RTS September 2021

2021

ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

POSITIVE

REACTION CANADIAN PACIFIC’S JUSTIN MEYER ADAPTS TO CHANGE AND PRODUCES SUCCESS

SEPTEMBER 2021 | WWW.RTANDS.COM

ALSO: 2021 PRODUCT AND INNOVATION SHOWCASE TTCI R&D rtands.com

February 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 1

CONTENTS

September 2021

16 COLUMNS

3

On Track Make a choice already

7

NRC Column Well worth the wait

32

DEPARTMENTS

4

Last Stop The accumulating enemy: Rail dust in tunnels

On the Cover RT&S 2021 Engineer of the Year Justin Meyer.

For story, see p 9

26 30 31 31

Photo courtesy of Canadian Pacific.

TTCI R&D Fatigue screening for steel deck plate girder bridge spans AREMA News Message from the new President, Q&A with the outgoing President, and more Classifieds Advertiser Index Sales Representatives

FEATURES

9

File him under greatness Canadian Pacific’s Justin Meyer rolls with the punches, and puts people front and center

16

2021 Product and Innovation Showcase In the absence of trade shows and events, Railway Track & Structures magazine offers vendors and suppliers the opportunity to showcase their products

Follow Us On Social Media @RTSMag

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 1

Upcoming Webinars Bridge Inspection Webinar Series Module 1: Bridge Safety Management Programs & Practices; Site Conditions; and Loads and Forces October 20, 2021 1:00 - 3:30 PM ET • 2.5 PDH Module 2: Timber Bridge and Deck Inspection October 21, 2021 1:00 - 3:00 PM ET • 2.0 PDH Module 3: Concrete & Masonry Inspection October 25, 2021 1:00 - 3:15 PM ET • 2.25 PDH

Module 4: Steel & Movable Bridges October 26, 2021 1:00 - 3:15 PM ET • 2.25 PDH Module 5: Tunnels & Culvert Inspection October 27, 2021 1:00 - 3:00 PM ET • 2.0 PDH Module 6: Scour & Emergency Bridge Inspection October 28, 2021 1:00 - 3:00 PM ET • 2.0 PDH Bridge Inspection Webinar Series Full Package (which includes Modules 1-6): 13.0 PDH

Critical Geometry Defects Webinar November 3, 2021 2:00 - 3:15 PM ET • 1.25 PDH

Interested in Sponsoring an AREMA Webinar?

Visit www.arema.org for investment opportunities or email marketing@arema.org.

To REGISTER or for more information visit www.arema.org

ON TRACK

Make a choice already VOL. Vol. 117, 115,No. NO.96 Print ISSN # 0033-9016, Digital ISSN # 2160-2514 EDITORIAL OFFICES 20 South 3680Clark Heathmoor Street, Drive Suite 1910 Chicago, Elgin, ILIll. 60124 60603 Telephone Telephone (312) 630-336-1148 683-0130 Website Fax (312) www.rtands.com 683-0131 Website www.rtands.com BILL WILSON Editor-in-Chief BILL WILSON wwilson@sbpub.com Editor-in-Chief wwilson@sbpub.com DAVID C. LESTER Managing KYRA SENESE Editor dlester@sbpub.com Managing Editor ksenese@sbpub.com CORPORATE OFFICES 88BOB PineTUZIK Street New Consulting York, N.Y.Editor 10005 Telephone btuzik@sbpub.com (212) 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 CORPORATE OFFICES ARTHUR 55 Broad J. MCGINNIS, St 26th Fl. JR. President New York, and N.Y. Chairman 10004 Telephone (212) 620-7200 JONATHAN CHALON Fax (212) 633-1165 Publisher ARTHUR J. MCGINNIS, JR. MARY and CONYERS President Chairman Production Director JONATHAN CHALON NICOLE D’ANTONA Publisher Art Director MARY CONYERS HILLARY COLEMAN Production Director Graphic Designer NICOLE D’ANTONA MAUREEN COONEY Art Director Circulation Director ALEZA LEINWAND MICHELLE ZOLKOS Graphic Designer Conference Director MAUREEN COONEY CUSTOMER SERVICE: 800-895-4389 Circulation Director Reprints: PARS International Corp.

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S

ometimes it is embarr a s s ing to just sit there looking at packs, but when my mind is all twisted, my thinking turns lazy and always rests on the cheapest of the bunch.

I recently stepped back into the sports card-collecting hobby. For about five years of my childhood, I lived for going to the local drug store or 7-Eleven for a few packs of baseball cards (then Slurpees turned crazy on me and started providing player cups, but that’s a story for another column). For about 25 cents you could get a pack of at least 15 cards, and for about a quarter more you were able to feast your eyes on a value pack of about 30 cards.

These days, there are about 35 different varieties of baseball cards. Topps Series 1, Topps Heritage, Donruss Chrome ... then you have the traditional cards, ones with a piece of a player’s bat or uniform, ones with the player’s autograph, etc. A chance at DNA is going to cost you more. Some boxes go for thousands of dollars. I guess I’ll settle for a Willson Contreras double ... or triple.

The city officials in Palo Alto, Calif., might as well play eeny-meeny-miny-moe with just three options left to fix gradecrossing congestion. Instead, it feels like an endless game of Trivial Pursuit where no one can come up with the final right answer for the win.

For more than a decade the city council has had four sitting on a shelf, but just recently pulled one down and marked it with a No Sale. A viaduct carrying railroad tracks over traffic was defeated by a 6-1 vote on Aug. 23. What’s left is a trench option between Loma Verde Avenue and the San Antonio Caltrain station in Mountain View, an underpass, and a hybrid design that calls for both raising the tracks and lowering the roads.

In baseball card value, the trench is equal to paying your life savings for a golden pack that might have a card with a piece of Babe Ruth’s bat and his autograph. The cost could be as much as $900 million, which means in the end it will certainly pass $1 billion. Creeks would have to be realigned and groundwater would need to be pumped along the entire length of the corridor. The underpass option would require more property acquisition and turning restrictions on several streets. The hybrid calls for berm for trains, but is not winning the popularity vote by the politicians.

The public does not want the viaduct or hybrid design. One city councilman described the viaduct as a pile of ugly concrete (like looking at that third Willson Contreras card in the same pack).

It’s no wonder a recent study by the Eno Center for Transportation reveiled transit projects in the U.S. take longer to execute than in Europe. The political structure is about as different as a Topps Series 1 card and a Topps Inception Patch Autograph card. My feeling is across the Atlantic transportation infrastructure is considered more of a necessity rather than a game lawmakers play.

Palo Alto should have picked its pleasure and already built the solution. Yet here we are with three unopened packs still in the display case. If the public is against the viaduct and hybrid options, that leaves the trench idea or the underpass design. If planners were on top of their game decades ago, this would have all been avoided depending on which came first, the track or the roads.

Which would you pick?

I know one thing, if I was a decision maker I would not feel right just standing and staring.

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.

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 3

TTCI R&D

Fatigue screening for steel deck plate girder bridge spans Using the right tools Duane Otter, Ph.D., P.E. Scientist TTCI Stephen Dick, Ph.D., S.E. Senior Research Engineer Purdue University Christopher Johnson, P.E. Principal Investigator TTCI

T

TCI recently developed fatigue screening tools for steel deck plate girder (DPG) bridge spans.1 A survey of rail industry bridge engineers revealed that for the steel DPG, the most common span type, about 70% of them are more than 80 years old, about 50% are more than 100 years old, and about 2% are more than 120 years old. As steel bridge spans continue to age, fatigue becomes a factor for deciding whether to change inspection frequency or plan for eventual capital replacement of spans of certain lengths or designs. Fortunately, most of the older steel DPG spans were designed for steam locomotives with generous allowances for impact and lower allowable stresses than are used today.2 TTCI’s fatigue screening tools like the fatigue screening charts can assist bridge engineers in identifying the spans for which maintenance or replacement efforts should be a priority.

Fatigue screening charts TTCI’s fatigue screening charts summarize fatigue susceptibility for loadings with a variety of railcar types in unit trains traveling over typical spans from various design eras. Figure 1 shows a chart for a unit train of 42-ft, 263,000-lb gross rail load (GRL) sand/cement hoppers on spans designed to Cooper’s E40 loading per the 1906 American

Figure 1. Stress ranges for 42-ft unit train cars, 263,000-lb GRL, on spans designed to Cooper E40 per 1906 AREA.

