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor

Railway Track & Structures

December 2013 3

INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Aecon Dragados Joint Venture was awarded a $168-million contact from Metrolinx for Eglinton Crosstown East Tunnel construction from Yonge Street to east of Brentcliffe Road.

Axion International Holdings, Inc., recently shipped its fifth purchase order for ECOTRAX rail ties to a multi-national chemical company to be used in one of its rail spurs and making the total for all five orders $170,000.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has selected CTC Inc. to continue to progress the state’s railroad preemption projects.

Harsco Rail received a railway track and infrastructure maintenance equipment award from SBB, the federal railway system of Switzerland, worth more than $100 million; the company also shiped a heavy-duty Mark VI

Vice President Biden, Secretary Foxx visit CSX Ohio terminal U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx visited CSX’s Northwest Ohio Intermodal Terminal as part of a tour focused on the importance of infrastructure investment. Secretary Foxx wrote in his blog, “Fast Lane,” that the two men were visiting freight hubs because “moving freight is the lifeblood of our economy.”

CSX’s $175 million intermodal rail facility opened in 2011, providing nearly 300 full-time, local jobs and spurring growth and economic oppor tunity by improving access to cost-effective, environmentally-friendly intermodal freight rail transportation.

“Being able to efficiently move cargo and goods is essential to this country’s economy,” remarked Vice President Biden. “CSX and the Northwest Ohio Intermodal Terminal have led the revitalization of this region by providing strong, middle-class jobs, supporting local businesses and improving our nation’s infrastructure to keep America competitive globally.”

Vice President Biden and Secretary Foxx had a full day while visiting the intermodal facility, taking part in a driving tour and training simulator demonstration, as well as meeting employees and local residents. During spoken remarks, the Vice President, Secretary of Transportation and CSX executives discussed the importance of infrastructure investment in improving America’s competitiveness, strengthening the middle class and growing the American economy.

“In an area where service from East Coast ports once took up to a week, it now only takes two to three days for goods to be shipped through the facility and delivered to the customer’s door,” said Oscar Munoz, executive vice president and chief operating officer, CSX. Situated on more than 500 acres in Wood County, Ohio, just one mile west of North Baltimore, the Northwest Ohio Intermodal Terminal handles 30 trains per day and moves hundreds of thousands of containers per year, the terminal helps link East Coast seaports with vital points in the Midwest and serves as the nerve center of CSX’s intermodal network and the cornerstone of the company’s double-stack freight initiative, the National Gateway.

CREATE 71st Street grade separation complete and open Local and state officials joined Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Nov. 2 to open the new 71st Street railroad underpass in Bridgeview, a Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) project that will greatly reduce traffic delays and improve safety at the former automobile/rail intersection.

“Nothing frees up traffic flow better than separating car and train traffic and that’s just what we’ve done here in Bridgeview,” Gov. Quinn said. “This project created jobs and will make the key route safer and quicker for residents and businesses across the area.”

The $29.8-million project included $20.3 million in funding from the Federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program and $9.5 million from Gov. Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program. The work began in June 2011 and the project was one of five regional projects to receive fed-

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eral and state funds as part of the CREATE partnership.

“This project will not only help put people back to work, but it will also help alleviate outstanding safety concerns, improve congested traffic and make our roads safer for area commuters,” state Rep. Michael J. Zalewski (D-Riverside) said. “With this project, the Governor is demonstrating his understanding of the need for easier commutes and to improve the productivity of Illinois businesses that will benefit from less fatigued employees.”

The grade separation of 71st Street and the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad/CSX tracks just west of Harlem Avenue will alleviate congestion and improve safety on 71st Street, which sees 4,400 vehicles daily.

Because of the angle of the railroad tracks entering the nearby Bedford Park Yard, freight trains can only travel from five to 10 mph across 71st Street.

Railway Track & Structures

December 2013 5

INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Production/Switch Tamper and Ballast Regulator for TasRail in Australia.

Michael Baker Jr., Inc., has been awarded a threeyear, $9.8-million contract by the Illinois Department of Transportation to prepare a Tier 2 Environmental Impact Statement for the future expansion of highspeed rail service on the Chicago – St. Louis corridor between Granite City, Ill., and St. Louis, Mo.; the company was also awarded a two-year, multimilliondollar contract to provide construction management and construction inspection services for the expansion of Norfolk Southern’s Rutherford Intermodal Facility near Harrisburg, Pa.

6 Railway Track & Structures

MassDOT begins rehabilitation efforts needed for South Coast Rail The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) began construction to rehabilitate the Fall River and New Bedford railroad lines, a necessary step toward providing South Coast Rail service.

Thousands of rail ties and spikes will be installed along 33 miles of right-of-way leading to Fall River and New Bedford beginning this fall and continuing until winter weather freezes the rail bed. Work will resume in spring 2014.

“South Coast residents deserve the benefits of a reliable and convenient connection to Boston and points in between,” said Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.

“The upgrades strengthen the track to provide safer operations for current freight service while getting the corridor ready for the complete rehabilitation required to provide higher-speed passenger service,” said South Coast Rail Project Manager Jean Fox. A total of approximately 42,000 crossties and thousands of spikes will be installed along the 14 miles of track leading

December 2013

to Fall River and 19 miles of track leading to New Bedford. The commonwealth of Massachusetts purchased the rail lines from CSX in order to provide access for future South Coast Rail service.

Other investments and milestones supporting South Coast Rail to date include rebuilding of three New Bedford rail bridges, funded by a $20-million federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant; the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and MassDOT’s adoption the Corps’ document as the state-required Final Environmental Impact Report, with the Stoughton rail alternative as the preferred route and South Coast Rail Economic Development and Land Use Corridor Plan technical assistance grants and other investments provided to assist the 31 corridor communities in preparing for passenger rail through sustainable development and appropriate land use.

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INDUSTRY TODAY SEPTA wraps up Bridgeport Viaduct improvement project The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) resumed Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL) service on November 11, 2013, following a four-month repair project that closed the Bridgeport Viaduct.

The 3,185-foot, single-track bridge carries the NHSL over the Schuylkill River between Bridgeport Station and Norristown Transportation Center. The $7.6-million in repairs serves as a temporary fix until funding can be secured for a larger overhaul that is expected to cost $30 million.

Repairs included replacement of all bridge timbers through the open deck portion of the structure, as well as all crossties and ballast through the closed deck section.

“The bridge ties that sit directly upon the steel structure and hold the rail in place were rotting and failing ,” said Jeff Knueppel, SEPTA’s deputy general manager. “Without full timber replace-

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ment, we would have had no choice but to permanently close the bridge. The completion of the project allows us to resume the safe operation of our trains across the viaduct.”

Additional work included localized structural steel and rivet repairs, localized structural cleaning and painting, waterproofing the closed deck portion, installing new cable tray, replacing all of the power, signal and communications cables, replacing the existing open deck walkway with new fiberglass walkway and installing new safety railings on open deck walkway.

SEPTA says that while the completion of this project enables it to continue to maintain safe train operations between Bridgepor t and Norristown, an extensive structural rehabilitation program for this viaduct is needed in order to bring the bridge into a state of good repair and extend its service life by another 40 years.

Supplier News The Denver, Colo., Regional Transportation District recommended to move forward with a proposal from Graham, Balfour Beatty, Hamon Constructors to design and build the North Metro Rail Line to 124th Avenue.

Shimmick Construction Company was selected by Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit as the design-build contractor for a $68.7-million contract that includes several key elements of the continuing work on Phase 1 of the rail and pathway project.

Siemens Rail Automation, in a consortium with Bombardier Transportation, has been awarded a

Railway Track & Structures

December 2013 7

INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News contract, not to exceed $428 million including all phases and options, by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority to upgrade train control systems on Long Island Rail Road and MetroNorth Railroad.

Stella-Jones Inc. has completed the acquisition of substantially all of the operating assets of Arizona Pacific Wood Preserving, Inc., Nevada Wood Preserving, Inc., and Pacific Wood Preserving of Oregon, Inc., (commonly referred to as The Pacific Wood Preserving Companies®) conducted at their wood treating plants in Oregon, Nevada and Arizona and their wood concentration yard in Texas.

8 Railway Track & Structures

Central Subway, Evergreen Line projects mark tunnel milestones The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), says that its tunnel boring machine (TBM) Big Alma has launched, joining her twin Mom Chung to construct the two Central Subway tunnels.

Like Mom Chung, Big Alma is 350 feet long and weighs 750 tons. In the coming months, the two machines will travel north under 4th Street, Stockton Street and Columbus Avenue, excavating and constructing San Francisco’s first new subway line in decades.

The TBMs will excavate and construct the 1.5-mile-long tunnels at an average pace of 40 feet per day, though their pace will vary based on ground conditions and other factors. Big Alma will move more slowly during the first 500 feet of tunneling, as Central Subway crews test the TBM and calibrate its many functions.

In other TBM news, the massive Evergreen Line TBM was shipped by rail and truck to Metro Vancouver, BC, Canada, from the manufacturer in Ontario.

December 2013

Due to its size and weight, the TBM is being shipped from Ontario in pieces and will be assembled at a specially built launch site on the west side of the Barnet Highway in Port Moody. Assembly will take a couple of months, with tunnel construction expected to start in February 2014. The entire TBM is 85 meters (.052 miles) long and 10 meters (.006 miles) in diameter.

The first piece of the machine, the cutter head, weighs 130 tons alone.

The TBM will build the two-kilometer (1.2-mile) tunnel that will run west of Barnet Highway in Port Moody to south of Kemsley Avenue in Coquitlam.

The Evergreen Line will link Burnaby, Port Moody and Coquitlam and be fully integrated into the existing system, connecting directly onto the Millennium Line at Lougheed Town Centre Station.

Once the Evergreen Line opens in summer 2016, Metro Vancouver’s SkyTrain system will become the longest rapid transit system in Canada.

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INDUSTRY TODAY BRIDGE Act introduced to leverage private transportation investment A coalition of 10 senators introduced legislation, The Building and Renewing Infrastructure for Development and Growth in Employment (BRIDGE) Act, to establish a new infrastructure financing authority to help states and localities better leverage private funds to build and maintain the nation’s outdated infrastructure.

The coalition said America currently spends roughly two percent of its GDP on infrastructure, about half what it did 50 years ago. By comparison, Europe spends around five percent and China spends nine percent of GDP on infrastructure. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report, the United States currently ranks 19th among 148 developed countries in overall infrastructure compared to global competitors.

To begin addressing this shortfall,

the BRIDGE Act will establish an independent, nonpartisan financing authority to complement existing U.S. infrastructure funding. The authority would provide loans and loan guarantees to help states and localities fund the most economically viable road, bridge, rail, port, water, sewer and other significant infrastructure projects. The authority would receive initial seed funding of up to $10 billion, which could incentivize private sector investment and make possible up to $300 billion in total project investment. The authority is structured in a way to make it self-sustaining over time.

Projects would have to be at least $50 million in size and be of national or regional significance to qualify.

