RT&S April 2017

April 2017 | www.rtands.com

Improved equipment to move material

PLUS Maine Regional Railways Project Hand-held switch point gauges and also

AREMA News p.30

Contents April 2017

News

Features

14

Industry Today 4 Supplier News 8 People

More than simple materials delivery New pieces of equipment and enhanced existing ones help to increase the safety and accuracy of materials handling practices.

Columns

22

22

Maine Regional Railways project MaineDOT is partnering with a trio of shortlines on a project to enhance the state’s rail network.

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MaineDOT

Hand gauges for switch inspection Hand-held gauges that can be used to identify high-risk switch points undergo field evaluations.

herzog railroad services, inc.

4

RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

14 Departments 10 TTCI R&D 30 Arema News 36 Calendar 36 Products 37 Advertisers Index

3

On Track The fog thickens

9

NRC Chairman’s Column Host an event

Photo by Custom Truck & Equipment. Story on page 14.

37 Sales Representatives 38 Classified Advertising 39 Professional Directory

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Railway Track & Structures

April 2017 1

On Track

RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

Vol. 113, No. 4 Print ISSN # 0033-9016, Digital ISSN # 2160-2514 EDITORIAL OFFICES 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910 Chicago, Ill. 60603 Telephone (312) 683-0130 Fax (312) 683-0131 Website www.rtands.com Mischa Wanek-Libman/Editor, mischa@sbpub.com Maggie Lancaster/Assistant Editor, mlancaster@sbpub.com CORPORATE OFFICES 55 Broad St 26th Fl. New York, N.Y. 10004 Telephone (212) 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr./ President and Chairman Jonathan Chalon/Publisher Mary Conyers/Production Director Wendy Williams/Creative Director Maureen Cooney/Circulation Director Michelle Zolkos/Conference Director

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The fog thickens

A

nother month, another news cycle and another round reports that seem to only add to the mountain of questions surrounding how politics and the business of railroading play off of and react to one another.

First up was the Trump Administration’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2018. A big moment for a new administration that has been touting a large infrastructure plan and ended up producing a budget that, well, reduced federal programs partially responsible for infrastructure spending. Huh? To summarize the proposed budget, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) would receive $16.2 billion, which represents a 13-percent reduction in discretionary funds. The proposal also “terminates federal support for Amtrak long distance train services, which have long been inefficient and incur the vast majority of Amtrak’s operating losses.” Other programs to see elimination under the proposed budget include the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program and the Economic Development Administration, which provides formula grants to states from the USDOT. Another rail-heavy program to take a hit in the budget include the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Program (New Starts).

Funds would be allocated to projects with existing full funding grant agreements only. The budget document said, “future investments in new transit projects would be funded by the localities that use and benefit from these localized projects.”

The fog surrounding any upcoming infrastructure plans became a bit thicker when Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao spoke at the USDOT’s 50th Anniversary Open House and said, “The president has consistently emphasized that one of his top priorities is modernizing our country’s outdated infrastructure. While technol-

ogy has advanced rapidly, our transportation system has not kept pace.

His infrastructure initiative -- which will be announced later this year-- will include a strategic, targeted program of investment valued at $1 trillion over 10 years. The proposal will cover more than transportation infrastructure-- it will include energy, water and potentially broadband and veterans hospitals, as well.”

When the net of what this $1 trillion plan over 10 years will cover is expanded to that many aspects, my confidence that any potential plan could have meaningful effects begins to wane.

While the quote above was a headscratching moment, Sec. Chao did reiterate the call previously made by the administration to incentivize public-private partnerships to help leverage investment without increasing debt. Additionally, she noted the administration’s belief that regulations rather than a lack of capital are responsible for delays in projects.

I realize the examples of the proposed budget and Sec. Chao’s speech get to the very heart of the argument of more government involvement versus less government involvement; an arguement that has roots in the infancy of the U.S. and requires a much larger debate than what is offered within a civil engineering trade journal column. However, a better focus may be to shift the debate from what role government has in infrastructure funding to what risk it should assume, especially regarding projects that have national significance.

Should the administration wish to leverage the capital and expertise of the private sector to help jump start investment that will benefit the public good, everyone has to have skin in the game to ensure a successful result.

Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor Railway Track & Structures

April 2017 3

INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News The Valley Metro Rail Board of Directors approved a base five-year contract with Alternate Concepts, Inc., to provide rail transportation services for its 26-mile system.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority received an unsolicited proposal from Fluor Enterprises, Inc. to accelerate conversion of the Orange Line from bus rapid transit to light rail through a public-private partnership.

The Sound Transit Board of Directors authorized award of a contract to Hoffman

Construction Company to build the

U District Station finishes for the Northgate Link.

Bridge engineering firm Modjeski and

4 Railway Track & Structures

AAR: U.S. railroads hit new safety milestones in 2016 The Association of American Railroads (AAR) tapped Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) data to find U.S. railroads had the lowest train accident rate on record in 2016.

Derailment rates, which declined 10 percent in 2016 from 2015, as well as trackcaused accident rates, are also both at all-time lows. AAR notes the 2016 rail safety statistics continue a string of record-setting years, showing this period has been the safest ever for the rail sector.

The freight rail industry believes there is a strong correlation between safety gains and the research, development and implementation of new technologies, as well as sustained private spending averaging $26 billion annually in recent years.

Notable statistics, calculated per million train miles using March 2017 FRA data, include: • Train accident rate is down 44 percent since 2000.

• Equipment-caused accident rate is down 34 percent since 2000.

• Track-caused accident rate is down 53 percent since 2000.

• Derailment rate is down 44 percent since 2000.

“Safety is a never-ending, constant pursuit for the freight rail industry,” said AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger. “Our goal remains zero incidents and zero injuries, but it is still noteworthy that railroads today are the safest they have ever been. We see clear benefits of our investments - made possible through an economic regulatory framework that allows railroads to earn the revenues needed to invest $635 billion since partial deregulation - and believe strongly in the application of new and transformative technologies.”

AAR also points out that recent years have been the safest in terms of employee on duty injury rates. In 2016, the employee on duty injury rate dropped by 1.8 percent relative to 2015. Incidents at grade crossings rose by almost five percent, an unfortunate circumstance tied partly to increased highway transportation and highway accidents nationwide.

Nonetheless, the freight rail industry believes that safety improvements support its goal to streamline government processes, incentivizing the FRA and other government entities to focus less on prescriptive steps and more on desired outcomes.

“From an advanced system that uses multidimensional ultrasonic technology to locate defects in tracks before they create problems, to the use of drones for track and bridge inspections, freight railroads are increasingly technology-focused,” added Hamberger. “Operating a safe railroad is ultimately good business.”

April 2017

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INDUSTRY TODAY FRA opts for four single train tunnels to replace B&P Tunnel in ROD Four new one-track tunnels should be bored to replace the existing Baltimore and Potomac (B&P) Tunnel according to a Record of Decision (ROD) issued by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on March 31.

Issuance of the ROD by FRA concludes the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Impact Statement process on the initiative.

The federally-funded engineering and environmental study identifies the selection of the Preferred Alternative (Alternative 3B), the four one-track tunnels, to improve rail service and reliability on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) and addressing a longstanding bottleneck. The projected cost, which has not changed since the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), is an estimated $4.52 billion. Funding has not currently been identified for final design and construction of the project.

The 144-year-old, two-track B&P Tunnel is located between the West Baltimore

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MARC Station and Penn Station in Baltimore, Md. Amtrak owns the structure, though it also accommodates both Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) and Norfolk Southern Railway freight trains in addition to intercity passenger trains.

Alternative 3B also includes three ventilation facilities, one each at the North and South portals and an intermediate ventilation facility sited at 900-940 West North Avenue. The FEIS and ROD both established numerous mitigation strategies to minimize the project’s impacts on surrounding communities, both during construction and after the new tunnels are operational.

FRA coordinated with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), Amtrak and the Baltimore City Department of Transportation to study the impacts of construction alternatives for the B&P Tunnel during a three-year timeframe. Project partners said they are committed to ongoing public outreach as funding is provided to advance the project.

Supplier News Masters began steel construction on the main arch span of the Portageville Bridge across the Genesee River in Letchworth State Park in Portageville, N.Y. R.J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC, has ended its efforts to establish an intermodal port on the Cumberland River in Clarksville, Tenn., citing a $3.5 million funding gap.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority chose SIEMENS to provide innovative electrification technology to power the Guadalupe Corridor

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April 2017 5

INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News light-rail line.

Ontario partnered with Toronto Hydro to build a battery energy storage system for the Eglinton Crosstown light-rail transit line.

Trimble is partnering with Railhead Corporation to integrate real-time remote monitoring, diagnostics and on-board video to maximize productivity for railway operators.

WABTEC CORPORATION signed a $97-million contract to provide signaling and communication services for Tex Rail.

6 Railway Track & Structures

SCPA breaks ground on Inland Port Dillon, its second inland port The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) broke ground March 10 on the Inland Port Dillon, which is slated to open in early 2018.

Inland Port Dillon will support growing intermodal cargo volumes between the Port of Charleston and markets throughout the Carolinas, Northeast and Midwest. This is the second inland port the SCPA has developed and follows the success of Inland Port Greer.

“Inland Port Dillon will diversify SCPA’s footprint and enable port users to gain logistics efficiencies through rail transportation of their cargo,” said Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO. “Inland ports provide infrastructure in the interior of the state that supports the movement of freight to and from our marine terminals.