Railway Engineering Association (AREA, later AREMA) guidelines. Three different lines are plotted, dividing the chart into four regions indicating predicted span fatigue performance. The maximum stress per train is indicated by the top line, while the lower line indicates the stress range per carload cycle on the span. These stress levels are related to the capacity rating of the structure.

Additionally, with the variable amplitude fatigue limit (VAFL) of 6 ksi, below which fatigue cycles do not accumulate, further divides the chart.

The four regions are color-coded red, orange, green, and white. The red region shows the area accumulating one stress cycle per car and is the highest concern for fatigue. The orange region shows the area accumulating one stress cycle per train, which is of somewhat lesser concern. The green region shows the area receiving a single

Figure 2. Stress ranges for 42-ft unit train cars, 286,000-lb GRL, on spans designed to Cooper E40 per 1906 AREA.

4 Railway Track & Structures // September 2021

non-accumulating stress cycle per car.

Effects of span length Note in the figure that for spans longer than approximately the car length, the per-car cyclic stress ranges are much lower than the VAFL; thus, fatigue is not generally an issue. Regardless of design era, longer spans tend to experience lower cyclic stress ranges for typical North American freight car loadings. Only short spans experience per-car cyclic stress ranges that fall into the red region and accumulate fatigue on a cycle-per-car rather than a cycle-per-train basis.

Effects of car weight Figure 2 shows a similar chart for a unit train of 286,000-lb GRL sand/cement hoppers with the same axle spacings. As expected, stress ranges are

Figure 3. Stress ranges for 60-ft unit train cars, 286,000-lb GRL, on spans designed to Cooper E40 per 1906 AREA.

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TTCI R&D

higher for both the one-cycle-per-car bending moments, as well as the maximum per-train bending moment (which governs span rating). For the short spans that are affected by per-car cycles above 6 ksi, the per-car cyclic stress ranges are about 10% higher as expected. This results in a shorter fatigue duration. But the lengths of spans affected in terms of fatigue are virtually the same as for the 263,000lb GRL cars. Spans greater than approximately the car length do not experience accumulative stress range cycles on a per-car basis despite the GRL of the cars being 10% heavier.

Effects of car length Car length has a significant effect on fatigue of steel girder spans.3 Figure 3 shows a chart with the same span length and GRL as Figure 2, except for longer 60-ft grain cars. For the grain cars, the spacing between adjacent axles of coupled grain cars is 101 in. for these graphs. The spacing

between adjacent axles of coupled sand/cement cars is 81 in. for the graphs in this study. Truck axle spacing is 70 in. for all these car types with either 263,000-lb GRL or 286,000-lb GRL. As expected, the maximum stress per train is lower due to the longer cars, as well as the additional distance between adjacent axles of coupled cars. Note, however, that the longer cars generate per-car stress cycles above 6 ksi for more spans, with spans with lengths up to about 60 ft being subject to cumulative fatigue cycles. While the longer cars might be of less concern for span capacity rating, they are responsible for subjecting more spans to per-car fatigue loading cycles.

Effects of design era As steam locomotives grew heavier and heavier during the early 1900s, so did bridge design loads. By 1920, AREA recommended a Cooper E60 design load with a significant impact factor

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Figure 4. Stress ranges for 60-ft unit train cars, 286,000-lb GRL, on spans designed to Cooper E60 per 1920 AREA and E72 per 1948 AREA.

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to account for the hammer blow effect. Figure 4 shows the fatigue chart for the same grain cars as shown in Figure 3, except with more recent design recommendations. The chart on the left shows spans designed per the 1920 AREA recommended practice. Note that the maximum stresses per train and per car are barely above the 6-ksi threshold for fatigue. DPG spans from this design era may be of little concern for both capacity rating and fatigue for these loadings.

Changes in AREA recommended practice over the years resulted in increasing design loads. However, the allowable stresses for design have increased as well, and the impact loads have been reduced. The result is that newer DPG spans might experience higher stresses and stress range cycles than older DPG spans. The right side of Figure 4 shows the fatigue chart for the same 60-ft grain car on spans designed per the 1948 AREA recommended practice with Cooper’s E72 design load and steam locomotive impact. The result is that these newer spans are slightly more susceptible to fatigue than the 1920 spans designed for a lower E60 design load.

These trends with increasing design loads offset by increased allowable stresses and reduced impact continue.1 The net result is that the spans designed today are not significantly different in terms of net section modulus than those designed a century ago.

General trends Typical steel DPG spans longer than about a car length are subjected to only one accumulative fatigue cycle per train. Thus, fatigue is not likely to be a concern for spans above about 60 ft in length. While this trend has been previously noted by bridge engineers, this study explains why. For the bridge engineer who wants to consider fatigue in DPG spans, efforts should be concentrated on the short spans.

Also, for steel DPG spans designed to AREA 1920 recommended practice and later (or equivalent), fatigue should be much less of a concern than for older spans as the maximum stress ranges are significantly lower under current equipment.

Cautions Results presented here are analytical only and based on general design trends. Actual behavior of any particular span may vary. It is noted that these examples do not consider the effects of actual bridge design, fabrication, or resulting corrosion on a specific span. Nor do these examples consider fatigue due to specific bridge details, such as poor weld details, as have been found in girders of welded fabrication. Regardless of calculations, thorough inspections should always be carried out as a first priority for maintaining a safe and serviceable bridge inventory.

References 1. Dick, S. and D. Otter. September 2019. “Fatigue Screening of Railway Deck Girder Bridges,” Proceedings, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) Annual Technical Conference. Minneapolis, Minn.

2. Manual for Railway Engineering. 2021. Chapter 15 – Steel Structures, AREMA, Lanham, Md. 3. Dick, S. and S. L. McCabe, September 2002. “Fatigue Analysis of Steel Railway Girder Bridges.” Proceedings, AREMA Annual Technical Conference, Washington, D.C. Acknowledgements The authors thank the Association of American Railroads (AAR) for funding the research to develop the screening methodology and the guidance provided by the railroad bridge engineers. The co-authors also acknowledge Stephen Dick for his leadership in developing this methodology during his time employed by TTCI.

6 Railway Track & Structures // September 2021

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NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN

2022 NRC Conference will be ‘well worth the wait’

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

LANCE M. FRITZ Chairman, President and CEO Union Pacific Corp.

The National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association, Inc. 410 1st Street, S.E. Suite 200 Washington D. C. 20003

here’s no denying it. The decision to cancel the NRC’s annual conference in 2021 was painful. Professionals across the rail industry let us know their disappointment. But the good news is the 2022 conference is on target and shaping up to be our best ever. The proverbial expression “well worth the wait” aptly describes what’s ahead Jan. 5 through 8. We hope you will join us at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa in Phoenix.

For so many contractors and suppliers, the NRC’s Annual Conference is an invaluable way to formulate their business gameplans for the year. They know the conference gives them access to learn about the engineering plans of key railroads and transit agencies, to network with other leaders, and to advocate for the rail industry.

The conference lineup has attracted MVPs from across the industry. I’m thrilled to announce that Union Pacific Corp. Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Lance Fritz will be the keynote speaker for our fireside chat, which always is a conference highlight. You can anticipate a candid and wide-ranging discussion with Fritz about Union Pacific and the issues confronting our industry and what to expect with commerce across North America and beyond.

As always, attendees will gain first-hand insights from chief engineers about 2022 engineering and capital plans for all the Class 1 and major short line railroads as well as large passenger rail and transit authorities. Attendees tell us this detail and the opportunity for interaction are irreplaceable and provide insights that they share with others throughout their company.

Safety is always a top consideration, and

the conference lineup will reflect that priority. Representatives from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will address roadway worker protection updates and review key regulations, including FRA Part 219 on drug and alcohol testing and FRA Part 243 on minimum training standards.

Also expect some unique presentations to learn about operations outside of your wheelhouse. Don Hutton, director of New York New Jersey Rail, will discuss its float railroad operation extending across the Hudson River from New Jersey to Brooklyn, N.Y. It’s time to make your plans to attend.

Conference registration and hotel blocks are open. You also can find out about exhibitor options for the NRC-REMSA Exhibition, sponsorships, and the rest of the conference lineup. Find everything you need to know at the NRC website: https://bit.ly/3yTPoYC. Here’s a request for every leader who plans to attend. Extend a hand up. Consider inviting a promising young professional on your team who would benefit from this development opportunity. I was fortunate someone looked out for me so many years ago. It made an enormous impact on my career.

