RT&S October 2018

Crosstie report:

What’s down the line? october 2018 | www.rtands.com

Ditching and drainage

Proper maintenance to keep track clear of mud and muck.

FTA’s TAM Rule

Software can help with compliance.

And also

Arema News P.38 rtands.com

February 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 1

contents

October 2018

FEATURES

20

Crosstie report The 2018 tie market is full of mixed messages, some segments are experiencing robust demand, other segments are facing challenges, we try to work out what’s what.

32

32 NEWS

DEPARTMENTS

4

16

6 10

Industry Today LIRR expansion begins; GPA commits funds to rail project; NCDOT awards shortline grants; Metra achieves PTC milestone and more.

Supplier News Acquisitions, contracts and other news People New hires, promotions and appointments

Wood crossties along a section of double track. Story on page 20.

Georgetown Rail Equipment Co

Credit: Lonza Wood Protection

Follow Us On Social Media @RTSMag

rtands.com

38

43 44 45 45 46 47

TTCI Researchers test an automated lubricator system to evaluate if its use reduces grease consumption, as well as waste, which can cause contamination of ballast and crossties.

AREMA News Message from the president; Committee 24 track design seminar evolution and conference highlights.

Calendar Products Ad Index Sales Representatives Classifieds Advertising Professional Directory

Ditching and drainage Healthy track goes hand-in-hand with good drainage. We check in with the supply and contracting community to see what methods and equipment are being employed.

36

Facility condition assessments Software can help transit agencies keep compliant with the Transit Asset Management rule.

Columns

3

On Track Assignment: Vote

12

NRC Chairman’s Column Looking forward - 2019 NRC Conference and NRC/REMSA Exhibition

October 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 1

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On Track

Assignment: Vote Vol. 114, No. 10 Print ISSN # 0033-9016, Digital ISSN # 2160-2514 EDITORIAL OFFICES 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910 Chicago, Ill. 60603 Telephone (312) 683-0130 Fax (312) 683-0131 Website www.rtands.com Mischa Wanek-Libman Editor mischa@sbpub.com Kyra Senese Managing Editor ksenese@sbpub.com CORPORATE OFFICES 55 Broad St 26th Fl. New York, N.Y. 10004 Telephone (212) 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. President and Chairman Jonathan Chalon Publisher Mary Conyers Production Director Nicole Cassano Art Director Aleza Leinwand Graphic Designer Maureen Cooney Circulation Director Michelle Zolkos Conference Director Customer Service: 800-895-4389 Reprints: PARS International Corp.

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T

o paraphrase something I recently read, but can’t remember where, I’m not going to tell you how to vote and if I did, you shouldn’t be reading this column.

However, I will tell you to vote.

I wrote the following on this page in October 2016, “If you leave with nothing else after reading the next 500 words, leave with this: Vote.”

While this column has shrunk to a little more than 400 words in the past two years, the message to vote during these mid-term elections is one I want to strongly impress upon you.

Why? Turns out, Americans are terrible at voting in mid-term elections. According to a 2015 press release from United States Census Bureau, the congressional election turnout rate for the last mid-term election in 2014 was 41.9 percent; the lowest since the bureau began tracking it in 1978. The bureau said the 2014 voting rate was 7.0 percentage points lower than in 1978 and down from the 45.5 percent that reported voting in the 2010 congressional election.

To illustrate the importance of showing up, let’s do a quick review of the Brexit vote. The voter turnout to decide if Britain should leave or remain in the European Union (EU) was the second highest recorded. Roughly 17 million voted to leave, roughly 16 million to remain and roughly 12 million registered voters did not vote. The vote to leave the EU passed by

a slim margin. Had those 12 million additional votes been cast could the margin to leave have increased? Could the remain vote won? It doesn’t matter now. Britain is leaving the EU and 12 million people lost the chance to have a say in the outcome.

The point is this: your vote is your voice. If you don’t vote, your voice will not be heard.

Back here in the U.S., all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives are up for reelection in November 2018, as are roughly a third of the Senate seats. Elected officials will have influence on trade, taxes and even a potential infrastructure bill; if it doesn’t get placed on the back burner...again.

If you are already registered to vote, thank you, if you are not, visit vote.gov for information about how to get yourself registered. After you become a registered voter, there are a number of digital tools to help inform your decision. Ballotpedia. org can generate a sample ballot for you.