Our facilities in Dillon and Greer are important to SCPA’s overall volume growth and the significant amount of cargo that moves today by rail.”

International intermodal rail lifts have

April 2017

increased 170 percent since 2011, with 23 percent of the Port of Charleston’s containerized import and export volume moving by rail. Growth in the intermodal sector has driven tremendous success of Inland Port Greer, which handled a record 103,639 rail lifts last year.

Located within the Carolinas I-95 Mega Site, Inland Port Dillon has close proximity to I-95, a critical transportation artery in the Southeast. The area is central to a significant base of existing port users that represent base cargo opportunities for the facility. The initial phase is expected to handle at least 45,000 containers annually, offering overnight access to and from Charleston via an existing CSX mainline.

SCPA first announced consideration of a constructing an inland port in Dillon in April of 2016. To date, SCPA has completed the initial design phase, permitting and equipment requisition process for the facility and will soon award contracts to begin construction of the terminal.

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FEC to be acquired by Ferromex, Ferrosur owner GMéxico Transportes S.A. de C.V. (GMXT), the transportation business unit of Grupo México, and the Florida East Coast Railway Holdings Corp. (FEC) have entered into an agreement under which GMXT will acquire FEC in an all cash transaction.

The acquisition is expected to close subject to satisfaction of closing conditions including the receipt of applicable government approvals.

GMXT operates more than 6,200 miles of rail track in Mexico covering major industrial and commercial zones in the country and connecting to international transportation networks through eight seaports and six border crossings, handling just over 1.4 million loads per year. GMXT says the acquisition of FEC will immediately establish it as an important railroad owner in the United States, adding a vital Florida rail line to the company’s existing operations in Texas.

FEC provides service across 351 miles with connections to CSX and Norfolk Southern and provides rail service to South Florida ports including Port Miami, Port Everglades and the Port of Palm Beach.

Jim Hertwig, president and CEO of FEC said, “The FEC team looks forward to working with GMXT to grow our business, execute our key strategic initiatives and take advantage of new opportunities.”

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April 2017 7

PEOPLE Jessica Kahanek joined the Association of American Railroads as press secretary.

Brightline hired Dave Howard as the company’s chief executive.

Effective April 1, Conrail’s Board of Directors named Timothy Tierney president and chief operating officer. Ronald Batory retired after nearly 46 years in the railroad industry.

CSX named E. Hunter Harrison CEO of the Class 1. Michael Ward will remain with the railroad as a consultant.

Gannett Fleming Canada ULC expanded its transportation practice with the addition of David Bannister, Yousef Kimiagar and Magdy Samaan to its Toronto office.

Georgetown Rail Equipment Company appointed David Friss to the position of director of process improvement.

Greenville & Western Railway Company promoted Brandon L. Julian to general manager and Dennis J. Martin to manager – mechanical and transloading.

Holland LP announced Mike O’Grady as their new chief operating officer for the maintenance of way operating groups.

Amit Bose joined HNTB Corporation as mid-Atlantic district transit and rail director and associate vice president (Arlington, Va.). Other additions include Mark Niles as senior project manager and associate vice president (Washington, D.C.), Robert James as a senior project manager for electrical engineering (Parsippany, N.J.). HNTB promoted Rob Troup to transit and rail market sector leader for the Northeast Division.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has appointed Phillip Eng to serve as chief operating officer.

Bruce McCuaig is stepping down as president and CEO of Metrolinx to accept a new federal role in the Privy Council Office as executive adviser (Infrastructure Bank).

David Strong joined Parsons as vice president and rail systems lead for the New York and New Jersey region.

Lancaster joins editorial staff of RT&S Maggie Lancaster has joined the staff of Railway Track & Structures as assistant editor, reporting directly to RT&S Editor and Railway Age Engineering Editor Mischa Wanek-Libman.

Lancaster graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with a concentration in magazine writing and editing and a minor in public relations, graduating with honors in December 2015. She has interned with Fashion Scout Daily, Brand Connections and Flats Chicago. Her written work can be found on Dormify, USA Today College, ChicagoTalks and Literally Darling.

“During her time at Columbia, Maggie excelled in her classes while balancing a full-time job and full-time class schedule,” said WanekLibman. “We welcome her to the RT&S staff and know she’ll make a significant contribution.”

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NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN

Host an event The 2017 construction season is off to a good start. There have been many opportunities throughout the country. The projects being performed are both private and public funded. It seems that there has been a significant increase in publicly-funded work for contractors to bid on. Over the long term, it’s unclear if this trend will continue but the demand is certainly there for both state-of-good repair upgrades and capacity expansions.

The NRC is working diligently to lobby in favor of efficient spending of existing public funds. We are also lobbying to increase public funding for the country’s rapidly deteriorating infrastructure. The best way to increase funding is for publicly-funded projects to go out via competitive bid. The NRC has made postitive steps, but there is still a long way to go and we could always use help – reach out to cbaker@nrcma.org!

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

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The best way for you to help the industry get more funding and to get more of the funds out via competitive bid is to get in touch with your congressmen and senators. Your representatives of Congress and senators are your representatives in Washington D.C. We highly recommend that you get in touch with them and tell them what will make you and your business prosper. They enjoy hearing from their constituents and want to help create and sustain jobs in their districts.

A great way to let your elected official know the issues important to you is to host an NRC Grassroots event. The NRC has done these for years. These events are an excellent way to get to know your elected officials, educate them on your company, our industry and its issues, get some positive local publicity and allow your association to build its influence with Congress.

Railroad Construction Co. of South Jersey, Inc. (RCCSJ) had the privilege of hosting two of these events at the facility in Paulsboro, N.J.

The first was held in October 2015 for Rep. Donald Norcoss (D-NJ-01) and the second was held in March 2016 for Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ-02). We spent some quality time with both representatives; we introduced them to the history of our company, gave them background on the industry and showed them how the federal infrastructure funding under their jurisdiction creates private sector jobs. We also took them on a site visit to the Port of Paulsboro, where we are constructing 14,000 feet of new track and nine turnouts to service the new port.

If you want to host your own grassroots event, please reach out to Lindsey Collins, the NRC’s vice president of Grassroots Advocacy. These events are easy to host and are a huge success. Lindsey can help setup the event and can be reached at 202715-2916 or lcollins@nrcma.org.

I want to thank everyone that contributed to the success of the 2017 NRC Rail Construction and Maintenance Equipment Auction on April 6 at the Railroad Construction Co. of South Jersey. Check out www.nrcma.org/auction for the recap.

For your calendar, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s 2017 Annual Convention is at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, April 22-25. The convention features a powerhouse lineup of speakers, dozens of interesting and educational seminars and an excellent exhibit hall. It is a great event every year.

Finally, I wish everyone a safe and successful month. Don’t forget to save the date for the 2017 NRC Conference at LA Live in Los Angeles, Calif. - January 10-13, 2018.

by Chris Daloisio, NRC Chairman

Railway Track & Structures

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TTCI R&D Predicting lateral buckling in rails TTCI investigates thermal buckling of rail to develop an algorithm to help predict and prevent potential occurances.

by David H. Allen Ph.D., P.E., senior research engineer, director, Center for Railway Research, Texas A&M Transportation Institute and Gary T. Fry Ph.D., P.E., senior scientist II, Transportation Technology Center, Inc.

T

hermal buckling of rail is a complex phenomenon influenced by many factors, including temperature distribution within the rails, relative stiffness of the rail-crosstie interface, structural configuration of the underlying track structure and the highly nonlinear interactions among the rail-tie-ballast interfaces.

Previous research shows that rail temperature, rail-ballast interface friction and rail-crosstie structural configuration must be included within any rail buckling model in order to accurately predict rail buckling.1,2,3 Furthermore, friction between the crossties and ballast has been shown to be highly nonlinear; see Figure 2.

Accounting for all of these contributing factors result in a mathematical model that cannot be solved analytically.

Accordingly, the authors are developing a self-contained computational algorithm for predicting lateral buckling in rails4 that is based on the large deformation Euler-Bernoulli beam theory5,6 cast within the finite element method 7; see Figure 3. Nonlinearity in the algorithm results from geometric nonlinearities in the rail in the deformed configuration, finite strains and nonlinearities in the friction between the crossties and ballast. This nonlinearity is accounted for using Newton iteration.

Typical results obtained with the model are shown in Figure 4, wherein the critical temperature change necessary to induce buckling is plotted against buckle length for a variety of (constant) coefficients of friction, kz, between crossties and ballast for a typical track structure.8 A significant feature of the model is the ability to account for the degradation of material properties within the track structure that arise from cyclic loading and environmental conditions. Toward this end, the authors have developed a model for predicting the coefficient of friction between the crossties and ballast as a function of loading history (see Figure 5). Experiments are being designed, but have not been performed in the field, to determine how this property Figure 1, top: Photograph showing a local railway buckle.

Figure 2, bottom: Typical lateral load versus displacement from single yie push tests (STPT).11

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Figure 3, top: Illustration of deformation mechanisms in track structure caused by lateral loading.

Figure 4, bottom: Predicted critical temperature change for rail buckling as a function of buckle length for several different friction coefficients.

degrades over time and under exposure to live traffic loading from trains. An apparent need is implied for future field deployment of the model data from field tests (such as the STPT test) over the life of the rail structure (or equivalently, as a function of tonnage); thereby providing material coefficients necessary to deploy the track structure algorithm.