I look forward to seeing familiar and new faces in Phoenix this January.

Building a safer and stronger railway construction industry together.

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

JW Marriot Desert Ridge Resort and Spa Phoenix, Ariz.

Tel: 202-715-2920 Fax: 202-318-0867 www.nrcma.org info@nrcma.org

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 7

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JUSTIN MEYER

ON A WELL-DESERVED ENGINEER OF THE YEAR AWARD

2021 RT&S ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

Canadian Pacific’s Justin Meyer.

FILE HIM UNDER GREATNESS Canadian Pacific’s Justin Meyer rolls with the punches, and puts people front and center

By Bill Wilson, Editor-in-Chief

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 9

2021 RT&S ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

U

niform cubicle walls and executive board room chairs. They are milestone props in Justin Meyer’s professional memory since he has been at Canadian Pacific.

It was in 1998 when Meyer, not far removed from his final steps across the college graduation stage, was working as an Engineer in Training for Canadian Pacific (CP) at the Class 1’s U.S. headquarters in downtown Minneapolis. Sectioned off in one of two cubicles, Meyer’s consulting job consisted of sorting out track agreements and helping to put the billable ones into the system for switches and tracks so the billing could take place when the work was done on the tracks. Meyer was pushing his index finger through 100-year-old track agreements and had to figure out if the actual customers existed, and if they did he had to figure out if the tracks had changed at all before inputting all of the information into SAP. The North Dakota State grad was getting his first full-time ride dealing with the railroading life and was learning what it meant to be the one driving the figurative

10 Railway Track & Structures // September 2021

locomotive.

“When you work in the office of the railroad, you hear and get more of a sense of how things are working,” Meyer reflected to RT&S. “I learned a lot listening and learning about the customer side of it ... the grain elevators, the industry tracks, the back tracks in the Chicago terminal, and

“

BEING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT REALLY OPENED MY EYES TO WHAT’S THERE. I got more fascinated with how the railroad works and what it means to be in the railroad.

“Being in that environment really opened my eyes to what’s there.”

More important, Meyer wanted to be there, and it was the beginning of what has been a long and successful career

at Canadian Pacific and makes him an obvious choice for RT&S’s 2021 Engineer of the Year. He currently serves as CP’s vice president of Engineering.

Promotions and challenges have been following Meyer along on his journey, which hit another ceremonial moment in 2013 during the introductory days of precision scheduled railroading (PSR). Meyer was in a boardroom with some other colleagues going over every movement that was involved in changing inbound receiver track at CP’s St. Paul rail yard. The plan was to add a sixth 7,000+-ft track, relocate three crossovers, and shift 27,000 ft of the remaining five tracks from 14-ft track centers to 17-ft track centers. The track shifts were key as they would allow for more efficient mechanical inspections of inbound trains. On the other end of the line was then CP President and CEO Keith Creel, who changed the perspective in the boardroom.

“The feedback he gave helped us change our view from an engineering standpoint,” Meyer said. “Sometimes it is not about the money you can save from an

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2021 RT&S ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

engineering department when that money you are saving may impact the operating department.

“That was a lesson [Creel] taught me there in a very respectful way with some very tough questions. That expansion project had its challenges, but we got through it and the only hump yard in the system kept humping cars.”

The cubicle and the boardroom are where Meyer used his ability to listen and be flexible, two strong and attractive qualities that has carved out his successful niche in the railroad engineering field, and they continue to today.

Here for the long haul Like many in the industry, Meyer grew up with the railroad industry playing in the background. His grandfather was chef on the Great Northern Twin Cities and Montana line, and his mother held various positions with Burlington Northern, first as an executive administrator and lastly as a mechanical manager at the Northtown diesel shop. His mother’s impressive climb through the ranks as a woman and as one

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 11

2021 RT&S ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

with just a high school diploma was a sight to see, and gave Meyer his first appreciation of the railroad. During his high school and college years, Meyer and his brother would accompany their mom on summer training trips. Sometimes their dad would join, otherwise he stayed back to work his job with the state of Minnesota. “[The trips] helped set the mindset that my mom traveled for work and travel is a part of railroading, and she still had a family and she still played a role and we were able to do both where she could manage her career and still raise her kids.”

Early in his railroad career Justin married his wife, Amy, and she has played a key role in helping balance work and family, which includes three children.

Meyer took to problem solving at a very young age, and in high school some of his friends said they were going into engineering. Meyer decided to go along with the group.

“I’m not a gifted math student by any means, but I really enjoyed the process and the problem solving of math and the black and white world that it is,” remarked Meyer.

The Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association, Inc. (REMSA) congratulates Justin Meyer on being named RT&S Engineer of the Year.

Justin Meyer is a true gentleman of the industry and well deserving of this award.”

- Jay Gowan, REMSA Chairman, Sr. VP, North American Track, RailWorks www.remsa.org

REMSA_Sept2021.indd 1

12 Railway Track & Structures // September 2021

8/25/21 11:44 AM

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2021 RT&S ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

Meyer also wanted to execute the process at his own pace. As with most engineering colleges, the class starts out huge, but four years later only a portion is left. For Meyer, it was five years, only because he had to work during the summers while at North Dakota State and he only took on what he thought he could handle. Still, even though you are in a lower gear does not mean the challenges come at you any less frequently. Meyer’s second year was his “absolute hardest,” a year full of third- and fourth-level calculus and second-level physics.

“They are things I didn’t know and love, but were things I needed to have for my degree.”

Intestinal fortitude was hitting Meyer full force, and it would continue to pop up for the rest of his college days and in his career.

“What does intestinal fortitude mean to me? It means there are going to be some really hard days and days you fail, and you don’t look at it as a failure, you just build on what you could do better and I really did that.”

Those days and the ones that smiled on Meyer helped him build on his appreciation of engineering, especially during his final three years at North Dakota State.

“

WE WENT OUT FOR THE WEEK, WE PLANNED OUR WORK, WORKED LONG HOURS, AND WE GOT THINGS ACCOMPLISHED. Trying and succeeding The civil engineering world started hitting Meyer during his college years when he had to work during the summers. His first civil job was working for the city of Burnsville, Minn., running power mowers at the parks, and then came consulting work for TKDA out of St. Paul, first as an intern and

later as an Engineer in Training. TKDA has staked its reputation on rail work, and Meyer got a feel for life out on the road and working long hours as a surveyor.

It was the perfect primer for a career on the tracks.

“We went out for the week, we planned our work, worked long days, and we got things accomplished,” said Meyer.

TKDA exposed Meyer to a variety of work ranging from bridge projects to yard expansions to waste water treatment plants until the summer of 1997 when he began working for CP combing through those 100-year-old files. Meyer ended up being hired into the Class 1 company, but not before a string of interviews, with the last coming with Mike Hanson. Hanson was the last civil engineer hired by CP on the SOO Line Railroad (Chicago to North Dakota).

“He was the final yes or no,” exclaimed Meyer. “I had a great interview with Mike; we seemed to connect.”

A connection also was made with Hanson, who would later serve as Meyer’s boss. If Hanson was the last civil engineer

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 13

2021 RT&S ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

hired on the SOO Line, which at the time was 20 years ago, Meyer knew a youth movement was on the horizon.

Sure enough, in June 1998 he was hired full time by CP and the next few years he would spend time as an office engineer and even an Environmental Engineer. In 2002, he was placed out in the field as a Structures Supervisor where he was exposed to more inspection and maintenance work. Meyer was a supervisor to unionized employees, and his desire to be flexible and deal with the circumstances presented to him were immediately apparent.

Working on a timber bridge replacement on the Glenwood-to-Winnipeg corridor was the first time Meyer’s crew was in charge. The project called for replacing a five-span timber trestle with a concrete box culvert, so the equipment rental was in-sourced and crane work was handled by CP workers. It took a week working under traffic to finish the job.

“I just remember the amount of planning that went into that and the engagement I had with the team and the ownership I felt with that crew.”

Teamwork under Meyer out in the field became a mainstay. During the f loods of 2011 in North Dakota, CP crews had to figure out a way to restore track while it was still submerged in f loodwaters. The washout spread over 20 to 25 miles, so there were multiple work locations. The solution was to use larger rock, but sourcing it out proved

“

I WAS WILLING TO LISTEN AND I TRIED. I WAS NOT SCARED TO FAIL. to be a challenge in North Dakota. Once the rock arrived it was spread out over the work locations at a slow and steady pace, and crews worked from the toes of the embankment-up to reconstruct the track bed structure until the water had receded enough to where rail could be

cut and panels dropped in.

