2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
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EDGE THIS YEAR’S LIST OF TOP PROJECTS ARE FULL OF GRIT AND DETERMINATION
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February 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 1
Congratulations Brandon Knapp Director of Construction
Congratulations Brandon Knapp for being named one of Railway Track and Structures Top Rail Project winners for the CSX Carolina Connector Intermodal Project in Rocky Mount, North Carolina! Through his great work ethic, Brandon is helping CSX build a stronger infrastructure and continually provide great service to customers across our far-reaching network.
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CONTENTS
June 2022
10
COLUMNS
3 32
On Track A high-voltage jolt to the system Last Stop Innovation is not enough
DEPARTMENTS
4 27 30 31 31
MxV R&D Concrete tie life extension study at FAST AREMA News Message from the President, Getting to know, and more Classifieds Advertiser Index Sales Representatives
FEATURES
8
Everywhere you looked One Top Project was filled with challenges to overcome, and crews excelled
10
The rest of the best More 2022 RT&S Top Projects
22
Where the rubber meets the rail Grade crossing maintenance is a vital part of railroad MoW
On the Cover The Mid-Coast Corridor Projects in San Diego, Calif. See p 8 for story.
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June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 1
ON TRACK
A high-voltage jolt to the system VOL. Vol. 118, 115, No. NO.66 Print ISSN # 0033-9016, Digital ISSN # 2160-2514 EDITORIAL OFFICES 20 South 3680Clark Heathmoor Street, Drive Suite 1910 Chicago, Elgin, ILIll. 60124 60603 Telephone Telephone (312) 630-336-1148 683-0130 Website Fax (312) www.rtands.com 683-0131 Website www.rtands.com BILL WILSON Editor-in-Chief BILL WILSON wwilson@sbpub.com Editor-in-Chief wwilson@sbpub.com DAVID C. LESTER Managing KYRA SENESE Editor dlester@sbpub.com Managing Editor ksenese@sbpub.com CORPORATE OFFICES 88BOB PineTUZIK Street New Consulting York, N.Y.Editor 10005 Telephone btuzik@sbpub.com (212) 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 CORPORATE OFFICES ARTHUR 55 Broad J. MCGINNIS, St 26th Fl. JR. President New York, and N.Y. Chairman 10004 Telephone (212) 620-7200 JONATHAN CHALON Fax (212) 633-1165 Publisher ARTHUR J. MCGINNIS, JR. MARY and CONYERS President Chairman Production Director JONATHAN CHALON NICOLE D’ANTONA Publisher Art Director MARY CONYERS HILLARY COLEMAN Production Director Graphic Designer NICOLE D’ANTONA MAUREEN COONEY Art Director Circulation Director ALEZA LEINWAND MICHELLE ZOLKOS Graphic Designer Conference Director MAUREEN COONEY CUSTOMER SERVICE: 800-895-4389 Circulation Director Reprints: PARS International Corp. 253 West 35th Street 7th Floor MICHELLE ZOLKOS Conference New York, NY Director 10001 212-221-9595; fax 212-221-9195 CUSTOMER SERVICE: 800-895-4389 curt.ciesinski@parsintl.com Reprints: PARS International Corp. 253 West 35th Street 7th Floor New York, NY 10001 212-221-9595; fax 212-221-9195 curt.ciesinski@parsintl.com
T
he rapidfire vibration through my thumbnail triggered my panic reflex. I knew within seconds I had to abort. I was a curious toddler who wanted to know how the world around me worked, and I had a feeling something magical came from those little holes in the wall. I do not remember my parents ever scolding the danger of electricity into me. Heck, the first time I recall learning what electricity could do, which included serious injury or death, was in second grade. I was toddler stupid, and one day I finally was determined to figure out how that magic came into our home. I stuck the tip of my thumbnail into one of the outlet holes, and quickly discovered I was out of my element ... and out of my mind. Thankfully, I only felt that vibration and life went on as normal. Hey, give me a little credit ... nothing made of metal was used in the experiment. Electricity should never be played with, so I do not know what the end game is for those over at D.C. Metro. They are plenty old enough to realize that you do not tempt the voltage gods, but I am not so sure of the competence level after a head-slapping and damning report released by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission in late May. In it, Metro is accused of “continuing to put its personnel at the risk of serious injury or death.” Let me write that again ... “serious injury or death.” Those words should never appear in that order when you are a public agency, a short line railroad, or a beaver managing dam work. Oh, it gets worse ... actually it gets borderline diabolical. The report continued, stating, “elements of Metro have a culture that accepts noncompliance with written operational rules, instructions, and manuals.” The Comission ordered Metro to limit the number of simultaneous track repairs in the future that require shutting power down.
So where was the smoking gun ... er ... vibrating thumbnail? On April 26 a crew was working near the College Park Station when the power was restored in a work zone while the workers were still on the roadway. The person in charge gave Metro’s Power Desk the green light to restore power to the third rail. The worker in charge did not notify the rail traffic controller of the error, either. Launched in March, the newly configured Power Desk, which was hyped by D.C. Metro as the bat cave that fought off all evil, is supposed to have protection against improper power restoration. However, Power Desk personnel can act independently outside of the established safety process. Wait, it gets reprehensible. The Commission is under the impression that Metro is blowing the circuits of its Power Desk workers. It noted the worker that turned the power back on during the April 26 incident was more than 10 hours into a 12-hour shift for the sixth day in a row. A few days before the release of the report, Metro Board Chair Paul Smedberg released a statement on management changes for the agency, putting interim General Manager and CEO Andy Off in charge. Smedberg said, “Safety is and will continue to be our top priority.” Safety can’t continue if it has not started yet. First thing Off needs to do is check the time sheets and make sure the Power Desk is adequately staffed and shifts are no more than eight hours long. Then he needs to fire the person in charge of the April 26 event, if that has not happened already. A serious overhaul of management is in order, and a confidence meeting needs to take place with all workers identifying a new step forward that is safe from death. All this is the working of the panic reflex. It worked for me.
BILL WILSON Editor-in-Chief
Railway Track & Structures (Print ISSN 0033-9016, Digital ISSN 2160-2514), (USPS 860-560), (Canada Post Cust. #7204564; Agreement #40612608; IMEX P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada) is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 88 Pine Street, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10005. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Pricing: Qualified individual and railroad employees may request a free subscription. Printed and/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. Single Copies are $10.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2022. 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. F o r s u b s c r i p t i o n s a n d a d d r e s s c h a n g e s, P l e a s e c a l l +1 (4 02 ) 3 4 6 - 474 0, F a x +1 ( 8 47 ) 2 9 1 - 4 8 1 6 , e -m a i l r ta n d s @ o m e d a .c o m o r w r i te to: Railway Track & Structures, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, PO Box 239, Lincolnshire IL 60069-0239 USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Railway Track & Structures, PO Box 239, Lincolnshire IL 60069-0239 USA.
June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 3
MxV RAIL R&D
Concrete Tie Life Extension Study at FAST Repair methods to extend the service life of concrete ties Yin Gao, Senior Engineer II Christopher Johnson, Principal Investigator II MxV Rail (formerly TTCI)
Figure 1. Tie condition categories.
L
ike other track components, concrete ties deteriorate due to repeated train loads and environmental conditions. Based on a recent survey,1 these ties fail mostly due to concrete cracking, rail seat deterioration, and shoulder/fastener wear. However, the level of deterioration sufficient to cause the removal of degraded ties remains unclear. Some degraded concrete ties may be repaired cost-effectively to allow the ties to reach a longer service life. If repair methods prove feasible and effective, railroads could reduce the life-cycle cost of concrete ties by maximizing the lives of concrete tie and fastener systems. MxV Rail is researching the effects of degraded concrete ties on track performance, as well as methods to repair degraded concrete ties both quickly and effectively. Supported by the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) Strategic Research Initiatives Program, this study focused on investigating how to extend the service life of concrete ties using various repair methods.2 To facilitate this investigation, MxV Rail received 200 degraded concrete ties donated by a Class 1 railroad in the western U.S. These degraded concrete ties had accumulated over 1 billion gross tons (BGT) in a tangent track and were removed or replaced due to the railroad’s maintenance standards. The ties were repaired and then installed on a 5° curve at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST) in Pueblo, Colo. Gage strength testing and clip toe load measurements have been conducted every 50 million 4 Railway Track & Structures // June 2022
Figure 2. Concrete tie repair methods.
gross tons (MGT) since the installation of the ties in the test section. Since their installation, the concrete ties have accumulated over 450 MGT. Concrete tie selection, repair, and installation As shown in Figure 1, the concrete ties were visually inspected and grouped into four categories based on their surface condition: light, marginal, severe, and failed. Ties categorized as light, marginal, and severe were
acceptable (surface cracks only) and were selected for field installation. Failed ties generally had steel rebars exposed or cracks running through the tie cross section. Out of the 200 donated ties, 183 ties were considered repairable—82 in light condition, 89 in marginal condition, and 12 in severe condition. The failed ties were not considered repairable. To provide information beyond what was gathered during the visual inspection, 12 ties (three from each category) were evaluated using the American Railway Engineering rtands.com
MxV RAIL R&D
Figure 3. Gage strength testing by PTLF every 50 MGT.