Five percent of the authority’s overall funding would be dedicated to projects in rural regions and rural projects would be required to be $10

million in size.

The authority would finance no more than 49 percent of the total costs of the project in order to avoid crowding out private capital. Loans and loan guarantees would be subject to modest additional fees, which will allow the authority to quickly become self-sustaining over time.

The coalition said having project finance experts in-house will help states and localities go toe-to-toe with private sector partners to ensure that taxpayers are getting good value for their investments through public-private partnerships. The authority would operate independently of existing federal agencies, led by a board of directors with seven voting members and a CEO, all of whom would be required to demonstrate proven expertise in financial management and be confirmed by a vote of the Senate.

BNSF awards shortline honors BNSF selected Montana Rail Link, Inc. (MRL), as its 2013 Shortline of the Year for its significant growth and continued emphasis on a strong safety record. In addition, Bighorn Divide & Wyoming Railroad (BDW) won the Special Recognition Award. The awards were presented during the annual BNSF Shortline Conference on October 21 in Irving, Texas.

“MRL is an important BNSF business partner committed to enhance service to customers by focusing on network and terminal velocity initiatives, responding to changes in traffic volume and investing in infrastructure while always emphasizing the safety of employees,” said Dean Wise, vice president of network strategy for BNSF. BNSF selected BDW for the Special Recognition Award because of its commitment to growth, customer service and efficiency. BNSF said BDW has provided great customer service and has aggressively invested in capacity for new customers. BDW has grown at an annual growth rate of 14 percent over the past 10 years, nearly quadrupling its volume since 2003. www.rtands.com

Railway Track & Structures

December 2013 9

INDUSTRY TODAY PEOPLE Alaska Railroad Corporation named Bill O’Leary president and CEO, succeeding Chris Aadnesen and named Chief Mechanical Officer Doug Engebretson as chief operating officer.

Amtrak named Gerald Sokol, Jr., as its new chief financial officer, reporting directly to Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman.

Aspen Equipment Co. hired Jeremy Angell as a project manager and Stephan Graham as a CAD mechanical designer for its Bloomington, Minn., location.

Atlantic Track promoted Charles Killeen to executive vice president; David Francis to vice president midwest region; Jeffrey Grissom to vice president engineering and operations; Frank Jroski, Jr., to vice president Crane Runway Division and James Schweitzer to vice president.

BNSF promoted Julie Piggott to executive vice president and chief financial officer, replacing Tom Hund, who will retire in the first quarter of 2014.

Michael McNamara, PE, president of Gannett Fleming Transit & Rail Systems, has been named to Penn State Altoona’s Rail Transportation Engineering Advisory Board.

Georgetown Rail Equipment Company‘s board of directors elected Christopher Aadnesen as executive chairman.

Holland Company promoted Dick Morris to senior director operations - U.S. & Mexico Welding Group; Jeff Hajkowicz to senior director - Welding Equipment, Technology and Training; Kevin Piefer to senior director operations - Canada Welding Group and Mike Hakenjos to continuous improvement manager - MOW Product Group and he will retain his responsibilities as the Welding Group business manager.

Kansas City Southern promoted Steve Truitt to vice president safety training and standards; Gregory Walling to vice president network planning; Olivia Daily to assistant vice president network design and optimization; Kelly King to assistant vice president advanced systems; Timothy Ott to assistant vice president of the Southeast Division; Eloy Sanchez to assistant vice president of the Southwest Division; assistant vice presidents Mike Curry moved to the Network Operations Center; Chad Devenney moved to the Midwest Division and Rick Pennington moved to Shreveport Terminal.

LTK Engineering Services appointed Lloyd Mack to Seattle area manager and Paul Novak to Chicago office manager.

North Carolina Railroad Board of Directors elected Duane Long as board chairman and Franklin Rouse, Jr., as vice chairman.

OmniTRAX Canada hired Trent Weber as director business development, reporting directly to Lenny Berz, vice president industrial development.

Pacific Imperial Railroad named David Rohal president, replacing Donald Stoecklein, who has chosen to retire.

10 Railway Track & Structures

December 2013

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2014 NRC Conference

& NRC/REMSA Exhibition

January 5-8, 2014 JW Marriott Desert Springs Palm Desert, California

Conference Highlights

Plan to attend the premier railroad construction and maintenance industry event!

The annual National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association Conference will encompass more than 1,000 attendees, 100 exhibitors and 25,000 square-feet of meeting space. We have a unique program agenda lined up with chief engineers from the major freight railroads and other key speakers covering topics on: • • • • • • •

• Golf Tournament, Safety Awards, Multiple Networking Receptions • Seminars on project management, railroad safety regulations, railway engineering, safety training

2014 Class 1 and Regional Railroad Capital Spending Plans Rail Projects of National Significance Commuter Rail and Rail Transit Contracting California Rail Projects Legislation Affecting the Rail Industry Railroad Construction Safety High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Developments Exhibition Booths are still available, visit www.nrcma.org/go/exhibition2014 to reserve a booth

Attendee, hotel and exhibit registration available at www.nrcma.org REGISTRATION CATEGORIES

A T T E N D E E R E G I S T R A T I O N

On or Before 11/1/13

11/2/13-12/15/13

12/16/13 - On-site

No Charge

No Charge

No Charge

NRC member (first attendee)

$550.00

$600.00

$650.00

Additional persons from NRC member company

$450.00

$500.00

$550.00

NRC member spouse

$300.00

$350.00

$400.00

Non-member consultant, contractor, engineer or supplier

$650.00

$700.00

$750.00

Non-member spouse

$400.00

$450.00

$500.00

Labor Union representative

$750.00

$800.00

$850.00

No Charge

No Charge

No Charge

Exhibitor (one complimentary registration per exhibit booth)

Railroad/Media/Government Personnel COMPLETE FORM AND RETURN WITH PAYMENT TO: The National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association, 500 New Jersey Ave. NW, Ste. 400, Washington, D.C. 20001 Fax: 202-318-0867 • Phone: 202-715-1247

Name

[ ] Check enclosed (payable to NRC) [ ] Visa

[ ] MasterCard

(as it should appear on badge)

Credit Card Number

Company

Exp. Date:

Title

Cardholder’s Name (print)

E-mail

Billing Postal/Zip Code

Phone

Billing Address (Street, City, State)

[ ] American Express

cv2 Code

Amount

F O R M

CANCELLATION POLICY: Attendee registration cancellations received on or before 12/15/13 will receive a full refund. Cancellations received after 12/15/13 and “No Shows” will be charged the full registration fee. Please note that on-site registrants must pay all fees at the time of registration by cash, check or credit card.

NOTE: All prior membership dues owed to NRC must be paid in full to register for the Conference as a member. Not a member? Join today by calling the NRC office at 202715-1247, visiting the NRC website at www.nrcma.org, or emailing info@nrcma.org.

HOTEL: For hotel reservations, call the JW Marriott Desert Springs at (877) 622-3140 or go to the following link to reserve online: https://resweb.passkey.com/go/nrcma2014.

When making your reservations by phone, be sure to mention that you are with the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Conference in order to receive the discounted room rate. The rate expires and our room block is opened for general sale on December 12, 2013, and we expect to sell out our block well before that, so be sure to make your room reservations as soon as possible.

NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN

Holidays and then Palm Desert

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

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As we head into 2014, I wish everyone a safe and prosperous finish to your year. With the winter months upon us, we must keep our employees focused on the unique hazards that this time of year brings. The snow, ice and wind chill factors can create challenging conditions that we may have forgotten how to deal with during the more pleasant spring, summer and fall.

I also hope everyone had a safe and successful Thanksgiving with friends and family and that everyone has a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Boxing Day, Happy Epiphany Day and a very Happy New Year’s. With the holiday season upon us, please remind your employees to stay focused on their safety while at work. We want everyone at home safely for the holidays.

Safety continues to be a primary focus of the NRC. As I write this, applications for the NRC Safe Contractor of the Year contest are pouring into NRC headquarters in Washington, D.C. I applaud all of those companies which have taken the time to apply and compete for this prestigious honor.

I look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming NRC Conference and NRCREMSA Exhibition at the J.W. Marriott Desert Springs in Palm Desert, Calif., in January.

For the most up-to-date information on lodging, visit: www.nrcma.org/go/hotel. The conference begins with an opening session in the exhibit hall on Sunday, January 5, 2014, and will conclude with a closing reception on Wednesday evening, January 8. Registration is available at www.nrcma.org/form3.cfm and you can visit www.nrcma.org/go/conference for more information.

This year’s conference will feature more than 1,000 executives from the rail construction and maintenance industry, including 120-plus companies exhibiting at our biggest exhibition yet. Booth space is sold out, but conference sponsorships are still available by going to www.nrcma.org/go/sponsor.

The speaker lineup includes top engineering executives from Class 1 and shortline railroads including CSX, Norfolk Southern, BNSF, Union Pacific, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, Genesee & Wyoming, Watco, OmniTRAX and Florida East Coast Railway, as well as presentations from major light rail, commuter rail and passenger rail agencies, such as New

York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Metrolink, North County Transit District and the California High Speed Rail Authority. You will be updated with the latest D.C. news affecting our industry from Keith Hartwell and with a Wall Street perspective from Tony Hatch. To view a draft conference program, visit www. nrcma.org/go/conferenceprogram. All of our speakers will provide ample time to field questions from inquiring minds.

The conference will also feature four optional seminars, including “Roadway Worker Protection Train-the-Trainer” by Paul Tucker of Roadway Worker Training Inc., “Estimating Track Projects & Putting Together Bid Packages” by John Zuspan of Track Guy Consultants, “Winning with Banks, Investors and Buyers” by Michael Sussman and Will Maus of Strategic Rail Finance and “‘Keep-a-Knockin’: Surviving an OSHA Inspection” by T.H. Lyda and Jeffrey Jackson of Burns White, LLC. Don’t be overwhelmed by the busy conference schedule though, we’ll still find time for plenty of networking activities, such as the golf outing on Tuesday afternoon, January 7. Register for the 2014 NRC Golf Tournament at www.nrcma.org/form1.cfm.

Please contact NRC Operations Manager Ashley Bosch at 202-715-1247 or abosch@ nrcma.org with questions regarding the NRC Conference or see www.nrcma.org/go/ conference for more information.

Finally, as you begin to make plans for 2014, don’t forget to save the date for Railroad Day on Capitol Hill on Thursday, March 13, 2014. The NRC participates in this annual extravaganza with the American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association and the Association of American Railroads. It is a crucial day that lays the groundwork for the rest of the year of hopefully successful government relations and advocacy that the NRC engages in on behalf of its members.

Registration and hotel information will eventually be available at http://www.aslrra. org/meetings___seminars/Railroad_Day_on_ Capitol_Hill.

Until next time, work safe and keep those around you working safe.

by Terry Benton, NRC Chairman

Railway Track & Structures

December 2013 13

NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN

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

14 Railway Track & Structures

December 2013

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NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN

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

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Railway Track & Structures

December 2013 15

TTCI R&D Improving performance of crossties and fasteners

by Muhammad Akhtar, senior engineer II, David Davis, senior scientist and Joseph LoPresti, principal engineer II

TTCI scientists and engineers compare the performance of crossties and fastener designs for life-cycle cost reduction.

