RTS March 2021 by Railway Track & Structures

TRACK CONSTRUCTION

A STRONG THIRD MARCH 2021 | WWW.RTANDS.COM

LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD COMES UP WITH WINNING PLAN FOR THIRD TRACK

ALSO: INDIANA REGIONAL LINE rtands.com

BALLAST MAINTENANCE February 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 1

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CONTENTS

March 2021

9 18

COLUMNS

3 32

On Track D.C. Metro is not being a good hostess Last Stop Asset management technology turns data into knowledge

DEPARTMENTS On the Cover Work on the Long Island Rail Road’s third track expansion project.

For story, see p 9. Photo courtesy of the LIRR

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TTCI R&D Evaluation of minimum recommended tangent distances between reverse curves AREMA News Message from the President, Getting to know, and more

FEATURES

A third way through LIRR’s third track expansion project serves as a model for future work

Indiana’s gem of a railroad How a successful regional railroad keeps its track in top shape

When will the good replace the bad? Like all other sectors, the ballast maintenance market faces challenges in 2021

March 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 1

ON TRACK

VOL. 115, NO. 6 NO. 3 PrintVOL. ISSN 117, # 0033-9016, Print ISSN ## 0033-9016, Digital ISSN 2160-2514 Digital ISSN # 2160-2514 EDITORIAL OFFICES EDITORIAL OFFICE 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910 3680 Heathmoor Drive Chicago, Ill. 60603 Elgin, (312) IL 60124 Telephone 683-0130 Telephone 336-1148 Fax (312)(630) 683-0131 Website www.rtands.com BILL WILSON Editor-in-Chief wwilson@sbpub.com DAVID LESTER KYRAC. SENESE Managing Editor dlester@sbpub.com ksenese@sbpub.com CORPORATE OFFICES BOB TUZIK 88 Pine Street, 23rd Floor, Consulting Editor New York, NY 10005 btuzik@sbpub.com Telephone (212) 620-7200 CORPORATE OFFICES Fax (212) 633-1165 55 Broad St 26th Fl. ARTHUR J. MCGINNIS, New York, N.Y. 10004JR. President and Telephone (212)Chairman 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 JONATHAN CHALON ARTHUR Publisher J. MCGINNIS, JR. President and Chairman MARY CONYERS Production CHALON Director JONATHAN Publisher NICOLE D’ANTONA Art Director MARY CONYERS Production Director HILLARY COLEMAN GraphicD’ANTONA Designer NICOLE Art Director MAUREEN COONEY Circulation Director ALEZA LEINWAND Graphic Designer MICHELLE ZOLKOS Conference Director MAUREEN COONEY Circulation Director CUSTOMER SERVICE: 800-895-4389 Reprints: PARS International MICHELLE ZOLKOS Corp. 253 West 35th Street 7th Floor Conference Director New York, NY 10001 CUSTOMER SERVICE: 800-895-4389 212-221-9595; fax 212-221-9195 Reprints: PARS International Corp. curt.ciesinski@parsintl.com 253 West 35th Street 7th Floor New York, NY 10001 212-221-9595; fax 212-221-9195 curt.ciesinski@parsintl.com

D.C. Metro is not being a good hostess

hen Sno-Balls did not have a chance, it was my own personal hell. Not too long ago, Hostess snack cakes stopped serving. Twinkies, Ding Dongs, and yes my ultimate favorite, Sno-Balls, were all removed from the store shelves. The company was done for, the assembly line was frozen in place, and there was not anything an east or west coast pastry could do to win over my junk food appetite. Now I am not one to order sugary snacks by the bulk and stuff them under my bed. It has not gone that far, but I do consider myself to be a fan of the creamy center ... a little too much for my age. There has to be something like a junk food anonymous group to keep me from gulping an entire Sno-Ball, but do I really need a 12-step program? Perhaps a 12-step dental plan is in order, or even a way I can get 12 steps in repeatedly on a stair master (even if my weight is proportionate to my height). These are life decisions. The Washington, D.C., Metro has been encouraged to follow a 12-step program, and it’s for something much more serious than a bad relationship with Twinkie the Kid. No, we are talking bridge safety, and what was unveiled a few weeks ago is tough to swallow. A recent audit by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission has revealed that Metro does not know exactly how much weight its elevated structures can carry and that the agency also needs to make sure inspectors have proper training and credentials. The Commission has recommended 12 steps to improve safety on 148 bridges. Safety Commission spokesman Max Smith said basic load ratings on D.C. Metro structures are missing or not known, making it impossible to know if trains can safely travel on the bridges. Excuse me? You mean to tell me there is

nobody at D.C. Metro who has such vital information written down or stored somewhere? No one has general numbers in the back of their head? There is not an intense fear filling the hallways of the Metro offices? This is absolutely deplorable, but just when you think the report could not unveil anything else that could make you choke on a Ho-Ho, it also says inspectors need to be trained better and need to have better tools available to them. So even if an inspector has an idea of what he or she is looking at while canvassing a bridge, they may not have the right tools to address the problem? Excuse the abundant questions, which is the last thing you want to see come out of an audit about bridge safety. The report also is recommending that supervisors spend more time out in the field with the inspectors, and there needs to be more oversight of contracted inspectors to make sure they have the necessary credentials, training and qualifications to handle the jobs that are assigned to them. D.C. Metro spans are sitting time bombs. Nobody appears to know where each one of these explosive risks are located, and if they do there may be no knowledge on how to diffuse them. Does D.C. Metro even have a department devoted to bridges? If it does, it’s by name only. There is an entire staff responsible for the safe transport of thousands of riders a day that needs to be educated on the daily facets of the job. While they are being brought up to speed, a transit bridge can drop at any moment. This could snowball quickly.

BILL WILSON Editor-in-Chief

Railway Track & Structures (Print ISSN 0033-9016, Digital ISSN 2160-2514), (USPS 860-560), (Canada Post Cust. #7204564; Agreement #40612608; IMEX P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada) is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 88 Pine Street, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10005. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Pricing: Qualified individual and railroad employees may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions printed and/or digital version: 1 year Railroad Employees (US/ Canada/Mexico) $16.00; all others $46.00; foreign $80.00; foreign, air mail $180.00. 2 years Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $30.00; all others $85.00; foreign $140.00; foreign, air mail $340.00. Single Copies are $10.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2020. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. For reprint information contact: PARS International Corp., 102 W 38th St., 6th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10018 Phone (212) 221-9595 Fax (212) 221-9195. For subscriptions and address changes, Please call (US Only) 1-800-553-8878 (CANADA/INTL) 1-319-364-6167, Fax 1-319-364-4278, e-mail rtands@stamats.com or write to: Railway Track & Structures, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, PO Box 1407, Cedar Rapids, IA. 52406-1407. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Railway Track & Structures, PO Box 1407, Cedar Rapids, IA. 52406-1407.

March 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 3

NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN

Save the date for May 13: The 17th Annual NRC Railroad Equipment Auction

JIM HANSEN Chairman, National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC)

DANNY BROWN Chairman, NRC Auction Committee

The National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association, Inc. 410 1st Street, S.E. Suite 200 Washington D. C. 20003 Tel: 202-715-2920 Fax: 202-318-0867 www.nrcma.org info@nrcma.org 4 Railway Track & Structures // March 2021

he NRC’s Annual Railroad Equipment Auction is one of my favorite industry events. Maybe it is because everyone involved comes out a winner. Railroads and contractors have a convenient way to recoup money for unneeded equipment, and others can easily find bargains to augment their f leet. More importantly, the NRC generates invaluable funds for resources that improve safety across the entire industry. Proceeds from the NRC’s annual equipment auction fund our safety training video collection as well as safety programs for our membership. It’s a win-win-win. Everyone was disappointed last year when we had to cancel the 2020 auction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the NRC sees blue skies ahead. The 2021 Annual NRC Railroad Equipment Auction—the 17th in our history dating back to 2004—is set for May 13, 2021. RELAM’s Chief Operating Officer Danny Brown heads up the NRC’s Auction Committee. Brown confirms the upcoming auction will be worth the wait and will produce some other unexpected wins, too. Here’s what you need to know:

Virtual—This year’s auction will be virtual and administered by experienced auctioneers Blackmon Auctions. They’ve had great success in the past year with virtual auctions. The good news is, with this approach, sellers can avoid the time and expense of shipping items to the auction site. In some instances, sellers may be able to accommodate in-person inspections. Please refer to the NRC website—www.nrcma.org/nrc-events— for updates and instructions. Big—Based on feedback from potential sellers, we anticipate a large auction inventory due to pent-up demand from last year. Many contractors are looking to get under-utilized equipment off their books. Expect hi-rail trucks, tampers, rail cranes, tie/rail gang equipment, new and used parts, and much more.