Figure 4. Average clip toe loads every 50 MGT.
and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) Center Negative Bending Test to determine their bending capacity.3 The nine repairable ties met the test criteria, and two of three failed ties did not. The test results indicated that a representative sample of the repairable ties identified during the visual inspection met AREMA bending strength recommendations. Since over 90% of the ties were considered repairable, it may be assumed that many of the concrete ties currently being replaced may still have sufficient bending strength to perform in service. The ties were repaired using several rtands.com
methods including center cracking repair, surface patching, rail seat repair, and worn shoulder repair (Figure 2). The repair effort was conducted on the wayside and the ties were installed using a tie inserter. Repair methods used are described: • Center cracking repair: Two types of epoxy were used to seal the ties and prevent water from getting into the tie cracks. The ties were divided into two groups and each epoxy was used for one group. The purpose of this repair method is to prevent further cracking or damage due to water penetration,
rather than to add structural reinforcement/strength to the tie; • Surface patching: A cementitious mixture was used to replace missing concrete chunks on the tie surface. The missing chunks were not deep enough to expose reinforcing bars. This repair method focused on preventing water ingress and restoring compressive strength to the top portion of the tie; • Rail seat repair: Epoxy was applied to the rail seat. The purpose of this repair is to restore cant and toe load; and • Worn shoulder repair: Epoxy was applied to repair the worn shoulder. In addition to using a conventional method of worn shoulder repair, a newly designed rail pad (Figure 2, top right corner), this method employs a built-in steel shim to hold the repair material in place. Since the ties were pulled from a tangent track and has little shoulder wear, representative shoulder wear was simulated by grinding the shoulder on the field side of the high rail to match documented wear on curve-worn shoulders. Performance evaluation and analysis Track gage strength Gage strength testing using a portable track loading fixture (PTLF) has been conducted every 50 MGT since the installation of the ties in the test section. In total, 12 concrete ties installed throughout the test zone were June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 5
MxV RAIL R&D
Figure 5. Condition of center cracking repair.
selected for testing. The PTLF was used to apply a 9-kip gage spreading force at both the rail head and the rail base. As shown in Figure 3, for the head applied loads the average gage widening of these 12 ties at the rail head started at 0.15 in. at 0 MGT and fluctuated from 0.15 in. to 0.19 in. during the test period—typical measurements for concrete tie fastener systems that are performing sufficiently. This amount of gage widening fluctuation is considered small and could be caused by a number of factors, such as longitudinal forces in the rails and track maintenance activities. The gage strength of this test section was comparable to that of other concrete tie sections on the same curve. Therefore, the degraded concrete ties showed consistent track gage strength over the test period.
observations were made regarding the performance of the epoxy center crack repairs (see Figure 5). First, neither epoxy prevented new cracks in the concrete ties— new surface cracks developed despite the presence of both epoxies. Second, both shelling and cracking were found on the tie surfaces after the application of both epoxies. Approximately 30% of the ties repaired with one epoxy had cracking or shelling while 10% of ties repaired with the other epoxy had cracking or shelling. Shoulder wear repairs that include the newly designed rail pads in the repaired section appear to be performing well thus far. Rail seat repairs had some uniform wear but did not cause track geometry issues. One tie with surface patching repairs had cracking on the repair found at 400 MGT.
Clip toe load Clip toe load measurements were conducted using a portable reaction frame every 50 MGT. Figure 4 presents the average toe load measurements, and the line depicts the trend of the average toe load throughout the test. The average toe load decreased by 9% after 50 MGT and by 17% after 100 MGT. The value remained consistent after 100 MGT. Although both gage strength and toe load showed some reduction, the gage holding capacity and clip strength were still acceptable for track performance.
Conclusion The repaired concrete ties accumulated over 450 MGT at FAST as of April 2022, 45% longer than the average life (1 BGT) at which time these ties were replaced. To date, the test ties have provided sufficient track strength and acceptable track performance similar to other concrete ties at FAST. The results thus far indicate that many degraded concrete ties currently being replaced may still meet AREMA bending strength recommendations and, with some moderate level of repair, may continue to provide acceptable track performance. Additional findings include: • PTLF measurements showed similar gage strength compared to the other
Visual inspection Two types of epoxy were used to seal the surface cracks on the concrete ties. Two main 6 Railway Track & Structures // June 2022
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concrete tie test zones on the same curve; Average toe load decreased 9% after 50 MGT, 17% after 100 MGT, and stayed the same from 100 MGT on; Shoulder wear repairs performed well; no cracks formed and holding the track gage within specifications; One tie with surface patching repair developed a crack; and Epoxy shelling and cracking were found on ties with center cracking repairs.
Acknowledgements The authors would like to acknowledge the test support from BNSF Railway and the funding support from the AAR Strategic Research Initiative program on Tie and Fastening Systems. References 1. U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, “International Concrete Crosstie and Fastening System Survey” FRA Research Results 13-02, February 2013. 2. Gao, Y., LoPresti, J., “Concrete Tie Life Extension: Interim Report Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Technology Digest TD21-028, 2021. 3. American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association, AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering, Lanham, Md., 2021. rtands.com
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2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
T
rains do not stop at work stations, which was just fine for those on the Mid-Coast Corridor Project in San Diego, Calif. Moving locomotives took up enough minutes, at least at the start. Work delays were a ticket to nowhere, as many workers had to wait as long as 45 minutes every hour to allow trains to move through. The pace could not be sustained, so Mid-Coast Transit Constructors (MCTC), a joint venture of Stacy and Witbeck, Herzog, and Skanska, leveraged established relationships with the North County Transit District (NCTD) to re-write a portion of the agency’s Roadway Worker Protection safety handbook for FRA approval to allow for a temporary visual barricade to be installed to allow various work activities to play out as train traffic continued. The change was a critical factor in the team’s ability to safely deliver the work on time. “It’s all planning your work and being prepared to work,” Eric Meisgeier, project manager with MCTC, told RT&S. “Normally, they would say if you are on the property at all and a train comes by you have to stop. We were able in some activities to convince them we could keep on working. We had to put up a barrier. We worked with NCTD to try to 8 Railway Track & Structures // June 2022
keep as much going as possible.” There certainly was a lot to safely deliver, whether it was navigating the complex Rose Creek Flyover bridge portion or 2.5 miles of an aerial structure which crossed I-5 twice. All Work Windows (AWW) also helped. AWWs shut down the entire corridor so various types of contracts could be in motion. There were about seven or eight AWWs a year, and a total of about 55 were used during the entire project. AWWs started at midnight on Friday and lasted until 1 or 2 a.m. Monday. Work never stopped during those opportunities. “The whole corridor was our jobsite during that, and that helped from a production standpoint,” said Meisgeier. If we are doing it by the book, the MidCoast Corridor Projects are an easy choice to be on the 2022 Railway Track & Structures Media Top Projects list. The $1.49 billion project was centered around the 11-mile extension of the existing San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) Blue Line Trolley light rail system through the University of California San Diego campus to La Jolla. The site terrain and congestion along the alignment made the project particularly challenging and
complex. Seven miles of the project were within the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor (LOSSAN Corridor), one of the nation’s busiest rail corridors, running nearly 60 BNSF, Amtrak, and NCTD Coaster trains daily at operating speeds up to 80 mph. The northern 4 miles of the project were elevated and crossed I-5 twice. Work also included double tracking the LOSSAN Corridor, a roadway bridge over I-5, and a major multi-use path. There were upgrades conducted on another 4 miles. The project team included MCTC as the prime contractor, WSP USA as the prime consultant for design, Jacobs and PGH Wong as prime consultants for construction management, and T.Y. Lin International in partnership with HDR as prime consultant for project management. By the numbers, the project included the following: • 10.92 miles of new double track light rail (15 track miles at-grade ballasted track, 7 track miles direct fixation track on aerial structures, 0.03 miles underground cut and cover); • 3.5 miles of aerial viaduct, eight bridges, one undercrossing, and two crossings over I-5 for the light rail components; rtands.com
Photo Credit: MCTC
EVERYWHERE YOU LOOKED
2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
light rail and existing heavy-rail tracks. The complicated flyover bridge was a precast bulb tee bridge with 48 180,000-lb girders, each up to 149 ft in length with post-tensioned integral caps and cast-in-place decks with direct fixation track. In order to minimize impacts to the LOSSAN Corridor, the structure was constructed in multiple phases, interim track connections were used, and new infrastructure was built throughout the alignment in a sequence which supported access to the area. This included a phased construction approach to the nearby heavy rail bridges to relocate freight traffic and create access for trucks delivering the precast girders. It also required close coordination with the tenant railroads and an extremely detailed work plan.