Flooding was behind another field victory later in 2019. A bridge was washed out at Mile 71.6 that connected northern Iowa and southern Minnesota over the Turkey River. CP lost 396 ft of bridge in the early spring and was able to restore service in 12.5 days helped by the ability to find assets to repurpose. Again, teamwork, this time with support contractors, rose to the occasion.

Meyer’s fieldwork, which also included a stint as a division engineer on the track side, went on until 2012, when he was promoted back into the office to replace his mentor Hanson. Hunter Harrison was the new head boss at CP, and during the first meetings with the general managers he looked around the room and said some of them would not be with the company over the next three years. Harrison’s approach required people who were willing to change and adapt.

“I’ll fall back on that word of intestinal fortitude again,” said Meyer. “I did not take that as a threat; it was just reality of

CONGRATULATES

JUSTIN MEYER RAILWAY, TRACK AND STRUCTURES

ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

Over four decades of renting quality trucks, construction equipment, and hi-rail units

RENTAL SYSTEMS, INC. PHILADELPHIA 800.969.6200 | DENVER 800.713.2677 | DANELLA.COM/RENTALS

14 Railway Track & Structures // September 2021

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2021 RT&S ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

what changes were ahead of us at CP. “I was willing to listen and I tried. I was not scared to fail.”

The MVP of PSR Leadership at CP was going to make sure PSR did not fail, and under Meyer’s watch the Class 1 made the transition about as seamlessly as a company could.

The track changes at the St. Paul hump yard was an engineering mind trick. The five existing inbound receiver track centers were widened, switches moves, and an additional track was added. Logistics distorted perception, and the project called for work to be done day and night in the middle of a live traffic operation. Adding to the complexity was a short deadline, because the grain season was waiting for no one.

“Yards get busier during the late summer, early fall. It was time-critical, but like everything with PSR you do it when you have to do it,” said Meyer.

For the sixth track, CP crews brought in track panels that were previously used at a hump yard in Chicago that was no longer

in service.

PSR also had CP taking a hard look at its infrastructure, particularly switches.

Switches are expensive and usually found near derailments. PSR made a lot of them obsolete, and since 2012 CP has removed 1,282 switches, with 550 located on the main line.

“What PSR taught us was if you don’t need the switch, get if off the track.”

The PSR era has ushered back in the use of the Alyth hump yard in Calgary, Canada. Activity had been dead at the property since 2012, and in 2018 the decision was made to change the classification of the yard, which called for a redesign. All of the existing track was removed, the land was re-graded, and a gravity-fed hump yard soon appeared. It took about four months to recreate Alyth yard, and in total 45,000 ft of track was placed, 52 turnouts were installed, and dual control switches are now on the head end.

“It is cheaper than a full hump yard because you don’t have as many moving parts as a fully automated hump yard,”

remarked Meyer.

People are the future Ask Meyer about the future of railroading and he will tell you people and technology should drive the railway. However, Meyer understands his role and the impact leaders can make. As his career continues to evolve he will continue to put the most importance on the people at CP. Trying to stay connected with people on his team and on the railway is important to Meyer.

Whether his boots are in the ballast, or he is reviewing capital plans, or facilitating leadership training, or just picking up the phone, each day it is the people who keep him busy.

“The ability to teach and empower people is critical to us at CP and what the future will bring. Technology on the railroad will continue to advance over the next 20 years, but it will all be driven and executed by our people,” said Meyer.

That next person sitting in the cubicle is in for one heck of a ride. Meyer will make sure of it.

The CP family congratulates Justin Meyer for being named the 2021 Engineer of the Year.

Connect to an exciting career at cpr.ca/careers

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 15

2021 PRODUCT AND INNOVATION SHOWCASE

2021

PRODUCT AND INNOVATION SHOWCASE

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be in attendance when it comes to industry trade shows, forcing many to continue to rely on the virtual platform. Nobody can replace the networking power of live events, so Railway Track & Structures magazine decided to once again give manufacturers and suppliers a special platform for 2021.

DMF Atlanta The DMF RW-2300HS is a front-mounted hydrostatic creep drive system designed to operate independently of the vehicle transmission. With a 33,000-lb GAWR, the front hydrostatic system can be mounted forward of the front tandems and, in special applications, behind the cab.

Full wireless control operates the Neotec motorized front axle without having to integrate into the vehicle. The system will operate up to 7 mph in creep mode and disengage for up to 25 mph freewheel mode using the vehicle propulsion.

Rated for 88k# at a 2% incline and up to 200k# on level track, the system will meet your needs. Additionally, the system allows the user to operate the vehicle equipment without having to disengage the PTO to advance the truck down the track, saving time and money. Since the RW-2300HS is independent of the transmission, the vehicle can be moved off track if any issues arise unlike some current split shaft systems. The full system includes the Neotec axle, DMF integration package, and the DMF RW-1630 or RW-1650 rear axle assembly with auto mechanical locks.

16 Railway Track & Structures // September 2021

Photo Credit: Gradall, DMF Atlanta

Gradall Gradall Industries, Inc., has introduced two new railway Maintenance-of-Way machine models featuring faster maximum travel speeds on tracks to complement their highway-speed travel advantages. Equipped with Gradall’s new Rapid Drive advantage, the new models can be driven on rails from the upperstructure operator cab at speeds up to 30 mph in either direction.

These machines are built on highway-speed undercarriages, so when there’s an emergency repair need, the operator can drive a Gradall machine to a rail crossing at 60 mph from the carrier cab and then quickly load it on rails, lowering the diversified rail gear from either the carrier or upper operator cab.

Once it’s on track, the machine uses the carrier’s wheels for mobility, with an operator cab switch to select Rapid Drive, for travel speeds up to 30 mph, or the work mode, for repositioning speeds up to 5 mph. Those choices enable the operator to address and complete a variety of jobs quickly. With a coupler and airbrakes, Rapid Drive also provides the ability to tow along a railcar for carrying materials. rtands.com

2021 PRODUCT AND INNOVATION SHOWCASE

Herzog Herzog has developed a single-pass solution, the Herzog Survey Platform, that gathers many types of data with a single vehicle during a single pass of a railway corridor. During a survey, up to 4K UHD video, 360° imagery, and LiDAR point clouds scanned at 500,000 points per second can be collected. All scanners in the Herzog Survey platform are integrated with GPS or IMU technologies, allowing the collection of data to meet or exceed customer accuracy requirements.

LiDAR point clouds and imagery can be collected at track speeds, reducing the time required on track and maximizing railway worker safety. Herzog’s internally developed software can process those point clouds for use in multiple applications and analyses. The survey data captured is suitable for PTC asset identification and clearance profiling and is configurable in response to each customer’s needs.

Clearance analysis reports can be used to calculate the vertical and horizontal clearances from track centerline to requested assets, assist in the planning of manual and automated material placement along the right-of-way, generate horizontal track curvature, and identify areas in the corridor requiring vegetation maintenance.

Photo Credit: Hougen Manufacturing Inc., HiRAIL, Herzog

HiRAIL HiRAIL introduces new product variation with a single tongue-and-groove versus current and previous models with a double tongue-and-groove.

This new feature includes a thicker tongue section which leads to stronger individual pads for handling and a more robust and well-connected crossing system.

For the past 30 years, HiRAIL has made crossing to fit various concrete tie profiles allowing clients to use 8-ft 3-in. or 8-ft 6-in. concrete ties instead of 10-ft flat concrete ties.

HiRAIL is currently developing new crossing designs to fit new concrete tie profiles and fastening systems introduced to the market recently.

Hougen Manufacturing, Inc. The new two-speed RailBoss RB2SPD gas-powered rail drill from Trak-Star features a more compact design and smaller footprint to make it easier to get into tight spots.

The drill incorporates a two-speed gear box (350 rpm and 150 rpm), which allows the operator to use either the carbide-tipped Twister Bits or the black-coated Twister Bits.

Other features include: a powerful four-stroke Honda engine for easy starting, a centrifugal clutch for idle and overload protection, built-in preventive maintenance protections, a unique quill feed arbor, a rigid 10-point clamping system and a short stroke feed handle.

The RB2SPD uses the Carbide or Black Twister Bit Rail Cutters, which are available in sizes from 34² to 1 11/16². The carbide cutters are used on the 350-rpm setting and the black cutters are used at 150 rpm.