Future work

The current research underway by the authors points to a new arena in track structure testing that will improve the safety and reliability of rail infrastructure systems, as well as improve the efficiency of maintenance operations. It is anticipated that the model under development will become available for calibration, validation and verification in the near future.

Because the new algorithm is self-contained, it can be deployed without recourse to expensive commercial software. Furthermore, once calibrated, validated and verified, the algorithm can be easily interfaced with data gathering devices currently under development at Transportation Technology Center, Inc., so that local environmental conditions, residual deformations in the track, track structural configuration and track structure-ballast interface friction properties can be input to the algorithm “on the fly� and www.rtands.com

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TTCI R&D Figure 5: Predicted lateral resistance versus applied lateral displacement for Material A.

potentially with an in-motion system. This could provide railway engineers valuable information to support deciding when and where intervention is required in order to avoid track buckling incidents.

References 1. Kerr, A. D. 1978. “Analysis of Thermal Track Buckling in the Lateral Plane.” Acta Mechanica 30(1-2).

2. Tvergaard, V., and Needleman, A. 1981. “On localized thermal track buckling.” International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 23(10), 577-587.

3. Grissom, G. T., and Kerr, A. D. 2006. “Analysis of lateral track buckling using new frame-type equations.” International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 48(1), 21-32.

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4. Allen, D. H., and Fry, G. 2016b “Finite Element Formulation for Thermal Buckling of Rails.” CRR Report. No. 2016-02. College Station, Texas. Texas A&M University.

5. Euler, L. 1744. Method Inveniendi Lineas Curvas. Opera Omni, St. Petersburg, Russia.

6. Allen, D. H., and Haisler, W. E. 1985. Introduction to Aerospace Structural Analysis. Wiley. New York.

7. Reddy, J. N. 1993. An Introduction to the Finite Element Method.

McGraw-Hill. New York.

8. Allen, D. H., and Fry, G. 2016a. “Analysis of a Rail Subjected to Mechanical and Thermal Loading.” CRR Report. No. 2016-01. College Station, Texas. Texas A&M University.

9. Allen, D.H., Fry, G., and Davis, D. 2016. “Development of a Model for Describing Nonlinear Lateral Resistance of Track Ballast,” Technology Digest TD-16-029. Association of American Railroads, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colo.

10. Railroad Accident Statistics 2015. Federal Railroad Administration, downloaded at: http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/officeofsafety/ publicsite/Query/TrainAccidentsFYCYWithRates.aspx.

11. Read, D., Thompson, R., Clark, D., and Gehringer, E. 2011.

“Results of Union Pacific concrete tie track panel shift tests.” Technology Digest TD-11-004. Association of American Railroads, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colo.

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CTE’s truck-mounted material handler.

HEAVY LIFTING

Materials handling

MOVING MATERIALS ISN’T EASY. IT’S A HEAVY, DIRTY AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUS JOB. THAT’S WHERE THESE COMPANIES COME IN.

W

ith safety and convenience in mind, suppliers design, test and produce the machines the industry needs. These machines are fast, efficient and cost-effective. Whether the job needs to be done in a small amount of time or a small curve of track, these manufacturers have solved many of the issues the industry faces today.

Custom Truck & Equipment

Custom Truck & Equipment (CTE) introduced a new truck mounted material handler. The handler features a pilot operated, on demand, load sensing hydraulic system.

“It is very easy to operate,” said Tim Minor, CTE railroad sales operations manager. “It’s smooth, has a highlift capacity and runs cooler than a traditional open centered hydraulic system.

As a part of ongoing improvements to already existing technology, CTE added joystick-operated, proportional hydraulic dump body controls and an abrasion-resistant elliptical steel body to its rotary dump truck line. CTE notes the new steel body is ideal for handling abrasive, high-impact materials. The proportional controls give the

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by Maggie Lancaster, assistant editor

operator more precise control over bed operation.

Georgetown Rail Equipment Co.

At the forefront of Georgetown Rail Equipment Co.’s (GREX) recent initiatives is the DumpTrain for Curves™. This product takes the DumpTrain® design and modifies it to allow for the unloading of material in curves. After nearly a year of concept development and prototype testing in the field, the first units have been delivered to customers and more are currently in production.

“The last year was important for GREX thanks to advancements on several product development projects,” said Nate Bachman, vice president of marketing and sales.

“The combination of the DumpTrain for Curves’ new functionality and GREX experience make it a welcome addition to the GREX product portfolio.”

Recent product development also led to advancements in tie handling. The functionality of Aurora® and the data it produces created new efficiencies in the tie distribution process. With Aurora automated tie inspection, each tie is given its own distinct grade and location. Accumulated tie data informs customers precisely where ties will need to be

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materials handling replaced. With this information, GREX can utilize its tie setout software coupled with a SPS® (self-powered slot) to set out the right number of ties right where crews need them. The operator can adjust the distribution patterns or reverse the set out to match the direction in which the tie gang is working. Additionally, the geolocation of the tie information eliminates the need for flags to be placed along the right-of-way.

“By placing ties closer to where they are needed,

the time the gang needs to handle each tie will drop dramatically,” Bachman said. “It all adds up to a distribution option that is far more efficient in terms of time, personnel and gang productivity.”

Herzog Railroad Services, Inc.

“The Rail Unloading Machine (RUM) and Automated Tiedown Car (ATC) have revolutionized the process for unloading rail,” said Tim Francis, vice president of marketing at Herzog Railroad Services, Inc., (HRSI). “The driving Loram says the Raptor Rail Handling System is its answer to antiquated motivation behind all Herindustry technology. zog product offerings continues to be setting and increasing industry standards in safety and efficiency.”

While both machines are capable of operating i n d e p e n d e n t l y, t h e i r individual benefits are maximized when the RUM and ATC are used together. The RUM can unload most conventional welded rail trains with a minor modification to

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Railway Track & Structures

April 2017 15

the tunnel car (if necessary). Equipped with two Herzog operators, the RUM is safely operated from the comfort of a climate-controlled cab and can be set up in under 20 minutes. The RUM can unload up to 16 rails per hour in out-of-face scenarios when coupled with the rail train. In out-of-face environments, the RUM can place rails end to end, eliminating the need to place joint bars on the rails and tie up personnel behind the train removing plates.

“When used in conjunction with the innovative ATC, the optimal benefits of the rail unloading process are realized,” Francis said.

Tie-down clamps can be opened or closed in a matter HRSI’s Rail Unloading Machine and Automated Tie-down Car can work seperately but benefit from being used together.

of seconds by remote control from the safety of the RUM operator’s cab. The need for a compressor, air hoses or impact wrench on the tie-down car is eliminated, leaving railroad personnel free to perform other maintenance-of-way tasks. During transit, the ATC clamps provide more than double the clamping security compared to conventional tiedown mechanisms.

“The RUM and ATC are the tip of the spear when it comes to unloading continuous welded rail (cwr),” Francis said. “The gains in safety and efficiency are unmatched in the industry.”

Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc., offers a solution to the “antiquated technology” it believes makes rail pick up one of the most dangerous jobs on the railroad. Loram’s Raptor Rail Handling System consists of rail pick up and delivery for new and second hand rail. The Loram Raptor Rail Handling System is designed as a family of machines that can provide service in four logistics components: transport of rail from steel mill or ship to welding plant, delivery of cwr from plant to trackside, pick-up of relay rail for reuse or welding and pickup and disposition of scrap rail.

“While the Raptor’s initial focus is on rail pick up, the machine can also deliver rail efficiently,” said Scott Diercks, Loram’s director of marketing and business development. “It 16 Railway Track & Structures

April 2017

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materials handling GREX DumpTrain for Curves.™

was designed to anticipate expected increases in rail size, overall length and top load abilities.”

Diercks also said that the Raptor’s strengths lie in its lower manpower requirements and improvements in safety versus existing units. The company explains that the Raptor retains control of the rail while loading and unloading and provides a stable ergonomic work platform. Rail can be locked into place mechanically

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April 2017

in cases when the operator needs to come in physical contact with it.

Loram says future enhancements will include an automated rail joining station that can further improve safety, reduce manpower needs and increase productivity even further.

“We have shown it will deliver productivity improvement of 50 percent or more in everyday service,” Diercks said. “The increase in productivity allows our customers

to reduce their fleet size and capital requirements. Additional selling points include improved rail quality, or ‘relay ready’ rail, by eliminating torch cutting of ends and bolt-holes, and a flexible, durable cwr train design.”

Mitchell Rail Gear

Mitchell Rail Gear has added new springloaded guide wheels to Caterpillar rubbertired excavators. The guide wheel system clamps to the machine and is powered

www.rtands.com

materials handling by the machine’s hydraulic system. The system fits older Cat M-318D excavators and the new Cat M317F. “The Cat M317F Carer pillar rubber-tired excavator has some unique features that make it ideal for railroad work,” said Estel Lovitt, Jr. “The excavator’s off set boom allows it to handle materials alongside the track without fouling the adjacent track while working on rail.”

In addition to the guide wheel system, Mitchell offers a framemounted, quick coupler system for attaching a ballast regulator, out and down outriggers or ballast plow. The company also offers a boom featuring a robotic tie handling head and tamper.

“Railroads and railroad contractors that have ordered such Cat rubber tired configurations have replaced several machines,” said Lovitt. “That reduced their overall equipment cost and provided great savings to their track maintenance operations.”

The Cat M317F can be equipped with Mitchell Railcar Mover package that will allow the machine to move railcars on rail like a locomotive.

is engineered to enhance the ease of use for its operators; it’s design to provide maximum power for material handling and transport.