One Top Project was filled with challenges to overcome, and crews excelled By Bill Wilson, Editor-in-Chief
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8.4 miles of ballasted double track freight and commuter rail construction, as well as nine heavy rail bridges; Four at-grade transit stations, five aerial transit stations, two transfer centers, and five park-and-ride facilities, including two parking structures; 13 new traction power substations, signals, communications, fare collection systems, and equipment; 2 miles of dedicated Class 1 bikeway; Roadway work along the alignment included a 406-ft arch bridge across I-5, widening Voigt Drive, construction of an auxiliary lane on I-5, and extensive roadway improvements.
This work was incorporated into a single CM/GC program to ensure the efficient, well-coordinated construction of the lightrail extension with the many bridges and viaducts required to separate the new lightrail alignment from the existing freight and commuter rail, highway, local roads, multi-use paths, and UC San Diego campus infrastructure. One such structure was the Rose Creek Flyover bridge. This structure was built to create a grade separation between the new rtands.com
PASSENGER/TRANSIT: NEW CONSTRUCTION (RAIL)
Mid-Coast Corridor Projects San Diego, Calif. Prime contractor: Mid-Coast Transit Constructors joint venture of Stacy and Witbeck, Herzog Contracting Corp., and Skanska Prime designer: WSP USA Owner: SANDAG “What was complicated was we had to do multiple shooflys to get the heavy rail traffic through there while we were building it,” said Meisgeier. “It was built in multiple phases so we put in some drilled shafts, some foundations and columns and then we did a shoofly to move the rail over a little bit to get to the rest of the foundations and columns, and then from there started setting girders.” Workers would build a shoofly, build track, and during AWWs the track was shifted into place. Job-wide there were six shooflys constructed. Most significantly, in addition to the lightrail structures over the heavy-rail alignment, MCTC also constructed the new light-rail viaduct that crossed I-5 twice, flew over the UC San Diego campus, and terminated in the center of Genesee Avenue, one of the area’s busiest streets. This structure was built using three separate headings with 250 workers at peak. The structure required more than 21 million lb of falsework and 150,000 cu yd of concrete. The structure includes three state-of-the-art cantilevered aerial passenger stations, which are up to 50 ft above ground level, a mounted soundwall, and cantilevered locations for train signals, signal houses, and other auxiliary equipment. The entire lightrail viaduct structure included 31 hinges, 40
frames, and 104 spans that sit upon 246 piles, up to 180 ft deep and 12 ft in diameter. The first 2.5 miles of the aerial structure is a post tensioned cast-in-place box girder structure. The two crossings of I-5 have spans up to 80 ft above grade. This required a two-tiered falsework system in order to safely span the freeway. Because I-5 is a major truck route connecting Mexico, the U.S., and Canada, the team worked consistently with Caltrans and local jurisdictions to minimize the impact of construction on highway traffic. However, the magnitude of this project required MCTC to perform 78 full closures of I-5 for falsework erection, foundation construction, major concrete pours, and falsework removal. The team reopened the highway to traffic on time, every time. The remaining portion of the aerial structure, which continues along Genesee Avenue, is a spliced, precast tub girder structure. Full closure of the Genesee Avenue intersections was only permitted for a brief period, with closures restricted to one intersection at a time. This requirement was applied to six locations where precast girder spans crossed over traffic lanes. The original plan was for cast-in-place construction, but the approach was changed to minimize disruption to the community and those traveling along the roadway. MCTC proposed to change the structure type to precast, which SANDAG’s design team developed, and resulted in the use of large precast girders which were spliced at each intersection. The spliced segments, which varied from 140 ft to 180 ft, were erected and placed on shoring towers during evening closures, minimizing impacts on the traveling public. The resulting viaduct constructed within the median of Genesee Avenue is the first curved spliced precast U-girder light rail transit bridge in southern California. In addition to the light-rail structures, the team also constructed nine heavy rail bridges. The San Diego River Bridge, built to accommodate double tracking of the LOSSAN Corridor, included 11-ft-deep steel through-girders on 10-ft-diam. oscillated, 1.5-in. steel shell piles. The structure was built in two phases with trestle access for cranes and equipment over the top of the river to keep freight and commuter traffic operating during construction. In addition, several steel truss girder bridges were designed to move up to 6 ft in a seismic event with a variety of foundation pile types and complicated isolation galleries using lightweight cellular fill at the back of the bridge abutments to accommodate the movement. June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 9
2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
THE REST OF
Photo Credit: The LiRo Group
THE BEST
The East Side Access—Mid-Day Storage Yard project. 10 Railway Track & Structures // June 2022
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2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
BNSF Bridge over Tri-State Tollway Rehabilitation/ Reconstruction project.
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he following is the rest of the 2022 RT&S Top Projects list in no particular order.
PASSENGER/TRANSIT: NEW CONSTRUCTION (RAIL)
The East Side Access Contract CQ033 for the Construction of the Mid-Day Storage Yard (MDSY) is a new storage yard facility for LIRR commuter railcars. The MDSY is approximately 30 acres of new railroad infrastructure, including 9 miles of track and contact rail for 24 storage tracks and two run-around tracks, over 80 switch machines, and over 1 million ft of wire and cable. One of the interesting challenges that the construction team needed to overcome included a major re-sequencing of the track construction in order to maintain rail equipment access to an existing maintenance facility in Queens on Arch Street. There was an existing track set to be demolished by the CQ033 contractor that provided access to Arch Street, but the footprint ran directly through the middle of the new 30-acre yard. Originally, all stakeholders agreed that access to the Arch Street facility would be interrupted for a partial duration of the CQ033 contract. However, due to LIRR’s purchase of a new fleet of M9 vehicles, and necessary maintenance requirements of the current fleet, this access needed to be maintained throughout the duration of the work. Therefore, there was a major re-sequencing and redesign of the installation of all underground infrastructure (including new duct banks and manholes for traction power, communications, facility power, signal power, etc.) in order to provide LIRR continuous access to the Arch Street facility. Upon installation of all underground infrastructure, all parties coordinated a short-term outage for the installation of the new permanent trackwork, including a tie into existing LIRR and Amtrak tracks, demolition of the previous track, and return to service. All parties worked together in an impressive fashion and accomplished all work in this short-term outage under the allocated schedule and budget. 12 Railway Track & Structures // June 2022
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Photo Credit: Gannett Fleming
East Side Access—Mid-Day Storage Yard Queens, N.Y. Prime contractor: Tutor Perini Corporation Prime designer: STV Group Owner: MTA Construction and Development
2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
The Raritan Center North American Beverage Packing Company, LLC, Rail Facility project.
CLASS 1: NEW CONSTRUCTION (BRIDGES)
Photo Credit: Tracks Unlimited, LLC
BNSF Bridge over Tri-State Tollway Rehabilitation/Reconstruction Cook County, Ill. Prime contractor: Walsh Prime designer: Gannett Fleming Owner: Illinois State Toll Highway Authority/BNSF Replacement of BNSF’s three-track bridge (BN 261) over I-294 required significant planning and coordination to ensure construction staging, maintenance of rail and highway traffic, and constructability of all improvements were developed and designed for compatibility with both railroad and tollway requirements. The two-span bridges support three mainline tracks carrying BNSF’s Great Northern Corridor transcontinental freight traffic, as well as Metra’s busiest line and across eight existing traffic lanes of the TriState Tollway (I-294). On average, approximately 104 Metra and Amtrak trains cross this bridge daily carrying approximately 16 million passengers annually, as well as 52 daily BNSF freight trains, while I-294 carries rtands.com
155,000 vehicles per day. Gannett Fleming provided preliminary and final design engineering services for replacement and lengthening of the bridge to accommodate future
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ON AVERAGE, ABOUT 104 METRA AND AMTRAK TRAINS CROSS THIS BRIDGE DAILY, AS WELL AS 52 DAILY BNSF TRAINS, WHILE I-294 CARRIES 155,000 VEHICLES PER DAY.