The quill feed arbor delivers a smooth feed throughout the cut. The arbor is complemented with a feed mechanism that requires a shorter feed stroke, thus only a single pull of the handle is needed to cut the hole, and its longer length means operators can stand while drilling holes.

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 17

2021 PRODUCT AND INNOVATION SHOWCASE

Integrity Rail Products Banton Construction is a contractor working for Metro North Railroad.

They have an excavator on-site to do some initial excavation, but once they get near underground infrastructure, they are required to expose the underground utilities with safe-dig technology.

Hi-rail hydro-vac trucks are often difficult to find and come at additional cost. In addition, in this situation, with a six-hour work window, the work crews were often not able to use the entire window. Once the hydro-vac truck was full, it would take 2.5 hours for the truck to empty and return to the jobsite. This was because of a variety of factors.

Since there is an excavator on-site already with sufficient hydraulic flow and capabilities, the suction capabilities of the tinbin TC2 were easy to implement. The soil was loosened from around the utilities with an air lance and then sucked out of the excavation with the tinbin TC2. Because the spoils were dry, Banton Construction personnel could dump the spoils on-site or place them into a dump truck for removal. The excavator with the tinbin TC2 could keep working as the spoils were spread out on-site or removed by other equipment.

L.B. Foster Company Rockfall and landslides can pose major problems to infrastructure, especially to railways in mountainous regions. Materials blocking the lines and debris making its way onto the track effects the safety of the line and impacts the integrity of the track. Insight Rockfall Monitoring by L.B. Foster is an accurate end-to-end solution that alerts railroad operators to actual events in real time.

The system uses a LiDAR optical fence that solves the challenge of safeguarding against rock debris on the line. Conventional slide fences use wires across the top of the track that break when a rock falls through them.

With the Rockfall Monitoring system, if a rock of sufficient size is detected on the track, LiDAR technology remotely alerts controllers about the size and location of the obstruction without an engineer ever needing to visit the site.

This system also features sophisticated data management software, which captures, stores, analyzes, and provides detailed intelligence on event regularity and severity. This allows system operators to build a detailed event profile and identify actions to prevent disruption, reducing costs and protecting reputation.

18 Railway Track & Structures // September 2021

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Photo Credit: L.B. Foster, Integrity Rail Products, Industry-Railway Suppliers, Inc.

Industry-Railway Suppliers, Inc. Industry-Railway Suppliers introduces the Diamond Lifting Device: A complete self-contained diamond lifting system. It removes workers from the possible hazardous area of the diamond-lifting operation, making it the safest way for workers to spot-tamp a diamond.

The Diamond Lifting Device comes with a high-pressure power source, a control manifold, four 10-ton hydraulics jacks, and all necessary hoses. The manifold gives the user remote operation of the lifting system, reducing the possibility of injury during the jacking process.

The hydraulic jacks have large, solid bases to provide increased stability on soft ground, and operate in horizontal, angular, or vertical positions.

Once the desired lift is achieved, this system holds the diamond at a proper cross level, even throughout the spot-tamping process, guaranteeing a level diamond. The Diamond Lifting Device greatly reduces track occupancy time on a critical portion of track as it requires only a single simultaneous lift.

This device also can be used on frogs and turnouts, hump yard retarders, bridge approaches, or anywhere a controlled, precise lift is required.

2021 PRODUCT AND INNOVATION SHOWCASE

Loram Technologies Loram’s Area Monitoring system automatically detects objects in the path of on-track equipment. The kits can be mounted at both the front and/or rear of the equipment so that both directions of travel are monitored.

When in active monitoring mode, objects that come within the configured monitor zone will activate an alert for the equipment operator. The alerts can be configured to be visual, audible, or both and are installed in the equipment cab or where the operator is performing their work. Equipment operators should take the safest approach to avoid all objects in their path.

Loram’s Area Monitoring system is not a substitute for current protocols in place to keep roadway workers safe, however it can aid in equipment operator’s awareness of their surroundings while they are performing tasks by constantly monitoring the zones at the front and rear of the equipment, providing an added layer of vigilance.

Photo Credit: Omaha Track, Miller Ingenuity, Loram Technologies

Miller Ingenuity ZoneGuard is an electronic RWP system that has been used to protect freight and transit workers in active work zones.

ZoneGuard’s patented sensor technologies work together to ensure that track vehicles are detected consistently and accurately every time. Its proven accuracy has helped customers eliminate the chance of false alerts that can give a false sense of security among work crews and helps prevent common human-error factors that contribute to close calls and tragic accidents.

The new patent-pending ZoneGuard yard protection system uses the company’s unique train detection technology and the setup from a fixed system to warn workers within a rail yard of any incoming track vehicles or cars being shoved into the facility. Train detectors determine if track vehicles are entering or exiting the facility, and workers will receive alerts from their wearable devices and the Train Alert Modules mounted throughout the yard.

The ZoneGuard fixed system provides 24/7 train-tracking capabilities while being online ready to use by any number of roadway workers with no configuration or setup required.

Omaha Track Omaha Track Equipment (OTE) is proud to be the sole certified CBI dealer for Nebraska and Kansas. The company offers sales, rentals, service, and parts for all CBI products. Omaha Track offers heavy-duty wood waste grinders, horizontal grinders, industrial woodchippers, flail debarkers, screeners, stacking conveyors, as well as attachments for the forestry, recycling, and the organics markets.

The ability to use these heavy-duty grinders and solid steel rotor packages are ideal for construction and demolition (C&D) debris recycling. Specialized wood waste grinders can help industry professionals overcome the challenge of contamination and meet the rising demand for C&D recycling.

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 19

2021 PRODUCT AND INNOVATION SHOWCASE

Orgo-Thermit Orgo-Thermit Goldschmidt is proud to present the Eddy Current Measurement service, which inspects the rail running surface and, more importantly, the gauge corner of the rail for instances of rolling contact fatigue (RCF) damage. The technology encompasses both an onboard train-mounted system designed for continuous recording during revenue service hours as well as a manual-operated trolley with eight probes strategically located to identify underlying conditions of defect prone areas of the rail surface.

The Eddy Current method is based on the principle of generating circular electrical currents in a conductive material. These electrical currents are able to identify abnormalities in the rail surface and can indicate the depth of surface defects, such as head checks, up to 0.106 in. (2.7 mm). By identifying the scope of the RCF, customers will be better informed to take preventive actions such as either rail grinding or rail replacement in extreme cases.

This technology is extensively used in Europe on multiple railroads and is poised to be a disruption in the rail-measurement arena in North America as it has the potential to bring awareness to rail deficiencies that were previously overlooked.

Pandrol AutoSeal moulds are Pandrol’s newest aluminothermic welding innovation that streamlines the welding process. The built-in felt expands during the preheating phase of welding, creating a tight seal between the mould and rail. This completely removes the need for luting with paste or sand, whilst preventing welding leaks. They are the world’s first self-sealing moulds and bring numerous benefits including faster welding speeds, enhanced welder ergonomics, increased reliability, and reduced waste.

This new technology has been developed by Pandrol welding experts and is compatible with all existing rail types. AutoSeal moulds are recommended for the most demanding rail networks, meeting the needs of short possession times and high safety standards.

Driving velocity in the rail industry.

TRACK MAINTENANCE

Photo Credit: Orgo-Thermit, Pandrol

RAIL CAR MOVING

RAIL INSPECTION

20 Railway Track & Structures // September 2021

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2021 PRODUCT AND INNOVATION SHOWCASE

Photo Credit: PortaCo Goldschmidt

PortaCo Goldschmidt As part of the Goldschmidt Group, PortaCo Goldschmidt is proud to offer the complete range of hydraulic tools and power units for the railroad industry and is particularly proud of the tools it manufactures to support the thermit welding process.

These tools offer power in all weather conditions with no detriment from either the heat or cold.

Leveraging the knowledge and expertise of the Goldschmidt group’s global experts in thermit welding, PortaCo Goldschmidt is focused on how to continuously improve it’s products to drive efficiency as well as supporting the needs of customers.

Goldschmidt will soon be launching two new tools focused on the thermit welding. Firstly, the notch grinder which is used in the head repair welding process. The new notch grinder will build on the strength of the existing notch grinder and it’s grinding wheel life. It has improved ergonomics for the operator and will further reduce the time to grind the notch in the rail to optimize the track time required to perform a weld.