“NMC Railway Systems is continuing to expand our field service capabilities,” said Anderson. “Our customer base and equipment are always on the move, so it’s important for us to be able to minimize equipment downtime.”

Railquip, Inc.

Railquip, Inc., said its battery-powered line of railcar movers is setting a new trend in bulk material handling.

Railquip’s Battery Powered Railcar Movers B-MAXI L and XL can be equipped with a variety of equipment.

Loading cranes, scissor lift buckets and platforms can be added. Paul Wojcik, director of sales, said these car movers can be transformed into multi-purpose vehicles for trackside maintenance or overhead work. It does not have to be on the rails for these alternate uses.

Typically operated by a remote-control

device, the operators can be at a safe distance, away from couplings, brake lines and moving vehicles.

“The Railcar Movers B-MAXI L and XL are compact, powerful machines that are non-polluting, quiet, easy to operate and safe. They are becoming very popular in this market sector,” said Paul Wojcik, director of sales. “Operators are using this equipment for staging the loading and unloading of tankers and hoppers, petrochemicals, chemicals, minerals, feed stocks and other bulk raw materials.”

With the current increases seen in bulk transportation by rail, Wojcik said the industr y is growing and operational efficiencies are gaining increasing importance. Because of their extreme versatility, being able to tur n on their own axis and only requiring a small stretch of embedded track for on and off tracking, Wojcik believes Railquip’s railcar movers are ideal for operations where track is tight and space is a premium.

NMC Railway Systems

For rail material handling projects, NMC Railway Systems says its most versatile machine for tie handling is the updated CTC08E Tie Crane.

“The CTC08E Tie Crane is designed specifically for railroad tie placing and material handling projects, offering a modern approach to railroad tie handling,” said NMC Railway Systems Sales Manager Mark Anderson. He also points out the tie crane’s compact design allows it to have increased lift capacity. Its precise tool control allows the CTC08E Tie Crane to deliver enhanced tie handling agility. As a Tier 4 final unit, it boasts a fuel burn average of less than two gallons per hour.

NMC Railway Systems says it acknowledges the need for compact material handling equipment that still has the capabilities to move up and down the track lines. The company says the CTC08E Tie Crane has the capacity to handle multiple concrete and wood ties; the machine’s track drive solution allows for greater visibility and enhanced tie placement and accuracy. NMC says the tie crane www.rtands.com

Railway Track & Structures

April 2017 19

Railway age confeRence & expo

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oPENING SESSIoN: THE cLASS I LANDScAPE, Now AND IN THE FuTuRE

REGIoNAL AND SHoRT LINE ISSuES

keith creel

Pete claussen

THE REGuLAToRy AND LEGISLATIvE ENvIRoNmENT— RAILRoAD PERSPEcTIvE

REGIoNAL AND SHoRT LINE ISSuES

Ed Hamberger

President R. J. Corman Railroad Company

THE REGuLAToRy ENvIRoNmENT— RAILwAy SuPPLIER PERSPEcTIvE

REGIoNAL AND SHoRT LINE ISSuES

Founder & Chairman Gulf & Ohio Railways / Knoxville Locomotive Works

President & CEO Canadian Pacific

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Peter A. Gilbertson

Tom Simpson

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President Railway Supply Institute

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MaineDOT is leading a TIGERfunded project to upgrade and enhance the state’s shortline and regional network to promote the region’s economic competitiveness.

by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor Map and photos courtesy of the Maine Department of Transportation

Maine Preps for a shortline

evolution

M

aine is one of three U.S. states without a Class 1 carrier operating within its borders. However, it’s coastal location and shared border with Canada makes a resilient and reliable rail network critical if the state is to play a significant role in the international supply chain.

Heavy construction is expected to begin shortly on the Maine Regional Railways Project led by the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) in partnership with three of the state’s shortline railroads including the Maine Northern Railway (MNR), Central Maine and Quebec Railway (CMQ) and Eastern Maine Railway (EMR). The $37.3-million project is being called a transformative effort that will create a state rail system with the velocity and resiliency “not seen in the region since decades before the Staggers Act.” The project was awarded a $20-million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant in 2015 (TIGER VII), with the shortline 22 Railway Track & Structures

April 2017

partners and MaineDOT making up the balance in project funding.

“The goals of this project were to put the rail infrastructure in a state of good repair, increase rail velocity and capacity within the state and region and to assist the railroads and Maine businesses to be more competitive,” said Nathan Moulton, director, Office of Freight and Business Services at MaineDOT. While CMQ spent $10 million on its network infrastructure in 2014, Moulton explains that much of the track that will undergo work has been through railroad bankruptcies or abandonments with previous owners and has not seen major capital upgrades in decades.

The current effort builds off of a previous project, the Aroostook County Railroad Preservation and Rehabilitation, and extends the investment to the rail infrastructure on the north and eastern side of Maine.

“Through upgrades including new rail, ties and surfacing, upgraded road

crossings, as well as the construction of additional yard tracks and more efficient configurations, it combines the customers and traffic flows across three railroads resulting in timetable speeds of no lower than 25 mph throughout the 400-mile corridor and the elimination of numerous bottlenecks that have long plagued traffic in this region,” MaineDOT said in its TIGER application.

The issue of economic competitiveness cannot be overlooked with this project. The state’s rail customers have traditionally been the pulp and paper industry, but only 50 percent of mills once in business pre-Staggers remain so today. MaineDOT explains that the region is one of the largest sources of wood fiber east of the Mississippi River. Coupled with the growth in the new “green” economy, such as large wind blades being shipped from Europe and requiring transport throughout the country, made the investment in the state’s rail infrastructure all the more critical. www.rtands.com

maine regional railways project OPPOSITE PAGE: A map of what kind of work and where it will occur.

This page: A section track showing existing conditions.

The project will install 179,000 crossties and replace 46 turnouts and 56 linear miles of rail.

MaineDOT also notes that current and potential rail customers along the rail line made it clear that the lack of reliable service hinders their ability to ship efficiently. Under current conditions, shipments being sent by rail that are destined for the mid-Atlantic region are directed north over the Canadian border to a Class 1 carrier, before moving west and reentering the U.S. “By removing the bottlenecks in the corridors, transit time improvements will be realized in terms of days and shipment cycle times will shrink accordingly. The improvements will also harden the infrastructure as new turnouts and signal systems will be better able to endure the increasingly harsh

www.rtands.com

Maine winters. This will satisfy the shippers demand for year-round reliability, create confidence in the railroad’s ability to meet those demands and result in

more traffic on the railroads. And with increased traffic volumes comes increased re-investment into the railroads and increased competitive pricing for

Railway Track & Structures

April 2017 23

maine regional railways project shippers. The project and investment of this kind creates a transformative reversal of the previously mentioned vicious cycle,” said MaineDOT.

Planned work

While the state’s rail corridors are owned by various entities, MaineDOT approached this project to enhance the state’s rail network as a single system in

24 Railway Track & Structures

April 2017

order to achieve optimized track speeds, service reliability and efficient movement of goods.

“The rail lines work as a system and without all of the improvements completed, significant bottlenecks will remain,” MaineDOT wrote in its TIGER VII application.

The grant agreement with the Federal Railroad Administration was com-

pleted in the fall of 2016 and Moulton anticipates materials will be bid and ordered and construction will begin in spring 2017. He says a mixture of shortline railroad work crews and contractors will upgrade and replace 179,000 crossties and 140,000 tons of ballast, as well as install 56 linear miles of rail and 46 turnouts.

The project work has been divided into three main categories: Mainline, connection and yard. Mainline work will bring infrastructure up to a state of good repair and increase allowable travel speeds; work in the connection category will help improve the efficient interchange of traffic and yard work will further improve efficient interchange of traffic, as well as support improved movement of goods to and from the Port of Searsport.

One of the mainline sections to undergo work will be the 78-mile CMQ Millinocket to Searsport line, which will see more than 34,000 crossties installed, 10,000 linear feet of rail replaced in worn curves and new ballast and surfacing along the entire section.

MaineDOT says much of the line can only be traveled at 10 mph, but with work completed, track speeds will be raised to 25 mph.

A second section of mainline to see work will be on the EMR from Vanceboro to Brownville Junction. The route is a key connection between Maine railroads and New Brunswick, Canada.

The line will see more than $7 million in work in the form of new crossties, resurfacing along the entire 43-mile segment, upgrading 90-lb. rail to 100 lb. and 115 lb. and safety enhancements at two grade crossings on the line.

In the connections category, new and improved tracks will help remedy capacity issues where MNR interchanges with Canadian National at Van Buren and new turnouts will enhance reliability at CMQ’s Northern Maine Junction. Significant work will focus on Brownville Junction; a connection point that MaineDOT calls the “epicenter of traffic coming into central Maine” where it either comes/goes north onto the MNR, east to the EMR and into New Brunswick, Canada or south to the CMQ for furtherance to Searsport.

Old turnouts and crossties and the condition of ballast and surfacing have left the yard in challenging shape, according www.rtands.com

to MaineDOT. The project will replace 16 turnouts, install 2,400 new crossties and surface eight track miles enabling the railroads to switch more efficiently and reliably.

The Maine Regional Railways Project will also undertake improvements at a trio of yard locations that include the Port of Searsport, Madawaska Yard and Oakfield to help alleviate bottlenecks.