Easy—The virtual approach means all the information is at your fingertips with no additional travel or expense required. Act now—The NRC is already taking consignments and donations. To consign or donate equipment and parts, please contact Danny Brown at dbrown@ relaminc.com and Mike McGonagle, the NRC’s senior director of operations, at mmcgonagle@nrcma.org. The NRC is all about making positive industry connections. The annual auction brings together buyers and sellers for their mutual benefit. But best of all, the auction makes our industry safer. It has empowered the NRC to invest more than $250,000 since 2004 to produce more than 30 high-quality safety training videos and produce training resources and templates relevant to our membership, such as the NRC’s CFR Part 243 Minimum Training Standards templates. The NRC is off to a strong start in 2021. Thanks to everyone’s involvement and support of the NRC’s Annual Railroad Equipment Auction, it’s sure to be a winner.

JIM HANSEN Chairman, National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC)

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TTCI R&D

Evaluation of Minimum Recommended Tangent Distances between Reverse Curves Revisiting study on computer program dealing with wheelrail forces Alexander Keylin, Sr. Engineer II Benjamin Bakkum, Sr. Engineer II David Davis, Sr. Scientist (Retired) Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI)

everse curves are horizontal track curves that have opposite directions of curvature and are either located adjacent to each other or are separated by a very short section of tangent track. This type of track layout can lead to large coupler angles, especially when two coupled railcars have dissimilar lengths, long overhangs, or short couplers. When such railcars are under a large buff or draft load, this coupler angularity may cause high lateral forces at the wheel-rail interface, creating a risk of flange climb or rail rollover derailment. Lengthening the tangent track section between the reverse curves decreases coupler angles and thus mitigates this problem. This can be challenging, especially when designing crossovers in rail yards, where curves are tight, space is at a premium, and tangent length is limited by track center spacing. In 1976, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) used a computer program called Quasi-Static Lateral Train Stability (QLTS) to estimate wheel-rail forces in reverse curves and provided recommendations on minimum tangent lengths between reverse curves.1 Recently, TTCI was asked to revisit that study using modern computer simulation methods and to evaluate the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-ofWay Association’s (AREMA) proposed new recommendations for minimum tangent lengths between reverse curves in rail yard crossovers (Table 1). Comparison between results TTCI used multibody dynamics software NUCARS to simulate one of the scenarios 6 Railway Track & Structures // March 2021

from the early QLTS study: An empty 44-ft boxcar coupled between two empty 95-ft boxcars, negotiating 9° reverse curves under 30-kip buff load at a speed of 22 mph. The following three outputs were compared between the two studies: • •

•

Maximum lateral angle between the coupler and the middle boxcar; Maximum single wheel lateral-to-vertical (L/V) force ratio, which is used to estimate the risk of flange climb derailment; and Maximum truck side L/V force ratio, which is used to estimate the risk of rail rollover.

NUCARS modeling of coupler movements, suspension elements’ deflections, wheel-rail forces, etc., is much more detailed than that of QLTS. In addition, QLTS assumes a quasi-static condition, while NUCARS calculates dynamic forces and displacements. Because of these differences, NUCARS showed coupler-to-car angles up to 35 percent lower, but single wheel L/V ratios up to 34 percent higher and truck side L/V ratios up to 30 percent higher than QLTS. Nevertheless, the trends in the two studies were similar: Increasing the tangent length between the reverse curves decreases Degree of Reverse Curves Greater than Equal to

coupler-to-car angles (up to a certain value) and generally decreases L/V ratios. Minimum tangent lengths After confirming that the results of NUCARS simulations were generally consistent with the results of the QLTS study, TTCI then selected two of the worst-case railcar combinations from the QLTS study and simulated these railcars negotiating a series of reverse curves separated by the minimum tangent lengths recommended by AREMA. Track geometry was simulated based on the numbers in Table 1. For example, a 10-ft tangent length was placed between two reverse curves whose degree of curvature was in the middle of the corresponding curvature range (2°15’) in the table for this tangent length. There were no spirals between the curves and the tangents. The simulated track geometry was nominal, i.e., no track alignment, surface, or cross-level deviations were simulated. A total of 36 cases were simulated: nine combinations of reverse curves and tangent lengths; two combinations of car lengths (an 89-ft boxcar between 95-ft boxcars, and a 44-ft boxcar between 95-ft boxcars), and two load cases (no load versus 100-kip buff load). The 44-ft boxcar was equipped with 33-in. couplers, the 89-ft boxcar was equipped with Recommended Minimum Tangent Length (feet)

0°

1° 30ʹ′

3°

4° 30ʹ′

6°

7° 30’

7° 30ʹ′

9°

10° 30ʹ′

12°

Table 1. Minimum recommended tangent lengths proposed by AREMA Committee 5 on Track Design.2

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TTCI R&D

Figure 1. Maximum lateral coupler-to-car angles predicted by simulations.4

43-in. couplers, and the 95-ft boxcars were equipped with 60-in. couplers. All boxcars were empty. All simulations assumed a constant speed of 10 mph, unworn AAR-1B wheel profiles, AREMA 136-lb rail profiles, and dry rail conditions (wheel/rail friction coefficient of 0.5). The two couplers coupled together were modeled as a single body similar to a drawbar. Figures 1-3 summarize the results of the 36 simulations. The outputs shown are for the middle boxcar (44 ft or 89 ft), because in nearly all cases it was the middle boxcar that showed the highest L/V ratios and the largest coupler angles. Figure 1 shows the maximum angle between the coupler and the middle boxcar. The only cases in which the coupler reached its limiting angle3 were the cases in which a 44-ft boxcar negotiated reverse curves over 10° of curvature under a 100-kip buff load. In all other cases, coupler angle limits were not reached. Figure 2 shows the maximum 50-millisecond single wheel L/V ratios5 simulated for the middle boxcar. In all simulated cases, these ratios stayed below Nadal’s limit, a widely used criterion for flange climb risk6 , indicating that a flange climb derailment is unlikely. Figure 3 shows the maximum 6-ft truck side L/V ratios simulated for the middle boxcar. It shows that when either the 44-ft boxcar or the 89-ft boxcar was subjected to rtands.com

Figure 2. Maximum 50-millisecond single wheel L/V ratios predicted by simulations..4

100-kip buff load, and when the reverse curves were over 8° of curvature, the maximum truck side L/V ratios exceeded 0.6 5,7 which indicates a risk of rail rollover. Discussion Coupler angles in reverse curves depend on several factors, including the degree of curvature, tangent length between the curves, truck center spacing of the coupled railcars, their overhang lengths, and coupler lengths. The relationship between the coupler angles and the resulting wheel-rail forces is even more complex; factors like car weight, magnitude of buff or draft load, truck design, wheel and rail profiles, wheel/rail friction conditions, and track geometry irregularities all affect L/V ratios. The simulations in this study modeled one of the potential worst-case scenarios: Empty cars with severely mismatched lengths and short couplers, under a high buff load (100 kips), in dry rail conditions. However, scenarios leading to even higher L/V ratios are conceivable: Shorter and lighter railcars exist; higher buff loads are possible; track alignment defects and/or asymmetrically worn wheels can further increase lateral wheel forces. A large parametric study would be needed to identify all conceivable scenarios. Another limitation of this study is that it modeled simple reverse curves rather than

crossovers. A crossover, in addition to reverse curves, has switch entry/exit angle, varying rail profiles at the switch rail and at the frog, and guardrails. Thus, coupler angles and L/V force ratios in a crossover would differ from those in two reverse curves of corresponding curvature. In addition to maintaining minimum tangent lengths between reverse curves, proper train marshalling and handling methods are important for reducing the risk of derailments caused by longitudinal in-train forces.6 Conclusions The simulations have shown that under the simulated conditions flange climb derailment is unlikely but there is a risk of rail rollover for certain railcar length combinations under high buff loads due to high lateral wheel-rail forces. The results of these simulations should be used as first-order estimates of worst-case conditions in revenue service. Additional information can be found in TTCI Technology Digest TD20-009.4 Acknowledgements The authors thank the AAR’s Strategic Research Initiative on Special Trackwork for financial support of this study. The authors also thank AREMA Committee 5 Subcommittee on Design Geometry for their technical input. March 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 7