Secondly, the company will soon be presenting a new heavyweight profile grinder. Designed with a similar concept to the lightweight profile grinder, the aim is to offer customers a complete range of grinding tools to support both the thermit welding process as well as general track maintenance.

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 21

2021 PRODUCT AND INNOVATION SHOWCASE

Photo Credit: Supertrak

Supertrak The new SK190RTL from Supertrak is a 190-hp Tier 4/Stage 5 wheeled mulcher carrier.

Under 20,000 lb can be transported without permits. The SK190RTL has a closed loop high-f low, high-pressure system with reversing fan systems to produce maximum hydraulic horsepower to the mulching head. The carrier also is set up to use standard CWL attachments as a universal carrier. It is perfect for right-of-way maintenance and yard versatility.

22 Railway Track & Structures // September 2021

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2021 PRODUCT AND INNOVATION SHOWCASE

Thermon By request from customers, Thermon has developed its most powerful switch heater. Inclusive of ArcticSense snow detection, the 5-hp Hellfire 905 utilizes a proprietary blower and burner resulting in a smooth, quiet operation while at the same time delivering significantly more air flow at higher velocities.

It’s intended for locations with high wind, heavy snow and critical traffic. It’s also well suited for residential areas where noise levels are a concern.

Trimble The Trimble GEDO GX50 is a flexible laser-scanning system designed to operate with Trimble GEDO track-measurement systems for clearance analysis and asset data collection, further enhancing the modular track survey and scanning-solutions portfolio.

The Trimble GEDO GX50 features new Trimble-designed profiling lasers for highaccuracy data collection. It is available in a single head configuration with one laser scanner and a dual head configuration with two laser scanners, and the scan heads can be flexibly adjusted depending on project requirements. The modular design allows the second laser scanner to be added when higher point density is required. The system works with the existing suite of Trimble GEDO railway track surveying and scanning field and office software.

The system also enables capture of high-resolution 3-D data for clearance verification and as-built data collection. The data provides an excellent basis for modeling in a BIM-compliant design and construction workflow.

The Trimble GEDO GX50 is available now through Trimble’s Track Survey and Scanning distribution network. For more information, visit: https://trimble-railway.com/en/produkt/gx50.

K1270 II RAIL SAW

Photo Credit: Trimble, Thermon

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 23

2021 PRODUCT AND INNOVATION SHOWCASE

New Low Profile Bi-Directional Portable Derail, the LP-TSX

This new bi-directional derail incorporates the same, proven, overall design as the LP- TS Derail, with a low above top of rail height to clear locomotive pilots. The LP-TSX is the first genuinely bi-directional portable derail. Once installed on the rail, it is equally effective when struck from either direction. There is no wedge to reposition, nor will the derail slide on the rail, if struck from the trailing end.

Less than three inches high Light weight - approximately 60 pounds w/o flag Resists sliding - unique, patented design Rugged - fabricated from high strength alloy steel Easy to install - requires no special tools Can be padlocked.

Equipped with a highly visible warning flag Fits rail 75 to 141 pounds WESTERN-CULLEN-HAYES, INC. 2700 W. 36th Place • Chicago, IL 60632 (773) 254-9600 • Fax (773) 254-1110 Web Site: www.wch.com E-mail: wch@wch.com

24 Railway Track & Structures // September 2021

Vancer The Vancer Cold Air Blower attachment quickly and safely clears snow and ice buildup off tracks and switches to aid in keeping rail line traffic moving during winter months. Designed and engineered by Vancer, the cold air blower mounts on an excavator with a rotating coupler, and the cold air blower’s hydraulically driven fan moves a high-pressure stream of air to clear the targeted area. Steel cables with button stop ends help break up ice and packed snow.

Managing the upkeep of track lines during the winter months can be a daunting task; the Vancer Cold Air Blower attachment was designed to enhance the productivity of Vancer excavators. Pairing Vancer equipment with specialty rail maintenance attachments provides rail operations the flexibility they need to tackle a variety of projects with one machine.

To learn more about this product, please visit: https://www. vancer.com/product/cold-air-blower/

RAIL NEWS DELIVERED TO YOU AT HIGH SPEED

RAIL From Railway Age, RT&S and IRJ GROUP NEWS

Photo Credit: Twinco Mfg., Vancer

Twinco Mfg. The Twinco TMC-1 Submersible Switch Machine was conceived, designed, and manufactured to address the most demanding requirements of today’s rail and transit market.

With an IP68 rating, the machine offers reliability and resiliency against flooding and extreme temperature variations.

The TMC-1’s sleek modular design offers quick and easy servicing and maintenance of parts, as well as versatility in its functionality.

The TMC-1 is offered in both trailable and non-trailable versions with features including compact mechanical switch and lock movement, low height profile, wayside or mid-track mounting, and dual switch point indication.

ROUND-UP of NEWS STO

RAILWAY AG

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2021 PRODUCT AND INNOVATION SHOWCASE

Willamette Valley Co. Innovation has kept the rail industry moving forward since its inception. WVCO has continued that commitment by solving an age-old problem. The new Insulated Joint Repair (IJ-30) was specifically formulated to repair a failing joint by not allowing rail heads to contact each other (shunting). IJ-30 was designed to be a repair product that could be applied quickly and easily in the field with minimal effort and no specialized equipment. With a set time of less than five minutes, the repair can be made without the hassle of holding up freight traffic.

Insulated joints are crucial in the safety and effectiveness of moving freight and people on any railroad. They also are costly and require time and planning to replace. The IJ-30 will allow railroaders the ability to repair a failing joint and give them time to schedule a new installation. Initially, IJ-30 was developed as a short-term repair, but field tests with several Class 1 railroads have shown no failure after several months. It is packaged in a caulking tube for easy dispensing and cures quickly. Customers have reported no field failures.

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Photo Credit: Willamette Valley Co.

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 25

Message From The President

T

MICHAEL P. FREEMAN AREMA President 2021-22

here are literally hundreds of songs that reference trains—I’m guessing you can name several off the top of your head right now. From Johnny Cash’s iconic “I hear that train a coming” to “Ridin’ on the City of New Orleans” these song lyrics remind us of the importance of the rails throughout our individual experiences as well as our nation’s history. What an honor to be a part of an industry that has evolved over hundreds of years and stood the test of time to continue to play an integral role in our nation’s infrastructure. Whether a train carrying coal to heat our homes, a commuter train carrying us to/from our jobs, or a scenic passenger train in the Rockies, they all continue to speak to the importance of the rails throughout history. Like the railway industry, AREMA, our industry’s association for engineering and maintenance professionals, also has evolved from multiple associations into one united, progressive organization dedicated to the development and refinement of railway recommended practices and to enhancing the knowledge of railway professionals in all facets of railroad engineering. I am humbled and honored to serve as the president of AREMA for 2021-2022. My name is Mike Freeman and I am the director of Structures Design for Union Pacific (UP).

Honestly, as a structural engineer graduating college in 1982, I didn’t intend to be in the railroad business—it found me.

In a nutshell here’s how it began: While attending Mississippi State University on an ROTC scholarship, I planned to 26 Railway Track & Structures // September 2021

begin my Air Force career as a civil engineer after completing my degree. Shortly after receiving my orders, the Air Force decided a minor knee issue (diagnosed during the scholarship process) would disqualify me from moving forward as a 2nd Lieutenant. So mere weeks away from graduating I found myself with no job and an uncertain future. Panic attack No. 1.

Luckily a few companies were still interviewing on campus so I jumped in—two job offers later I accepted a position with the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad (ICG) in Vicksburg, Miss. New car purchased and apartment lease signed. Significant sigh of relief. Short lived. Six weeks later (yes weeks, not years) ICG went through a reduction in force and new college grads

“

WHETHER YOU ARE A STUDENT, CONSULTANT, ENGINEER, SUPPLIER, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL, AREMA HAS A PLACE FOR YOU IN OUR ORGANIZATION.

were obviously the first out the door.

Panic attack No. 2.

Fortunately, within a few weeks I was hired by Modjeski & Masters consulting engineers in New Orleans into their Field Services section, and my interest and knowledge of the rail industry was born. I was fortunate to be under the mentorship of Don Sorgenfrei, Bill Conway, Barney Martin and Norman Soong. These gentlemen played key roles in my development as a young railroad engineer. Much of my early career involved inspecting bridges— now I reminisce about standing atop the Huey Long Bridge and the Quebec Bridge and can’t believe I was ever that fearless (or, as some of you might think, that crazy).