MaineDOT explains that the second largest port in the state, the Port of Searsport, has only one rail connection and a yard that is old and in need of upgrading. The port has seen an influx of wind turbine blades arriving from Europe, but the present state of the yard makes it challenging to efficiently handle those blades and other imports and exports.

The project will allow for a significant rehabilitation and capacity expansion to the yard improving conditions to allow for far greater reliability with the installation of eight new turnouts, critical for handling the long cars that the blades require, as well as 18,000 linear feet of new rail. MaineDOT says the reliability of switching operations will greatly increase allowing more goods to flow through the port and the investment will build upon significant Maine state investment during the past 15 years in a new pier, equipment and warehousing.

The Madawaska Yard is the primary support yard for rail traffic moving in and out of the region’s largest customer and employer, Twin Rivers Paper. The mill is close to the Canadian border and had not shipped significant traffic direct by rail in the decade prior to 2014, due to the lack of reliability for the long haul and the switching at the mill according to MaineDOT. The project will install 9,700 linear feet of 115 lb. rail replacing worn rail all less than 100 lb. The yard will have new ballast and surfacing over two and a half miles of track and 2,800 new crossties and 400 new switch ties installed. MaineDOT says when work is completed, switching operations will be smoothed, more reliable and completed in less time.

Oakfield is the main classification yard for one end of the MNR rail corridor in the central part of the state.

MaineDOT explains the yard requires significant rehabilitation to allow it to efficiently build blocks of traffic for delivery to Brownville Junction and furtherance into the rail network, to industries www.rtands.com

as well as to deliver the new shipments of wind blades that flow through the yard. Rail carload volumes on the line have more than tripled since MNR began operations in 2011 and the stateowned lines were rehabilitated with a TIGER II grant. Three miles of surfacing work will be performed, 6,500 linear feet of 115 lb. rail will be installed, along with 5,000 new crossties and 400 new switch ties. MaineDOT says the result will be more cars making faster connections and greater reliability resulting in greater velocity through the corridor.

Moulton says the project’s current schedule has all work completed in 2019 and the flow of the work will be based on the availability of contractors and materials, as well as what will make for the most efficient use of resources and funding.

Unique partnership

Moulton explains that not only is the scale of the project significant, but the partnership forged between the state and shortline railroads is a notable achievement that will play into the projects overall level of success.

“The scale is a challenge as the project is over a large area in mostly rural Maine. Along with this, the multiple railroad partners make for multiple material specs and preferences,” said Mouton.

“The partnership with multiple railroads makes [this project] interesting and also challenging as each has different strengths and weaknesses. In the end, these are small railroads, so they are careful in how they spend their money.

Almost all the funding is being put into construction, so we are working hard to keep the engineering and administration cost at a minimum.”

He continued, “I think MaineDOT’s ability to work closely with multiple railroad partners over such a large area, to succeed in such a large project is somewhat unique or innovative. We are working closely with the railroad partners to maximize the funding and make sure we get the best value for the money that we can. We are also leveraging significant railroad match making. This a project where all parties have significant skin in the game. This can make for more work on the administrative end of the project, but will pay dividends in overall project quality and efficiency.”

Railway Track & Structures

April 2017 25

New hand-held switch point gauges

can identify potential

Wheel climb risk

Hand-held inspection tools undergo field evaluation and validation in order to provide the industry with a set of practical gauges to evaluate the condition of switch points.

by Dr. Allan M. Zarembski, PE, FASME, Hon. Mbr. AREMA, research professor and director of Railroad Engineering Program University of Delaware and Brad Kerchof, director Research & Tests, Norfolk Southern Railway

FIGURE 1: G1 and G2 are mounted on one bar, and G3 and G4 on a second bar.

I

nspection of railroad right-of-way has been an area of impressive technological development and implementation, including significant advances in automated inspection technologies.

The area of turnout inspection has not kept up with these advances, however, in spite of the fact that turnouts represent the third largest area of track caused derailments, with a significant percentage of these involving switch points.

Under a recent research project sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences Ideas Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) Program1, and first reported in RT&S in July 2014, a committee with members from the industry and the University of Delaware developed a first generation set of handheld inspection tools that can be used to identify high-risk switch points. The gauges were designed to be practical and easily deployed by track inspectors 26 Railway Track & Structures

April 2017

to determine whether switch point condition had degraded to the point that there was risk of a wheel-climb derailment. A follow-up IDEA project2 took these initial gauges and conducted a comprehensive field evaluation and validation. As part of this activity, selected track inspectors on several railroads used these gauges for a trial period to assess their practicality, as well as their value in identifying marginal or potentially dangerous switch points. The gauge designs were reviewed in light of these field trials, modified accordingly and then reevaluated during a second field trial. Six railroads and one consultant participated in one or both of the field trials.

The four gauges were: G1 - Chipped point gauge.

G2 - AAR 1B wheel contact gauge.

G3 - Severely worn wheel profile gauge.

G4 - Gage-face wear angle gauge.

Each of these gauges addressed a particular risk condition that might lead to wheel climb at the switch point. The gauges were mounted on aluminum bars, two gauges per bar.

The bars span both rails, similar to a gauge rod, in order to reference the adjacent rail and provide an accurate measurement (Figure 1).

The four gauges were designed as follows: Chipped point gauge (G1): This gauge addresses potential for wheel climb at chipped or damaged switch points. The key dimensions include a paddle height initially set at 0.70 inches but later modified to 0.75 inches and a gauge-face angle of 70 degrees. The gauge indicates that the switch point “fails� if its bottom edge is vertically above the top of a broken or worn point, as shown in Figure 2. www.rtands.com

Hand-held switch point gauges

AAR 1B wheel contact gauge (G2): This gauge monitors inappropriate wheel/rail contact at the switch point, specifically, to ensure there is no contact made between the bottom of the wheel flange and the switch rail, where there may be a potential for the wheel climbing the switch point. This gauge uses the AAR 1B wheel profile with a 60-degree contact mark. Contact below the 60-degree mark is considered to be potentially unsafe, as shown in Figure 3.

Severely worn wheel profile gauge (G3): This gauge gives an indication of the potential for wheel climb by severely worn (but non-condemnable) wheel profiles. It is used to identify gapping points, broken points and top-worn stock rails that, when combined with a severely worn wheel flange, can result in a wheel climb derailment. The gauge has a slider piece that indicates the risk of wheel climb: If the slider slides down the gauge face of the switch point, the www.rtands.com

point rates a “pass” (Figure 4). On the other hand, if the slider catches the stop of the point, the point “fails.” The gauge is designed with a 70-degree gauge face angle, which appears to be an effective representation of a severely worn wheel.

Gage face wear angle gauge (G4): This gauge checks the gage face angle of the switch point. A high gauge-face angle combined with a high L/V condition increases the risk of derailment.

The gage was originally designed with a 32-degree gauge face angle (58 degrees if the complementary angle is used), but was subsequently changes to 30 degrees. Thus, if the switch point’s gauge-face angle is less than 30 degrees, the switch condition is safe.

Figure 5 shows “pass” and “at limit” conditions using this gauge.

Field evaluation of gauges

As part of the initial implementation, six sets of gauges were fabricated and

FIGURE 2, TOP LEFT: Application of Chipped Pont Gauge (G1).

FIGURE 3, TOP RIGHT: Application of AA1B wheel contact gauge (G2).

FIGURE 4, BOTTOM LEFT: Severely worn wheel profile gauge (G3).

FIGURE 5, BOTTOM RIGHT: Gage face wear angle gauge (G4).

distributed to five participating railroads/ consultants3. The initial field evaluation was conducted during the period October 2015 through February 2016, when a total of 285 switch points of different design configurations and conditions were inspected in more than 20 yards.

Of the 285 inspections, 13 were discarded due to the unclear or missing data, resulting in a working total of 272 switch point inspections. The inspecRailway Track & Structures

April 2017 27

Hand-held switch point gauges Case/Railroad

Number of inspections

% Agreement

% Disagreement

1. All inspections

272

58%

42%

1. RR 1 only

135

49%

51%

2. All others

137

66%

34%

4A: RR2

41

44%

56%

4B: RR3

45

84%

16%

4C: RR4

16

50%

50%

4D: RR5

35

77%

23%

tion data was then analyzed by comparing the assessment of the switch point condition with the results indicated by the measurement gauges. This preliminary analysis had to be used with caution since it was not clear if the different inspectors were familiar with all of the failure mechanisms addressed by the four gauges or if they were sufficiently experienced to be able to properly evaluate switch points. It should be noted that for several of the railroads, multiple inspectors were used. These analysis results are summarized in Table 1.

As can be seen in this table, there was a wide range of agreement with the gauges, ranging from under 50 percent to almost 85 percent.

This suggested several issues: • There is a range of inspection standards among railroads. For example, RR3 is a passenger line and inspectors may be less tolerant of a marginal switch point condition.

• There is a range of experience among inspectors. For example, RR5 is a very experienced inspector with extensive derailment investigation experience. He may be more sensitive to identifying switch points that have a greater derailment risk.

• Analysis of the data suggests that FIGURE 6, LEFT: Decision Tree diagram for the full data set case.

Table 2, RIGHT: Summary of Decision Tree analyses.

some railroad inspectors may be familiar with some switch point derailment mechanisms, but may not be familiar with other mechanisms for which specific gauges are intended, such as wheel climb (G2 or G3) and worn gauge face wear (G4). This is an area that requires more detailed investigation at the individual gauge level.