TTCI R&D

Figure 3. Maximum 6-ft truck side L/V ratios predicted by simulations.4

References 1. Association of American Railroads, internal document, 1976. 2. AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering, 2020 Edition, p. 5-3-25, Table 5-3-11: Recommended Minimum Tangent Lengths Between Reverse Curves for Yard Operations, AREMA, 2020. 3. Association of American Railroads, Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Section C, Part II, Chapter 2: General Data, §2.1.4: “Horizontal and Vertical Curves,” AAR. Washington, D.C., 2015. 4. Keylin, A., B. Bakkum, and D. Davis. “Evaluation of Tangent Distance between Reverse Curves in Yard Crossovers.” Technology Digest TD20-009, AAR/TTCI. Pueblo, Colo., June 2020. 5. Association of American Railroads, Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Section C, Part II, Chapter 11: Service-Worthiness Tests and Analyses for New Freight Cars, §11.5.2: Trackworthiness Criteria. AAR. Washington, D.C., 2015. 6. Wilson, N., H. Wu, A. Klopp, and A. Keylin, “Railway Vehicle Derailment and Prevention,” in: Handbook of Railway Vehicle Dynamics, Second Edition, ed. S. Iwnicki, CRC Press, 2020. 7. United States Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, § 213.333: “Vehicle/Track Interaction Safety Limits.”

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TRACK CONSTRUCTION

A THIRD WAY THROUGH LIRR’s third track expansion project serves as a model for future work

Photo Credit: LIRR

t’s not clear whether it got people to extra bar mitzvahs, weddings or 75th birthday parties, but the degree of togetherness was tighter than normal. The productivity and comraderie achieved in the months before the Long Island Rail Road Mainline Expansion Project was even awarded was invaluable. When it came to managing through one of the worst global pandemics in modern world history, the established relationships made the building group unf lappable. “We said the only way we would be able to build something of this size ... a $2.5 billion project ... in four years pretty much of heavy construction is to really build a matrix organization to manage the job, and that’s what we have done,” Anthony Tufano, executive director of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Mainline Expansion Project, told RT&S. “We worked closely before award with the rtands.com

By Bill Wilson, Editor-in-Chief

contracting teams. We had pretty much four months of one-on-one meetings. So we hit the ground running once we awarded the job. So our team, their team, we knew the players, we aligned and really that prepared us for the unknown [the pandemic].” The LIRR, considered the busiest commuter rail in the country, needed a more robust system to handle the morning and evening rush. The LIRR Expansion Project adds a third track, eliminates several at-grade crossings and includes bridge, drainage and utility work. How the project has been managed is the real story, one that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will use over and over again in future projects. “The MTA’s goal is to really take the lessons learned from this project and start applying them to some other contracts we have across our agency,” Tom McGuinness, project executive for

MTA Construction told RT&S.

Development,

Staying within the line Knowing each other was the easy part. Knowing how to fit in a track expansion without taking any right-of-way throughout the 9.8-mile project seemed like an impossible task. The original plan called for the takeover of a lot of property, much of it residential, but officials came up with a hard mandate for LIRR if it wanted to see the project come to life: Fit the third track in the 66-ft-wide right-of-way. The existing layout already consisted of two lines of track that were centered in the corridor, several stations, bridges and grade crossings. “We really did our homework,” said McGuinness. “We then allowed designbuild firms to propose designs that would further simplify the alignment, which resulted in reducing the number of phases required for construction. We March 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 9

TRACK CONSTRUCTION

are currently 2.5 years in and are doing a great job.” A design-build contract, which encourages innovative thinking during design, certainly helped. The track alignment had to be figured out first, and the first two years of the job involved realigning the existing two tracks both vertically and horizontally. Property layout forced crews to cut into existing slopes and construct retaining walls, and in many places activity took place adjacent to the backyards of residential lots. Two interlockings, Nassau 1 and Nassau 3, for the third track had to be installed, which required the track to be raised up and moved horizontally. Nassau 1 is located east of the Merillon Avenue station, and work began there about a year ago. Installation of Nassau 3 started in late 2020. Switches were installed, wiring for the signals and train control is currently under way and the cutover to the new interlocking will be complete this year. According to McGuinness, the interlockings divide the 9.8-mile section into three different blocks, and create a link between the two tracks to move trains back and forth. Mobile cranes were used during the installation, and when the 10 Railway Track & Structures // March 2021

right-of-way was pinched a gantry crane was used. “Putting in the interlockings is huge because all of the utilities that have to control the interlockings and huts need to be spaced out and all of the existing infrastructure that was there needed to be moved so that it is not in the way of the third track,” said Tufano. In a number of locations the track is being raised an average of 3.5 ft, with the highest elevation change at 4.5 ft. Five stations are being reconstructed to bring them up to current standards and to add modern amenities. Platforms also need to be moved to allow space for the third track. Staging construction for the stations, which have remained open during construction, has been challenging. Temporary platforms have been built, and ballast and some rail for the third track have been placed. More production work will begin this spring, where more track will be installed and tied into existing track. Retaining walls needed for the third track also have been set up, and at press time crews were working on putting in drainage and runoff underneath the track bed to prep for rail installation later in

the year. Around the stations, much of the track work (sub-ballast, ballast, rail) is being placed by hand, but where there are long stretches a track-laying machine will be used placing 1,800-ft-long sections of continuous welded rail on top of concrete ties and the new track bed. “Where it really gets complex is where you put in your interlockings. Putting in the special trackwork, and then bringing all the systems in place, the Positive Train Control [PTC] and the signal systems, to control those interlockings,” said Tufano. Seven new substations and all the systems that go with them (communications, signals, PTC) also are being worked on right now. Utilities for both the railroad and the grid are being installed throughout the length of the project. Pole placement has been going on for the last two years, and the process will continue until everything is complete in 2022. The 90-fthigh poles come in three sections and everything is set into a precast foundation. The poles are being set 20 ft deep into the ground. High-rail bucket truck cranes are being used to lift the poles into place where space is limited, while standard cranes are used when there rtands.com

Photo Credit: LIRR

For the LIRR Expansion Project to become a reality, work had to be done within the existing right-of-way.

TRACK CONSTRUCTION

Photo Credit: LIRR

is more room. Some of the poles will be located on the opposite side of the tracks, and where feasible utilities were inserted underground. A total of eight at-grade crossings are being eliminated and six transformed into under-grade crossings. Five of them have been changed already, with the sixth being worked on in 2021. Again, the challenges involved have been abundant, and when it comes to the grade crossings prime contractor 3rd Track Constructors, a consortium of Dragados USA, John P. Picone, Halmar International and CCA Civil, came up with an innovative method. It is essentially bridge construction involving a U-structure steel girder bridge that is built adjacent to the location of the existing grade crossing. The profile of the road is first excavated, with the track being supported by steel sheeting. During construction, trains are still running through the work area overhead while crews are building the bridge. The bottom of the bridge is a slab serving as the footing, while the top span is typically steel girders. Once the new bridge structure is constructed, a 48-hour weekend track closure takes place. The existing track is removed as well as up to 3,000 cu yd of soil supporting it. During the excavation, hydraulic jacks are put into place and the new structure is pushed into its finished alignment. Backfilling is then used for the abutment walls, and the precast concrete approach slabs for the railroad are laid down. Ballast comes next along with new rail, and by Monday morning the track is back in service. “We pretty much sever the railroad for a few hundred feet over those weekends and rebuild it again,” said Tufano. “Both the contractor and the railroad forces work jointly to do this and it is pretty much a mad dash for 48 hours straight.” The entire process is locked into a sixmonth road closure, and crews have not had any problems meeting the schedule. Timetable timeliness The weekday LIRR train does not stop for anything. Some of the construction has been done with trains passing. However, there is a good amount of work that needs to take advantage of a track outage during off-peak times. Raising the existing two tracks and installing poles both have required a pause in service, and then there are the 48-hour outages for the undergrade crossings. Coordinating the work to rtands.com