After 15 years at Modjeski & Masters,

I bucked the norm of moving from railroad career to consulting and moved from consulting to employment at UP. Since 1997 I’ve served in several roles at UP including director of Structures Design, director of Bridge Maintenance, and director of Bridge Standards and Assessment. Nearly 40 years have passed since I began my career climbing bridges—the industry has changed significantly, but the importance of the rails remains intact.

I joined AREMA in 1994. I was not sure why I waited so long, but one of my goals as president is to impart the value of being an active member to those members just beginning their careers, as well as those with decades of knowledge and experience in the industry. I’ve held multiple leadership roles in AREMA and have benefited from the guidance and direction of past presidents Ed Sparks and Vic Babin, who have been visionaries even through the recent challenges of leading AREMA during a worldwide pandemic. With the support of the AREMA headquarters staff I am confident the organization will continue to adapt as necessary to guide professionals in their development, no matter what aspect of the industry they are involved with. Whether you are a student, consultant, engineer, supplier, or other professional, AREMA has a place for you in our organization. The diversity of our membership makes us strong and results in a wealth of knowledge. I urge you to get involved in one of our numerous committees to witness this firsthand.

Safety is paramount in the rail industry. In the ongoing pursuit of personal safety, later this month AREMA will hold its second virtual conference—there are almost 80 technical presentations along with sessions with industry leaders and experts. As a senior vice president I was honored to serve as the program chair for this event. I hope each of you will attend and take full advantage of the information presented at the conference. I’d like to personally thank our sponsors for this year’s virtual event. We would not have an annual conference without your support.

I’d like to close by thanking my wife, Amy, for her support throughout my career and my involvement with AREMA. Her encouragement seems to always come at the right time to get me through rtands.com

the rough patches and to bolster my confidence to try new solutions to old problems.

I look forward to seeing you all “virtually” at the conference. Until then, stay safe.

FYI See you online at the AREMA 2021 Virtual Conference, Sept. 26-30. For the latest information about the conference, please visit www.conference.arema.org to learn about our Keynote Speakers, technical

presentations, schedule, and more.

programs to lead students to the profession.

Donate now at www.aremafoundation.org.

Order the 2021 Manual for Railway Engineering now. With more than 40 new or revised Parts, it’s the perfect time to get the 2021 Manual. Order online now at www. arema.org or contact publications@arema. org for more details.

Save the date for the AREMA 2022 C&S Symposium to be held May 15-17 in Kansas City, Mo.

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.

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Help support the next generation of railway engineers by donating to the AREMA Educational Foundation. Your generosity helps provide scholarships and build

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UPCOMING COMMITTEE MEETINGS 2021 MEETINGS SEPT. 20-21

SEPT. 26

OCT. 25-26

Committee 36 - Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems Indianapolis, Ind.

Committee 12 - Rail Transit Virtual Meeting in conjunction with AREMA Virtual Conference

Committee 4 - Rail Virtual Meeting

SEPT. 21-22

SEPT. 28

Committee 37 Signal Systems Indianapolis, Ind.

Committee 13 - Environmental Virtual Meeting in conjunction with AREMA Virtual Conference

SEPT. 21-22

SEPT. 28

Committee 38 - Information, Defect Detection & Energy Systems Indianapolis, Ind.

Committee 27 - Maintenance of Way Work Equipment Virtual Meeting in conjunction with AREMA Virtual Conference

SEPT. 25-30 Committee 5 - Track Virtual Meeting

OCT. 25-26 Committee 13 - Environmental TBD NOV. 2-3 Committee 2 - Track Measurement and Assessment Systems Virtual Meeting

OCT. 18-19 Committee 34 - Scales Tampa, Fla.

2022 MEETINGS FEB. 8-9 Committee 15 - Steel Structures Fort Worth, Texas

MAY 16-18

MAY 17-18

Committee 15 Track New Orleans, La.

Committee 15 - Steel Structures Chicago, Ill.

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.

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 27

GETTING TO KNOW

2021-22 AREMA President Michael P. Freeman

MICHAEL P. FREEMAN AREMA President

A

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

FREEMAN: In all honesty, I really had not thought much about being involved in the rail industry when I graduated from Mississippi State (2021 College World Series Champions) in 1982. My career was charted at that time as a military career to repay my Air Force ROTC scholarship debt, but a series of unexpected occurrences led me to begin my career working for a consulting firm that, as it turned out, provided design and field services to several railroads. During the 15 years with that firm, a majority of the projects I worked on involved railroads in one way or another. In 1997, I joined Union Pacific as their director of Structures Design and from that point, naturally, almost everything I do involves railroad engineering. I will say that being involved in transportation infrastructure I am exposed to almost every facet of civil engineering on a daily basis. In a typical day all areas of civil engineering are touched, including environmental, hydraulics, hydrology, geotechnical, and structural.

I believe the wide array of exposure to different areas within engineering is why railroad engineering is so appealing to me and would be the primary reason that once I experienced that variety, I continued to head down the path of working in railway engineering.

28 Railway Track & Structures // September 2021

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

FREEMAN: I love sports, almost any kind, but my favorites include baseball, football, and golf. We also love to cruise, and hopefully that vacation style will return to normal soon.

Sports for many is a way to have some ‘alone’ time. I’m extremely blessed to have a wife that loves sports like I do, so in most instances, that is our time to be together. When our TV is on in the evenings in the spring and summer, we are likely watching baseball. My wife and I are both Mississippi State alumni and with streaming now available we take in Mississippi State baseball during the college season.

We also are Kansas City Royals fans and have been through the bad years and the few recent good years. We enjoy making weekend trips to Kansas City for some golf and baseball. Our one and only child, Matthew, played select baseball and pitched for the University of Nebraska. When that ended upon graduation, it created a huge void and an opportunity for me to return to another sport I love, golf. One would think if you love something, you would be good at it, but it just doesn’t work that way with golf. The struggle continues. We have two beautiful grandchildren that we also love to spend time with. Over the last year or so, that activity has not been ideal due to the pandemic but, hopefully, normalcy will return soon.

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

FREEMAN: One thing that surprises folks is that I was actually born in Paris, France.

My father was in the military and having two sons already, I was my parents’ last try for a daughter. Michele Patricia turned out to be Michael Patrick.

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

FREEMAN: The rail industry is moving through a tremendous transformation. We are not talking about small changes, we are talking about the entire philosophy of how a railroad is run. Every walk within the industry has been touched by recent shifts to precision scheduled railroading (PSR), just to name one of those changes. It has forced new ways of

thinking in the industry to maximize productivity and to eliminate non-value activities. If looking to pursue the industry as a career, you must be flexible and able to adapt to different approaches. You must have great communication skills, not only in a one-on-one scenario, but also must be able to communicate ideas in mass scale at times. If one is pursuing a degree now and happens to be at an institution with an AREMA Student Chapter, by all means, get involved and be an active participant. This activity alone will pay dividends toward being aware of what is going on in our great industry and how best you can contribute.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AREMA is focused on your education and helping you advance in the railway industry.

A R EM A’s c o nve n i e nt we b i n a r s provide Professional Development Hours (PDH) to ser ve your educational needs.

B ridge Inspec tion Webin ar D a te s : We d n e s d a y, O c t .

20-Thursday, Oct. 28 All modules star t at 1 p.m. ET PDH: 12+ Critical Geometry Defects Webinar Date: Wednesday, Nov. 3 Time: 2-3:15 p.m. ET PDH: 1.25 These courses are comprised of r e 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 exper ts in the railroad industr y. They are n ot i nte n d e d a s a re g u l ato r y qualification. All webinars will be held on Zoom.

F o r m o re i n f o r m a ti o n o n o u r e d ucation al programs an d to register, please visit www.arema.org.

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CLOSING REMARKS

AREMA President Victor R. Babin expansion to include the new Committee 35 Information Technology. I look forward to the new C&S Symposium next year in Kansas City in conjunction with the RSSI exhibition. I hope that it will be a regular event in years to come.

It was my honor to establish the Engagement Committee and witness their enthusiasm for AREMA and its mission; I take no credit for their work but have thoroughly enjoyed listening to the Platform Chats podcast—the first product of this dedicated and cheerful team.

VICTOR R. BABIN AREMA President 2020-2021

A

REMA: How did your day job prepare you for your role as AREMA President?