expansion and widening of the tollway. The new bridge consists of two equal spans measuring 106 ft 6 in. and utilizes deck plate girders supporting a ballast deck. The abutments consist of drilled shafts with concrete facing to retain soil
embankment, which limits the amount of excavation required during construction. All rail traffic was maintained during construction by use of a threetrack temporary shoof ly alignment, of which one bay was incorporated into the final track configuration as a Maintenance-of-Way track. Shoof ly alignment and vertical profile adjustment were constrained by existing Metra station passenger platforms located 1,200 ft west of the bridge. Additionally, constructability aspects were incorporated into the final design as the site was constrained by park land in three of the four quadrants, and a public works facility in the fourth quadrant. A scheme was developed requiring all truck traffic to enter the site via the tollway to reduce the amount of construction traffic on village streets and material storage. Other project highlights include: • Enclosure of an open channel creek in a box culvert creating additional park space for the municipality; and • Temporary and permanent retaining wall design supporting railroad loading and earth embankment. June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 13
2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
SHORT LINE: NEW CONSTRUCTION (RAIL)
Raritan Center North American Beverage Packing Company, LLC, Rail Facility Edison, N.J. Prime contractor: Tracks Unlimited, LLC Prime designer: Paulus Sokolowski & Sartor Architecture, PC Owner: North American Beverage Packers Company, LLC Tracks Unlimited successfully completed the construction of the Arizona Beverage Company’s new rail facility in Woodbridge Township, N.J. The project consisted of 1,800 ft of new track, two new turnouts, a 600-ft-long concrete loading dock, 1,900 ft of trench drain, mass excavation of 4,000 cu yd, numerous deep concrete foundations for future structures and 3 acres of new concrete pavement. The biggest challenge associated with this project was the coordination of simultaneous aspects of work within a facility that operates 24 hours a day. Tracks Unlimited utilized precise staging in order to limit the impact to facility operations while still maintaining an aggressive construction schedule. As crews progressed cutting the site to grade, separate crews would follow up with installing foundations, storm drainage, track, and concrete pavement. Another challenge Tracks Unlimited faced was maintaining the exact variable grades of the concrete pavement throughout the 3-acre site. All the grades of the finished 14 Railway Track & Structures // June 2022
concrete pavement had to match top of rail, top of trench drain, and the proper clearance for the concrete loading dock.
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AS ONE OF TWO MOVABLE BRIDGE STRUCTURES, THE DRAWBRIDGE REPRESENTS A CRITICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN SOUTH FLORIDA AND CENTRAL FLORIDA.
PASSENGER/TRANSIT: NEW CONSTRUCTION (BRIDGES)
Brightline’s Loxahatchee River Railroad Bridge Rehabilitation and Replacement Jupiter, Fla. Prime contractor: Scott Bridge Construction Prime designer: TranSystems Owner: Brightline Work includes the installation of a new railroad drawbridge to replace the old drawbridge, which was built in 1926. The new drawbridge will bring improved reliability and efficiency
to the bridge, which carries trains across a popular navigation channel in Palm Beach County. Brightline also is rehabilitating the entire 583-ft-long Loxahatchee River bridge with full replacement of the electrical system and operating machinery and the addition of a second track. As one of two movable bridge structures on Brightline’s Orlando expansion project, the drawbridge represents a critical connection between south Florida and central Florida. Considerable work was required on the nearly 100-year-old structure to prepare it for high-speed passenger rail. Due to the type of construction work and necessary safety precautions, installation of the new drawbridge required temporary closure of the navigation channel, impacting the drawbridge opening schedule over a sevenweek period in April and May 2022. A new small craft navigation span is being added at the south end of the bridge, increasing the vertical clearance by 14 in. and allowing more vessels to pass without the need to open the drawbridge. Installation of the new drawbridge required multiple barges and cranes in the navigation channel. The structure was loaded onto barges and floated into place, blocking the waterway from boat traffic. At the start and end of the 52-day project, no boat traffic was allowed to pass and freight traffic was briefly suspended. During the six-week work period in between, the rtands.com
Photo Credit: Brightline
The Loxahatchee River Railroad Bridge Rehabilitation and Replacement project.
2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
temporary span for the railroad bridge was lifted out two times a day to accommodate the busy waterway and to let boats pass.
The SLWC Lawton Sub Emergency Bridge Rebuilds.
PASSENGER/TRANSIT: MAINTENANCE (RAIL)
Photo Credit: Watco
Way Interlocking and Subway Structure Rehabilitation Camden, N.J. Prime contractor: Railroad Construction Company, Inc. Prime designer: HNTB Corp. Owner: Delaware River Port Authority/Port Authority Transportation Corporation Rehabilitation of the 3,800-ft doubletracked Camden Subway tunnel presented multiple challenges in both the logistical approach to completing the project and in maintaining crew and public safety while doing so. Outage preparations and equipment mobilizations occurred from a tightly bound, single-track maintenance yard at one of the tunnel portals. RCC constructed a temporary access crossing at the opposite portal to better facilitate its manpower and certain material mobilizations, including concrete deliveries. Despite these limitations, RCC completed the full project scope on time and within budget. With revenue train operations always maintained, the existing double crossover at Way Interlocking was removed and replaced with a brand new installation, including replacement of the concreteencased steel channel support structure, thermite welding, and improvements to signal circuitry. Over 9,500 sq ft of concrete spalling and surface breakout throughout the tunnel was identified and repaired, as well as 2,200 linear ft of concrete crack injection. Structural steel repairs also were carried out, including the shoring, demolition, and full replacement of multiple columns, and welding of reinforcing steel onto columns and overhead beams. Lead paint abatement was conducted on structural members totaling 17,800 sq ft, followed by the cleaning, priming, and re-painting of those surfaces. All of this work was completed in an enclosed environment accessible to the public via two stations, which necessitated strict air quality control measures and special consideration of mobility restrictions for the public and work crews in an already confined working space. rtands.com
June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 15
2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
SHORT LINE: NEW CONSTRUCTION (BRIDGE)
SLWC Lawton Sub Emergency Bridge Rebuilds 660.1 and 659.4 Snyder, Okla. Prime contractors: Kraemer North America, Kinder Dozer, and Crossline Construction Prime designer: American Rail Engineers Owner: Stillwater Central Railroad (Watco) On March 13, a wildfire in rural southwest Oklahoma outside Snyder consumed two open deck timber railroad structures on the Stillwater Central Railroad (SLWC) Lawton Subdivision. The fire burned over 6 square miles. Bridge 659.4 (a 150-ft, 11-span open deck timber pile trestle) and Bridge 660.1 (a 177-ft, 13-span open deck timber pile trestle) were a total loss. Three design considerations emerged: Fill on pipes (fast and cost effective), driving new steel H-pile piers with new precast concrete spans (ideal but most costly), or timber frame (least attractive, with the risks that what remained of the 1920s sub-pile wouldn’t be sufficient, and that timber might not be readily available). Those involved ultimately determined that new bridges would be of two designs. Bridge 659.4 was not in a flood plain, 16 Railway Track & Structures // June 2022
and the new design would be a multicorrugated metal pipe (CMP) cattle pass and drain. The culvert pipes—one 108 in. in diameter, and two at 72 in.—would be equipped with concrete headwalls, wing-
“
ON MARCH 13, A WILDFIRE IN RURAL SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA CONSUMED TWO OPEN DECK TIMBER RAILROAD STRUCTURES. BOTH BRIDGES WERE A TOTAL LOSS.
walls, apron and floors, and surrounded with compacted fill dirt and ballast subgrade to match the existing roadbed and embankment. Bridge 660.1 was in a flood plain and called for a bridge of similar opening to the one destroyed (approximately 1,800 sq ft). The new bridge would be a steel H-pile and precast concrete span
structure. (Crews ultimately would install seven new piers and six 28-ft spans). One challenge was the inability to put in a culvert—permanent or even temporary—at 660.1. The team had to design fast enough and source materials fast enough to build the permanent steel-and-concrete structure. While there are not that many U.S. railroad bridge contractors, Wisconsin-based Kraemer North America, which was just finishing a job in Nebraska, was able to come in. They moved a crew quickly to Oklahoma and also supplied a 100-toncapacity crane and the steel piling. In addition, approximately 300 new track ties and 960 ft of new 115-lb rail would be installed between the two locations. Another 500 track ties would be spotted in the surrounding roadbed to replace ties lost to the fire.
SHORT LINE: MAINTENANCE (RAIL)
MassDOT BUILD Grant Rehabilitation Prime contractors: Frontier Railroad Services and E-80 Plus Constructors Owner: Genesee and Wyoming New England Central Railroad Frontier Railroad Services and E80 Plus Constructors are currently performing a $30 million Federal BUILD Grant rtands.com
Photo Credit: Frontier Railroad Services LLC
The MassDOT BUILD Grant Rehabilitation project.
2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
Photo Credit: Modjeski and Masters Inc.