T

ranspor tation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), is comparing the performance of various crossties and fastener designs to reduce life-cycle costs and to increase system reliability and safety. The project is being performed under the Association of American Railroads’ Strategic Research Initiatives Program in three phases. Phase 1 identifies problems with current designs and materials, Phase 2 quantifies the load environment and Phase 3 recommends design guidelines. Phase 1 is presented here.

Figure 1: Track gauge TLV measurements.

16 Railway Track & Structures

December 2013

In 2008, TTCI began installing wood, concrete and composite crosstie test zones at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing for in-track testing with various plate hold-downs and fastening systems. A total of 24 test zones are currently in test in the sixdegree, five-inch superelevation curve of the High Tonnage Loop. The curve is operated at 40 mph, with 1.7 inches of cant deficiency.

Phase 1 test results to date indicate that softwood ties (red pine) with a standard AREMA 18-inch tie plate and cut spikes have the highest railhead and rail base deflections under load followed by hardwood ties with cut spikes and an AREMA 18-in. tie plate (18-in. tie plates are sometimes used instead of 14-inch tie plates to increase the load bearing area between the tie and tie plate). Data to date also shows that wood ties with elastic fastening systems have track gauge strength similar to concrete ties.

Several rolled tie plates on softwood and hardwood ties broke during 560 mgt of heavy-axle-load (HAL) service life. The design of the tie plate likely contributed to the breakages of the tie plates and to many broken spikes. These plates were replaced with high-strength plates. Several AREMA standard 14-inch tie plates also broke on plastic ties from lower tie bending stiffness causing higher flexibility of tie plates. No significant failures of elastic fasteners and high-strength plate hold- down de vices wer e recorded on wood ties. www.rtands.com

TTCI R&D

Procedures

As recommended by the Tie and Fastener Technical Advisory Group of the Heavy-Axle-Load Engineering Research Committee, current crosstie and fastener combinations were tested. This included a baseline for ties and fasteners currently in use (14-inch AREMA plates with cut spikes) and new designs either being considered or being introduced by major railroads. The current test was performed in three test zones.

Concrete tie zone: Variations with drive-on clip, screw hold-down clip and some variations of tie pads.

Wood tie zone: Further divided into mixed hardwood and softwood (red pine) subzones. Includes cut spike and elastic fastening systems with high-strength screw spikes or drive spike as tie plate holding devices and numerous tie plate designs.

Previous tie zone: Two plastic tie subzones and one hardwood (gum) tie zone are from previous tests.

These three zones were further divided into several subzones of various crosstie and fastening system combinations, as Table 1 shows.

18 Railway Track & Structures

December 2013

www.rtands.com

TTCI R&D Figure 2, top: Rail base deflections using LTLF. Figure 3: Clockwise from top left corner, broken AREMA 14-in. tie plates, broken railroad tie plate, screw spikes with high neck wear and broken screw spikes.

Track gauge strength

Track gauge strength was measured using the Track Loading Vehicle (TLV) and the Light Track Loading Fixture (LTLF).

The TLV applies 33,000 pounds of vertical load and 18,000 pounds lateral load. Figure 1 shows delta gauge dynamic (the difference between the loaded and unloaded track gauge) TLV measurements at 20 mph after 115, 205 and 255 mgt of traffic. The gum, Recycle Technologies International (RTI) and TieTek ties were in test before the current tests and, therefore, 20 Railway Track & Structures

the measurement cycles are different.

Gum ties were removed after 1,043 mgt because of wide gauge, tie splitting and high spike maintenance issues.

In the wood tie zone, the last measurement showed an average delta gauge of 0.5 and 0.6 in. for subzones 13 and 14 (ties with cut spikes), respectively. Comparatively, for ties with elastic fastening systems, the last measured average delta gauge was only 0.3 in. This shows that track gauge holding capability of wood ties with cut spikes degraded significantly after 255 mgt. In the concrete tie zone, the

December 2013

delta gauge measured using the TLV for ties with Vossloh clips was 0.35 in. compared to 0.25 in. for the Pandrol Safelok clips. Early in the test, several screw spikes were found broken and replaced in ties with Vossloh clips.

That may have affected the delta gauge measurements. The rate of change of delta gage from 115 to 255 mgt was similar for both systems. In general, delta gauge values for concrete and wood ties with elastic fastening systems were similar.

In the TieTek, RTI and gum tie zones, up to 0.9 in. of delta gauge was recorded. This value shows the effects of the significant amount of HAL tonnage accumulated over these ties. All subzones are still in compliance with FRA Class 4 track gauge requirements.

As Figure 2 shows, the LTLF measurements produced similar trends to those measured using the TLV; however, the LTLF system uses half the lateral load (9,000 lb. vs. 18,000 lb.) and no vertical load.

The railhead and base deflection is measured when the LTLF fixture loads the rail in the center of the rail web instead of at the gauge line. Rail base measurements provide insight into tie plate hold-down devices, tie plate holes and crosstie holes. In the wood tie zone, subzones 13 and 14 with cut spikes show higher base values in comparison to other wood tie subzones, suggesting more wear on spikes, tie plates and crosstie holes.

This was verified by removing the tie plates and inspecting the holes.

Broken plates and spikes

About eight percent of the Pandrol rolled tie plates were replaced during 560 mgt of traffic in subzones 10a, 10b and 10c. Most tie plates broke near the field side shoulder along the high rail. www.rtands.com

TTCI R&D Figure 4: Tie plate cutting.

These zones also experienced several high-strength, screw-spike and drivespike failures. Subzone 10a (hardwood ties with screw spikes) experienced the least number of failures, whereas subzone 10c (softwood ties with screw spikes) experienced the highest number of failures.

Pandrol rolled tie plates (1/2to 11/16-in. thickness) are thinner than Pandrol cast tie plates (13/16to 15/16-in. thickness). Pandrol cast tie plates in other subzones did not experience failures. It appears that the lower tie-plate thickness in subzone 10 may have contributed to the tieplate breakage. In addition, tie-plate geometry also may have contributed to failures. The tie plates skew relative to the rail base making a point contact at the corner of the shoulder.

This condition likely causes a stress concentration. Higher tie plate holddown failure rate is also likely due to relatively flexible tie plates. Other subzones with the same hold-down systems but tie plates with higher thickness and different geometry did not experience as many failures.

Subzones 1 and 6 both have AREMA 14-in. standard tie plates (9/16- to 3/4in. thickness) and have accumulated similar tonnage. About 26 percent of the tie plates failed in subzone 6. These failures may be attributed to lower plastic tie stiffness.2 The modulus of elasticity of solid sawn ties in bending is considerably higher than that found in the plastic ties (by 100 to 200 percent, typically). This may be the reason the tie plates in subzone 1 did not fail. Figure 3 shows typical failures.

Tie-plate cutting

Several tie plates broke in two subzones.

Before replacing the tie plates, tie-plate cutting depth was measured by using a straightedge and ruler. The data is limited in the sense that measurements were taken only on the rail seats where broken tie plates were found. Figure 4 22 Railway Track & Structures

compares these measurements.

Tie plate geometry and crosstie mater ial were different for the two subzones, but some general conclusions seem appropriate. For example, although at the time of the measurements, the TieTek plastic ties had four times higher tonnage, but the tie plate cutting depth was only onethird of that found on the wood ties.

Similarly, within the wood tie zone, tie plate cutting on softwood ties was significantly higher than on the mixed hardwood ties.

Maintenance logs

To date, most of the maintenance work carried out in most subzones is due to rail changes, installation of rail plugs or rail welding. Removing spikes, plugging holes and reinstallation generally improve the track gauge widening resistance, though not to the level of new ties. The effects of maintenance are generally evident in the test data.

Due to ballast migration from high to low rail in the test curve, all concrete tie subzones, particularly locations close to field welds, required spot ballast regulation. In zone 8a, several standard strength screw spikes broke during 250 mgt traffic. All spikes were replaced with high-strength screw spikes. Since then, no failures have been observed.

Zone 11a (softwood ties with Leading Edge plates and Safelok clips) required a very high level of spike maintenance. A total of 103

December 2013

screw spike redriving occurrences were recorded for 400 high-strength screw spikes in this subzone. Some spikes were redriven many times and finally the hole was plugged with foam (instead of wood plug) before redriving the spike. Comparatively, zone 11b, with mixed hardwood ties and the same fasteners, required only six spikes to be redriven.

Future work

Performance monitoring of the crossties and fasteners reported here will continue through 2014. Component maintenance life-cycle costs under HAL traffic will be estimated at the end of this period. The next test phase will include development of a crosstie and fastener performance index measurement of load environment of components with various tie materials and tie plate designs and studies of the effects of individual component stiffness on the total performance of crosstie and fasteners.

References 1. Reiff, R. November 2008. “2008 FAST Tie and Fastener Test, As Built Status Report,” Research Summary RS-08-003, Association of American Railroads, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colo.

2. Gonzales, K., et al. Februar y 2008.

“Evaluation of Tie Plate Cracking on Composite Ties,” Technology Digest TD-08009, Association of American Railroads, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colo. www.rtands.com

hand-held tools PortaCo’s stand up lag driver in use.

Notable jobs sometimes require the smallest of tools. Suppliers are offering up big improvements for these hand-held devices in 2013.

strong and Helpful

Hand-held tools

by Jennifer Nunez, assistant editor

S

mall tools for the maintenance of track, whether it’s freight or passenger, are of great importance to railroads. They may be small, but they tackle the largest of problems across North American lines and help to keep people and products safe during transit.

Amsted RPS

2013 was an exciting year for Amsted RPS with much growth in its core rail fastening business. Amsted RPS expanded production of its SL Series (U2000 and 6030LR) of fasteners at its Atchison, Kan., plant, introduced a joint venture with Switzerland-based Schwihag AG, by manufacturing “skl” style rail fastening systems, evolved the MACRO Armor line over the past two years and partnered with the edilon)(sedra, a Netherlands company known for vibration reducing products.

In addition to its existing line of hand tools for rail anchors and SL Series of fasteners, Amsted RPS will add a number of tools in support of its expanded product line including a T-Wrench and Dowel Extraction Tool for maintenance of the ME63 (skl) System, a MACRO Armor Plate Placement tool used to position the MACRO Armor 24 Railway Track & Structures

December 2013

Repair Plate during the restoration of abraded concrete ties and, finally, Amsted RPS has introduced the Custom Mixer used with the edilon)(sedra Corkelast for embedded rail applications to increase the quality and productivity of installation crews.

“The Amsted RPS line of hand tools suppor ts the growing product line with a focus on safety and productivity,” said John Stout, director of sales. “These tools are designed to be lightweight, with most weighing less than 25 pounds, but tough enough to make installations in a demanding railroad environment. The Amsted RPS E-Z Wrench, for example, is engineered for convenience with the end-user in mind. A unique three-piece mechanical advantage design transfers the most power with the least effort, by more than four times the amount of applied force.”