And voteeasy.votesmart.org asks a series of questions to help show which candidates match your political leanings. Of course, you can always Google someone, as well.

Should the above fail to convince you of your civic duty, then I will employ a results focused technique I’ve learned as the parent of a five-year-old: If you vote, you get a cool sticker.

Mischa Wanek-Libman Editor

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, 55 Broad St. 26th Floor, New York, NY 10004. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices.

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October 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 3

Industry today

Groundbreaking held for LIRR Third Track expansion

A

groundbreaking ceremony was held Sept. 5, 2018, to mark the beginning of work for the $2.6billion Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Third Track expansion, which will benefit 40 percent of LIRR riders.

The expansion effort includes 50 projects that will modernize 9.8 miles of LIRR Main Line between Floral Park and Hicksville.

Those projects include adding a third track, eliminating all seven street-level grade crossings within the project corridor, adding new power substations and parking, and modernizing track and signal infrastructure.

Officials say benefits of the project will include smoother and more reliable commutes, safer and quieter crossings, improvements to stations and parking facilities, reduced noise along the project corridor as well as less congestion and cleaner air. The new Third Track will be built with advanced dampening technology.

The project also includes sound-reducing walls along nearly six miles of residential neighborhoods along the mainline and features architectural treatments to complement the surrounding environments.

Janno Lieber, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) chief development officer said, “This project is innovative in many ways.

It’s a design build project, which delivers better budget and more certain schedule. And we have designed to minimize community impacts and created significant economic incentives for the contractor to respect

community commitments. We’re showing how the MTA is changing to deliver benefits to the public faster, better and less expensively.”

Project elements along the Main Line corridor include: • Eight miles of a new third track; • Seven grade crossing eliminations, including Covert Avenue, South 12th Street, New Hyde Park Road, Main Street, Willis Avenue, Urban Avenue and School Street; • Seven bridge replacements and modifications, including South Tyson Avenue Bridge, Plainfield Avenue Bridge, Tanners Pond Road/Denton Avenue Bridge, Glen Cove Road Bridge, Meadowbrook Parkway Bridge, and Cherry Lane Bridge; • Five station improvements, including New Hyde Park Station, Merillon Avenue Station, Mineola Station, Carle Place

Station, and Westbury Station; in addition to ADA-compliant elevators at Floral Park Station; • Seven substation replacements, including Floral Park Substation, New Hyde Park Substation, Merillon Avenue Substation, Mineola Substation, Carle Place Substation, Westbury Substation, and New Cassel Substation; • 5 miles of sound/retaining walls; and • Additional improvements throughout the project corridor.

The Third Track expansion project is expected to be substantially completed by the end of 2022. Work on the Main Line is part of the historic $6 billion transformation of the LIRR to strengthen the region’s transportation infrastructure and usher in a new era of economic growth.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has awarded approximately $7 million to 14 shortline railroads that operate in the state to perform infrastructure improvements.

The grants come from NCDOT’s Short Line Improvement Program and range between $200,000 and $1.5 million. The funds will be used to repair and harden infrastructure and include the replacement of rail and crossties, repairing bridges, performing crossing and surfacing upgrades and reestablishing service to an industrial park.

“We look forward to seeing the positive impact these grant funds have on North Carolina’s shortline rail infrastructure, which plays a key role in our economy,” said Julie White, NCDOT deputy secretary for 4 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

Multimodal Transportation. “These improvements not only spur economic development, but also enhance the safety and reliability of rail operations across the state.”

Projects awarded funding are as follows: • $1.3 million to Aberdeen Carolina & Western • $700,000 to Alexander Railroad Company • $1 million to Atlantic & Western Railway • $1.5 million to Blue Ridge Southern Railroad • $750,000 to Chesapeake & Albemarle Railroad • $1.3 million to Carolina Coastal Railway • $200,000 to Caldwell County Railroad • $1.4 million to Great Smoky Mountains Railroad • $900,000 to Laurinburg & Southern • $1.3 million to North Carolina & Virginia Railroad

• $600,000 to Progressive Rail • $600,000 to R. J. Corman Railroad • $400,000 to Wilmington Terminal Railroad • $1.5 million to Yadkin Valley Railroad The Short Line Improvement Program supports shortline rail infrastructure health and performance throughout the state, enabling NCDOT to partner with shortline rail companies on rail improvement projects. NCDOT explains that this partnership helps the shortlines meet customer needs in an efficient and costeffective manner while also preparing them for growing service demands.