fit into a track-outage window still takes an immense effort, and on this project it took on a new approach. By using timetables, the contractor is guaranteed access to the right-of-way for work. Track outage requests must be made six months in advance. “So we give him guaranteed access to the right-of-way in a certain area every day, every night and every weekend,” explained Tufano. “[The contractor] plans his work accordingly with us, with our team, to see the best approach and give him the most access and production time.” Tufano added that about 98 percent of requests have been filled for track outages. In the past, work windows were requestbased, but there were no timetables and no guarantees. For the 48-hour weekend rail closures, there are weeks and months of planning to make sure everything clicks. A risk analysis also is performed, and issues that could become problematic are identified and mitigation plans are developed and put into place. “I do not think any one of our grade crossings have gone 100 percent the way it showed on paper,” said McGuinness. “But the ability to manage it throughout the weekend, have the mitigation ready to be implemented, and have all components of the team working together and communicating throughout the weekend helps us

get there.” All the preparations and advanced planning in the world cannot fend off a global pandemic, and when COVID19 took over the country those involved in the track expansion project made the right adjustments. New York State deemed the work essential, and work plans were tweaked to minimize contact between workers. If a worker does show any symptoms, the crew he or she is working with is quickly isolated. The biggest difference-maker has been those established relationships that were formed well before the project started. The agency’s project management team and the contractor’s management team were both in the same office at the beginning, and organizational charts were aligned so decisions and conversations were taking place at the right level. When the pandemic took over, everyone was forced into their own home office. The process, however, has not missed a beat. Communication has been solid and turnaround times for submittals and documents continue to be efficient. “It’s really one group out there,” said Tufano. “It’s not the contractor, the agency managing it, and the owner. It’s really one group tackling and managing the job, and that’s why we’re able to do what we’re doing on a daily basis both remote and when we are together in the field and in the office.”

By using timetables, the contractor is guaranteed access to the right-of-way for work.

March 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 11

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REGIONAL RAILROAD

INDIANA’S

GEM OF A RAILROAD

How a successful regional railroad keeps its track in top shape

Photo Credit: Steve Barry

he Indiana Rail Road (INRD), founded by Tom Hoback and his associates in 1986, is a great success story around the proliferation of short line and regional railroads brought about by the Staggers Act. To begin the INRD, Hoback purchased a dilapidated Illinois Central branch line that was in such bad shape, the Federal Railroad Administration decided to shut it down because the number of derailments -UP of NEWS STORIES FROM: nearly equaled the number of train movements. Through a continuous and robust focus on giving customers outstanding

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service, the railroad grew to today’s thriving company. The line runs south from Indianapolis, then turns west and travels through Linton, Ind., and continues west to Newton, Ill. A line runs from Crane to Terre Haute, then INRD has trackage rights from Terre Haute to Chicago. INRD is a Class 2 railroad with a majority of its track maintained to Class 3 standards. Main line timetable speeds range from 25 mph to 40 mph. A few passing tracks have 25-mph timetable speeds. The railroad connects with all Class 1 roads except for Kansas City Southern.

Special projects While most track work on any railroad focuses on routine maintenance, significant special projects occasionally arise. This work involves building new lines to serve new customers or complete a more efficient routing to improve train movement flow. “One of the most significant line extensions constructed on the INRD was the extension of the Midland Subdivision by 5 miles to include the Bear Run Coal Mine near Dugger, Ind., completed in 2012,” Peter Ray, vice president of Engineering, March 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 13

REGIONAL RAILROAD

Installation of a new bridge over the White River in Elnora, Ind.

14 Railway Track & Structures // March 2021

maintenance of signals and communications within them. CSX assumed responsibility for maintaining the track at Belt Junction and Springhill Crossing. Routine maintenance All railroads, short lines and regionals must be diligent about keeping their track in shape, and INRD is no exception. A robust routine maintenance program helps eliminate surprises and unplanned repairs. Ray pointed out that, “With active railroad lines, maintenance and rehabilitation are ongoing. Since 2009, INRD has replaced over 200,000 ties, including switch ties. Many of INRD rail/highway crossings have been totally renewed along

these tie-installation sections from the ground up, including ballast, ties, rails, as well as the surface crossing materials.” Others have been re-tied and received new ballast. INRD has been very aggressive in closing public and private crossings across the system, but this work is challenging. Tie projects are completed with a combination of AREMA Grade V and industrial grade ties, as the railroad has not found concrete or composite ties to be affordable nor very useful in their climate and with their annual tonnage. Their equipment and workforce are best suited for wood ties, not only for maintenance by INRD Maintenance-of-Way personnel but also

Photo Credit: Indiana Rail Road

told RT&S. Peabody owns the mine and load out which are accessible via the constructed Indiana Rail Road main line. This work included a main line track and two loops at the mine itself for the management of empties and loads in and out of the mine. A new interlocking at Dugger was built, which allows for the crossing of the INRD main lines for the Midland Subdivision and the Indianapolis Subdivision. This interlocking did not require the installation of a new crossing diamond. “The railroad has recently completed some other significant changes,” said Ray. “For example, the removal of two crossing diamonds in Terre Haute, Ind., the Belt Junction Crossing Diamond and the Springhill Crossing Diamond.” A change in operation patterns and the cooperative relationship INRD has with CSX required removing these two diamonds. The removal of these diamonds (in 2017 and 2019, respectively) eliminated the frequent maintenance work needed. Indeed, the railroad saved 3,000 personhours per year for welding and track section crews. In addition to saving the maintenance costs, the capital expenditure required to replace the diamonds every 25 years remains in the bank. Removing these diamonds required adjacent trackwork and realignment of the main line in conjunction with CSX. The signal configurations within the interlocking were changed, as well. After all was said and done, CSX dispatch took over control of both interlockings, along with the

A renewed rail-highway crossing on the INRD. rtands.com

REGIONAL RAILROAD

Photo Credit: Indiana Rail Road

The Springhill Crossing Diamond in Terra Haute, Ind., before it was removed. Removal saved both maintenance and capital costs.

for installation by track gangs. In addition to replacing ties, the INRD upgrades the main line jointed track to continuously welded rail (CWR). The programs are typically installing new rail or utilizing existing jointed rail by performing a cut-and-slide operation. These techniques both use electric flash butt welding processes that build a stronger joint than traditional thermit welds. In 2021, the railroad will install 6,200 ft of new 136-lb rail north of one of INRD’s longer trestles (Shuffle Creek Trestle), as well as a section on INRD’s recently acquired “Newton Connection,” eliminating the same length of jointed and CWR rails that have met their serviceable life. The INRD has a unique undercutting program because it can’t contract out extensive undercutting gangs and ballast trains. Instead, it leases a Balfour Beatty smaller switch undercutter and use this as a main line undercutter, covering up to 1,000 ft per day and still having the track back in service for overnight train traffic. They utilize the undercutter with the rtands.com

Balfour Beatty two-person crew working alongside their MoW foremen and workers. INRD also performs the necessary surfacing to get the track back in service. INRD utilizes its fleet of ballast cars to replace the undercut spoiled ballast, and it has a limestone quarry on the line that makes repositioning cars relatively quick and predictable. In 2020, the railroad undercut nearly 17,000 ft of track. “We have a unique ability to work inter-departmentally. For example, our engineering and Maintenance-of-Way departments work collectively with the operations and mechanical departments to get the ‘biggest bang for the buck’ and minimize track time so trains can run to generate the revenue necessary for our infrastructure work,” Bernie Guerrettaz, INRD’s general manager of Maintenanceof-Way, told RT&S. Bridge repair/replacement The INRD has several bridges on the road and has been very aggressive with its bridge replacement program. Guerrettaz

pointed out that “most of the structures replaced have been on the former Illinois Central portion of the line, which begins at Milepost 0.0 in Indianapolis and ends at Milepost 155.0 in Newton, Ill.” In earlier years, coal was a large percentage of INRD’s haul at each end of this line, namely Indianapolis Power and Light and the former Dynegy plant in Newton. The wear and tear on the timber-framed structures carrying these loads for 30 years under INRD ownership and formerly with the Illinois Central became evident. Ray said, “the company handles the monitoring of bridge degradation with annual inspections of each railroad bridge structure.” Guerrettaz emphasized, “additionally, the INRD Maintenance-of-Way and engineering teams keep close eyes on them throughout the rest of the year.” During the past 12 years, INRD has replaced over 25 bridges or completed bridge-to-culvert conversions. A major accomplishment of the bridge program is the bridge over the White River in Elnora, Ind., on INRD’s Chicago Subdivision, March 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 15

REGIONAL RAILROAD

INRD leases a small switch undercutter to do work on the main line. This undercutter can cover up to 1,000 ft per day.

completed in 2015. Besides the company’s direct investments, it also looks to partners that it serves and regional community leaders to generate support for investment in the road’s infrastructure. For the White River Bridge project, INRD worked with the Indiana Department of Transportation to receive funding through the TIGER grant process. The railroad has received letters of support from many of their customers and community leaders between Palestine, Ill., and Newton, Ill., to obtain funding from the FRA CRISI Grant Program to reconstruct and repair nine bridges of varying sophistication along this line. The bridge replacement started in 2020 with completion set for 2022. While INRD doesn’t have the large capex budgets that Class 1s do, there is no shortage of due diligence in maintaining track in top shape, thereby maximizing the life of rails, ties, and ballast. Moreover, maintaining good track avoids costly derailments. The skilled leadership and crews are focused and enthusiastic, and carry on what Tom Hoback envisioned for the Indiana Rail Road.