Safety is always a top priority at Amsted RPS, Stout says.

In addition to the standard line of hand tools, Amsted RPS also develops custom designs to meet the unique needs of customers. Each new design is rigorously tested in the lab located in Atchison, Kan., followed by field trials to reach an optimum combination of performance and durability, the company notes. www.rtands.com

hand-held tools

“As loads get heavier and traffic continues to increase, we do our best to listen to our customers and let them steer our product development initiative,” explained Stout. “It is clear that the railroads need high quality fastening systems that last for the life of the rail to minimize maintenance and maximize track utilization. With that, our selection of hand tools are specifically designed to make installation faster and more consistent, improving safety and reducing maintenance down time. New tool design can be created based on the specific application and need.”

Cembre

Cembre Inc. introduced the RoboKatta Automatic Rail Saw in the first quarter of 2013 and the company says that so far, the feedback has been very positive with transits and Class 1 railroads across America.

“We have also added to our tie dr illing range with the Cembre SD-15PR-ECO Tie Drill that includes a forward and reverse feature, allowing for easy drilling and safe removal of drill bits in the event of jamming,” noted Chris Drew, vice president of sales at Cembre. “Along with the CS-SD support trolley, the SD-15PRECO and NR-11P Impact Wrench can now be fitted with extensions for drilling or lagging of timber guard rails up to 43 inches from field side for bridge applications.”

www.rtands.com

ERICO

As an improvement to ERICO’s C A DW E L D P L U S e x o t h e r m i c welding line, the company developed a hand-held control unit to initiate the CADWELD Rail Power or Signal Bond track connection.

“The electronic control unit means no star ting material is required, making installation quicker and easier,” explained Matt Caie, director of ERICO rail connection sales. “The control until has a six-foot or 15-foot lead to get to hard to reach installations and promote user safety.”

He says that it has been a good year for ERICO, with a lot of activity in the industry and is looking for that to continue in 2014.

“Demand is being driven from a number of areas and reasons, not only transit but in the main railways also,” Caie said.

Hougen

Trak-Star ® , a division of Hougen Manufacturing, has introduced a number of new products and modifications to existing products in recent years.

Trak-Star has introduced a Gas Powered Impact Wrench with 1250 ft./ lbs. of torque. In addition, Trak-Star also carries OZAT socket and 18-inch auger bits to accompany the impact wrench.

The company released its 16-inch Hydraulic Rail Saw. Operating at 10

GPM, Hougen notes the saw produces approximately 10 percent more revolutions per minute than most hydraulic saws in the industry, allowing for faster rail cuts while reducing blade glazing. The rotation is fully reversible, allowing for cutting from either side of the rail without dismounting. Just a quick step over and flip of the saw is all that is required, the company says.

Due to increased demand, TrakStar has standardized the offering of equipment for drilling crane rail and girder rail. Most items are in stock, allowing for quick response to urgent demands. “ Tr a k - S t a r h a s b e e n k n o w n throughout the fabricating industry for many years for offering safe, l i g h t w e i g h t , m a g n e t i c d r i l l s ,” noted Brian Buys, technical sales representative. “Now, three models are available through the Trak-Star line for drilling; steel ties, switch plates, bridge fabrication and maintenance, car repairs, locomotive repairs and any other application that involves drilling steel plates. The magnetic drills MD40, MD50 and MD70 have capacities ranging from 1-3/8-inch diameter through one-inch depth of cut to 2-1/16-inch diameter through threeinch depth of cut. These drills are all designed to shut off if the magnet lifts from the cutting surface.”

Buys says that business has been holding steady for 2013 and notes

Railway Track & Structures

December 2013 25

hand-held tools

Amsted’s E-Z Wrench Spring Anchor Applicator, which is used for applying all types of spring anchors.

Modern Track Machinery

that hopefully optimism will show an increase in 2014. He says that transit business via contractors and rail contractors have shown an increase.

“Trak-Star always incorporates safety and ergonomics into ever y product it manufactures and sells,” Buys said. “Rigorous testing is done and specific injur y problems are identified and corrected prior to any marketing of any product.”

26 Railway Track & Structures

M o d e r n Tr a c k M a c h i n e r y, I n c.

(MTM), is releasing a new lightweight gasoline tamper in early 2014. “ We b e l i e ve t h a t t h e r e i s a market for a gasoline-powered tool that is equal or less weight than the hydraulic-powered versions and about half the weight of other gasolinepowered tampers currently on the market,” explained Alan Reynolds, general sales manager.

R e y n o l d s s ay s t h at s a f e t y i s paramount in driving new products and that the railroads are continually looking for suppliers to develop ergonomic, lighter tools, with safety in mind, for their employees.

December 2013

“We feel the industry as a whole is strong with all segments contributing to growth,” he noted and said that MTM is cautiously optimistic that 2014 will be a good year.

PortaCo

PortaCo, Inc., introduced a new dead head spike driver, tie drill and stand up lag driver. The company notes that the dead head spike driver does not require a worker to hold a hand tool while it is being driven by another worker swinging a heavy hammer and that it automatically stops when the trigger is released.

“Our business is very strong,” explained Robert Mueller-Reinwarth, vice president operations. “We have recently joined the Goldschmidt Thermit Group, which now gives us a global presence.

This allows us to add distribution on a worldwide basis, selling through the other 22 companies that make up the group.

We have also strengthened our North

www.rtands.com

hand-held tools

American presence by working closely with Orgo-Thermit, which is also part of our new group. We are already seeing a large increase in our current business and are very excited about the upcoming year.”

Safety is the most important feature of all of PortaCo’s products, Mueller-Reinwarth notes and says that many of its tools allow the worker’s hands and face to be at some distance from the cutting, grinding or other activities, by having a long handle designed into the tool.

“All of our tools route the hot hydraulic fluid away from the area where the tool is being held in the operator’s hand, reducing the chances for burns,” he said. “Our tools are designed to operate at lower and safer pressures, minimizing the danger. Our ergonomically-designed tools meet the market demands for easier to use and safer tools; most of our tools allow the worker to stand up while using them.”

Racine Railroad Products

Racine Railroad Products, Inc., has made modifications to improve performance to its hydraulic spike puller and will be introducing a new hydraulic spike driver, hydraulic rail saw and gas drill in 2014.

These new tools are designed to improve performance, ergonomics and offer more operator-friendly features, the company notes.

www.rtands.com

ERICO’s control unit and the CADWELD PLUS system.

“Hand-held tool sales have been lower than the forecast projection for 2013,” explained Stephen Birkholz, president.

“We are optimistic for sales to grow in 2014 from the new product line offerings.”

He points to safety features as the number one design criteria consideration for hand-held tool improvements.

“Customers are always looking for tools that are

Railway Track & Structures

December 2013 27

hand-held tools

lighter in weight, ergonomically easy to use and at a lower operating cost,” Birkholz said. “Transit industry customers have a special interest in battery-powered options for work in tunnels and underground structures. Sales to the contractors, shortline railroads, Class 1s and transits have been balanced this year.”

Racine moved to a larger, modern facility in 2013 that

Left, a Railtech Matweld, Inc., Track Rover on a rough terrain track rehabilitation project.

Stanley Hydraulic Tool’s HP28 Twin Circuit Power Unit.

will allow it to offer customers a wider range of products, Birkholz notes.

Railtech Matweld

Railtech Matweld, Inc., developed a hydraulic-powered four-wheel-drive mobile work cart called the Track Rover, which was traditionally only available in a gasolinepowered version but is now available in diesel. Operator control is remote via a hand-held radio transmitter, which keeps the operator at a safe clearance when maneuvering through rough terrain or over rail, the company notes.

“The Track Rover is equipped with a hydraulic tool circuit; this mobile power source can be customized for the tough tasks and multiple jobs the railroad environment demands,” said Alex Hellkamp, vice president sales and marketing at Railtech Matweld, Inc. “From either equipping the Track Rover with complete welding materials to go on location, new construction material hauling and having all the associated tools equipped, derailment responder or a complete rail yard working team deployment set up, the Track Rover can suit the tough demands of the railroad environment.”

When railroads purchase equipment, safety, quality, cost and support after the sale are all considerations taken into account, Hellkamp notes and says the ability to work together safely is paramount in this fast-paced industry.

“With the loss of so much of this industry’s seasoned talent to retirement, customers and suppliers will need to continue more than ever to communicate safety, training and product support,” he explained.

As an ISO certified company, Hellkamp says Railtech Matweld strives to build the best products for the railroad 28 Railway Track & Structures

December 2013

www.rtands.com

hand-held tools

industry and offer complete support after the sale by its team.

“Not only do we have direct factory support, but also one of the best and well-respected sales staff with ESCO Equipment Service Company representing and supporting our products,” said Hellkamp.

Stanley Hydraulic Tools

Stanley Hydraulic Tools has launched its Twin 8 power pump for the railroad industry. The Twin 8 Power Pump offers more versatility than comparable units in the field, Stanley notes and says the pump is capable of powering two hydraulic tools simultaneously at eight gallons per minute (GPM), offering more productivity and lower operating costs by getting the work completed more rapidly.

Stanley’s Active Thermal Management (ATM) is designed to ensure that the power pump maintains optimal oil temperature in the most extreme conditions. Ease of transport and positioning is done at a variety of lifting points and a control panel offers ease of use and good visibility while the unit is functioning minimizing operator’s time, the company says.

Stanley has also launched a new interlock trigger for the SPL31 Spike Puller.

“This new feature offers added defense with a secondary

30 Railway Track & Structures

December 2013

trigger, reducing unintended operation when the tool is placed on the ground while connected to hydraulics,” explained Aaron Sztuk, global product manager. “The interlock feature is incorporated on the handlebar and can be operated seamlessly with little effort, ensuring the operator maintains safety and efficiency on the job-site.”

Fiscal 2013 remains strong with several new product development launches on the horizon for 2014; the company notes the focus continues to expand the product portfolio and technology to the rail industry. Stanley Hydraulics will continue to work closely with its customers to advance safety and productivity.

Stanley has a field sales force that works closely with its railroad customers. Beyond the standard product and safety training seminar conducted in the field, Stanley is constantly on the hunt to improve operator safety.

“Using ‘voice of the customer’ techniques and surveys, we integrate that input and leverage new technologies to increase operator safety,” said Sztuk. “Outside the typical macro drivers of heavy investment in infrastructure, market demand for increased operator safety, lower fatigue rate and dependable tools drives Stanley to engineer more proficient tools to lower operating costs on the job site.”

www.rtands.com

Seattle digs deep for

light rail Three machines the length of a football field tunnel a threemile extension for Sound Transit’s lightrail system.

by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor All photos courtesy of Sound Transit

I

n 2009, Sound Transit began construction on a 3.15-mile extension of its light-rail system. The University Link Extension (U-Link) is expected to add 71,000 daily boardings by 2030 and will connect a trio of Seattle’s urban centers including downtown Seattle, Capitol Hill and the University District.