NCDOT says more than $28 million in matching shortline program funds has been provided toward 66 rail improvement projects since 2014. rtands.com

Office of Governor Andrew Cuomo

NCDOT provides grants to shortlines

Industry today

GPA Board approves $92 million for Mason Mega Rail Terminal The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) Board of Directors approved $92 million for the Mason Mega Rail Terminal at its Sept. 17, 2018 meeting.

“It is no accident the GPA is constructing rail capacity as the demand for rail is growing,” said GPA Board Chairman Jimmy Allgood. “As part of our strategic planning two years ago, our team identified the growing role intermodal cargo would play in GPA’s long-term success and put into place this plan for expansion.”

The project will double the Port of Savannah’s annual rail capacity to 1 million containers and deliver the largest on-terminal rail facility in North America by 2020.

The project broke ground earlier this year.

The work approved by the board Monday includes 124,000 feet of new track, 88 automated switches and rail control devices, as well as the rail and power infrastructure to support the opera-

tion of rail-mounted gantry cranes.

The Mason Mega Rail will combine the current on-dock CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern rail terminals into one facility, providing each railroad with at least nine 2,700-foot working tracks.

Officials said the added rail capacity will better accommodate 10,000-foot long unit trains on Garden City Terminal. These more cost-effective trains will provide faster, more frequent service over greater distances. This will extend the territory best served by the Port of Savannah along an arc of cities ranging from Memphis to St. Louis, Chicago and Cincinnati.

GPA moved 375,833 Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit containers (TEUs) in August, an eight-percent increase over August 2017. In addition, the GPA handled 86,200 intermodal TEUs, a 33 percent jump.

“A strengthening economy and a greater reliance on GPA in major inland markets is

driving growth at the Port of Savannah,” said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. “We expect this trend to continue as more customers take advantage of Garden City Terminal’s central location and efficient terminal operations.”

The project was awarded a $44-million Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-Term Achievement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) grant in July 2016. The FASTLANE grant combined with the approved funding covers the estimated $128-million price tag of the project.

Union Pacific’s Unified Plan 2020 Union Pacific has announced a new operating plan, “Unified Plan 2020,” that “implements Precision Scheduled Railroading principles” that were deployed over the past 20-odd years at, in order, Illinois Central, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific and CSX by the late E. Hunter Harrison.

UP 2020, which launched Oct. 1 and will be rolled out in phases across the entire Union Pacific rail network, “is an important part of Union Pacific’s objective of operating a safe, reliable and efficient railroad,” UP said. “Resulting

benefits are expected to help Union Pacific achieve its 60 percent operating ratio goal by 2020, on the way to achieving a 55 percent operating ratio.”

The plan will first be implemented on Union Pacific’s eastern North/South corridor, “creating more streamlined operations between Wisconsin and Texas.” Further rollout will occur in phases, with initial implementation across the entire rail network expected by 2020.

“We are not currently meeting customer expectations,” said Lance Fritz, Union Pacific’s chairman, president and chief

THE

executive officer. “Unified Plan 2020 is our path forward to secure our place as the industry leader in safety, service and financial performance.”

UP said Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) “is operational at other large North American railroads, driving improved service reliability for customers, increased operating efficiency and reduced network complexity.”

UP said the plan is being developed in conjunction with employees closest to the work, including in the field, incorporating their experience and expertise.

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Industry today

The American Railway Engineering and Maintenanceof-Way Association presented th e 201 8 D r. Willia m W. H ay Award for Excellence to ARUP for the consulting firm’s work on the Fulton Center project in New York, N.Y. CUSTOM TRUCK ONE SOURCE a c q u i r e d G R E AT PA C I F I C E Q U I P M E N T, a d i s t r i b u t o r of construction and utility equipment that has served the southwest U.S. for four decades.

LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY purchased a specialized 16-stone grinder from HARSCO RAIL that is set to be delivered in 2020.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the city of Alexandria, Va., have a n n o u n ce d th e se l e c tio n of POTOMAC YARD CONSTRUCTORS as the prime construction co ntra c to r fo r th e Poto m a c Yard Metrorail.

R . J. CORMAN R AILROAD SERVICES completed surfacing work alon g 17. 2 m iles of th e Charlotte Area Transit System, which is the first time the company performed this type of work on a light-rail system.