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BALLAST MAINTENANCE

WHEN WILL THE GOOD REPLACE THE BAD? Like all other sectors, the ballast maintenance market faces challenges in 2021 By Bill Wilson, Editor-in-Chief

18 Railway Track & Structures // March 2021

than originally forecast.” The pandemic still rages in business sectors across the country, and that includes the rail industry. There appears to be a carryover affect from 2020, and many are not sure if conditions will turn around this year. “Total rail traffic is still sluggish compared to previous years and will impact the amount of degradation the track structure incurs,” said Loram. “It is anticipated that 2022 will see ballast maintenance back to prepandemic levels.” Balfour Beatty agrees with the slow start to the new year due to the COVID-stricken

economy, and also wants to get back to more traditional business practices. “The loss of in-person social interaction continues to make doing business a little more difficult, but we continue to embrace the alternatives such as web-based conferences to bridge the gap,” Balfour Beatty told RT&S. RCE Equipment Solutions The RCE Equipment Solutions Rail Division—previously Rail Construction Equipment Co.—has been busy enhancing the Railavator product line and under rtands.com

Photo Credit: Loram

he ballast maintenance sector is known to take care of foul underlying conditions. In terms of the rail industry as a whole, 2020, which was spoiled by a global pandemic, was as bad as one could imagine. Players in the ballast maintenance field remained vigilant, but the market as a whole was soft. “The ballast maintenance market was down in 2020, but not to the extent originally expected at the outset of the pandemic,” Loram told RT&S. “Budgets were tightened and less work was performed

BALLAST MAINTENANCE

cutter bars. RCE can supply the full range of models—from compact excavators to 35-metric-ton excavators—with under cutter bars ranging from 9 to 15 ft in size. By increasing these options, RCE customers can perform under cutting with all the RCE models of hi-rail or standard excavators. The largest machine, the 350G, has more hydraulic power to perform in hard conditions and the longer bar is beneficial for switch under cutting. Most recently, the smallest under cutter bar at 9 ft has been well received as an alternative to the larger machines and bars. For their contracting customers, the smaller machine and under cutter bar has made mobilization an easier task. Herzog In 2019, the Midwest experienced substantial flooding particularly along the Missouri River and its tributaries, washing out stretches of nearby track and making the area difficult for many railroads to traverse and impassable for some. In such instances, the railroads deployed an arsenal of trackhoes, dump trucks, and personnel to rehabilitate the most severely affected areas. Track bed restoration efforts lasted for nearly a year before some lines were operable again. As the snow melts and precipitation increases this spring, Herzog stands ready to respond to these unforeseen challenges and remains equipped for routine ballast maintenance. Railroads need equipment that can accelerate track bed reconstruction and ensure personnel are out of harm’s way. Enter Herzog’s Automated Conveyor Train (ACT)—the industry’s most versatile delivery solution for ballast placement. The ACT can unload its 30-car consist anywhere up to a 13° curve, including S-curves without any downtime. Its belt system and conveyor arm discharges ballast at a rate of 2,000 tons

The Herzog ACT in action during the 2019 Midwest flooding.

per hour up to 50 ft from track center. With this much speed and flexibility, the ACT can quickly stockpile ballast in areas of severe washouts or even fill the trackbed in areas of new construction. As ballast is off-loaded directly in front of the machine, the ACT’s automated plow can strike off material in the center of the track. A significant benefit of the ACT is that all operations are controlled by a single Herzog operator within a climate-controlled cab. No additional workers are needed on the ground-adjusting flow gates, exposing them to harmful silica dust or adverse weather conditions. With the push of a button, the operator can quickly pause unloading, head to a new site, and resume unloading with no additional setup time. Brandt For nearly three decades, Brandt’s Road Rail division has served the rail industry with a range of mobile material handling and Maintenance-of-Way equipment, from

multi-purpose railcar movers and specialized on-track cranes to custom railcars or repair and maintenance equipment. The company’s proven R4 Power Unit meets the most demanding expectations, helping to ensure that Class 1 rail operators are able to meet their revenue ton-mile objectives. The R4 has been the No. 1 truck-based heavy-hauler in the rail industry for over 25 years, according to the company, consistently delivering the power needed to safely and efficiently move up to 16 fully loaded ballast cars on the mainline at speeds up to 25 mph (forward/reverse), optimizing ballast transportation and placement operations. Utilizing both rail and road infrastructure, the R4 gets to the jobsite quickly and converts from road to rail in less than three minutes with a hi-rail system that is the most robust, reliable and safest system on the market today, minimizing track time and overall cost. The unit delivers up to 600 hp and 50,000 lb of tractive effort (without additional

Photo Credit: Herzog

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BALLAST MAINTENANCE

weight added to the deck) and can pull heavier loads up steeper grades at higher speeds without losing traction. The R4 achieves maximum stopping power with a 26C brake system ensuring positive control of the trailing railcars, in addition to its own independent brake that controls the rubber drive tires and steel rail wheels. Brandt has designed the R4 to meet all FRA and DOT regulations (under 8 ft 6 in. wide and 40 ft long, inside of Plate C). To maximize its effectiveness as a ballastcar mover, Brandt has employed a built-forpurpose compressed air system that meets the requirements for railcar brakes and pneumatic car controls for both bottom- or side-dump ballast cars. The use of a pivoting bolster box with swing arms and airride, shock-absorbed suspension ensures maximum stability and comfort on the rails while standard 28- to 70-tonne axles and 6 x 11 bearings ensure reliability and long life.

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BALLAST MAINTENANCE

Supertrak machines, and a leading North America distributor of AREMA track tools, abrasives, heavy railroad equipment, work equipment wear parts and mechanical shop tools. Supertrak is a 30-year Cat-authorized OEM building custom machines for vegetation management, heavy-duty trenchers, custom utility trucks, cable retrieval equipment, and monorail work tractors. Supertrak specializes in small footprint yet high-performance, upfitted machines. The Supertrak SK170RR Hi-Rail Excavator is based on a Cat 313 hi-rail platform. It has a single 170-hp engine, dedicated high flow with reversing fans and multi-functionality. The hi-rail is equipped with 4-wheel drive and 4-wheel brakes. The SK170RR maintains huge power in a small package with zero permit required for transportation due to its compact size, making it well suited for land clearing, vegetation management and ballast maintenance in remote places. This excavator meets national railroad safety specifications. When the SK170RR is upfitted with the heavy-duty, hydraulic-powered SK10RR

undercutter bar, it becomes a powerful ballast and mud regulator. This 10-ft bar is designed to quickly remove mud and fouled ballast from beneath the track with its replaceable teeth. The chain offers a variable controlled reverse for easy cleanout, and there also is a direct coupler mounted to use with or without a rotator option. The undercutter bar fits 8- to 15-ton class machines. Loram Loram focuses on targeting ballast maintenance and remediation projects at the root cause of issues that are impacting track geometry and infrastructure life. This starts with making data-driven decisions to understand what underlying issues exist. GPR is used to identify how fouled ballast is and where the ballast layers are located below top of tie. LiDAR is used to identify ditch locations and ballast deficiencies. With this data in hand, Loram works with customers to determine if there are internal or external drainage issues within a track section or if there are issues with the subgrade material

that is supporting the track structure. Once root cause issues are identified, Loram can tailor a ballast maintenance program that maximizes the customer’s budget and maintenance resources. After creating the plan, Loram brings industryleading equipment to execute ballast cleaning and remediation projects, excavate material from sensitive track locations, and clean/dig ditches. With track maintenance windows at a premium, Loram’s customers expect equipment will be ready to work regardless of when it’s needed. To meet this expectation, Loram’s shoulder ballast cleaners, ditchers, material-handling equipment, undercutters, and LRV specialty excavators consistently operate at or above 98 percent availability. To ensure equipment is ready to work whenever the railroad calls, Loram annually invests millions of dollars to maintain and renew its fleet of ballast equipment. This investment keeps Loram’s equipment operating at the same performance and reliability levels year over year to meet customer expectations.