The $1.9-billion project consists of two bored tunnels between Westlake Station and the University of Washington, with two new stations to be constructed at Capitol Hill and the University campus. Boring for the project began in 2011 with three tunnel boring machines (TBMs) constructing the subterranean cavity that will host future light-rail service. Two machines worked in tandem from the University of Washington to Capitol Hill and the third machine traveled from Capitol Hill to downtown and then was dismantled and moved back to Capitol Hill to launch again for the second tunnel.

Tunneling operations were performed 24-hours a day and on an average day, the TBMs could construct 50 to 75 feet of tunnel. Bruce Gray, 32 Railway Track & Structures

spokesperson for Sound Transit, says the TBMs productivity was based on maintaining good pressure on the face of the machine and not encountering anything on the face that wasn’t expected.

“There’s extensive monitoring that goes on to make sure you’ve got the right pressure on the face of the machine and not allowing any opportunity for stuff to come in from above that you don’t want to,” said Gray. “We were able to maintain good pressure on the face of the machines throughout the mining and the contractors had a good system set up to keep the segments and the supplies coming into the machines

December 2013

and haul out the muck on the other, so we didn’t end up being muck-bound and having to slow our process.”

The I-5 challenge

Prior to the TBMs launch, Sound Transit had to deal with a tricky situation concerning the tunnel route and its planned course under Interstate 5. According to Gray, boring under I-5 was one of the biggest risks of the entire ULink project. The portion of the project that traveled under I-5 is in a deep cut through a hillside, which has retaining walls on either side that go down 180feet deep. In addition to the challenge of boring through the retaining walls, www.rtands.com

tunnel boring

Opposite page, the massive head of one of the TBMs. Top right, Sound Transit’s TBMs named Togo and Balto at the Capitol Hill station box being lifted out.

there was the added concern of what the walls held back: A dense Seattle neighborhood on one side and downtown on the other.

“We needed to be 100-percent certain those walls were not going to move when our TBMs came through,” said Gray.

The solution involved the contractor digging down to the depth the TBMs would be passing, which was only about 17 feet from the roadway to the crown of the tunnel, and cutting four windows within the retaining walls, which were then backfilled with control density fill.

“We had all sorts of monitoring equipment on the walls to watch for any kind of movement as the TBMs got close and as they passed underneath,” said Gray. “Everything went off without a hitch.”

Additional hurdles

While Gray says the mining portion of the U-Link project couldn’t have gone any better, expected and unexpected challenges presented themselves.

The U-Link extension also travels under the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which is where Lake Washington drains into Portage Bay, Union Bay and, ultimately, Puget Sound. The TBMs were constructing tunnels 20 feet below the man-made, concrete canal and Gray says a lot of work went into making sure the TBMs could traverse without water coming down and the section was also carefully monitored during construction.

One unplanned problem concerned a shallow area near the University of Washington, where the project ran into some noise issues from the supply trains that were running tunnel segments and other materials to and from the TBM. Gray says noise complaints were coming in from as far as 300 feet away from the tunnel construction.

“The more we looked at it, it had to do with the type of rails and some of the spacing on the rails. We worked with our contractor to put in special www.rtands.com

padding beneath the rails, vibration dampening, because it’s really the thump from the supply train’s wheels going over the gap in the rails that was causing the sound. We went in and welded the rails together better and put in these vibration-absorbing pads beneath the rails and ties and that helped a lot,” said Gray. “Now, we know how far that noise can travel and how sensitive people can be, especially when you have mining operations going on at night and someone hears a thump under their house.”

Next steps

“The project is going fantastic,” said Gray.

He attributes the well-executed mining with the project currently being more than $100 million under budget and six months ahead of schedule.

According to Gray, the project overall is 80-percent complete with U-Link’s rail systems still being installed and its two stations still under construction.

“One [station] is about 80-percent complete and the other is about 25 percent. The one behind is the one where we had all the TBMs converging, so they couldn’t get started on their station finishes as early as the other one,” said Gray.

He credits the success of the tunneling operation to good planning, a little

bit of luck and excellent partners.

“We’re really happy with how it’s going. We did extensive soil testing throughout the entire route to give us as good an idea as we could possibly have of the geology we were going to be mining through and we had great contractors,” said Gray.

Contractors who will again be participating in a Sound Transit tunnel project as the agency recently awarded its largest contract ever for mining four miles of twin tunnels from the north end of the

“We’re really happy with how it’s going.

We did extensive soil testing throughout the entire route to give us as good an idea as we could possibly have of the geology we were going to be mining through and we had great contractors.”

Railway Track & Structures

December 2013 33

Tunnel boring A closer look at two of U-Link’s TBMs, Togo and Balto, which were named after famous Huskies who were canine heroes of a grueling sled dog relay to deliver medicine 674 miles from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska, during a diphtheria outbreak in 1925.

U-Link extension to Northgate.

“One of our contractors on U-Link was the low bidder for that work, so we have a lot of confidence going into Northgate based on how well things went with U-Link. We’re doing as much soil testing and getting as good a picture of the underground conditions as we can for this next section of tunnel based on how well things went with ULink,” said Gray.

He continued, “To me, we talk about all this technology and amazing machines, but the coolest part [of this project] is being down there and seeing the people who are actually putting these tunnels together. They are liter-

34 Railway Track & Structures

ally bolting the segments together and operating these underground cranes and sliding the pieces into place. At

December 2013

the end of the day, it’s people working with their hands and we couldn’t do it without them.”

www.rtands.com

Railroad engineering education programs, both established and new, are offering a variety of courses and training opportunities for the young and growing workforce.

A UK class and several of the AREMA RailCats touring NS’s John Sevier Yard/Terminal in Knoxville,Tenn.

educating the future of:

railway engineering

by Jennifer Nunez, assistant editor

T

he railroad engineering workforce continues to pass the torch to the younger generation of railroaders, as the men and women who have served this industry for many years retire. A wealth of knowledge is retiring with them and railroad engineering programs are helping to prepare students to fill those spots in the industry.

AREMA

“Engineering education programs are critically important to the future of the industry,” explained Michael Pochop, P.E., vice president of Hanson Professional Services Inc. and past chair of Committee 24 – Education & Training. “The projected retirements of experienced staff requires a significant hiring of graduates and those new to the industry will need to acquire knowledge quickly. Education programs are part of the needed response, along with post-secondary education and transfer of experience within the individual companies.”

AREMA, whose technical committees develop and advance the knowledge and recommended practices for railway infrastructure, has a key role in this knowledge acquisition, along with universities and the industry itself. AREMA delivers this knowledge through its publications, seminars, webinars and annual technical conference.

“Experienced railroaders and newcomers learn from the great networking opportunities of AREMA,” noted Pochop. “This can be an organized format, such as the Training Cooperative and LinkedIn Group and informal networking that occurs between events or at a booth at the annual conference. The best way to be at the forefront of railway education and training is to join one of AREMA’s 30 technical committees and steering teams.”

36 Railway Track & Structures

December 2013

AREMA is contributing to the education of future railroad engineers by its established 16 student chapters, sending speakers to student events, providing mentors, funding scholarships and providing university professors the content and network they need to expand railway education. AREMA says its technical committees are annually increasing its seminar and webinar offerings and that the best place to see AREMA’s expanding education offerings is at www.arema.org, which has links to the committees, publications, events, programs and opportunities.

REB

The Railway Educational Bureau (REB), a sister company to RT&S, offers self-paced distance learning, workshops and onsite training. REB says Basic Principles of Track Maintenance, Advanced Principles of Track Maintenance and FRA Track Safety Standards are cost-effective, self-paced distance learning courses that bring new employees up-to-speed fast.

“Employees now have the convenience of submitting their answers through our website, which provides immediate feedback,” explained Brian Brundige, director of REB. Additionally, REB hosted a three and a half day Track Safety Standards workshop in October with plans to offer more in the future and said instructor-led workshops are a great learning opportunity.

“We can bring a workshop to a site and tailor it to very specific needs,” he stated.

The FRA’s proposed Part 243 will bring a lot of changes to training for the entire industry once it is finalized, he says.

“We’re working on some exciting changes in order to meet these upcoming regulations,” added Brundige. www.rtands.com

UIUC

The University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign (UIUC) Rail Transportation and Engineering Center’s (RailTEC) mission is rail education through excellence in rail teaching, research and public service. By teaching courses and offering a curriculum in rail engineering and transportation, RailTEC seeks to educate, inspire and mentor future leaders of the rail transportation profession and society that are prepared to meet 21st Century challenges in a global economy.

RailTEC also seeks to make students of other civil engineering disciplines aware of rail design requirements so that they can better interface with and utilize the rail mode in their future design careers.

“RailTEC performs forward-looking research, both applied and theoretical, that will positively impact and improve our rail transportation profession and society,” explained Christopher Barken, Ph.D., director of the UIUC rail engineering program. “While furthering our understanding of the critical research issues in rail transportation and developing practical, effective solutions, RailTEC acts as a source of rail knowledge and expertise to colleagues, industry, government and the public.”

During the past 24 months, five new rail classes have been introduced to the railway engineering curriculum, bringing the total number of rail classes to 11.

One major area of expansion has been in the area of high-speed rail (HSR). UIUC has expanded the HSR curriculum to cover the full engineering life-cycle of a HSR project with two new courses: HighSpeed Rail Planning and High-Speed Rail Construction Management. Another course, High-Speed Rail Operations and Maintenance, is under development and should be offered for the first time in spring 2015. Other new courses are now offered, as well.

Two additional rail courses are under development and should be offered for the first time within the next 18 months.

Advanced Track Engineering will examine mechanistic track design concepts and the detailed design of individual track components and special trackwork.

Railway Operations & Terminal Design will cover network planning, operations, capacity and the design of railway classification yards, intermodal facilities and bulk terminals.

“UIUC is the lead institution of the National University Rail Center (NURail), the first U.S. Department of Transportation University Transportation center dedicated to rail research www.rtands.com

and education. The NURail consortium members (UIUC, University of Illinois at Chicago, Michigan Technological University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Kentucky and University of Tennessee-Knoxville) all have active rail education programs with a diverse set of course offerings,” said Barken. “NURail is exploring opportunities to best take advantage of this diversity of course offerings to give students a more complete rail education at each consortium campus and those of NURail affiliate universities. NURail hopes to establish common educational materials and distribute them via a railway engineering education portal.

Although some course material has been shared already, the present rail courses at each campus evolved independently and even the basic railway engineering courses have varying emphasis depending on the interest and the expertise of the individual faculty. To help the rail industry understand what a student with an introductory railway course on their transcript was taught, NURail is also seeking ways to establish guidelines and standards for the content of basic railway engineering courses.”

University of Deleware

The objective of the University of Delaware’s Railroad Engineering and Safety program, which was launched in August 2012, is to educate students and advance the railroad and transit engineering fields using a three-part approach.

One, undergraduate and graduate courses in railroad engineering with a goal of developing concentration and long-term degree programs at the undergraduate and/or graduate level; two, professional training and education for working railroad, transit, government, supplier and consulting professionals in the field and, three, research activities addressing key areas of interest and need in the field.