BABIN: Conversely, one might ask me, ‘How did AREMA prepare you for your role on your day job?’ Many of my career experiences and successes have linkages to the relationships I have formed and the knowledge I have gained through 30 years of participation in AREMA committees and the leadership positions I have held here. My professional career and my office as AREMA President are inextricably connected.

My day job has brought me to learn of the vast array of engineering, maintenance, technical services, education, and expertise required to operate a mixed-use rail corridor. My understanding of a railroad’s needs informed me in directing AREMA’s focus toward providing new bodies of knowledge and member services to be explored or further developed to deliver greater value to members, their employers, and the railroad industry. Additionally, some of my more unique job experiences provided subject matter for “Message from the President” monthly columns published in Railway Track & Structures magazine.

AREMA: What are your thoughts on the past year as president of AREMA? BABIN: The past year has provided me an opportunity to take on new challenges and call upon some of my skills that have been dormant for quite some time. My year as AREMA President has been very fulfilling personally; I am

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certain I will look back on this past year with pride and fondness and will remember it as a capstone to my career as I continue my life’s journey.

AREMA: Have you reached all the goals you set? Was there anything you wanted to do that you did not get around to or could not do?

BABIN: I have worked around most of the complications involving the pandemic that have inhibited public activity, but regret that I was unable to visit schools and student chapters. Despite these complications, I feel that I have done my best in advancing AREMA’s mission during my tenure. True to my perception of a president’s role, I attempted to provide vision and initiate longer-term objectives that are now under way and will continue to mature in the years to come. I am confident my successors will advance toward these goals as I have advanced toward the goals of those that I followed. AREMA leadership is cohesive; I believe in our continuing success and ability to provide value to AREMA members and the railroad industry.

AREMA: What did you accomplish during your term in office? What are you most proud of having accomplished?

BABIN: I was the beneficiary of outstanding support from the Communications & Signals Functional Group (now the Communications, Signals & Information Technology Functional Group) because of my roots in their engineering discipline. I am very pleased with the

AREMA: Where do you see the organization going from here? Five years from now? Ten years from now?

BABIN: Our members are a forward-looking group that will continue to shape AREMA and adapt it to serve the needs of the railway engineering and maintenance disciplines. I foresee continuous improvements in railway efficiency and a continued focus on environmental sustainability and transportation safety. These goals will instigate new initiatives, new functional groups, and new committees at AREMA. As always, we will work together with railroad professionals, consultants, and suppliers to meet the challenges of the future.

AREMA: What do you see in the future for AREMA? What do you think AREMA needs to do in the future to succeed?

BABIN: Employment demographics are changing in the railroad industry. Membership category statistics for employer types follow these trends. Furthermore, workplaces represent an increasingly diverse membership.

Lastly, new technologies are emerging rapidly in the railroad segment and in the general transportation industry; the means of moving goods and people will not remain static.

AREMA policies, practices, member services, functional groups, committee types and their focus must continue to evolve accordingly to meet the needs of members and ever-changing transportation systems. AREMA leadership must continue to keep a watchful eye on these trends if we are to remain relevant and valuable to our members. Our members, young professionals, and student members represent the railroad industry’s future and are the best and brightest to be found anywhere; I am confident in my belief that they will skillfully lead us into tomorrow.

September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 29

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AD INDEX

COMPANY

PHONE #

FAX #

E-MAIL ADDRESS

PAGE #

AREMA Marketing Department

301-459-3200

301-459-8077

marketing@arema.org

2,C3

Canadian Pacific

415-640-6129

Jeremy_Berry@cpr.ca

15

Danella Rental Systems

561-743-7373

SBolte@danella.com

14

EVRAZ North America

312-533-3555

railproducts@evrazna.com

10

Hougen Manufacturing Company

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23

Linsinger Maschinenbau GmbH

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5

Nordco

414-766-2180

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20

www.nrcma.org

11

561-743-1973

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NRC OMNI Products, Inc.

815-344-3100

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22

Racine Railroad Products, Inc.

262-637-9681

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21

Railway Education Bureau The

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25

RCE Equipment Solutions Inc.

866-472-4510

630-355-7173

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6

REMSA

202-715-2921

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12

S & C Distribution Company

708-444-4908

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13

voestalpine Nortrak, Inc.

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Western Cullen Hayes

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WVCO Railroad Solutions

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8

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

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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

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

SCANDINAVIA, SPAIN, SOUTHERN GERMANY, AUSTRIA, KOREA, CHINA, INDIA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, SOUTH AFRICA, RUSSIA, EASTERN EUROPE BALTIC STATES, RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING SIMONE FAHR +01149 175 2411426 sfahr@railjournal.com

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

THE NETHERLANDS, BRITAIN, FRANCE, BELGIUM, PORTUGAL,

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.

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.

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September 2021 // Railway Track & Structures 31

LAST STOP

The accumulating enemy: Rail dust in tunnels Jesse Harder and Bernd Hagenah HNTB Corporation

U Bernd Hagenah

Jesse Harder

nderground rail systems are all burdened by the same invasive, environmentally hazardous problem—rail dust. Adding to this universal challenge is the fact that moving trains effectively push the dust into every single nook and corner of an underground system, including its tunnels, equipment rooms, and underground stations. With a heightened focus on air quality arising due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of rail dust within subways is presently attracting increased attention. However, there are numerous measures that can be implemented to mitigate its negative effects.

Causes Comprising mostly metallic particulates (with a high iron and carbon content), rail dust results from a number of common sources, primarily friction during the train-braking process, contact between wheels and rails, and the propulsion system interface (e.g., third rail or pantograph contact). There also are other factors that exacerbate increased levels of rail dust within the tunnel network, including: • Sections of steep tunnel grades that require intensive braking; • Short headways that require more challenging acceleration and braking; and • Heavier and/or longer trains.

Impact Rail dust can have a critical impact on the operation and maintenance of a subway system. Fine metallic dust is a potential hazard to patrons and workers exposed to significantly high levels. Rail dust also is extremely detrimental to sensitive electronic equipment, including microprocessors. Furthermore, highly magnetic metallic dust particles deposited on electronic equipment can cause overheating, conductivity, and carbon tracking, reducing the reliability of the system as a whole. In some cases, rail dust also has caused nuisance fire alarms due to its impact on smoke-detection systems in critical equipment rooms. Additionally, rail dust can accumulate in small spaces, including the sockets and ports of electronic equipment, which requires additional maintenance and cleaning to: • Reduce harm to electromechanical equipment (equipment rooms, power and

32 Railway Track & Structures // September 2021

communications cabinets); and • Reduce the health risks relating to inhalation of small particles by patrons and staff (including maintenance teams).

Countermeasures While rail dust is a continual challenge for maintenance crews working to keep transit systems running, there are several measures that can be implemented to mitigate its accumulation, including: • Protecting equipment in cabinets (including sealed enclosures, filters, etc.); • Adopting positive pressure mechanical ventilation systems within equipment rooms; • Utilizing tunnel ventilation systems during normal operation to reduce dust concentration in tunnels; • Using filters with a MERV 11 rating or higher within HVAC systems at station and tunnel facilities; and • Employing regenerative braking (numerous advantages), reducing wear, and the generation of rail dust at the brake level.

Phased approach A phased approach to minimizing rail dust can provide an opportunity to incorporate sustainable mitigation measures. Replacing existing braking systems with low emission or regenerative braking systems should be a long-term objective. An evaluation of existing systems should first be undertaken to identify shorter-term mitigations primarily focused on HVAC systems. By doing so, owners can minimize the initial financial impact and achieve gradual improvements while enhancing safety and lowering maintenance costs.

Harder has more than 20 years of experience in tunnel ventilation and mechanical systems including roadway, transit, and rail systems. He is department manager and principal tunnel ventilation and fire and life safety engineer based in HNTB’s Oakland office.

Hagenah has more than 20 years of comprehensive international experience in tunnel ventilation, fire, and life safety and climate for transit and road tunnels. He is based in HNTB’s New York City office and is a national resource for large, complex tunnel, and underground construction projects. rtands.com

SEE YOU ONLINE > > > > > > > > >

Network with thousands of railway engineers Nearly 70 Technical Presentations Keynote Addresses Virtual Conference welcome by AREMA President Victor R. Babin Panel discussion to lead the Next Generation into the industry Obtain up to 12.5 PDHs Chance to network and swap industry stories Young Professional Panel Discussion and Reception Industry conversations with top AREMA leaders

September 26-30 To REGISTER, or for more information visit conference.arema.org.