SO U N D TR AN S IT c h ose WS P USA to per form design-build project management services f o r i t s D o w n to w n R e d m o n d Link Extension.

WA B T E C C O R P. a n n o u n c e d it is m oving for ward with its proposed merger with GE TRANSPORTATION and filed a proxy statement with the SEC. WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TR ANSIT AUTHORIT Y issued a request for proposals s e e k i n g v e n d o r s i n te r e s te d in operating and maintaining elements of the Silver Line.

6 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

CSX continues Howard Street Tunnel “thoughtful and deliberate” discussions A plan to expand the Howard Street Tunnel isn’t completely off the table, but CSX says a path forward is dependent upon a solution that meets the long-term goals of the railroad, the state of Maryland and the Port of Baltimore.

Height restrictions within the 121-yearold tunnel prevent the shipment of double-stacked intermodal containers by rail to and from the Port of Baltimore, which is seeing a significant increase in activity. CSX halted plans to expand the tunnel in November 2017 following the determination that the proposed project no longer justified the level of investment required.

The Maryland Democratic Congressional Delegation sent a letter to CSX Corporation President and CEO James Foote on Sept. 6 requesting a status update of the Howard Street Tunnel Project. Missing from the letter was Maryland’s lone Republican, Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md-1).

The Members of Congress called the Port of Baltimore an economic hub and claimed it had been more than eight months since the railroad met with elected officials and

representatives of the Maryland Department of Transportation.

“As the Port of Baltimore continues to see record growth both in international cargo value and volume, a solution to the Howard Street Tunnel bottle-neck is more important than ever. We hope that you agree…,” said the letter.

CSX’s full response to the letter said, “CSX appreciates the Maryland delegation’s support for the economic engine that is the Port of Baltimore and their continued interest in the Howard Street Tunnel project. Since our meeting with the delegation several months ago, we have spent considerable time analyzing the opportunity, meeting with key stakeholders and exploring multiple options, including the appropriate level of CSX’s investment. We will remain in regular contact with Members of the Maryland delegation as these thoughtful and deliberate discussions continue. Our focus has always been to find a path forward, if possible, that meets the long-term needs of the Port, the State and CSX.”

Dedication ceremony held for 2.2-mile San Gabriel Trench grade separation A dedication ceremony was held on Sept. 10 for the San Gabriel Trench, a 2.2-mile grade separation project that began construction in 2012 and took five years to complete.

The $293.7-million project lowered a 1.4-mile section of Union Pacific track in a 30-foot-deep, 65-foot-wide trench through the city of San Gabriel, Calif.

Bridges were constructed at Ramona Street, Mission Road, Del Mar Avenue and San Gabriel Boulevard. The Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority (ACE) excavated more than 500,000 cubic yards of soil and used more than 33,000 dump trucks and 6,500 concrete trucks to complete the project.

ACE explains that the project improves safety and reduces emissions by eliminating an estimated 1,744 vehicle-hours of delay each day on the four grade-separated streets.

ACE says rail traffic is projected to increase from 18 trains per day to 61 trains per day by

2025 if a second track is installed.

Construction began in 2012 with major construction activities beginning in Spring 2014. The first train rolled through the trench in July 2017 and the project was completed in September 2018.

San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments

Supplier News

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Industry today

Metra completes installation of all hardware required for Positive Train Control service demonstration project on its Rock Island Line.

PTC is expected to cost Metra approximately $400 million to install and between $15 million to $20 million in annual operating costs. About a tenth of the of the costs have been covered by $43 million in federal PTC grants, but Metra says fully funding the technology will come out of its “already inadequate capital resources.”

Another challenge Metra is preparing for is interoperability. Metra’s PTC system must be interoperable with 13 other railroads before full implementation can be achieved.

Metra was joined at the event by Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Administrator Ronald Batory and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority General Manager Jeffrey Knueppel, who also serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Commuter Rail PTC of the American Public Transportation Association. Both Administrator Batory and

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Knueppel, who testified last week at a congressional hearing focused on PTC, noted the unparalleled technological and financial challenges in scale, complexity and time required for PTC implementation.

Commuter railroads have made significant progress this year in their efforts to implement PTC, but nine remain classified as “at risk” by FRA for missing the statutory deadline of Dec. 31, 2018. FRA says it is working closely with those nine properties to ensure they meet their requirements.