Rehabilitation on the Genesee and Wyoming’s New England Central Railroad in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The trackwork contract being performed by Frontier includes installing 240,000 linear ft of new 115RE rail, manufactured by Steel Dynamics, Inc., and supplied by L.B. Foster; 30 new No. 10 turnouts supplied by Unitrac Railroad Materials and Progress Rail; 30,000 crossties supplied by Mellott Wood Preserving; and 18,000 tons of ballast supplied by Cersosimo Industries. The timber bridge strengthening contract being performed by E80 Plus Constructors includes the reconstruction and rehabilitation of eight timber bridges with copper naphthenate-treated timber supplied by Wheeler Lumber. The bridge strengthening improves the bridges to 286,000-lb capacity. A third and final construction package set for late 2022 construction will include the strengthening of nine steel bridges with expected completion in 2023. The contractors face the scheduling and logistical challenges of performing such a vast rehabilitation of over nearly 60 miles of track while also ensuring minimal disruption to the service of the New England Central’s many customers throughout Massachusetts.
CLASS 1: CONSTRUCTION (BRIDGES)
Dry Canyon Bridge Weed, Calif. Prime contractors: ZA Construction, Arc-Rite Welding and Fabrication, LLC, and Dan. R. Dalton, Inc. Prime designer: Modjeski and Masters Owner: Union Pacific Railroad Company The 2021 Lava Fire burned over 26,000 acres and heavily damaged Union Pacific Railroad’s Dry Canyon Bridge and nine miles of track near Weed, Calif. The Lava Fire caused varying degrees of structural damage to the deck, steel deck plate girders, towers and their concrete pedestals, and other ancillary components. In total, the bridge has 19 spans that vary in length. Following the assessment, Modjeski and Masters concluded that all of the spans either needed to be repaired or replaced. Nine 40-ft-long spans were replaced with safety stock spans, while the remaining nine spans were deemed salvageable through heat straightening. While heat straightening can typically be performed in-place, due to the complexity of repairing the spans over the canyon each span was instead removed by crane and repaired on the ground. ZA Construction built a road across the rocky terrain to bring the crew and equipment to the remote site. ZA
Construction then constructed four pads to hold the cranes, ranging from 200 to 600 tons in lifting capacity, to lower the bridge spans to the ground and stage them for repairs. Several unique and special challenges were encountered during the repairs and erection of the girders. First, during heat straightening of the initial spans, it was discovered that the fire damage and heat straightening process had caused the spans to shorten a meaningful amount. Also, the heat straightening process could not fully resolve all of the sweep and sag in the long spans caused by the fire for multiple reasons. The dimensional differences in the repaired girders compared to their original geometry were relatively significant. So much so, fit-up to the tower tops was a significant concern. To further complicate the girder geometry issue, the towers retained some deformation from the spans being distorted. As a result of these dimensional changes in the girders and towers, the position of the anchor bolt holes in the existing girder sole plates of the 80-ft spans would not align at most locations with the holes in the tower cap plate without modifications. The same condition was true for sole plate anchor bolt holes of the
The Dry Canyon Bridge project.
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June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 17
2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
“
CUSTOM SOLE PLATES WERE FABRICATED IN THE FIELD TO FIT THE GIRDERS AT EACH SPAN LOCATION.
The Conrail Waverly Loop Phase 2 project.
replacement tower span girders. Along with the bearing differences, the new 40-ft girder safety stock span pairs were 6 in. wider and 1 ½ in. shorter in length than the original tower spans. All combined, the shortening of the spans, the dimensional changes at the top of the tower and remaining distortion in the girders, as well as the safety stock girder pair as-built conditions, custom sole plates were fabricated in the field to fit the girders at each span location. The construction and bridge reassembly required more than 700 new railroad ties, 58 tons of replacement steel, and
watco.com
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2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
1,140 track feet of ballast deck pans.
CLASS 1: NEW CONSTRUCTION (RAIL)
Conrail Waverly Loop Phase 2 Newark, N.J. Prime contractor: Tracks Unlimited, LLC Prime designer: Jacobs Owner: Conrail Tracks Unlimited completed the construction of Conrail’s Waverly Loop, a key capacity improvement in Oak Island Yard. The project included rehabilitation of 10,000 track ft of existing track, construction of 12,000 track ft of new track, several new turnouts, 3,200 cu yd of excavation and 6,000 track ft of track removal. All work was completed within Conrail’s Oak Island Yard, one of the busiest yards in the Northeast. The most challenging aspect of the project was the rehabilitation of the Oak Island running track and runaround. Because both of these tracks are integral to Conrail’s daily operations, limited work windows were granted. While one track was under construction, the
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adjacent track remained in service. The limited access and work windows required numerous types of specialized equipment and crews working multiple shifts. The crews and equipment were sequenced and staged in a manner that allowed several simultaneous operations to occur during accelerated work windows. As a result of the collaboration between Tracks Unlimited and Conrail, 10,000 track ft of rehabilitation was completed ahead of schedule.
CLASS 1: NEW CONSTRUCTION (RAIL)
CSX Carolina Connector Intermodal Project Rocky Mount, N.C. Prime contractor: Milord Co. Prime designer: EMH&T Owner: CSX CSX and partner the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) constructed the newest and most advanced intermodal terminal on the CSX system in Rocky Mount, N.C. A number of challenges encountered
during design and construction included constructing the facility safely under a tight schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as managing a large amount of unsuitable soil on-site. This site was constructed on acres of prior farmland. The f lat terrain and high ground water table rendered much of the material unsuitable. The design and construction team developed solutions to help solve this problem, including installing underdrains and using lime to help dry the material and importing structural where required.
SHORT LINE: MAINTENANCE (RAIL)
Restoration of washout along Providence and Worcester Railroad’s Middletown Subdivision Cromwell, Conn. Prime contractor: O&G Industries, Inc. Owner: Connecticut Department of Transportation In early September 2021, a washout occurred along a Providence and Worcester Railroad (PW) line owned
June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 19
2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
The CSX Carolina Connector Intermodal Project.
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Photo Credit: CSX
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Track Resources
2022 RT&S TOP PROJECTS
by and leased from the Connecticut Department of Transportation when a nearby reservoir and irrigation system of an adjacent The Players Championship (TPC) golf course became overburdened with heavy rain. The f lood waters damaged the golf course, created a 120-ft-long, 80-ft-deep hole that left track suspended in mid-air, and exposed utility pipelines that supply jet fuel to nearby Bradley International Airport. In addition, service to three customers was impacted. Restoration required coordination not only among PW, the golf course, and the pipeline owner, but also an agricultural nursery that abutted the PW track on the other side. Connecticut Department of Transportation managed the project with support from the town’s fire and water department as well. Over the next 95 days: • Suspended track was removed; • The utility pipeline was secured; • A haul route was established between the work site and the quarry from where dirt/fill would be acquired;
• Four culverts were installed and more than 10,000 cu yd of fill carried by haul trucks in over 500 trips were poured; • New rail and ballast were laid; and • Track surfacing was completed. Meanwhile, the railroad’s sales and operations teams worked diligently to reroute traffic for the affected customers by leveraging its contiguous connections with two other regional G&W short lines.
PASSENGER/TRANSIT: NEW CONSTRUCTION MBTA Green Line Extension Prime contractor: Green Line Extension Constructors Joint Venture of Fluor Enterprises Inc., The Middlesex Corp., Herzog Contracting Corp., and Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Inc. Prime designer: STV Inc. Owner: MBTA
This design-build light rail transit (LRT) project extends the existing Green Line LRT alignment by 4.7 miles along two
operating branches with both branches beginning at the relocated Lechmere Station in Cambridge. The Medford branch mainline extends 3.7 miles north to College Avenue in Medford and the Union Square branch line extends 1 mile west to Union Square in Somerville. The project includes clearing and grubbing, demolishing 31,337 ft of old freight track, 362,400 cu yd of excavation, 51,248 ft of new LRT double track, 47 pieces of special trackwork, 1 mile of viaduct structures, six new at-grade stations and one aerial station, a 55,000-sq-ft fourbay VMF with 13 storage tracks capable of storing 80 light-rail vehicles, six modified or reconstructed bridge structures, 435,500 sq ft of sound and retaining walls, three traction power substations, an overhead catenary system with 744 pole foundations, an Automatic Train Control system, and a 2-mile community pathway. The entirety of the LRT project is being constructed within the right-of-way of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Lowell and Fitchburg commuter rail lines.
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June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 21
GRADE CROSSINGS
L.B. Foster’s AntiTrespass Panel with conical surface.