As part of the validation activity, the study team asked for the participant railroads’ feedback regarding the gauges’ usability. The responses were very positive: • “The gauges provided useful information on switch point condition by reinforcing the track inspector’s judgment on when maintenance or replacement is necessary.”

• “Internally, we like the gauges as developed. The local track supervisors like them. We aren’t using them yet to condemn switches, but we probably should be giving them a hard look.”

A second analysis used a more formal approach to test the relationship between the gauges and the assessment of the inspectors. The study team chose the decision tree analysis based on WEKA, a collection of machine learning algorithms for data mining tasks4.

Figure 6 illustrates a Decision Tree analysis result. Table 2 summarizes the results of the Decision Tree analyses.

As can be seen in Table 2, each of the four gauges is “most sufficient” in at least one case. This suggests that the “best” gauge varies with condition, type of problem, railroad standards and/or

TABLE 1: Summary of comparison between inspectors and gauges for the first set of field evaluations.

inspector experience. It also indicates that at this stage, all four gauges are needed in order to properly inspect a switch point.

Based on the results of this initial field evaluation, the gauges were modified (as noted previously) and a second field evaluation performed during the period September through October 2016. Six railroads and one consultant participated, representing four of the original five (RR2, RR3, RR4 and RR5) plus two new railroads (RR6 and RR7). A total of 74 switch points of different design configurations and conditions were inspected using the four modified gauges.

This second set of measurements were analyzed by comparing the inspector’s assessment of switch point condition with the results indicated by the gauges. However, in this set of results, the field inspector results were reviewed by a member of the review team to ensure that the inspection gauges were properly applied and the switch point condition assessment was consistent.

Table 3 summarizes the results of the comparisons presented in this section.

As can be seen in Table 3, generally, there was good agreement with the gauges, ranging from 74 percent to 100 percent5 and an overall agreement of 82 percent. Of the four gauges, G3 recorder the most “fails”, representing 44 percent of all the recorded gauge failures, followed by G2 and G1, respectively.

In addition to the correlation analysis, a probabilistic simulation analysis was performed, where the agreement percentages for the individual gauges and for all gauges combined were used with an analysis logic based on a Monte Carlo simulation. The results are presented in Table 4.

It can be seen that each of the gauges had “agreement” of no less than 82 percent, with other gauges (e.g. G2) having agreement as high as 92 percent.

Furthermore, the overall agreement of

Gauge 3 P’

⌡|

⌡|

F’ ‘Marginal (47.0/23.0)’

Gauge 4 ⌡|

F’

⌡|

P’

Gauge 1

‘Good (212.0/98.0)’

⌡|

P’

⌡|

F’

‘Marginal (6.0/1.0)’

28 Railway Track & Structures

‘Good (2.0/1.0)’

April 2017

www.rtands.com

Hand-held switch point gauges TABLE 3, TOP: Summary of comparison between inspectors and gauges for second set of field evaluations.

Case/Railroad

Number of inspections

% Agreement

% Disagreement

1. All inspections

74

82%

18%

RR2

19

74%

26%

RR3

19

95%

5%

RR4

10

100%

0%

RR5

15

93%

7%

RR6

7

43%

57%

RR7

4

75%

25%

Table 4, bottom: Probabilistic analysis summary.

82 percent is consistent with the correlation results presented in Table 3 and supports the validity of the gauges in evaluating switch point condition.

Comments were again solicited from the railroad users, particularly those who were new to this round of inspections: RR 6: “… the use of these gauges has the potential to help reduce switch point derailments, and also help maintenance forces prioritize switch point replacement. The gauges provide a consistent means of evaluating switch points and reduce the subjective opinion as to what constitutes a switch point in need of replacement. ” RR 4: “With the everyday methods of inspecting a turnout combined with the concepts of the Switch Point Inspection Gauge (SWIG) a more detailed inspection is performed. The SWIG was a great tool for me in learning what to look for when inspecting a point. It increased my awareness on how the wheel actually interacted with the point. … This gauge caused to me to ask the proper questions during inspections and helped my judgment with determining if a switch point is in correspondence.”

RR7: “We have used the gages on a variety of switches, … We are impressed that the gauges seem ‘about right’ as compared to our visual ratings.”

Comments from both first and second field evaluations indicate that the railroad inspectors and supervisory personnel view these gauges as useful and valuable in helping evaluate switch point condition.

Conclusions

The goal of this project was to provide railroads and transit systems with a set of practical gauges that track inspectors can use to evaluate the condition of switch points. Field validation of these gauges was performed in two steps: an initial evaluation, after which modifications were made to the gauges and the instructions, and a final field evaluation.

During the two field evaluations, approximately 350 switches were inspected by six railroads and one consultant. The www.rtands.com

Gauge

1

2

3

4

ALL

Max

86%

91.8%

83.2%

85.1%

83.2%

Min

83.9%

90.1%

80.8%

82.9%

80.8%

85%

91%

82%

84%

82%

Chance of Success (Agreement)

evaluations included direct correlation between the inspectors’ assessments and the indication of the gauges, statistical analyses and Decision Tree analyses, all looking at the effectiveness of the gauges in identifying switch points which are in a condition that can contribute to or result in a derailment. The gauges themselves were designed as simple “go/no go” gauges to indicate whether a switch point “passes” or “fails.” Each gauge addresses a different failure mechanism and potential derailment condition.

The results of the two field evaluations showed extremely good agreement, with overall ratings in the range of 80 percent, in line with the statistical analyses. In several cases, agreement was more than 90 percent (and in one case 100 percent).

For the few cases where the railroad inspectors had moderate agreement with the gauges (of the order of 50 percent), the direct feedback indicated that these railroads still viewed the gauges as being “beneficial” in identifying poor switch points and reducing derailments. Experienced inspectors reported particularly good agreement, while other inspectors may not have been familiar with certain derailments categories for which specific gauges are intended.

Feedback from the railroads and inspectors was very favorable, noting that the gauges addressed several conditions which are often overlooked, such as excessive gauge face wear (G4), and made for a more detailed inspection of the switch point. Feedback from inspectors and the project’s expert review panel indicated that the gauges will help train

inexperienced inspectors and refine their judgment in this area.

Based on the results of this program, the committee has recommended that these gauges be made available to the railroad industry, as well as to such railroad standards organizations as AREMA for industry implementation. The review panel has already received a request from AREMA Committee 5 - Track to review the gauges; and information on the gauges will be forwarded to the relevant AREMA committees for review and potential incorporation into AREMA’s Manual for Railway Engineering.

Footnotes

1. National Academy of Sciences, Ideas Deserving Exploratory Analysis, Transportation Safety Technology Project SAFETY-23 Reducing Wheel Climb at Switch Points to Reduce Derailments.

2. National Academy of Sciences, Ideas Deserving Exploratory Analysis, Transportation Safety Technology Project SAFETY-28 Field Validation of Inspection Gauges for Wheel Climb Safety at Switch Points.

3. Four major U.S. railroads and one well-known railroad consultant participated in this phase.

4. The specific analysis approach used made use of WEKA Data Mining Software and specifically the J48 Algorithm. Refer to Hall et. al (2009), The WEKA Data Mining Software: An Update; SIGKDD Explorations, Volume 11, Issue 1 (2009).

5. Not including RR6, which appears as an outlier.

Railway Track & Structures

April 2017 29

AREMA NEWS Professional Development Upcoming Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering

Message from the President

History gives light to modern projects

Seminar April 26-28, 2017 Oakland, Calif.

Bridge Inspection & Streambed Scour

Seminar June 12-15, 2017 Quebec, QC, Canada Design & Construction of Highway/Railway Grade Crossings

David A. Becker, PE AREMA President 2016–2017

Webinar April 26, 2017 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. EST Public Private Partnerships (P3) in Rail Transportation, Funding for the Future

Webinar June 21, 2017 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. EST AREMA is focused on your education within the railway industry. To help your advancement, AREMA offers seminar and webinar programs that will extend our ability to serve the educational needs of our railway engineering community with PDH accredited courses.

For more information on upcoming seminars and webinars, please visit www.arema.org.

30 Railway Track & Structures

April 2017

It is often said that change is inevitable. This appears to ring true once again for our industry with news of major leadership changes at an eastern Class 1 carrier. While the potential long-term impacts of these particular changes are debated in the industry press and around office coffee pots, the reality is that change has historically been a key thread in the fabric of our industry.

Change takes many forms and can be both positive and negative.

History catalogues cyclical periods of growth and decline, expansion and retrenchment and outright boom and bust. I think it is important to consider that many of the current generation of railway engineering professionals have worked in the industry only during a period, that despite including the Great Recession, can be described as stable for the industry. Understandably, they may be somewhat taken aback by the changes that are now in play. I think it is important for those of us who have experienced past business cycle downturns or structural upheavals to help put recent events in proper context. A good way to do this is to encourage learning more about the history of our industry.

I have always been interested in reading about industrial history, and industrial history is all about change. This personal interest makes the changes I’ve observed during my 30 year career in the railway industry much more understandable. I firmly believe that if you are able to develop an intellectual appreciation for the history of the industry you will be better for it.

Fortunately, the ability to gain a basic amount of historical insight into the rail industry does not require a lot of effort. During the daily practice of railway engineering, whether it’s occurring in the field or in an office environment, the ability to make direct contact with history is fairly frequent. Taking the next step and digging a little deeper becomes easier all the time. The advent of publicly accessible digital libraries offers the modern railway engineer a great resource to gain an understanding of why things are the way they are. Searchable digital content is now common and it is relatively easy to find articles or, more importantly, images that may be relevant to a current work assignment. Corporate records may be long lost to time, but these third-party resources can offer important insights. What did that retaining wall support? Why does that track include an odd jog? What was the original purpose of that foundation?