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Mischa Wanek-Libman

Metra has completed the installation of all hardware required for Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation. To celebrate the achievement, the commuter rail service provider held a press conference and event for its mechanical and engineering teams.

“Implementing Positive Train Control has been a long, difficult and expensive undertaking and we are happy that we are now seeing it so close to completion,” said Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski.

Installing all PTC components on its trains and on all its communications and signal systems along its train lines is one of four achievements that are required for Metra to qualify for an alternative schedule to have PTC fully implemented by Dec. 31, 2020.

Metra says that of the three remaining achievements needed to qualify for an alternative schedule, it has already acquired the needed spectrum, will complete the required training in October and will begin a revenue

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Industry today

People T h e A S S O C I AT I O N O F A M E R I C A N R A I L R OA D S s e l e c te d s e n i o r v i c e p re s i d e nt g ove r n m e nt a f fa i r s I a n Jefferies to succeed President and CEO Ed Hamberger.

CSX appointed Dean Piacente as vice president industrial products and Maryclare Kenney was chosen as vice president intermodal and automotive.

Mark Fuhrmann joined HDR as a se n i o r p roj e c t m a n a g e r b a se d i n the Minneapolis engineering of fice, with responsibility for projects in the Minnesota and Wisconsin region.

Steve Roth, PE, PMP, joined HNTB CORPORATION as group director – engineering in the firm’s Austin office.

I O W A I N T E R S TAT E R A I L R O A D , LTD., has promoted Joe Parsons from the role of general manager to serve as president and CEO of the Iowa Interstate Railroad.

K ANSAS CIT Y SOUTHERN tapped

Brian D. Hancock to serve as executive vice president and chief innovation officer and Michael J. Naatz to hold the position of executive vice president and chief marketing officer.

The LEAGUE OF RAILWAY WOMEN named Ontario Northland President and CEO Corina Moore its 2018 Outstanding Woman of the Year award.

LO R A M M A I NT E N A N C E O F WAY, INC., appointed Stephen Mannix as managing director of Loram Pty. Ltd., its Australian subsidiary, with responsibility for the Australasian market.

Jessica Mefford-Miller was named executive director of METRO TRANSITST. LOUIS. After 31 years of service, MONTANA R AI L LI N K President Tom Walsh is retiring, ef fective Jan. 1, 2019. Vice President Operations Stacy Posey will succeed Walsh.

ONDAS NET WORKS selected Jim

Taylor as president of the company’s new transportation business unit. Wayne Tatro also joined the company as an advisor.

PACIFIC HARBOR LINE promoted S t e p h a n e P e r r i to s e r v e a s t h e company’s general superintendent.

B r i a n M i l l e r, p re s i d e n t of R . J .

CORMAN RAILROAD COMPANY, LLC, announced his resignation to pursue other interests.

Rick Leary was confirmed as chief executive of f icer of the TORONTO TRANSIT COMMISSION. Marla Blagg joined TRIMET as executive director of the company’s safety and security division, coming from San Francisco-based Bay Area Rapid Transit.

Robert Zmudzinski was appointed vice president and national rail systems engineering manager in the New York office of WSP USA.

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NRC Chairman’s Column

Looking forward 2019 NRC Conference and NRC/REMSA Exhibition

“

Make sure you don’t allow the holidays to distract you from working safely!

The National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association, Inc. 410 1st Street, S.E. Suite 200 Washington D. C. 20003 Tel: 202-715-2920 www.nrcma.org info@nrcma.org 12 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

T

he holiday season is approaching quickly and I want to touch on “Safety First” in everything we do.

Make sure you don’t overindulge during the holiday season and to use a designated driver if you do. Make sure you don’t allow the holidays to distract you from working safely! The highways will be at capacity, so ensure you are focused on your safe driving techniques.

In September, I attended the American Railway Engineering and Maintenanceof-Way Association (AREMA) Conference in Chicago with many of you. It was an excellent event and was well-organized, as always. The technical presentations were well presented and informative. The exhibits were great and our Board of Directors and NRC staff enjoyed visiting with NRC members new and old at the booths.

Up next is the 2019 NRC Conference Jan. 6 through Jan. 9, 2019, in Marco Island, Fla., at the JW Marriott. The speakers at our conference will be excellent and the exhibits are always a big hit, too.