WHERE THE RUBBER
MEETS THE RAIL Grade crossing maintenance is a vital part of railroad MoW
22 Railway Track & Structures // June 2022
As is the case with nearly all vendors of railroad Maintenance-of-Way equipment, the pandemic has impacted grade crossing material suppliers. For example, Vossloh told RT&S, “The 2022 year has returned pre-pandemic volume for Vossloh. We continue to work through backlog orders and prepare material for kickoff to the spring and summer install seasons. Vossloh remains optimistic that the concrete grade crossing market will see an uptick in the coming 12-24 months as we transition out of the pandemic, with municipalities receiving funding from grants that will support upgrading crossings in cities and rural communities across North America.” Omni told RT&S about some projects, such as the just-completed Brightline project from Miami to Orlando, which consisted of 35,000+ track feet of custom design, along with ECR concrete crossings. Also, Omni was involved in the
MBTA Greenline Boston project, where the company supplied 8,500+ track feet of fulldepth heavy-duty rubber crossings. HiRAIL told RT&S that it expected the remainder of 2022 to be strong. TieTek Global/LT Resources TieTek Global, through its marketing subsidiary LT Resources, offers Endurance-XL composite panels and TieTek-engineered polymer composite crossties, a complete composite highway-rail grade crossing system. The use of TieTek composite ties under Endurance composite panels will extend the service life of Endurance crossings and concrete and rubber crossing surfaces. Endurance-XL composite crossings utilize durable, recycled polymer materials installed in a wide variety of applications. Panels are supplied in 8 ft 1 ½ in. lengths for 19 ½ in. tie spacing and manufactured in 6 in., 7 ½ in., and 8 ¼ in. heights for use with most rail sizes rtands.com
Photo Credit: L.B. Foster
N
o one other than rail enthusiasts likes rail-highway crossings. They like them because trains, by law, must perform two long, one short, and one long blast of the horn as the train approaches every crossing, regardless of whether crossing gates are present. The law exists, of course, to ensure motorists know that a train is coming and that they must stop before the train arrives at the crossing. Rail enthusiasts like them because of the melody and different horn sounds, especially those of a steam engine. Grade crossings must be carefully maintained and always in good working order. Rubber, concrete, or properly fashioned wood sections on every side of the rail keep crossing noise levels down and prevent drivers from damaging their tires and suspensions. So, Maintenance-of-Way departments must stay on top of crossing maintenance every day of the year.
By David C. Lester, Managing Editor
GRADE CROSSINGS
Photo Credit: Vossloh
and fastening systems. Railroads can lag down to 8 ft 6 in. or 10-ft treated wood or TieTek composite crossties. Panels are supplied predrilled with an option for drilling on-site for installation on curved track or when routine maintenance is required. Optional rubber flangeway filler, lag screws, and TieTek composite ties complete the package. Corporate sustainability goals and the desire to utilize durable “green” products with proven performance features drive the demand for the company’s products year after year. Railroads can recycle Endurance panels and TieTek ties at the end of their useful lives. Transit, port, industrial growth, and new infrastructure projects also drive the demand for TTG’s composite products. Railroads and various other end-users continue to look for cost-saving options while addressing the need for products with proven long-term performance and reduced maintenance/replacement costs. Investments in safety, efficiency, and improved infrastructure remain their customers’ highest priorities. TTG will reintroduce Endurance-XL Plus grade crossings soon. In addition, TTG will introduce a new high-tech grade crossing product to the market within the next 12 months. The company also is adding new production facilities with increased capacity to meet market demand. HiRail HiRail manufactures a complete line of rubber grade crossing surfaces, including HiRail, PedeRail, and HiRail rail seal. The HiRail full-depth rubber crossing is a green product, the company told RT&S, because the company uses recycled vehicle tires in its offerings. The crossings also can be recycled at the end of their useful lives. HiRail full-depth rubber grade crossings accommodate most common rail sizes, rail fasteners, and wood, concrete, and composite or steel ties. HiRail full-depth rubber crossing systems are available in both lagged and lagless designs. The lagless design lessens crosstie degradation and allows for installation on concrete and steel ties. PedeRail is a pedestrian crossing surface that meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. PedeRail has all the features of the HiRail full-depth rubber crossing and comes with a raised diamond surface for pedestrian stability. HiRail rubber rail seal is a product that works in conjunction with asphalt or pouredin-place concrete crossings and fits most common rail sizes on timber or concrete ties rtands.com
Vossloh’s concrete grade crossing panels.
using all types of rail fasteners. During the past couple of years, HiRail said the company has continued to see more requests for specialized products to fit different track configurations, different concrete ties, and different rail fastening systems. Jim Overfelt, director of marketing
and sales, said he believes track and road maintenance drives demand in the crossing surface business. “The more maintenance on tracks or roads, the more the chance there is a need for a new crossing surface,” Overfelt told RT&S. New transit start-ups and extensions of current systems also add to demand.
www.amconco.com
June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 23
GRADE CROSSINGS
wood or concrete ties. Improved concrete crossing with full-depth rubber (not attached) between the rail and the concrete panel also fit on wood or concrete ties. TraCast is Omni’s tub-style tieless crossing which comes in two designs, the latest model with Pandrol clips to hold the rail down and lagged down rubber inserts on both sides of the rail.
L.B. Foster’s full-width LiDAR system.
The rubber products will fit 90-lb to 141-lb rail and are molded, not extruded. The company has its AAR-certified rubber plant in McHenry, Ill. Omni’s concrete crossing line consists of the ECR, a concrete panel crossing with attached rubber flangeways made to fit on
Photo Credit: L.B. Foster
Omni Products Omni Products Inc. was established in 1983 and is known as the grade crossing supplier with a full product line. The company’s all-virgin rubber product line consists of full-depth heavy-duty rubber, steel-reinforced rubber, and Omni’s VRA Rail Seal.
American Concrete Products American Concrete Products has supplied precast concrete products for more than 75 years. These products include precast concrete crossings, signal foundations, pipe, railroad bridge substructures, and girders. Precast crossing panels conform to Union Pacific/BNSF standards and meet the specifications of all other Class 1 and short line railroads. Crossing panels for curved and turnout applications are available. ADA-compliant for transit railroads, industry siding crossings, and pedestrian crossings also are available. American Concrete Products can supply crossing panels with manufacturing plants in Dallas, Texas, Kansas City, Kan., and Omaha, Neb., and has the ability to ship by rail or
24 Railway Track & Structures // June 2022
rtands.com
GRADE CROSSINGS
truck to satellite locations on the east and west coasts to any location. American Concrete Products manufactures all-steel cast-in frames for crossings and imbeds for other products using railroad-certified welder personnel. Each location has a concrete batching facility that ensures the company uses the highest quality material. All material undergoes testing to meet strict railroad standards. L.B. Foster Grade crossing safety through LiDAR obstacle detection and anti-trespass panels comprise part of L.B. Foster’s grade crossing safety solutions, including a variety of smart obstacle detection and anti-trespass deterrent systems. The company’s LiDAR-based obstacle detection and red-light enforcement solutions provide both simple obstacle detection and high safety-proven systems up to Safety Integrity Level 3 (SIL3). L.B. Foster also markets and sells its anti-trespass panels (ATPs) throughout North America as a proven environmentally friendly deterrent system to pedestrian trespass. Insight grade crossing monitoring uses LiDAR to detect obstacles in and around the grade crossing area. Rugged steel housings protect it with motorized shutters. It monitors and records crossing and trespassing violations. LiDAR works by scanning the crossing area from the point when the red warning lights flash. Railroads also may use the system to trigger a grade crossing violation enforcement during this time. When the barrier-lowering sequence starts, the Insight LiDAR monitors the crossing area and can dynamically control the gates and provide alerts to control signaling and trains. ATPs are a simple but effective deterrent to pedestrian trespass on highway-rail grade crossings, rail yard entrances, and specific areas such as transit terminal platforms. Applicable in many situations, ATPs work best around fixed structures such as the end of station platforms, walls, fencing, or dense vegetation to prevent pedestrians from walking around the panels. In mid-2019, the FRA published the results of a study done to determine the effectiveness of deploying ATPs to reduce pedestrian trespass. Their researchers collected and analyzed video data for a total of 60 days (30 days before and 30 days after the ATPs were installed) to better understand the effectiveness of the ATPs on changing pedestrian behavior. Their analysis demonstrated that the ATPs successfully reduced the amount of pedestrian trespass onto the railroad right-ofway, observing that pedestrian trespass decreased by 38%, indicating that the use of the ATPs was effective in improving pedestrian behavior. Industry-Railway Suppliers Industry-Railway Suppliers has been supporting the end-user customers’ distressed crossing surfaces since 1966 and is the exclusive distributor of the FastPatch Distressed Pavement Repair (DPR) Railroad Kit, a product developed and manufactured by Willamette Valley Company (WVCO). Industry-Railway also is a distributor of AREMA track tools, abrasives, heavy railroad equipment, work equipment wear parts, and mechanical shop tools to the railroads, transit systems, and contractors in North America. The FastPatch DPR Railroad Kit is a quick, easy-to-install, permanent road patching method lasting just as long as the concrete or asphalt surrounding it. DPR is ideal for repairing distressed asphalt or concrete grade crossings but also is suitable for use anywhere quick pavement repair is necessary, such as parking lots, sidewalks, curbs, roadways, bridges, or even inside warehouses because it is odorless and 100% VOC free. Once mixed with the FastPatch Kicker (optional accelerator), this fast-curing repair is ready for traffic to resume in just 45 minutes.