Recently, I have had several interesting encounters with history.

The first occurred while searching for information on a project site I am involved with in Cleveland, Ohio. I stumbled upon an amazing digital photo archive derived from the Interstate Commerce Commission’s (ICC) efforts in the late 1910s to assign a value to the assets of the railway companies. These photos supplemented the field surveys that created the property record “Val” maps that many railway surveyors and property managers continue to rely on to this day. The

www.rtands.com

Upcoming Committee Meetings April 23-24

Committee 34 - Scales

Mobile, AL

May 16-17

Committee 15 - Steel Structures

Buffalo, NY

April 25-26

Committee 4 - Rail

Manchester, NJ

May 16-18

Committee 5 - Track

Pueblo, CO

May 10-11

Committee 18 - Light Density & Short Line Railways Cedar Rapids, IA

May 18-19

Committee 8 - Concrete Structures & Foundations

Buffalo, NY

June 7-8

Committee 9 - Seismic Design for Railway Structures

Denver, CO

May 16-17 Committee 2 - Track Measurement and Assessment Systems Oakland, CA

If you’d like to learn more about the AREMA Technical Committees and would like to get involved, please contact Alayne Bell at abell@ arema.org. For a complete list of all committee meetings, including those being held in conjunction with the AREMA 2017 Annual Conference, please visit https://www.arema.org/events.aspx.

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

photo I found filled an important knowledge gap, but, more importantly, gave me insight into all the human activity that had once existed on both sides of a track that is now surrounded by nothing - talk about change.

A similar information search by a colleague working on a proposed Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) project in Illinois led him to a series of articles from the Railway Age Gazette, documenting the construction of several major multi-line, multi-level, railway and roadway grade separation projects undertaken in the 1910s. I’ve marveled at these locations for years – now I know how they were created. It is difficult to comprehend the scope of these projects. It is more difficult to grasp the optimism in the future that these physical changes monument. Constructed during an economic upswing, they survived multiple cycles of change and are in daily operation after more than 100 years.

A more modern example of historical context was found in a pair of pictures I received a few weeks ago. These images were taken 40 years apart (1977 and 2017) at the same location and from the same perspective on the present Norfolk Southern Chicago on the east side of Chicago. The photos make a stark statement on the ability for positive changes to occur following dark times. From an engineering perspective, the 1977 scene would be unimaginable to many of today’s railroad professionals: dangerously low rail joints, bad ties, mud, weeds and signal fixtures badly in need of paint. For those working at the time, they might have thought things were looking up as the freshly painted Amtrak train in the photo hinted at a potential positive change in course. The 2017 image is modern railroading at its best. Historical perspective is critical to understanding the magnitude of current situations and can help put the industry’s ability to rebound in positive ways into context.

Take time to share your insights on the industry’s history and encourage your colleagues to be curious about the past as they work. Understanding what was can help make sense of what is and more importantly can open eyes to what can be.

Call for Mentors

AREMA has developed a mentoring program to benefit the AREMA student members. As a mentor, you will be paired with a mentee that is an AREMA student member. The pairing will try to match student members with someone with experience in the areas of the railroad industry they are interested in. Please visit the AREMA website under Education & Training to become a mentor today.

AREMA on Social Media

Stay up-to-date on the most recent AREMA information through all official social media outlets. Become a fan of the AREMA Facebook Page, join the AREMA LinkedIn Group and now tweet, retweet and hashtag @AREMArail on Twitter!

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FYI…

Registration is open for the AREMA 2017 Annual Conference in conjunction with Railway Interchange, September 17-20, 2017 in Indianapolis, IN. Visit www.arema. org to register today. For more information on Railway Interchange, visit www. railwayinterchange.org.

Be sure you’re in the hands of all AREMA 2017 Conference Attendees by advertising i n t h e 2 017 A R E M A C o n f e r e n c e Proceedings. Visit www.arema.org for more information on advertising rates.

Get Noticed! Do you want to generate leads, promote a product and reach a target audience? Sponsor the AREMA 2017 Annual Conference in conjunction with Railway Interchange. Contact Lindsay Hamilton at lhamilton@ arema.org for more information on sponsorship investment opportunities!

Call for Entries for the 2017 Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence. The Selection process for the nineteenth W. W. Hay Award has begun. Entries must be submitted by May 26, 2017. Please visit www.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 longterm success. Visit www.arema.org/careers to post your job today. Use code EMPLOYERS to receive a discount.

Not an AREMA Member?

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

April 2017 31

AREMA NEWS

Getting to know Stephen E. Lakata Each month, AREMA features one of our committee chairs or members. We are pleased to announce that the April featured member is Stephen E. Lakata Chair of Committee 4 - Rail.

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

LAKATA: My sister and her husband worked for Souther n Railway headquarters in Washington, D.C. They told me what a great place it was to work and urged me to apply for a job. I finally did. A few years later, when I joined the research and tests department, many opportunities opened up to me on the engineering side of railroading.

AREMA: How did you get started?

LAKATA: In September 1979, I was hired on as a service attendant in the Alexandria, Va., diesel shop for Southern Railway. Two months later, I was in McDonough, Ga., for eight weeks of carman school.

When training finished, I returned to Alexandria where I worked for the next eight years as a carman. Our car shop regularly performed work on freight cars for the research and tests department, so when an opening became available in 1987, I jumped at the chance to work with them. I have been there ever since.

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

LAKATA: After joining the research and tests depar tment, I received training in non-destructive testing and worked with the testing of rail.

That led me to get involved with the committee on rail testing. When that disbanded, a co-worker persuaded me to join AREMA Committee 4 - Rail. My initial efforts were with Subcommittee 8 – Nondestructive Testing, but I have been involved with many of the subcommittees.

AREMA: What are your hobbies outside of your work?

LAKATA: My family is my top priority; 32 Railway Track & Structures

April 2017

STEPHEN E. LAKATA, chair of committee 4 - Rail Project Engineering Specialist

I like watching the activities my kids and grandkids participate in. I also like photography and reading. Taking photos of different churches across the state is something I’ve done for a few years. I love the different architecture, building mater ials and sizes of churches. Taking photos of trains and locomotives is fun, too.

AREMA: Tell us about your family.

LAKATA: Karen and I got married two weeks after graduating high school. She worked in health care for a number of years. Our daughter April married a Navy commander; they have four children. She home schools her two oldest children and is a writer. She is currently working on a book. Our son Travis works for Loyola University Maryland and married a teacher. They have two children. He has written three eBook novels and is finishing up on his fourth.

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

LAKATA: In 1994, I completed the Marine Corps Marathon. With about 25,000 runners at the starting area, it took three or four minutes to reach the starting line. The last two miles were slow, but I knew I’d finish.

Norfolk Southern Corporation

AREMA: W h at i s yo u r b i g g e s t achievement so far?

LAKATA: I am blessed to be married to my wife Karen for 40 years and raising two great children that have grown up to be terrific adults and parents themselves. Professionally, I’d have to say being called a railroader for the past 37 years is my biggest achievement. When I started fueling locomotives, I never thought that I would be in the position I am now working along side the many talented individuals found on Committee 4.

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

LAKATA: The railroad is a terrific place to work. To me, it doesn’t matter if you work for a railroad, a supplier or a contractor, the railroad industry offers hundreds of unique job opportunities. You should plan on working hard and learning a lot.

There is so much to lear n about the workings of a railroad that you probably learn something new every day. I’ve found that not just at NS, but across the industry there are a lot of great people willing to work together to make railroads the safer, more efficient and reliable way to ship products. www.rtands.com

AREMA Committee 18 Light Density & Short Line Railways

by: Kendall F. Koff, senior vice president, RailPros Field Services, Inc. The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) has a long history of service to the railroad industry. AREMA’s mission is “The development and advancement of both technical and practical knowledge and recommended practices pertaining to the design, construction and maintenance of railway infrastructure.” The association has prospered since its founding to become the railway industry’s unrivaled professional rail association. This has been achieved by a combination of great leadership and active participation by the membership through its many committees. Committee 18 – Light Density and Short Line Railways is charged with the mission of reaching out to all the railroad professionals involved in this vital segment of the industry. This outreach invites and encourages participation in Committee 18 to enhance AREMA’s service of those involved in managing the “last mile” of the world’s greatest rail infrastructure network.

Committee 18 is responsible for the development and publication of information and recommended practices regarding the special engineering, economic and maintenance needs of light density and shortline freight railways. The committee works to serve this segment of the railroad industry by addressing the unique challenges that managers face while serving this part of the nation’s rail network.

Committee 18 meets in person at least twice a year and via conference calls several times during the year to progress committee assignments. Our spring meeting is held at a different location each year throughout the country and includes a field trip to a local shortline operation or a specific project. This allows the members of Committee 18 to gain valuable insights into the methods and solutions deployed and hear about lessons learned.

Committee 18 fosters an inclusive and collaborative effort, which leverages the experience of the membership to produce resources that provide solutions to our legendary industry.

Committee 18 recently developed guidelines for preparing contract specifications and bid documents within the light density and shortline railway community. This new section within the committee’s chapter of the AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering serves as a valuable resource for the shortline and light density rail operators; some of whom may not have these critical resources available. We are inviting all interested railroad professionals to join us in our mission of service. To share your knowledge while learning from others.