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BALLAST MAINTENANCE

Plasser American’s high-capacity double screening unit, the RM802.

plow, reversible side wings, and a broom attachment. The machine features a sturdy, comfortable cab with unique window placement for optimum visibility. The overall

Photo Credit: Plasser American

Knox Kershaw Inc. Knox Kershaw’s KBR 860 Ballast Regulator is a powerful track-dressing machine. It comes standard with a one-pass type

length and height is specifically designed to be shorter in order to facilitate transport to and from the work site. The cab tilt feature and clean roof design promote safety and ease of maintenance by providing easy access to major machine components without having to go under or climb on top of the cab. Featured options of the 860 include a hydraulically driven AC with pressurizer, joystick controls on an ergonomic operator’s seat with easy access to all controls, tinted windows, additional rider seating and a 6-speed powershift transmission. The KBR 925 Ballast Regulator, which was redesigned for 2019, is a robust machine designed for ballast work on all types of track. Quality visibility, especially in the wing areas, makes it the ideal machine for final profiling. The 925’s plow and wing work together to transfer ballast from shoulder to shoulder in one pass while leaving one shoulder profiled. The insulated broom box has excellent service life, and the standard reversing valve allows ballast to be swept away from switches and road crossings.

22 Railway Track & Structures // March 2021

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BALLAST MAINTENANCE

New features for the KBR925 include a Danfoss Plus One control system, frontmounted Visionaire hydraulically driven AC with high-capacity pressurization, and increased fuel and hydraulic fluid capacities. The Plus One controller includes a 12-in. color touch screen monitor to display machine functions and diagnostics. When fully developed, the controller will aid operators in processes such as joystick functions, transmission shifting, wing deploy/ store and brooming speed control, as well as self diagnosis of performance issues. Clogged filters, inoperable coils or wiring, fluid pressure warnings, engine diagnostics and on-screen trouble-shooting guides will enable operators and mechanics to diagnose issues and quickly resolve them. The new design increased fuel tank capacity by placing dual tanks on either side of the cab and moving the hydraulic tank to the front of the machine for added weight and balance. Side access steps are configured for easy and safe access to the cab and all maintenance points are easily accessible from the ground.

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All of these new features improve productivity by increasing capacity and decreasing machine down time. Plasser American Ballast maintenance is a key factor in maintaining long-lasting track quality. Plasser understands this very well and offers several products and services to help the customer achieve the required results. These areas of ballast maintenance include ballast undercutting/cleaning, shoulder cleaning, subgrade renewal and ballast management. Clean ballast is extremely important to maintain track geometry. Plasser offers several machines for cleaning ballast. The workhorse of this fleet of machines is the RM80 and RM80-800, which undercuts and cleans plain track, as well as switches. High-capacity double screening units such as the RM2003 and the RM802 are available. In addition, Plasser also offers shoulder ballast cleaning machines. The BDS100/200 Ballast Distribution System is the ideal machine to accompany

high-speed multiple tie tampers such as the 09-3X and 2X Dynacat tampers or used alone to reposition existing ballast along the right-of-way using existing valuable assets. The machines are equipped with plows to profile the ballast, hopper, and conveyors to distribute ballast and double brooms to sweep up and store excess ballast, with all work performed in a single pass. MFS Hopper/Conveyor cars can be added for additional ballast storage. Plasser’s PBR2005 Ballast Profiling machine has the ability to plow, profile and broom in one pass. The unique design of the shoulder plows allow the machine to reach out and pull in ballast, which was previously beyond the reach of conventional ballast regulators. Vancer With Vancer’s continued focus on developing solutions to improve customer Maintenance-of-Way operations, Vancer developed the patented Ballast Cribber attachment. The Vancer Ballast Cribber is designed to efficiently remove compacted

March 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 23

BALLAST MAINTENANCE

heights for different rail profiles. Built-in rail wheels keep you aligned as you move to the next crib. In addition to speed and versatility, the Vancer Cribber attachment, with a weight of 4,600 lb and a clearing depth under rail of 12 in., promotes safety. Rail clamps that hold operators to the rail while cribbing keep the operator safe. Service-wise, the Cribber has been designed with heavy-duty cylinders for durability and long life. Removable teeth allow for easy replacement.

Mitchell Rail Gear’s Ballast Regulator.

spot repair in any location when paired with a Vancer hi-rail machine. The Cribber’s versatility includes removable buckets for different crib widths allowing for ease of replacement, and adjustable rail clamp

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Photo Credit: Mitchell Rail Gear

and cemented ballast in a single swipe—six times faster than traditional methods so operations can quickly spot-treat sections of track that need work. The Ballast Cribber is ideal for immediate

Mitchell Rail Gear There are two separate markets for ballast maintenance that require two different solutions. The first is high production, which requires a single purpose dictated ballast regulator machine. The second is for spot maintenance or lower production, which requires a Ballast Regulator Attachment system that can be installed on an excavator or loader backhoe. The Ballast Regulator attachment has some flexibility whereas it can be mounted on the loader backhoe front loader arms of a backhoe or on the backhoe boom. The

BALLAST MAINTENANCE

Ballast Regulator attachment mounted on the front of a loader backhoe has a fixed width the same as a single-purpose dictated ballast regulator machine that also can be configured for third-rail transit applications. The backhoe-mounted Ballast Regulator attachment can tilt side to side for contouring the ballast outside to the ties. A loader backhoe can be equipped with both a front mount and a boom mount to reduce ballast maintenance time and increase efficiency. Balfour Beatty Balfour Beatty continues to invest in the advancement and integration of ballast and track bed inspection solutions, which includes Zetica’s Advanced Rail Radar autonomous multichannel high-speed GPR system which now includes an integrated track bed surface imaging system for a holistic view of subsurface track bed condition linked to visible surface issues, e.g., mudspots. Integration of this data with synchronously measured track geometry provides unique insights into the root causes of failures and deteriorating track conditions. This cost-effective approach helps to optimize track bed maintenance planning and reduces the commercial and safety risks associated with slow orders and derailments. When placed in combination with Balfour Beatty’s autonomous track geometry measurement system TrueTrak and the automated vision-based track inspection system OmniVision, a comprehensive track inspection solution can be provided. Automated data capture of above- and below-ground data streams allows integrated exception reports to be generated in near real time based on external trigger events such as a track geometry exception or based on pre-programmed location waypoints. Independent studies also have shown that GPR is sensitive to measuring ballast quality degradation from the point of renewed ballast. The benefit of monitoring the rate of change of ballast fouling levels (BFI and FDL) using recently cleaned track as a reference would be to plan the timing of appropriate maintenance interventions and to predict the remaining life in ballast material using a combination of track geometry, vision and ballast-fouling metrics. Miner Last year proved to be a very active year for the ballast maintenance market for Miner. A major passenger railroad built 375 new ballast cars and retrofitted over 40 more cars, each outfitted with Miner’s innovative new solar-powered, stand-alone AggreGate ballast outlet gates, featuring new LED work lighting systems. These innovative solarpowered, battery-operated LED lights attach to the undercarriage and enable safer, more efficient nighttime ballasting operations. Miner is always working with the railroads and track crews to continuously improve ballast unloading and efficiency. They are asking for safe, durable, maintenance-free systems that can be applied to new or existing cars. The Miner AggreGate provides all that, and can effectively ballast inside, outside or both sides of the rail simultaneously. Large guillotine door openings stop ballast flow with minimum effort. Easy-to-operate toggle linkage systems and tapered doors improve ballast shutoff at switches, crossovers and bridges. Plus, Miner’s stand-alone, solar-powered AggreGate enables independent operation of the car from anywhere within the ballast train. No more need for grouping manual and automatic cars, since each gate and car can ultimately be operated without connection to another car for power. The solar-powered system is battery operated for stand-alone operation. rtands.com

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March 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 25

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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AREMA is focused on your education and helping you advance in the railway industry. AREMA’s convenient we bin a rs p rovid e Professio n al Development Hours (PDH) to serve your educational needs. Designing a Functional Bulk Terminal Facility Webinar Date: Tuesday, April 20 Time: 2-3:30 p.m. ET PDH: 1.5 Retaining Wall Design for Railroad Application Webinar Date: Wednesday, June 9 Time: 2-3:30 p.m. ET PDH: 1.5 Design & Construction of Highway/ Railway Grade Crossings Date: Tuesday, Aug. 3 Time: 2-3:30 p.m. ET PDH: 1.5 Critical Geometry Defects Webinar Date: Wednesday, Nov. 3 Time: 2-3:15 p.m. ET PDH: 1.25 These courses are comprised of re c o m m e n d e d p ra c t i c e s a n d relevant accumulated knowledge from subject matter experts in the railroad industr y. They are n ot inte n d e d as a re g u l ato r y qualification. For more information on our educational programs and to register, please visit www.arema.org.