Along with its minimal required site preparation, the DPR significantly reduces any interruptions in service and increases safety for maintenance workers and traffic alike. The DPR mixture is cold-applied and green friendly, made from a unique 100% solid polymer blend of recycled and renewable materials. It is highly adhesive and self-contained, with all items needed for the repair included in the bucket. DPR is freeze-thaw resistant and impact absorbent. Public safety is the driving demand for the DPR Kit. There has been an increased push in ADA compliance at hazardous grade crossings, which can be expensive to repair and disruptive to traffic and train service. The DPR RR Kit is a cost-effective and fast repair solution for crossings, resulting in a quick and safe return to service. Vossloh Tie Technologies Vossloh Tie Technologies/Rocla Concrete Tie, Inc., has been producing and supplying concrete grade crossing panels to the Class 1, short line, and mass transit industries for over 20 years. Vossloh’s concrete crossing panels are designed for timber and concrete crossties and manufactured with a heavy steel angle frame and concrete with a high runoff coefficient. They come with attached rubber flangeway, bearing pads, lag screws, and deflectors. The panels include a chemical permeability-reducing admixture that gives the panel resistance to permeability, eliminates liquid absorption, and fiber reinforcement for better impact resistance. With seven manufacturing plants located throughout North America, Vossloh is strategically located to meet all of your crossing panel needs.
Grade Crossing Safety
An essential safety solution that deters pedestrian traffic and monitors for obstacle detection in rail grade crossings.
Anti-Trespass Panels (ATPs) CONTACT: Sheen Fong sfong@lbfoster.com 412.522.0485
rtands.com QtrPage_ATP_GradeCrossing_Ad.indd 1
Insight LiDAR Grade Crossing Monitoring lbfoster.com
June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 25
5/19/2022 3:19:00 PM
STAY IN GEAR WITH RAIL GROUP NEWS RAIL GROUP NEWS brings you a daily round-up of news stories from Railway Age, RT&S, and IRJ. This email newsletter offers North American and global news and analysis of the freight and passenger markets. From developments in rail technology, operations, and strategic planning to legislative issues and engineering news, we’ve got you covered.
RAIL From Railway Age, RT&S and IRJ GROUP https://railwayage.com/newsletters NEWS
ROUND-UP o
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Message From The President
I
MICHAEL P. FREEMAN AREMA President 2021-22
n case it has not become clear over the past several months, I am a sports junkie. It really does not matter the type of sport, I will watch anything that has participants, some element of competition, and some level of skill. Some say that car racing is not a sport because it is based on pure bravery. I beg to differ. Actually, there are few sports that rely on skill and the ultimate in teamwork and competitiveness the way car racing does to yield positive results. It also requires significant stamina, strength, and conditioning to wrestle a racecar around the oval for hundreds of laps or miles. Car racing gets my vote as a sport. Major sporting events in the month of June include the Women’s College World Series (softball) held June 2-8 in Oklahoma City, Okla., and the College World Series (baseball) held June 17-27 in Omaha, Neb. Thinking back on June 2021, I spent one of the happiest weeks of my life at TD Ameritrade Park (now Schwab Park) in downtown Omaha watching my alma mater, Mississippi State University (MSU), capture the national championship in baseball. I told my wife, aside from “family stuff”, it was perhaps the happiest week of my life. She could relate, as she also is an MSU alum and because State had never won a national championship in ANYTHING; it was truly special. Enough about my love for sports, now let us turn our attention to AREMA issues. Over the past several months, we have looked at the staff at AREMA headquarters and the vital role each of those talented individuals play in the success of the AREMA organization. We also have looked very closely at the six functional -UP of NEWS STORIES FROM: groups which make up the body of the organization, who their leadership is, and the things they do on a day-to-day basis, as well as some of the
LWAY AGE, RT&S and IRJ rtands.com
specialized tasks each is pursuing. Let us look now into where AREMA is today within the rail industry, identify some of the hurdles to overcome, and look at some items on the horizon of a very bright future. AREMA, the premier source for information pertaining to railroad engineering, remains strong and ready to continue to hold this distinction into the future. Changes within the rail industry, including technological changes, operating philosophies, and reduced headcounts have certainly changed how business is done in the rail industry as well as at AREMA. When the original AREMA bylaws were written, there were requirements included that certain leadership positions within AREMA must be held by individuals that were employed by a railroad. At the present time, railroads are relying increasingly on consultants to handle the technical aspects of railroad project design and have, over time, reduced the total number of railroad employees. Consultants now make up a larger percentage of the membership of AREMA. Given the fact that certain leadership roles are designated to be held by railroad employees, it is imperative that AREMA-member railroad employees be involved and ready to fill those leadership positions. It also is imperative that the railroads continue to support AREMA in a robust way. Without a healthy supply of railroademployed members, it will be exceedingly difficult to continue to fill the positions designated to be filled by railroad employees. With the technological changes in the rail industry, it also is important to have railroad employees active in AREMA so innovative technologies will be properly prioritized by AREMA. This prioritization will occur by including technical information to support the technology as recommended practice in the Manual for Railway Engineering (MRE). Railroad employees act as the conduit to introduce modern technologies into the committee review process and the decisions made to include/exclude guidelines into the MRE. As one can easily see, the trends of the industry are not aligned with the requirements of AREMA in that the shear total numbers of active railroaders are decreasing while the demand for railroad leadership has not changed. Therefore, it is extremely important the rail industry step up its game to support AREMA by enabling a properly sized pool of participants to continue to be supported by the industry. AREMA is not sitting idly by while the pool of potential railroad members continues to
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AREMA is focused on your education and helping you advance in the railway industry. AREMA’s seminars provide Professional Development Hours (PDH) to serve your educational needs. Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering Seminar Date: Friday, Aug. 26 Sunday, Aug. 28 Location: Denver, Colo. in conjunction with the AREMA 2022 Annual Conference & Expo PDH: 20 Track Alignment Design, Part I Seminar Date: Wednesday, Aug. 31 Friday, Sept. 2 Location: Denver, Colo., in conjunction with the AREMA 2022 Annual Conference & Expo PDH: 14.5 Culvert and Storm Drain Inspection Seminar Date: Thursday, Sept. 1 Location: Denver, Colo., in conjunction with the AREMA 2022 Annual Conference & Expo PDH: 6.5 These courses are comprised of recommended practices and relevant accumulated knowledge from subject matter experts in the railroad industry. They are not intended as a regulatory qualification. To register for these seminars, and other On Demand education, please visit www.arema.org.
June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 27
shrink. Rather, AREMA continues to promote activities to maximize membership among key segments of the industry. At all AREMA activities, emphasis is placed on making the association appealing to younger participants. Over the past several years, as more younger members become involved, activities at the committee level have accelerated forward. Meet The Next Generation (Next Gen) activities as well as activities specially designed for young professionals and students will be front and center at the AREMA 2022 Annual Conference & Expo being held Aug. 28-31 at the Colorado Convention Center. As preparations continue for the Annual Conference and Expo, please make your commitment to attend and share all the good things happening at AREMA with your colleagues. We are looking forward to seeing everyone in person in Denver in August. Until next time, I look forward to seeing which teams come out on top in June. I know AREMA will continue its winning ways in supporting the rail industry. Be well and be safe!
FYI
Denver is calling! Register now for the AREMA 2022 Annual Conference & Expo, Aug. 28-31, in Denver, Colo. Rates increase July 21. For the latest information about Keynote Speakers, technical presentations, Expo, sponsorship, and more, visit www. conference.arema.org.
community.arema.org/home.
Order the 2022 Manual for Railway Engineering now. With more than 40 new or revised Parts, it’s the perfect time to get the 2022 Manual. More details and how to order are available at www.arema.org, or contact publications@arema.org for more information.
Leverage the power of your trusted association’s Railway Careers Network to tap into a talent pool of job candidates with the training and education needed for long-term success. Visit www.arema.org/ careers to post your job today.
Don’t miss out on the conversation happening in AREMA’s Member Forum. The Member Forum connects you with other members allowing you to send messages, start conversations, and more. See what everyone is talking about today: https://
NOT AN AREMA MEMBER? JOIN TODAY AT WWW.AREMA.ORG
If you’re looking for a new podcast to binge, listen to AREMA’s Platform Chats. It features guests from every aspect of the railway industry. Come “roll with AREMA” on your favorite streaming platform.