Ultimately, this collaborative effort will improve the efficiency of our maintenance practices in the industry and for the companies we serve.

The work of Committee 18 allows its members to grow professionally and build a valuable network of industry contacts whom we can connect and work with. To apply for membership in Committee 18 please visit the AREMA website: https://www.arema.org/ committees/commapp.aspx.

AREMA is updating the Manual for Railway Engineering and Bridge Inspection Handbook. These will be available to order soon. Contact Morgan Bruins at mbruins@arema.org for more information.

2017 Manual for Railway Engineering Available Soon! The Manual consists of more than 5,000 pages of railway engineering reference material, with over 40 new, revised and reaffirmed Parts updated this year.

Bridge Inspection Handbook, Second Edition provides a comprehensive source of information and criteria for bridge inspections for engineers engaged in the assessment of railway bridges. The updated Handbook has made significant improvements and additions.

www.rtands.com

Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence 2017 Call for Entries The selection process for the 19th Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence has begun.

This year’s chair, Michael W. Franke, a former student of Dr. Hay, has issued a call for entries.

The 2016 Hay Award went to TranSystems for its project, "CREATE P-1 Englewood Flyover in Chicago."

The purpose of the award is to honor innovative railway engineering procedures, projects and products and the individual(s) who have created and successfully applied them to the railroad industry.

Criteria for winning the award are: • Innovation • Safety • Service Performance and Reliability Consideration is also given to the project’s objective, stated goals, costs and benefit achievement and the general advancement of the base of railway engineering knowledge.

Deadline for entries: MAY 26, 2017 Please contact Alayne Bell at abell@arema. org or +1.301.459.3200, ext. 708, or visit www. arema.org for more information.

Railway Track & Structures

April 2017 33

PRODUCTS Gas rail saw

CALENDAR

Hougen Manufacturing, Inc., introduced its new Trak-Star Husqvarna K1270 gas rail saw. Designed with rail maintenance crews in mind, Trak-Star says the K1270 is ideal for frequently changing out rail. The company also says the saw has an exceptional power to weight ratio and is the perfect tool for quick right angle cuts for keeping down time to a minimum.

The saw’s X-Torq motor produces lower emissions without sacrificing power; it works by flushing out the cylinder with air instead of the traditional fuel mixture. Trak-Star also included digital ignition to improve the K1270’s stability, acceleration and throttle response. The saw is compatible with blades up to 16 inches, weighs 46.7 pounds and has a 7.8 HP twocycle gas motor. The included clamp can attach to either side of the saw and offers fast stable mounting to the track. An optional large clamp is available for crane rail applications.

Phone: 810-635-7111.

Software for shortlines

BROWZ launched a new software as a service (SAAS) to assist shortline railroads and their contractors to become compliant and maintain compliance with new Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Part 219 requirements. BROWZ says that their ShortLine Connection software simplifies the process of managing regulated service contractors. The software “provides visibility to their FRA 219 compliance information, health and safety statistics and the employees that are working on your railroad,” says BROWZ. The company says by joining the BROWZ ShortLine connection, shortlines will have the benefit of BROWZ reaching out to their contractors and requesting documentation and data to facilitate compliance with the June 12, 2017 deadline. Shortlines and their contractors can then log into BROWZ OneView to see the compliance of the contractors and their individual employees. Website: www.browz.com/rail.

APRIL 10-11. 2017 International Rail Safety Seminar & Expo. Florida Hotel and Conference Center. Orlando, Fla. Phone: 321-4736066. E-mail: tom@vehicleandtrack.com. Website: www. railsafetyseminars.com.

18-20. Light Rail 2017. Grand Hyatt Denver. Denver, Colo.

E-mail: conferences@sbpub.com. Website: www.railwayage. com/index.php/conferences/railfinance.html?channel=00.

20. Rail Transit Finance Forum. Grand Hyatt Denver. Denver, Colo. E-mail: conferences@sbpub.com. Website: www. railwayage.com/index.php/conferences/lightrail.html.

22-25. ASLRRA 2017 Connections. Gaylord Texan Resort.

Grapevine, Texas. Phone: 202-628-4500. Website: www.aslrra.org.

25-28. Railway Educational Bureau Track Safety Standards Part 213 Classes 1-5 Workshop. Council Bluffs, Iowa. Phone: 800-228-9670. E-mail: studentservices@sb-reb.com. Website: www.railwayeducationalbureau.com/TrkInspWrkShp.html.

MAY 2. 2017 Annual Transloading Conference. Kansas City, Mo. Phone: 402-306-2250. E-mail: steve@tdana.com. Website: www.tdana.com.

3-5. 2017 North American Mechanical Operations (NARMO) Seminar. Grand Hyatt Denver. Denver, Colo. E-mail: skilfeather@aar.org. Website: https://www.regonline.com/ builder/site/default.aspx?EventID=1907835.

15-17. Railroad Bridge Inspection Workshop. Knoxville, Tenn. Phone: 865-974-1812 E-mail: dclark e@utk.edu.

We b s i t e : h tt p : / / c t r. u t k . e d u / C T R r a i l c o u r s e s / r a i l c l a s s . php?id=332&loc=1.

22-25. North American Rail Shippers Association 2017 Annual Meeting. Parc 55 Hilton. San Francisco, Calif. Phone: 331-643-3369. E-mail: nars@railshipers.com. http://www. railshippers.com.

JUNE 2. American Public Transportation Associate (APTA) 2017 Rail Conference. Hilton Baltimore. Baltimore, Md. Website: www.apta.com.

6-7. Rail Insights. Union League Club of Chicago. Chicago, Ill. E-mail: conferences@sbpub.com. Website: www.railwayage. com/index.php/conferences/rail_insights.html.

18-21. 2017 American Railway Development Associate Annual Meeting. The Peabody Hotel. Memphis, Tenn. Phone: 202-715-1259. E-mail: staff@amraildev.com. Website: www. amraildev.com.

18-21. 2017 RICA Annual Conference. Renaissance Esmerelda Indian Wells Report & Spa. Palm Springs, Calif. Website: www. rica.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=839799&group=.

36 Railway Track & Structures

April 2017

www.rtands.com

Ad Index Company

Phone #

Fax#

e-mail address

Page #

AREMA Marketing Department

301-459-3200

301-459-8077

marketing@arema.org

Cover 3

Auto Truck Group

816-412-2131

816-412-2191

eschoenfeld@autotruck.com

17

Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co.

205-424-7245

205-424-7436

bhamrail@aol.com

7

Custom Truck & Equipment

816-241-4888

816-241-3710

bboehm@cte-equipment.com

4

Danella Rental Systems, Inc.

610-828-6200

610-828-2260

pbarents@danella.com

15

Encore Rail Systems, Inc.

866-712-7622

303-922-6178

www.encorers.com

Cover 4

Georgetown Rail Equipment Co.

512-869-1542 ext.5292

512-863-0405

bachman@georgetownrail.com

Cover 2

Harsco Rail

803-822-7551

803-822-7521

mteeter@harsco.com

18

Hayward Baker

314-802-2920

jrhill@haywardbaker.com

35

Herzog Railroad Services, Inc.

816-233-9002

816-233-7757

tfrancis@hrsi.com

8

Herzog Services, Inc.

816-233-9002

816-233-7757

rebersold@herzogservices.com

25

Holland LP

708-367-2987

708-672-0119

ptenhoven@hollandco.com

11

Hougen Manufacturing, Inc.

866-245-3745

800-309-3299

info@trak-star.com

7

Koppers Railroad Structures

800-356-5952

608-221-0618

rrdiv@koppers.com

2

Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

763-478-6014

763-478-2221

sales@loram.com

24

Moley Magnetics

844-662-4638

716-434-5893

sales@moleymagneticsinc.com

19

Neel Company, The

703-913-7858

703-913-7859

jlewis@neelco.com

5

Plasser American Corp.

757-543-3526

757-494-7186

plasseramerican@plausa.com

13

RailCet

866-724-5238

217-522-6588 grif1020@yahoo.com

12

Racine Railroad Products

262-637-9681

262-637-9069

custserv@racinerailroad.com

23

Rail Construction Equipment Co.

866-472-4510

630-355-7173

dennishanke@rcequip.com 16

Railway Educational Bureau, The

402-346-4300

402-346-1783

bbrundige@sb-reb.com

6, 40

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

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

Advertising Sales general sales OFFICE AL, KY Jonathan Chalon Publisher (212) 620-7224 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1165 New York, NY 10014 jchalon@sbpub.com

OR, SD, TN, TX, UT, WA, WI, WY, Canada -­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

CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA, WV, Canada - Quebec and East, Ontario Jerome Marullo (212) 620-7260 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1863 New York, NY 10014 jmarullo@sbpub.com

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

Suite N2, The Priory, Syresham Gardens, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3LB, UK Louise Cooper International Sales Manager Suite K5 &K6

AR, AK, AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, NM, ND, NV, OK,

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

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

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

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

Italy and Italian-speaking Switzerland Dr. Fabio Potesta Media Point & Communications SRL

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

Railway Track & Structures

April 2017 37

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April 2017

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April 2017 39

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Section Trucks

Rotary Dump Trucks

John Gallo • Business Development Manager 402-990-9385 • Johng@omahatrack.com

40 Railway Track & Structures

April 2017

RTandS.com

www.rtands.com