The university currently offers two full, three-credit courses that are given at the senior/graduate student level. These courses include Introduction to Railroad Engineering, a three-credit senior/graduate course, which is taught by Allan Zarembski, Ph.D., PE, FASME, honorable member of AREMA, research professor and director of the Railroad Engineering and Safety Program at the University of Delaware, during the fall semester; Railroad Safety and Derailment Engineering, a three-credit senior/graduate course, which Dr. Zarembski teaches during the spring semester and a new course planned for

the 2014-2015 academic year, Advanced Railroad Engineering. This will also be a three-credit senior/graduate course and will allow the university to offer a certificate in railroad engineering as part of its master’s degree program.

Other professional courses introduced

by Dr. Zarembski include Rail Problems, Rail Maintenance and Rail Grinding, a two-day course with CEU credit and Railroad Safety and Derailment Prevention course, a two-day course with CEU credit.

The university has an active advisory committee chaired by David Staplin, deputy chief engineer, track, Amtrak and with representatives of BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, New York City Transit, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority, as well as the Federal Railroad Administration, Association of American Railroads and Railway Tie Association.

The school works with this committee both in the development of courses and in research directions.

“I see a resurgence of railroad engineering after a long hiatus,” noted Dr. Zarambski. “I am watching the growth of new railroad programs across the country. I see the development of specialization, with some programs focusing on railroad engineering, others on management, etc. (I am constantly being asked by prospective students about different areas of specialization that are available.)

I see the introduction of a new generation of students to the railroad industry (I am pleased to be able to contribute to this, as I see my own students take positions at different railroads). There is a strong need for this new generation of trained engineers and managers and I see university programs helping to fill that need.”

UK

The University of Kentucky provides its undergraduate and graduate students with two courses in railway engineering and operations to complement course offerings in the transportation engineering area.

“This also serves to interest our students in the railroad industry and to seek employment with a railroad company, a consulting engineering firm, a contractor/supplier catering to the railway industry or a governmental agency involved with railway engineering and operations,” explained Jerry G. Rose, Ph.D., P.E., University of Kentucky, College of Engineering, Civil Engineering Department. “It also provides basic instruction in railway engineering and operations

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education and training for both undergraduate and particularly graduate students involved with research studies. We have maintained a rather large rail research program for several years.

The university offers two classes, Railway Freight and Passenger Operations and Intermodal Transportation, which has been taught each fall semester since 1999 with about 15 to 20 students per year and Railroad Facilities Design and Analysis, which has been taught each spring semester since 1983 and consistently has about 20 to 25 students per year.

“Early on, CSX was very instrumental in the program,” said Dr. Rose. “Since then, BNSF, Norfolk Southern and, to a limited extent, Union Pacific, have been involved, plus several shortline railroads in the vicinity. Guest speakers from these railroads and engineering firms are common parts of the classes, in addition to field trips to rail terminals.”

Dr. Rose believes that rail programs will grow slowly and that only a select few schools will develop full-fledged rail programs.

38 Railway Track & Structures

“It is a specialty in civil engineering and few schools will have more than one or two courses dedicated to just rail,” he noted. “Many civil engineering courses are applicable to rail engineering and operations and provide the basic instruction for the senior and graduate courses dedicated to rail.”

Michigan Tech

“Our vision is and, has been, to provide a service to both the rail industry and our students,” explained Pasi Lautala, director of Michigan Tech’s rail transportation program. “We offer an interdisciplinary program in railroad engineering and urban rail transit that provides opportunities for our students and faculty to participate in the development and operation of rail transportation today and into the future. We try to match industry and educational needs to provide our students with the background they will need to succeed, a challenging task with the fast pace of change in the industry today.”

Michigan Tech offers a basic program for students from various departments.

December 2013

Available courses include Railroad Engineering, Track Design and Engineering, Public Transit Planning and Engineering and Rail Transportation Seminar. This fall, Michigan Tech’s School of Business and Economics has also introduced a course in Transportation Logistics and Management. Lautala says the school is also putting great emphasis on getting its undergraduate students to work on externallyfunded real-world problems through its Senior Design and Enterprise programs.

The school has students working with Union Pacific to develop a sensor system to display the sand level in locomotive traction sand tanks; Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific to investigate development of intelligent railroad crossing signal maintainer; Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad to repurpose an existing centerbeam rail car for a new life in the rail car fleet; the Michigan Department of Transportation to develop recommendations for inspection and construction of highway-rail grade crossing surfaces and the Technical Expert Network to provide marketing and system operations

www.rtands.com

education and training information to a client interested in the developing train control market.

These projects involved students from the school’s electrical, mechanical and civil engineering programs and also students from its business programs. Lautala says the school believes in hands-on education and is continuously looking for opportunities to partner with the rail industry in projects like these.

“We have excellent relationships with the Class 1 railroads in the U.S. and Canada, as well as with industry consultants, manufacturers and suppliers,” Lautala noted. “We also work with shortline railroads in our area and with rail maintenance and repair companies. We seek industry input on a regular basis and often invite industry speakers to guest lecture in our courses and for our Railroad Engineering and Activities Club. We work with AREMA Committee 24 - Education & Training and have had a member on the committee for 10 years. Our AREMA relationship has been extremely helpful in identifying critical areas of knowledge and in assisting with development of course

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materials. This year, we are establishing a Railroad Advisory Board to provide a more formal industry input into our curriculum and program development.”

As the rail workforce ages, the need for bringing in new, highly-qualified personnel is exploding, explains Lautala and he says the industry also needs a new breed of employees to handle all of the high-tech communications and systems integration equipment.

“At the same time, our prospective student base is becoming more diverse and is coming from a wider region,” he noted.

“Online learning may prove an effective way to provide some of our educational and training requirements. We piloted a test online rail learning system (http://raillearning.mtu.edu)/ with the support by the Federal Railroad Administration this year to help establish a platform where some of that learning might take place.”

Lautala says Michigan Tech is exploring some of those opportunities within the NURail consortium.

“We also believe that it’s important to be interdisciplinary, as today’s world

requires managers who are capable of moving smoothly between different business areas and finally, in keeping with the increasingly global marketplace we need to be more active with our international colleagues. At Michigan Tech, we have great relationships in Europe and Asia and are exploring opportunities with India. It’s an exciting time in the rail education business and there is certainly no lack of project and course opportunities.”

UT Knoxville

The objective of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, rail program is to turn out students with some basic knowledge of the rail mode with a focus primarily on the civil engineering aspects of railways, though there are students with an interest in industrial engineering, particularly operations research. The program targets students at the Master of Science level, since undergraduate students have few elective choices.

However, seniors are able to take a rail class if they have the proper prerequisites.

“We have quite a robust non-credit continuing education program aimed at

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railway professionals,” shared David Clarke, Ph.D., P.E., director, Center for Transportation Research, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. “Our university students are welcome to attend these courses when their schedules permit.”

Clarke is working on a new class in railway operations and is seeking opportunities for course exchanges with other universities having a railway focus area. Such opportunities would allow students access to a broader portfolio of courses than what the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, can develop inhouse. Affiliation with NuRail has been a definite help in this regard, he says.

“We do not have a partnership with any specific railroad; however, we do work with individuals having railway experience to develop course content,” he said. “Railways have been very cooperative about providing guest speakers and facility tours for classes.”

According to Clarke, compared with European and Asian counterparts, there is a distinct lack of railway education within U.S. universities. Through AREMA-sponsored initiatives, such as the Railway Engineering Education Symposium, universities are starting to build capacity in railway civil engineering, he notes.

“However, our universities lack equivalent programs in mechanical and electrical engineering, both important in the railway professional workforce,” Clark explained. “I believe that we should also look at railway operations in the business side of academe. Programs today are supply-chain focused and provide little on carrier operations and management.”

Track Guy Consultants

“We are extremely grateful for the opportunities that have been thrown our way during the past 39 years,” explained John Zuspan, president of Track Guy Consultants. “Now that we are in the consulting business, I feel a tremendous need to give back to the industry that has given me and my family a good quality of life. It is important for us to share our experiences and mistakes so others can learn. Our mission is to educate and share experiences in order to build, maintain, inspect and design railroad track correctly. Our primary purpose is to show others so our track systems can be safe with human lives on board. There are so many tricks of the trade that must be shared and that is what inspired us to also write seven handbooks on constructing different types of track and managing the work.”

Along with the company’s assortment of programs consisting of Basic Track 101, Means and Methods for Building Track, Thermal Forces and FRA 213 Track Safety Standards, it has added a three-day program on Managing Railroad Track Projects. Additionally, Track Guy Consultants offers classes on American Public Transportation Association Track Safety Recommendations and Federal Transit Administration Track Safety Guidelines. Track Guy has also built custom programs for contractors such as a three-week management program for Project Managers, Superintendents and Foremen.

Zuspan credits safety as being priority number one.

“Years ago, safety was not number one and was deemed to affect production and be an annoyance,” he noted. “A message of ‘we will lose money if we have to do this stuff ’ was sent out to the troops. We cut corners; we jeopardized the wellness of ourselves and others around us. Over the past couple of decades, railroad workers are heavily trained in the 40 Railway Track & Structures

December 2013

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education and training safe way to perform their activities. It is very refreshing to walk on a jobsite and see workers doing a morning briefing, stretching, wearing their PPE and have an overall safety culture that starts at the CEO level. Today, it goes like this, ‘If you don’t work safely, you will be fired’.”

Track Guy Consultants programs offer the nuts and bolts, as well as sound engineering principles that were developed 150 years ago, Zuspan says. These principles or standards have been enhanced over the years and revised to accept new technology and new knowledge.

“Track Guy Consultants takes pride in the fact that we keep up-to-date with changing technology, as well as educating ourselves to be better trainers. We need to continually learn new things until we are six feet under. We must motivate ourselves, challenge ourselves and have a healthy, positive attitude each and every day. Life is so much fun that way.”

TTCI

Beginning in the fall of 2013, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., and the Colorado State University-Pueblo (CSUP) partnered together to offer a new Master of Science degree in engineering with emphasis areas in mechatronics and railroad engineering.

TTCI says the objective of the Masters of Science Railroad Engineering (MSRE) program is to provide a welleducated workforce for the North American railway industry.

“The MSRE program offered by CSUP requires the completion of course work focused on track and structures engineering similar to that required by other such railroad engineering programs, but also requires courses covering vehicle/track interaction (railway vehicle dynamics), locomotives and railway power systems, as well as rail vehicle fleet management, which is unique among the railroad engineering programs being offered in North America,” explained Robert Florom, vice president of engineering quality services at TTCI. When designing the prog ram at CSUP, TTCI did survey of the Association of American Railroads member railroads to find out the skills they wanted graduates from the program to possess and built the program around those recommendations.

“Like many industries in North America, the railway industry is beginning to experience the effects of the retirement www.rtands.com

of the baby boomers and that is creating a significant demand for graduates from railroad engineering programs,” noted Florom. “We anticipate an increase in these types of programs around the country within the next few years to address this demand.”