The 2019 conference is shaping up to be another great one, with Matt Rose, executive chairmen of BNSF being the featured speaker on Monday morning’s opening session. Also speaking will be senior engineering and procurement executives from major rail transit agencies and shortline holding companies. These executives will come armed with the latest information on their capital program plans for 2019 and the opportunities that will be available for NRC member contractors and suppliers.

The Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA) is working hard on the finishing touches to the exhibition, which is expected to sell out as usual.

There will be about 150 booths showing off the latest technology and equipment of the rail supply world – it will be a compelling exhibition and your participation will allow you to keep up with the latest information regarding what is happening in our industry.

This year’s agenda for fun and relaxation will include golf, fishing, air boat tours of the Everglades and a great spouse program.

You would be hard pressed to find a better way to start the year.

For more information on the conference, registering, hotel reservations, sponsorships and exhibiting, please visit www.nrcma.org.

I encourage you to get registered as soon as possible and get a hotel room booked as the room blocks fill up quickly. You can do that now at www.nrcma.org.

If, for any reason, you can’t find what you need on the website or for any conference questions or help registering, call Matt Bell at 202-715-1264 or email mbell@nrcma. org. For exhibit questions, reserving exhibit space, booth pricing, show hours and more, visit https://www.remsa.org/nrc-remsa2019 or contact Urszula Soucie with REMSA at 202-715-2921 or soucie@remsa.org.

I hope you all are busy with projects and answering RFPs to keep your project pipelines full. It seems the large projects across the country are coming out faster than our quotes and proposal teams can respond to them.

Back in D.C., the NRC staff will continue its work to try to make sure that the flow of rail projects keeps on coming. Whether that is simply more rail transit funding or whether it involves efforts to ensure this work is available for competitive contracting, the NRC is on it.

We have achieved a major victory with Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority putting out an RFP for the Silver Line maintenance and operation. The NRC team and board have worked extremely hard to help make this happen.

On the freight rail side, we’re focused on continuing to ensure that there is a stable regulatory environment, making sure railroads are not harmed by increasingly heavier and longer trucks and the shortline railroad rehabilitation tax credit is renewed.

I wish everyone a safe and successful month and I look forward to seeing you in Florida on Jan. 6.

Mike Choat NRC Chairman rtands.com

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Annual Conference and Exhibition J.W. Marriott Marco Island Marco Island, FL January 6-9, 2019 Railroad Day on the Hill Roadway Worker Protection Training Program and Safety Training Videos Fall Protection in the Rail Industry Safety with Railroad Hand Tools Safety Around Building Turnouts Safety with Railroad Power Tools Safety Around Handling CWR Safety on Freight and Industrial Track Safety Around Railroad Safety Around Railway Maintenance Grade Crossings, Part 1 & 2 Equipment, Parts 1 & 2 How to Conduct a Job Briefing Safety Around Transit Track Highlights from 10 Years of NRC Safety While Unloading & Handling Material Safety Videos Safety With Hot Work Safety Around Hi-Rail Trucks Safety Around Thermal Adjusting CWR Safety Around Field Welds Safety with Defensive Driving Fatigue Safety on a Rail Gang Recognizing Signs & Symptoms Safety on a Tie Gang Safety Around Flash Butt Welding Annual NRC Rail Construction and Maintenance Equipment Auction April 2019, Location TBA Government Affairs and Legislative Advocacy in Washington DC Railroad Infrastructure Investment Tax Credits Truck Size and Weight Laws High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Commuter Rail and Rail Transit Funding Reasonable Regulation of Industry Construction Friendly Policies Government Financing Programs such as RRIF and TIFIA Membership Directory — Railroad and Transit Buyer’s Guide NRC Awards Contests Safe Railroad Contractor of the Year Hall of Fame Inductees Railroad Construction Project of the Year Field Employee of the Year

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

The annual National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association Conference will encompass more than 1,000 attendees, 150 exhibitors and 25,000 square-feet of meeting space. We have a unique program agenda lined up with chief engineers from the major freight railroads and other key speakers covering topics on: • • • • • • •

2019 Class 1 and Regional Railroad Capital Spending Plans Rail Projects of National Significance Commuter Rail and Rail Transit Contracting Florida Rail Projects Legislation Affecting the Rail Industry Railroad Construction Safety High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Developments

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NOTE: All prior membership dues owed to NRC must be paid in full to register for the Conference as a member. Not a member? Join today by calling the NRC office at 202-715-1264, visiting the NRC website at www.nrcma. org, or emailing mmcgonagle@nrcma.org.