CONNECT WITH AREMA ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
UPCOMING COMMITTEE MEETINGS 2022 MEETINGS *AUG. 27
*AUG. 27-28
*AUG. 28
*AUG. 28
Committee 27 - Maintenance of Way Work Equipment
Committee 24 - Education & Training
Committee 12 - Rail Transit
Committee 5 - Track
*AUG. 28
*AUG. 28
*AUG. 28
*AUG. 28
Committee 17 - High Speed Rail Systems
Committee 11 and 17 Joint Meeting
Committee 11 - Commuter & Intercity Rail Systems
Committee 16 - Economics of Railway Engineering & Operations
*AUG. 28
*AUG. 28
*AUG. 28-29
*AUG. 29
Committee 10 - Structures Maintenance & Construction
Committee 33 - Electric Energy Utilization
Committee 6 - Rail Facilities, Utilities and Buildings
Committee 13 Environmental
*AUG. 29
*SEPT. 1
*SEPT. 1
SEPT. 27-28
Committee 41 - Track Maintenance
Committee 38 Information, Defect Detection & Energy Systems
Committee 39 - Positive Train Control
Committee 15 - Steel Structures Virtual Meeting
*Denver, Colo., in conjunction with AREMA 2022 Annual Conference & Expo Join a technical committee Joining a technical committee is the starting point for involvement in the association and an opportunity for lifelong growth in the industry. AREMA has 30 technical committees covering a broad spectrum of railway engineering specialties. Build your network of contacts, sharpen your leadership skills, learn from other members, and maximize your membership investment. If you’re interested in joining a technical committee or sitting in on a meeting as a guest, please contact Alayne Bell at abell@arema.org. For a complete list of all committee meetings, visit www.arema.org.
28 Railway Track & Structures // June 2022
rtands.com
GETTING TO KNOW
Committee 10 Chair Mark W. Shafer, P.E. enjoy the depth of work that the rail industry offers, from design to bridge inspection, and all other engineering, construction, and planning work.
MARK W. SHAFER Vice President, HDR Chair, Committee 10 – Structures Maintenance & Construction AREMA: Why did you decide to choose a career in railway engineering? SHAFER: Growing up in the small town of Weston, Iowa, I had the opportunity to see how critical the rail infrastructure was to our small community. In its heyday, our town had only 150 residents and my childhood home was an old hotel that was located near the railroad tracks in Weston. We had one stop in our town, which today is BNSF’s Bayard Subdivision. My earliest childhood memories of the enjoyment I had watching the passing trains made a strong impression on me as a young boy. As a young adult, I found myself living in the well-known railroad town of Council Bluffs, Iowa, where my appreciation for the railroad industry began and grew into a three-decade-long career. AREMA: How did you get started? SHAFER: The first job I had was with a small multidiscipline firm in Omaha when I was 26 years old, where I had the opportunity to be involved in all facets of civil and structural engineering, including railroad engineering work. I was immediately drawn to the fast pace of the railroad projects and loved that they were built quickly and efficiently, which provided a sense of accomplishment and appreciation. Over time, I gravitated more and more toward rail projects until my focus ultimately landed me to where I am now with HDR. Today, I am fully immersed in the industry and rtands.com
AREMA: How did you get involved in AREMA and your committee? SHAFER: My involvement with AREMA grew alongside my increasing work in the rail industry. It was evident in my early days of rail engineering work that AREMA was ‘the’ organization to be involved with. After attending a few meetings and my first annual conference, I found a match on the technical committee C10—Structures Construction Maintenance. I was immediately attracted to the vast collection of experienced railroaders, industry suppliers, and professionals such as myself. The history of C10 goes back many decades and involves many of the industry’s most notable experts and characters. The committee immediately welcomed me and invited me to consider additional subcommittee involvement, which began with a re-evaluation of the AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook. Following that start, I became secretary and I am now in the chair position. AREMA: Outside of your job and the hard work you put into AREMA, what are your hobbies? SHAFER: I’ve always been interested in mechanical things and motorsports. Over my life, I have been fortunate to race motorcycles and automobiles. The technical and mechanical nature of my hobby allows me to tinker and try new things. I also enjoy mountain biking when I can’t be out riding motorcycles. I also like to cook. AREMA: Tell us about your family. SHAFER: I’m a very proud husband to my wife, Jonette, of over 30 years, and I am the father of two talented and hardworking ‘kids’, Lauren (30) and Jared (28). Lauren is married and provided us with two fantastic grandkids and Jared is engaged and will marry his college sweetheart this summer. My family is all located in the Kansas City area, which I love because it allows me to be around them often. My entire family shares the love of dogs (often referred to as our four-legged humans), the outdoors,
and exploring the U.S. and Europe, which we have been blessed to do several times. AREMA: If you could share one interesting fact about yourself with the readers of RT&S, what would it be? SHAFER: Other than being a somewhat natural risk-taker, I also enjoy cooking. It’s the process and testing your skills that intrigues me. It also affords a chance to collaborate with the family and to fail without huge consequences (there’s always DoorDash!). AREMA: What is your biggest achievement? SHAFER: My biggest achievements are shared achievements. It’s fair to say that none of the things I’ve accomplished were all my own doing. I appreciate the help I’ve received over the years and the support that helped me get to where I am now. Perhaps one achievement that I’m proud of is that I was able to pay for most of my college education. Being accustomed to working on farms and at home from a young age, I was able to secure a job at the local lumber yard in Ames, Iowa. The owner encouraged me to get my Class C driver’s license so I could provide truck deliveries in the evenings and on the weekends. Between my new bride, Jonette, and lumber delivery it paved the rest of the way through college and on to me becoming an engineer. AREMA: What advice would you give to someone who is trying to pursue a career in the railway industry? SHAFER: I would encourage them to get involved in AREMA early (there are many student chapters now) and to use that to develop relationships and learn about the industry. I also would say to take a step back and look at the huge variety of ways you can be involved and focus on getting your start. And once you start, never stop learning and certainly don’t allow yourself to stagnate. Seek out the next opportunity even if it’s not what you thought you would be doing five, 10, or 20 years ago. And, if you’re doing it right, you will never know everything about everything and that is OK. Lean on your peers, your fellow railroaders, and soak it all up. June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 29
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June 2022 // Railway Track & Structures 31
LAST STOP
Innovation is not enough We must also implement to improve By Gary T. Fry, Ph.D., P.E.
I Gary T. Fry
“
INNOVATE MEANS TO DESIGN NEW SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES BY IMPROVING EXISTING ONES. INNOVATE DOES NOT MEAN INVENT.
32 Railway Track & Structures // June 2022
nnovation is a popular word in many markets, and rail transportation is no exception. Innovation is often perceived as being associated with high-risk, emerging technology enterprises. Any organization can be innovative, and many are without even realizing it. In the best of circumstances, innovation is a natural, almost instinctive, process for an organization. The three most common innovation questions I have been asked over the years are: What is innovation? What does it mean for an organization to be innovative? What is the biggest risk to innovation? Since the word “innovation” usually brings to mind many different ideas to different people, we begin by establishing a frame of reference for our discussion. Our goal is to understand what the word “innovate” means, and of equal importance, what it doesn’t mean. Innovate means to design new systems and processes by improving existing ones. Innovate does not mean invent. Invent means to design new systems or processes that never existed before. Innovation can and does occur without invention, but there are sometimes essential relationships among innovations and inventions. For example, the first steam locomotive was invented in the early 19th century. From that point forward, improvements to locomotives have been innovations, most of which have incorporated inventions. The takeaway is that innovation is a creative process of designing improvements, and that process may or may not incorporate inventions. In the context of this column, the best antonym for the word innovation is the word “stagnation”. With that understanding of innovation, we can consider the essential features of innovative organizations. To be innovative, an organization must satisfy two conditions at a minimum. There must exist an organization-wide acknowledgment and acceptance that improvements are almost always possible. There also must exist regular assessments of the organization’s operations
with an eye to identifying opportunities for improving them. Innovative organizations are strategic in these assessments and always guided by their business models. The organizations establish and maintain an incentivized culture of innovation, especially in terms of intraorganizational communication and employee reward and promotion policies. With these conditions and policies in place, there is minimal inertia resisting progress, and the organization is receptive to innovation. All that is needed is a process for designing the appropriate innovations once areas of improvement have been prioritized. It can be difficult for an organization to design innovations on its own, but that should not be viewed as a barrier. Specific innovations can come from within an organization or can be introduced from outside. The source of the innovation is not nearly as important as its existence. For example, a railway company might identify as a high priority a desire for its railroad rail to last longer under heavy axle loads and to cause fewer broken rail derailments. If such railroad rail exists, it can be procured and installed. It doesn’t matter if the railway company developed the improved rail. It only matters that the company identified the opportunity for improvement and designed a response that would reliably accomplish the improvement. Now, one last critical decision remains. Will the company follow through and implement the innovation? If not, there will be no improvement. Innovation is not enough. We also must implement to improve. Without implementation, all the resources that were expended to identify opportunities for improvement, and to design innovations to accomplish the improvements, become fruitless. Implementation being the essential conclusion to the process of innovation also is its biggest risk. Fry is vice president of Fry Technical Services, Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo. rtands.com
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