26 Railway Track & Structures // March 2021

VICTOR R. BABIN AREMA President 2020-21

REMA Technical Committee members are some of the most highly motivated professionals in the railway industry. Truly dedicated volunteers possess a strength of character that compels them to pursue causes greater than themselves. It is only through their commitment that we continue to achieve our vision: “To be the pre-eminent engineering association for North American and international railways and transit organizations”. Our continent’s rail industry owes these participants an inestimable debt of gratitude. AREMA also owes these members the utmost respect for their volunteered time and hard work. It takes great care and skill for committee leaders to organize, focus and direct the energy of our most valuable assets: our committee members. Tools to deal with these undertakings are the most frequently requested support at committee chair meetings and committee roundtable discussions. In late 2019, under the leadership of Past President Ed Sparks, our headquarters (HQ) team set about the duty of finding the best solution to assist committee officers in their efforts. A meeting was held with software providers at our Lanham, Md., HQ to discuss the challenges of maintaining committee rosters, member types and statuses, meeting facilitation and the tasks of documenting, analyzing and quantifying attendance and participation. Manual part revision, commentary, document control, archival storage

and intellectual property protection concerns were added to the list. The vendor presented a platform that could meet all of these needs and more. The Communities platform chosen, Higher Logic, LLC, was shown to offer solutions that would streamline the committee administration tasks that chairs, officers and HQ staff have been coping with since AREMA was formed. It was further demonstrated that this platform can provide online membership communities to increase member communications and involvement and enhance awareness of AREMA, our mission, our members and their commitment to our industry. Referenced users of this product included numerous major standards bodies and engineering associations throughout North America and abroad. After thorough vetting by the HQ team, the AREMA Board of Governors approved Communities at the March 2020 meeting. A staff deployment team, led by Janice Clements and Stacy Spaulding and included Alayne Bell, Lindsay McNicholas and Skip Gmeiner, collaborated with the vendor in weekly meetings in their efforts to launch the new Committee Communities platform in October. All of this occurred while these dedicated AREMA staff members simultaneously and quickly adapted to the events of our time by undertaking the monumental task of converting our annual conference into a live virtual event held in September. A daunting amount of detailed work has been achieved by a relatively small workforce in Lanham; be sure to thank everyone at HQ when you talk to them. Prior to rolling out Communities to the general membership, committee officers were invited to participate in beta testing. Twenty participants volunteered in a month-long process that provided invaluable feedback and led to a custom-tailored application that best fits committee leadership and member needs. Reactions including, “I am excited for the discussion and workplace functionality, which should greatly help streamline some committee workf lows” and, “I think I’m going to like the system!” serve as the seal of rtands.com

membership approval. All of the tested features are now being utilized in the committees’ Communities. Ballots have been posted, documents have been added to the committee libraries, and many members have added profile pictures. The Workspace provides a central location that records and stores balloting records and facilitates online document collaborations, editing, versioning and storage. Everything is archived, tracked and auditable. Committee work will not be lost due to leadership transitions and stakeholders can quickly determine the current version of recent collaborations. A clear and easily discerned view of committee structure and committee assignments is provided by the Nested Communities module. Here, committee leadership can establish a hierarchy of parent-child relationships between committees, subcommittees, work

groups and task forces. Different privilege levels may be set up to prevent inadvertent modification of work products and resources. The Group Manager feature permits tailored and directed communication by committee officers. Leaders can create dashboards, establish measurement metrics and analyze and compare work groups. The Event Manager tool makes it easier to establish and track committee meeting locations, schedules, lodging, RSVPs and the online facilities sometimes used for virtual and hybrid meetings. After the event, committee officers can now easily track attendance and participation and utilize metrics and Communities’ analytical tools for managing rosters to ensure committee members are informed and engaged. Leaders can now more effectively manage rosters and member rolls in our continuous efforts to maintain a vibrant and active base of

participants who vote regularly, ensuring our material is fresh and that quorums are met. Communities is integrated with the AREMA database and website. A Member Forum went live in February and is open to the general AREMA membership. It facilitates online discussion of topics important to members and provides resource sharing where discussion material can be posted to a dedicated resource library. Membership rosters can be searched and users can receive a daily e-mail notification from the Daily Digest. The future holds the potential to launch special interest communities such as students, young professionals and diversity forums. Be sure to stay abreast of the latest developments. Online Communities can be accessed with AREMA login credentials. Check it out and become further engaged in our great association and industry.

UPCOMING COMMITTEE MEETINGS 2021 MEETINGS MAY 18

JUNE 3-4

SEPT. 16-17

Committee 16 - Economics of Railway Engineering & Operations Virtual Meeting

Committee 8 - Concrete Structures and Foundations Kansas City, Mo.

Committee 8 - Concrete Structures and Foundations Sandpoint, Idaho

MAY 18-19

SEPT. 14-15

Committee 15 - Steel Structures Pueblo, Colo.

Committee 15 - Steel Structures Virtual Meeting

2022 MEETINGS FEB. 8-9

MAY 19-20

JUNE 9-10

Committee 15 - Steel Structures Fort Worth, Texas

Committee 15 - Steel Structures Chicago, Ill.

Committee 8 - Concrete Structures and Foundations Anchorage, Alaska

Join a technical committee Joining a technical committee is the starting point for involvement in the association and an opportunity for lifelong growth in the industry. AREMA has 29 technical committees covering a broad spectrum of railway engineering specialties. Build your network of contacts, sharpen your leadership skills, learn from other members and maximize your membership investment. If you’re interested in joining a technical committee or sitting in on a meeting, please contact Alayne Bell at abell@arema.org. For a complete list of all committee meetings, visit https://www.arema.org/events.aspx.

rtands.com

March 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 27

Getting to Know Committee Chair Allene Rieger Sacramento Railyards Project attending the AREMA Annual Conference now and then. When I moved to Boston nine years ago, I joined Committee 11: Commuter and Intercity Rail Systems to help expand my knowledge and work in passenger rail. I have been very active in the committee and attended every AREMA conference since. The more I put into AREMA, the more I have been able to get from it.

ALLENE B. RIEGER, P.E. Senior Civil Engineer JMA Civil, Inc.

REMA: Why did you decide to choose a career in railway engineering? RIEGER: Railroad engineering chose me. I had a co-op with FHWA in their Eastern Federal Lands Division for over a year doing bridge inspection, in-office roadway design, and construction inspection. After I graduated, I spent one week doing bikeway design, then was presented the opportunity to work on the BNSF Logistics Park Chicago. I had never done any railroad work, but they were just looking for people willing to work long hours. I have been hooked ever since. AREMA: How did you get started? RIEGER: I started work in Chicago, which is a great place for railroad work. My boyfriend (now husband) Ted was going to do his Ph.D. at Northwestern University and my sister Cristal, who lived in Andersonville, let me crash at her place. So after I graduated from Virginia Tech, I packed up my childhood room in Springfield, Va., flew to Chicago on Friday with four bags, bought a car, and started work on Monday as an engineering consultant. AREMA: How did you get involved in AREMA and your committee? RIEGER: I worked in Chicago for five years doing mostly intermodal work and would attend the AREMA Annual Conference when it was local. Then I moved to Oakland, Calif., for six years where I worked mostly on industry projects, but also did the track work for the

28 Railway Track & Structures // March 2021

AREMA: Outside of your job and the hard work you put into AREMA, what are your hobbies? RIEGER: I love to work jigsaw puzzles and I have a puzzle-of-the-month subscription. I also enjoy quilting, though lately I’ve been just making masks. I enjoy reading and baking. AREMA: Tell us about your family. RIEGER: I am the second youngest of six and married with two children of my own. The whole family tries to get together once a year for mass chaos, but it is getting harder and harder to get everyone in one spot. Last Dec. 15 all of us did manage to make it to Costa Rica to celebrate our dad/grandpa’s 80th birthday. My dad is also a civil engineer, which is why I became one. He worked in the private manufactured homes industry, but felt there needed to be higher safety standards. For the last 45 years of his career he worked for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to increase safety of the over 20 million people in the U.S. living in manufactured homes. He is the only federal employee in the RV/Mobile Home Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Ind. My dad really passed along to all of us the importance of putting people and their safety first.