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TTCI r&D

Evaluation of an automated gauge-face lubrication technology at FAST Researchers assess whether an automated system can reduce grease consumption and mitigate waste associated with gauge-face lubrication.

by Ananyo Banerjee, Ph.D., principal investigator; Joseph A. LoPresti, scientist, Transportation Technology Center, Inc.

T

op-of-rail lubrication modification, along with gauge-face lubrication, can provide adequate friction reduction between wheels and rails

to prevent premature wear. Most gaugeface (GF) lubrication technologies have application bars installed next to the rails that release grease when wheels pass over the rails.

The grease sticks to the wheels and is carried along the rails by the movement of the wheels. There can be a considerable amount of contamination of the surrounding ballast and ties caused by excess grease, so much so that catch mats are placed in between rails to reduce contamination from the grease.

In 2017, Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), conducted a year-long study to assess an automated GF lubrication technology using a sensor-based grease spraying method developed by Robolube, Inc. TTCI installed a Robolube Linear Lubricator™ (RLL) unit on the high rail in a spiral leading to a 6-degree curve of Section 25 on the High Tonnage Loop (HTL) at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST) in Pueblo, Colo. The methodology

was intended to achieve less consumption of grease than conventional GF lubrication systems and prevent further waste that causes contamination of ballast and ties.

Operating principle As shown in Figure 1, the RLL was installed alongside track. Hydraulics and electrical cables were connected to an application rack assembly mounted on top of the ties on the inside of the high rail and secured to the base of the rail with three metal brackets. The unit is powered by an electronic, fuelinjected 25-horsepower liquefied petroleum gas engine that provides the hydraulic power required to run the unit and to heat the grease. The engine and the hydraulic unit are housed in the enclosure outside the track.

The engine is coupled directly to two hydraulic pumps that provide the hydraulics required to perform all operations.

Activation occurs when the wheel sensor, (mounted adjacent to the application rack assembly), detects a time lag of few seconds

Figure 1: Complete assembly of Robolube Linear LubricatorTM installed at FAST.

16 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

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TTCI r&d

after the last wheel of the train has moved over the sensor.

The greasing cycle commences with the activation of the motion sensor. The time lag of the motion sensor is an adjustable parameter. The unit then applies a bead of grease at, or near, the gauge corner of the rail. After the grease is applied, a hydraulic cylinder mounted inside of the application rack returns the dispensing nozzle to its standby position. This unit is designed to spray the grease after a train has passed.

The intent is that the grease is carried by the wheels of the subsequent train followed by another application of the grease and so on. The unit heats the hydraulics and the grease tank to maintain optimum operating temperatures. When the temperature of the hydraulics or grease reach a predetermined temperature, the RLL starts a heating cycle to increase the oil and grease temperatures to predetermined settings. At the end of the heat cycle, the application rack will run the nozzle one more time without dispensing grease to cycle the colder hydraulic oil out of the dispensing cylinder. The 55-gallon grease tank comes with a level indicator and the control unit has an emergency light that activates if the control unit encounters a fault code. The fault codes can be sent to appropriate personnel via e-mail and/or text.

General observations The performance metrics were evaluated based on the following list of criteria: Consumption of grease: The standard GF lubrication system at FAST can be programmed to apply grease after a specified number of wheel passes, varying from 1 to 255, and is set at 20 wheel passes for most nights. For an average of 400 wheel passes (equivalent to one train pass), the GF lubricator applied grease 20 times. Thus, samples were collected from both applicator bars after the lubricator applied grease on the rail 20 times. The RLL applied grease once per train pass as it sprays after the last wheel of the train has moved over the sensor. Samples were collected from RLL at the same time.

Both lubricators had the same grease when the samples were collected. The comparison in grease consumption is shown in Figure 2.

Temperature effects: Because the RLL is a non-contact lubrication system, the performance is mostly dependent on the precise location of grease applied from the spraying nozzle located inside the rack assembly at approximately 4 inches from the gauge surface of the rail. Although the spraying pressure is adjustable in the two pumps rtands.com

Figure 2: Comparison of grease consumption between RLL and conventional GF lubrication system at FAST.

controlling the hydraulics, the projectile motion of the spray is dependent on the viscosity of the grease present at the nozzle.

The viscosity is dependent on the temperature of the grease present in the nozzle, which further depends on the surrounding temperature.