UNLV

“The ultimate objective of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Railroad Engineering program is to become a world-renowned center for railroad education, research and conferences,” explained Harry Teng, Ph.D., director of Freight Railroading, High Speed Passenger Rail and Transit. He is also associate professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction with the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering at UNLV. UNLV offers a railroad engineering certificate program that consists of six courses: Introduction to Railroad Transportation, Railroad Engineering, Railroad Operations, Public Transportation, Freight Transportation and High Speed Rail. Additionally, the school is working with Las Vegas Railway Express, Inc., which is developing high-speed passenger rail service from Las Vegas to Los Angeles utilizing existing freight railroad corridors.

“Our railroad engineering program is developing technologically-advanced course delivery methods that will allow industry professionals located anywhere in the world to enroll in our railroading classes,” Teng said. “The students will be able to apply the credits earned towards the UNLV Railroad Engineering certificate program or to degree programs at other schools. In addition, UNLV welcomes proposals from railroads to partner with UNLV to develop specifically-tailored courses on topics of special interest for meeting the education and training needs of that particular railroad. The process has begun to construct state-of-the-art railroad

engineering labs on the UNLV campus.

The research that will be conducted in those new engineering labs will focus on freight railroad, high-speed passenger rail and transit issues.”

UW

The University of Wisconsin – Madison Department of Engineering Professional Development (EPD) offers non-credit professional development and certificate programs serving the rail industry.

“Our mission is to provide training for the railroad industry ranging from Class 1 and Class 3 railroads, consultants and contractors, public agencies and transit authorities and suppliers,” explained Dave Peterson, program director.

EPD has provided continuing education courses for the railroad industry for more than 20 years and it has expanded from one course on track maintenance to more than 10 courses per year on subjects such as track design, maintenance, bridges, project management, signaling, crossings, yards and operations.

“EPD has developed a comprehensive competency model for engineers and eng ineer ing specialists within the Division of Transpor tation System Development of a large state department of transportation,” noted Peterson. “This model defined performance attributes across a myriad of job roles and functions, ranging from design and construction project management to operations and maintenance; similarly, the model addressed the performance characteristics and contributions of a var iety of engineering sub disciplines, including pavement, traffic, environmental, electrical, industrial and materials engineers. Through a grant we are developing a similar model for the railroad industry nationally.”

EPD is an affiliate member of NURail and also expects to work with other educational institutions in the United States to help serve both the educational and research needs of the industry.

Training Resources The National Railway Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) released its Safety Around Flash Butt Welding and Fall Protection in the Rail Industry DVDs during its annual conference in 2013 and will debut its two newest DVDs, Building a Turnout and Special Trackwork, as well as Handling CWR January 2014 during its conference. The association also offers Roadway Worker Protection training, free to all NRC members.

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AREMA NEWS UK RailCats The University of Kentucky AREMA student chapter, the RailCats, was established in October 2011 and currently has about 25 members.

The chapter recently elected a new President John Magner, who is a civil engineering major at the University of Kentucky. The RailCats have participated in several exciting activities recently. Members were invited to ride on the Operation Lifesaver train on Norfolk Southern’s track between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Danville, Ky. Also, the chapter recently sent 10 student members to the AREMA 2013 Annual Conference in Indianapolis, Ind. The RailCats participate in other events, including yard tours and the University of Kentucky’s Engineering Day. The chapter hosts speakers from the field throughout the year who speak on a wide variety of topics pertaining to railway engineering. Upcoming events for the RailCats include yard tours of Norfolk Southern’s Siever Yard in Knoxville, Tenn., and CSX’s intermodal facility in Louisville, Ky.

The RailCats at the AREMA 2013 Annual Conference

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Message from the President

Turkey and tinsel

By Joe Smak

Joe Smak AREMA President 2013-2014

Hopefully you had a nice Thanksgiving holiday, complete with a turkey dinner and all the dressings. In the United States, the Thanksgiving holiday was created to give thanks for a good harvest.

This holiday has evolved to become a day to spend with family and friends, watch some football, celebrate and laugh. I trust you had a chance to share some time with your loved ones.

In the railroad industry, we also have reasons to be thankful.

Our industry has weathered yet another economic downturn, but the carloads and profit margins have increased, slowly but steadily.

The coal industry declined, but the intermodal and energy markets covered the decline and actually provided for a plus sign on the ledger. These markets show signs of continued improvement and the railroad industry is responding. New, improved routes with double-stack clearances are now in place, with new yards and facilities to serve as intermodal terminals. Double track expansions and holding yards have been built to handle the increase in unit oil trains, along with support facilities for the corresponding carloads of material supply. This was all done with careful planning, as our industry has learned to be resilient, to adapt to a changing world.

For this we are thankful.

At Amtrak, we continue to break ridership records each month, and we had another record (fiscal) year with overall ridership. Despite Hurricane Sandy, the Northeast Corridor had its second best year in history and the Northeast Regional Service set a new ridership record. State-supported routes had the best year ever with 15.4 million passengers. Amtrak services set new annual ridership records on 20 of 45 routes, with all long distance routes combined having the best year in two decades. Passenger and transit railroads across North America all show these increases. This was done with good planning and for those results, we are thankful.

I personally have many things for which to give thanks. My wife and family are at the top of the list. I am thankful for being in this industry and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as the president of AREMA. There are many more things on my list, too many to share in this article; but for all these and more, I am thankful.

As the month of December continues, all the railroads have already planned their winter programs. The freight railroads have planned for the holiday shipment traffic, as well as developed plans to handle the winter weather. Passenger and transit railroads have already planned and executed the busy Thanksgiving holiday period, but are still planning for the holiday period at the end of the month.

Speaking of planning, as the end of the year draws near, you Continued on page 44 Railway Track & Structures

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AREMA NEWS

2014 Upcoming Committee Meetings Jan. 7 Jan. 28-29 Jan. 30 Jan. 30-31 Feb. 10-11 Feb. 12-13

Committee 10 - Structures Maintenance & Construction Palm Desert, CA Committee 15 - Steel Structures Fort Myers, FL Committee 9 - Seismic Design for Railway Structures Spring, TX Committee 8 - Concrete Structures & Foundations Captiva Island, FL Committee 1 - Roadway & Ballast Ft. Worth, TX Committee 7 - Timber Structures San Antonio, TX

March 4-5 March 5-6

March 6 April 2-4 May 8

Committee 39 - Positive Train Control Overland Park, KS Committee 38 - Information, Defect Detection & Energy Systems Overland Park, KS Committee 27 - Maintenance of Way Work Equipment Las Vegas, NV Committee 37 - Signal Systems Middletown, PA Committee 9 - Siesmic Design for Railway Structures Chicago, IL

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

Continued from page 43 might consider end-of-year tax savings from donations to the AREMA Educational Foundation. Your donation will go a long way in providing scholarship help to our young railroad engineering students.

I am also planning my holidays. Like many of you, I plan to spend time with my family, my friends and loved ones. We will enjoy holiday meals together, worship together, sing and laugh together. It is a special time of year and there is something special in the delight and laughter of a young child opening a present under the tinsel on the tree. With the coming of 2014, I have both personal and professional plans. I have a few family trips on the horizon and I have set some goals at work and AREMA, as well. We all make New Year’s resolutions; the hard part is keeping them.

So whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, I wish you the best of the holidays and the best for a successful, happy new year.

Be safe in all that you do.

FYI…

AREMA would like to wish you and your family a very Happy and Safe Holiday Season.

Call for papers Papers are now being accepted for the AREMA 2014 Annual Conference, September 28 - October 1, 2014 in Chicago, IL. The deadline to submit a paper is December 13, 2013. Please visit www.arema.org for more information and to submit a paper online.

Exhibit with AREMA in Chicago at the 2014 Annual Conference and 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.

Interested in sponsorship for the AREMA 2014 Annual Conference and Exposition? Please contact Lisa Hall at lhall@arema.org or 1.301.459.3200, ext. 705, for more information.

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 for more information.

Put your career on the right track with AREMA’s Railway Careers Network.

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

American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association *NEW ADDRESS* 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 130, Lanham, MD 20706 Phone: +1.301.459.3200 / Fax: +1.301.459.8077 www.arema.org 44 Railway Track & Structures

December 2013

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

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.”

Not an AREMA Member?

Join today at www.arema.org www.rtands.com

Getting to know Eric L. Henkel, PE Each month, AREMA features one of our committee chairs. We are pleased to announce that the December featured chair is Eric Henkel, chair of Committee 7 Timber Structures.

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

HENKEL: From a young age, I was interested in railroads because my grandpa had such a love for trains. He was a true railway enthusiast and had a passion for steam locomotives. As a young man, my grandpa worked as a telegrapher for the Illinois Central and, eventually, spent several years testing rail for Sperry. He had many great experiences on the railroad and loved to share his stories with family. I wanted a career in engineering, but didn’t specifically target the railway industry. I was interested in structures and became more interested in bridges after working for the Illinois Department of Transportation for four summers. During that time, I worked as a materials tester and as a construction inspector on highway projects.

I enjoyed working on the highway bridge projects the most and decided to try a career in structural engineering.

AREMA: How did you get started?

HENKEL: I earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While pursuing a master’s degree at Illinois, I was hired as an engineering intern at ESCA Consultants, which is a civil and structural engineering firm located in Urbana, Ill. As an intern, I was exposed to many railway bridge projects.

I enjoyed the work so much that I stuck around after graduation when I was offered a full-time position. That was seventeen years ago and I’ve been with ESCA ever since.

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

HENKEL: I joined AREMA in 2001 at the recommendation of Richard Payne, who is a past chairman of Committee 8 - Concrete Structures & Foundations. He has been my mentor at ESCA and has encouraged me and others to become involved and to share our engineering abilities with the organization.

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

HENKEL: I enjoy spending time with my family and working on home improvement projects. When baseball and softball are in season, I help out with my kids’ practices. I’ll be coaching my son’s baseball team this spring. You won’t find a much bigger Chicago White Sox fan than me, so I try to take in as many games on television as I can. We travel to Chicago to see the White Sox a few times each year.

AREMA: Tell us about your family.

HENKEL: Alison and I have been married for 14 years. We started dating at Mendota High School in Illinois, where www.rtands.com

Eric L. Henkel, PE Chair, Committee 7 - Timber Structures Vice President, ESCA Consultants, Inc.

we were in the same graduating class. She is a school social worker and enjoys helping children. We have two great kids.

Chloe is 12 years old and is in seventh grade. She enjoys running and was on the cross country team. Chloe also likes to read and enjoys playing softball and volleyball. Luke is nine years old and is in third grade. He loves playing baseball and basketball. We stay plenty busy trying to keep up with all of our kids’ activities.

AREMA: What is your biggest achievement?

HENKEL: I would say being able to balance a career with family life. It is an ongoing challenge to put in enough hours at work to help a project become successful and to meet deadlines while spending enough quality time with family.

Alison is amazing with the kids so that has made it easier for me to spend more time at work.