AREMA: If you could share one interesting fact about yourself with the readers of RT&S, what would it be? RIEGER: I love old railroad pins. I like to collect them and put them on a conductor’s hat. I would like to thank everyone who has given me pins for my hat over the years. Thank you! AREMA: What is your biggest achievement? RIEGER: My proudest railroad achievement was designing the diamond crossing that made the Sacramento Railyards Project possible. The Sacramento Railroad Museum is located south of the Union Pacific main and their shop buildings for engine maintenance are located north of the UPRR main. Previously every time the engines needed maintenance a temporary at-grade crossing was constructed over the double main and then removed. A One Way Low Speed (OWLS) diamond was needed. An OWLS diamond allows for the mainline track to not be broken and the industry track comes up and over the main. Because the industry rails are broken, the diamond needs to be at a greater angle (typical diamonds are at 90°) so that only one wheel is on the gap at a time. The OWLS crossing itself needs to be straight and in a level plane. The OWLS location is through a superelevated UPRR double main line near a railroad bridge, under an elevated highway, and in a curve. It was a great challenge to solve. AREMA: What advice would you give to someone who is trying to pursue a career in the railway industry? RIEGER: Be open to anything, new challenges, new ideas, but also listen to those who have experience. You need to really understand why things are being done to be successful.

The Rieger family get together in Costa Rica. rtands.com

FYI

O r d e r t h e 2 021 C o m m u n i c a ti o n s & Signals Manual now. With over 60 new, revised, reaffirmed or extended Manual Parts, it’s the perfect time to get the 2021 Manual. Order online now at www.arema. org or contact us at publications@arema. org for more details. Do you want to generate leads, promote a product and reach a target audience? Sign up for sponsorship at the AREMA 2021 Annual Conference in conjunction with Railway Interchange. Please visit www. are m a.org or contac t lm cn ich olas@ a re m a .o rg fo r m o re i nfo rm ati o n o n sponsorship investment opportunities. Call for Entries for the 2021 Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence. The selection

process for the 23rd Dr. W.W. Hay Award has begun. Entries must be submitted by May 21, 2021. Please visit www.arema.org for more information. Did you miss the AREMA 2020 Virtual Conference & Expo? The platform will be open through Sept. 15, 2021, for you to network and learn while on the go. Purchase now at www.arema.org.

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30 Railway Track & Structures // March 2021

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AD INDEX

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Advertising Sales MAIN OFFICE JONATHAN CHALON Publisher 88 Pine St., 23rd Floor New York, NY 10005 (212) 620-7224 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jchalon@sbpub.com AL, KY, JONATHAN CHALON 88 Pine St., 23rd Floor New York, NY 10005 (212) 620-7224 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jchalon@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 88 Pine St., 23rd Floor New York, NY 10005 (212) 620-7260 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jmarullo@sbpub.com AR, AK, AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, NM, ND, NV, OK, OR, SD, TN, TX, UT, WA, WI, WY, CANADA – AB, BC, MB, SK HEATHER DISABATO 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 (312) 683-5026 Fax: (312) 683-0131 hdisabato@sbpub.com THE NETHERLANDS, BRITAIN, FRANCE, BELGIUM, PORTUGAL,

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SCANDINAVIA, SPAIN, SOUTHERN GERMANY, AUSTRIA, KOREA, CHINA, INDIA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, SOUTH AFRICA, RUSSIA, EASTERN EUROPE BALTIC STATES, RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING MICHAEL BOYLE International Area Sales Manager Nils Michael Boyle Dorfstrasse 70, 6393 St. Ulrich, Austria. +011436767089872 mboyle@railjournal.com

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.

ITALY, ITALIAN-SPEAKING SWITZERLAND DR. FABIO POTESTA Media Point & Communications SRL Corte Lambruschini Corso Buenos Aires 8 V Piano, Genoa, Italy 16129 +39-10-570-4948 Fax: +39-10-553-0088 info@mediapointsrl.it JAPAN KATSUHIRO ISHII Ace Media Service, Inc. 12-6 4-Chome, Nishiiko, Adachi-Ku Tokyo 121-0824 Japan +81-3-5691-3335 Fax: +81-3-5691-3336 amkatsu@dream.com CLASSIFIED, PROFESSIONAL & EMPLOYMENT JENNIFER IZZO 800 Connecticut Avenue Norwalk, CT 06854 (203) 604-1744 Fax: (203) 857-0296 jizzo@mediapeople.com

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.

rtands.com

March 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 31

LAST STOP

Asset management technology turns data into knowledge Anamaria Bonilla, Metro-North Railroad Darin Welch, HNTB Corporation

T Anamaria Bonilla

Darin Welch

“

THE QUANDARY PROMPTED MNR TO MODERNIZE ITS BRIDGE MANAGEMENT PROCESSES AND CREATE AN INTEGRATED ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

32 Railway Track & Structures // March 2021

he Federal Railroad Administration’s Final Bridge Safety Standards, implemented in September 2010, required railroads to track their bridges’ capacity and ensure safety through specific procedures. At the time— as still is common in the industry today— Metro-North Railroad (MNR) housed disparate rail asset inventory data mostly on paper and in Excel spreadsheets across multiple departments. The quandary prompted MNR to modernize its bridge management and inspection processes, as well as create a tailored, integrated asset management system. Initially launching in January 2014, and in partnership with HNTB, MNR launched RailAdvise helping them manage and prioritize for capital planning purposes, MNR’s bridges, drainage structures, communications towers and retaining walls. Technology solutions can present challenges because of the resources required, including the perceived difficulties of migrating paperbased records into an electronic system and the concern that it may be hard to use or won’t work under some field conditions. In MNR’s experience, as the agency begins its eighth year of utilization with RailAdvise, using a technology and data platform has created advantages far exceeding any perceived short-term development and implementation challenges. Benefits include:

• Accurate prioritization of structural investments. By reviewing consistent, comprehensive information simultaneously, departments can gain joint clarity on priority projects, and incorporate background algorithms that used agency-driven prioritization formulas. • Rating consistency. Railroads may have different sets of eyes—including both internal and consultant inspectors—on their assets over time. When all inspectors use the same technology in the field, ratings are consistent and trustworthy. • Responsive reporting. Within hours of receiving a request, the railroad can create status reports that include recent inspection data, photos, maps, ownership

responsibilities and as-built drawings. • Remote access. Users can access design plans or the entire history of each structure securely and remotely 24/7. To successfully develop and implement technology applications, railroads should consider following these best practices: • Assemble a broad stakeholder group to drive decisions about desired capabilities, features and any business processes that need to be incorporated. The group should include leadership, subject-matter experts, individuals with decades of experience, information technology professionals from the agency, and inspectors who will use the app in the field. • Understand the agency’s needs and look for a system that best meets those needs. The resulting system should manage as many important processes and tasks as possible and be customizable to handle inspection and capacity issues for assets. • Make sure the system will seamlessly pull information from the agency’s other business systems and databases, and vice versa. • Undertake an iterative process, demonstrating updates to stakeholders every two to three weeks and folding their feedback into the next iteration. • Work together for the express purpose of making the railroad better, keeping the entire development team in place through deployment and into support and maintenance. • Understand that tweaks will be required after the application is in use. End users need a voice in identifying the final adjustments that must be made. As dollars become increasingly difficult for public entities to come by, investment in an asset management platform will help move railroads forward efficiently and effectively. Technology empowers railroads, turning critical data into knowledge. Bonilla is Director of Structures for Metro-North Railroad. Welch is the national geospatial manager in HNTB’s Technology Solutions Center. rtands.com

Upcoming Webinars

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RTS March 2021

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Last Stop

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