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

HENKEL: For those that are willing to work hard, a career in engineering can be very rewarding. If unsure about which direction to take, consider seeking out an internship to gain exposure to the industry. Look to others that have more experience for guidance. I have learned a lot in discussions with people that have already “been there and done that.”

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AREMA NEWS

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Notice to all members of AREMA:

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

Railway Memoirs by William G. Byers, PE

2013 Manual for Railway Engineering© There have been numerous updates to more than 5,000 pages of the Manual for Railway Engineering. The chapters are grouped into four general categories, each in a separate volume: • Track • Structures • Infrastructure & Passenger • Systems Management. The Manual is an annual publication, released every April. 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.

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December 2013

NOW AVAILABLE

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 2013-2014 Nominating Committee, under the chairmanship of immediate Past President James N. Carter, Jr., hereby solicits suggestions and recommendations of candidates to serve on the Functional Group Board of Directors of AREMA in the following positions: All must be members of AREMA in good standing (1) Senior Vice President – one-year term Must be a current or past member of the AREMA Board of Directors and must be employed by a railway or transit company.

(4) Functional Group Vice Presidents – two-year term (Track, Maintenance, Passenger & Transit and Communications & Signals) Must be current or past members of the AREMA Board of Directors.

Each of the six (6) Functional Groups will have a vacancy to be filled in the Functional Group Director positions – three-year term. Plus one, oneyear unexpired term vacancy in the Maintenance Group.

Nominating recommendation should be submitted via letter or fax and should include all documentation to substantiate the recommendation. This must be signed by the member making the recommendation.

Deadline for Receipt of Recommendations is January 31, 2014.

The Nominating Committee will consider all recommendations. Submission of a recommendation should not be construed as affirmative committee action on that recommendation.

Please fax or mail to: James N. Carter, Jr. Nominating Committee Chair AREMA 4501 Forbes Boulevard Suite 130 Lanham, MD 20706 USA FAX +1.301.459.8077 www.rtands.com

www.rtands.com

Railway Track & Structures

December 2013 47

PRODUCTS

Welding gun

Lincoln Electric released its Magnum ® PRO AL Push-Pull Welding Guns, which are said to optimize critical-production aluminum welding operations by integrating features that reduce downtime, such as superior wire-feeding technology that reduces friction in the wire-feed path to decrease wire damage and support smooth wire feeding. The gun is applicable for MIG and Pulsed MIG welding process operation and has a quick-change liner; a patented EZ-Lock™ system to change or rotate gun barrels to any angle; a lightweight, ergonomic handle; a recessed adjustment dial located at the handle bottom to help prevent a change in the workpoint while welding; a flip-up drive roll cover, located at the thumb rest for wire access, as well as quick wire release for fast adjustments; insulated groove drive roll and idler roll to provide a consistent arc; 225 amp rating at 60 percent duty cycle for air-cooled guns and 450 amp rating at 60 percent duty cycle for water-cooled guns. Phone: 888-355-3213.

Thread chaser

Copper State Bolt & Nut Co. introduced the QwikLine™ Thread Chaser to its rail products line. The QwikLine Thread Chaser is a line of heavy d u t y, i n d u s t r i a l strength products used to repair damaged threads on bolts and rods.

The Thread Chaser slides over the damaged threads, engages with the good threads and, when spun off, it repairs the damaged threads. This process is said to take a fraction of the time and is performed with greater precision than with typical re-threading tools. The Thread Chaser can be used with or without an impact wrench. Phone: 800-603-6887.

48 Railway Track & Structures

December 2013

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Ad Index Company

Phone #

Airtec International Ltd. Alcoa Fastening Systems/Huck Aldon Company, Inc. AREMA Marketing Department Colorado State University Diversified Metal Fabricators Inc. HiRAIL Corporation Holland Co. Hougen Manufacturing, Inc. Koppers Inc. L.B. Foster Co. NRC Neel Company, The Oldcastle Precast OMNI Products, Inc. PortaCo, Inc. Progress Rail Services, Corp.

Racine Railroad Products RailWorks Corp.

Rail Construction Equipment Co. RAILCET Railway Educational Bureau, The Sperry Rail Service Stella-Jones Corporation Unitrac Railroad Materials, Inc. V&H Inc., Trucks voestalpine Nortrak Inc. Willamette Valley Company

Fax#

+44 141 552 5591 800-388-4825 847-623-8800 301-459-3200 719-549-2576 404-879-7885 800-274-7245 708-672-2300 ext. 382 866-245-3745 412-227-2739 412-928-3506 202-715-2920 703-913-7858 888-965-3227 815-344-3100 218-236-0223 256-505-6402

262-637-9681 866-905-7245 866-472-4570 866-724-5238 402-346-4300 203-791-4500 412-894-2865 412-298-0915 715-486-8800 307-778-8700 541-484-9621

e-mail address

Page #

+44 141 552 5064 airtec@intl.co.uk 254-751-5259 stu.millard@alcoa.com 847-623-6139 e-rail@aldonco.com 301-459-8077 marketing@arema.org 719-549-2371 cora.zaletel@colostate-pueblo.edu 404-875-4835 pkrohnert@dmfatlanta.com 319-455-2914 info@hirail.com 708-672-0119 gpodgorski@hollandco.com 800-309-3299 info@trak-star.com 412-227-2841 ambrosegf@koppers.com 412-928-3512 glippard@lbfoster.com 202-318-0867 info@nrcma.org 703-913-7859 btemple@neelco.com 303-794-4297 jim.baker@oldcastle.com 815-344-5086 bcigrang@omnirail.com 218-233-5281 info@portaco.com 256-505-6051 info@progressrail.com custserv@racinerailroad.com 262-637-9069 jrhansen@railworks.com 952-469-1926 630-355-7173 dennishanke@rcequip.com 217-522-6588 grif1020@yahoo.com 402-346-1783 bbrundige@sb-reb.com

203-791-4512 mnottelmann@mail.sperryrail.com 412-325-0208 asutch@stella-jones.com 865-693-9162 ppietrandrea@unitracrail.com 714-387-0657 a.thoreson@vhtruck.com 307-778-8777 gweatherly@nortrak.com 03alishab@wilvaco.com 541-284-2096

28 19 6 Cover 3 39 29 10 Cover 2 26 17 4 12 7 Cover 4 8 27 31 25 34 18 38 40, 48 11 21 30 9 2 23

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

www.rtands.com

AK, AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, KS, MN, MO, MT, NE, NM, ND, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, WY, Canada -足AB, BC, MB, SK Heather Disabato (312) 683-5026 20 South Clark 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

Africa, Britain, Eastern Europe, Far East, France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, Middle East, South America, Rail Tenders, all others.

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

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

Dr. Fabio Potesta Media Point & Communications SRL Corte Lambruschini Corso Buenos Aires 8 +39-10-570-4948 V Piano, Int 9 Fax: +39-10-553-0088 16129 Genoa, Italy info@mediapointsrl.it

Railway Track & Structures

December 2013 49

CALENDAR DECEMBER 10-11. ASLRRA Track Safety Standards Training Seminar.

Four Points by Sheraton BWI Airport Hotel. Baltimore, Md. Contact: Tom Streicher. Phone: 202-628-4500. E-mail: tstreicher@aslrra.org. Website: www.aslrra.org.

JANUARY 2014 5-8. 2014 NRC Annual Conference & NRC/REMSA Exhibition. J.W. Marriott Desert Springs. Palm Desert, Calif. Contact: Ashley Bosch. Phone: 202-715-1247.

E-mail: abosch@nrcma.org. Website: www.nrcma.org.

MARCH 2014 3-5. Railroad Track Construction Project Management.

Hilton Garden Inn - Chicago O’Hare Airport. Des Plains, Ill. Contact: Dave Peterson. Phone: 800-462-0876. E-mail: peterson@epd.engr.wisc.edu. http://epdweb.engr.wisc. edu/Courses/Course.lasso?myCourseChoice=N892 13. Railroad Day on Capitol Hill. Renaissance Washington.

Washington, D.C. Contact: Kathy Cassidy Phone: 202 5853443. E-mail: kcassidy@aslrra.org. Website: http://www. aslrra.org.

FEBRUARY 2014 4-6. Introduction to Railroad Engineering and Operations.

Crowne Plaza Jacksonville Airport. Jacksonville, Fla. Contact: Dave Peterson. Phone: 800-462-0876. E-mail: peterson@epd.engr.wisc.edu. Website: http://epdweb.engr. wisc.edu/Courses/Course.lasso?myCourseChoice=N893.

APRIL 2014 1-2. 19th Annual AAR Research Review. Cheyenne Mountain Resort. Colorado Springs, Colo. Transportation Technology Center, Inc. Pueblo, Colo. Phone: 719-5840544. E-mail: annualreview@aar.com. Website: www.aar. com.

12-16. Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting. Connecticut Avenue Collection. Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-334-3504. Website: www.trb.org.

MAY 2014 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.

23-24. 10th Annual Southwestern Rail Conference.

Holiday Inn - SMU/Park Cities. Dallas, Texas. Website: http:// tms.us/tra.html.

50 Railway Track & Structures

December 2013

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Professional Directory

WEED & BRUSH SPRAYING Specialized fleet of computer operated sprayers

Tree Trimming/Brush Cutting

Line Clearance-Hazardous Trees-Whole tree chipping

POLE LINE REMOVAL

A variety of on/off track removal equipment

Road Crossing Site Safety Maintenance Re-cut & Herbicide Programs 800.822.9246 www.merciers.com

Mercier’s

Products and services

#9 115RE & 136RE AREMA Turnouts available for immediate delivery.

2 Santa Fe Drive – Denver Colorado 80223 – 720-355-0664 www.Specialtrackwork.com

NEW & USED EQUIPMENT

2012 NRC SAFETY AWARD WINNER

Brand newBrand Western or Freightliner hi rail newStar Western Star Grapple trucks for sale or rent or Freightliner hi rail

trucks for sale or rent Brand newGrapple Ford F350 hi rail pick-ups for sale or rent

Larry Schamber

Brand new Ford F350 hi rail

Manypickups used hifor rail trucks for sale sale or rent Contact Andy Wiskerchen (5) 2005 Ford F350 hi rail pickups for sale Omaha Track Equipment Contact Andy Wiskerchen for Pricing 715-570-8885 Omaha Track Equipment andy@omahatrack.com 715-570-8885 andy@omahatrackequipment.com

www.rtands.com

RAILWAY EQUIPMENT SERVICES, INC. www.railwayequipment services.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!”

Railway Track & Structures

December 2013 51

NEW & USED EQUIPMENT

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

Hirail Crew Cab Grapple Truck

Rotary Dump

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

Hirail Service/Maintainers Truck

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Custom Build New or Used Chassies Also: Hirail Boom Dump Trucks Hirail Mechanics Trucks Hirail Section Trucks Hytracker for moving equipment Hudson Ballast Cars DMF & Harsco parts, service and installation

RAILROAD SERVICES

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

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RAILROAD SERVICES

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RT&S2013revAd.indd 1

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