This methodology was intended to achieve less consumption of grease...and prevent further waste.

On days and nights with temperatures below 60-65°F, the grease often would become thick and the nozzle sprayed below the gauge corner. On days with temperatures above 90-95°F, the grease was found to become too thin to stay on the rails, although train operations did not start until after air and rail temperatures had dropped.

Another possible contributing factor to the inconsistency in spraying were the days

of inactivity when the RLL unit was turned off as the train ran in the clockwise direction or was not in operation. This caused the grease in the nozzle orifice to stay idle, causing the grease to harden in the nozzle.

When the unit was turned back on, it required several passes before fresh grease could be sprayed and proper lubrication could be achieved. The RLL unit is designed for revenue service train operations and consistent train traffic that would cause the unit to spray grease without having long periods of inactivity. Figure 3 shows the viscosity effects causing differences in spraying location. It should be noted that the temperature ranges mentioned are for reference purposes only and effects of temperature on spraying differences was not quantified as a part of this study.

Grease carry distance and lubrication: On nights when the RLL was active for all laps from start to finish of train operations, grease carried well through the 6-degree at distances of 675, 1,350 and 2,000 feet, from the beginning of Section 25, though it was not observed whether the grease carried to the end of the curve.

Coefficient of friction (µ) measurements on gauge corner using a tribometer were measured at specified distances of 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1,600 feet from the RLL on three nights in March, April and June. The measurements were taken when the RLL unit operated throughout the entire night of FAST train operations. The µ values were October 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 17

TTCI r&D

Figure 3: Difference in spraying application caused by temperature effects on grease viscosity.

found to vary in the range of µ = 0.11-0.30 with µ increasing from 0.11 to 0.30 with increasing distance from the RLL. On many nights, the grease on rail was found to decrease during consecutive laps as surrounding temperature decreased and the RLL unit’s wheel sensor had to be activated manually to spray more grease before the next train pass.

Mechanical systems and maintenance: No issues were encountered with the mechanical systems during the testing phase.

The RLL’s engine requires oil and filter changes at regular intervals when it is operational on a daily basis.

Other observations Length of spray application: The nozzle traverses a length of approximately 5 feet while the circumference of the FAST wheel is about 10 feet. The entire grease sprayed in 18 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

one pass is picked up by half of the wheel’s circumference and might cause variable lubrication on the high rail depending on curvature and grease temperature.

Heating grease in pipes and rack assembly: Although the RLL maintains optimum grease temperature in the grease tank, the temperature of the grease in the pipes from the tank to the nozzle orifice is not controlled.

Changes in temperature affect grease viscosity and spray patterns. Since this test was conducted, Robolube has finished developing a heating system for the grease temperature to be above a minimum from the tank to the application rack via the distribution pipes.

Reducing variability of the distance between nozzle orifice and rail: The distance between nozzle orifice and the gauge corner of the rail is critical to spraying consistency.

Variability in the distance between nozzle

orifice and rail can cause variability in grease application. The current design of the RLL allows the nozzle to stay inside the rack assembly while spraying grease.

Broader application of grease: Spraying a broader band might eliminate orifice clogging issues that were observed during cold weather applications as well as make the location of grease application less susceptible to shifting due to any vertical movement of the unit or the rail.

Conclusion During this phase of testing, the RLL unit met its desired objectives of reducing the amount of grease consumption and wastage compared to conventional lubricators, but multiple performance issues were observed related to grease application. Robolube is addressing these issues to improve the unit’s consistency and efficiency. rtands.com

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crossties

Wood crossties being air dried at a Gross & Janes facility.

How is the

2018 Our annual update takes the pulse of the crosstie market to see what may be in store for the rest of 2018 and into next year.

By Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor

T

he perception of the 2018 crosstie market is largely dependent from which subcategory it is viewed.

Those companies involved in tie treatment and compounds used to extend tie life found business slow to start in 2018, but are now experiencing a steady pace.

20 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

MARKET STACKING UP?

Concrete crosstie suppliers report a positive demand trend as do composite crosstie suppliers, who credit industry acceptance and consistent product quality for their demand trends. However, wood crossties suppliers report challenging market conditions and they say it’s too early to predict what may be in store for 2019.

The Railway Tie Association (RTA) notes various factors contributing to the challenging environment for the wood crosstie market including supply constraints, a slowing Chinese economy and weather that could have major impacts on wood tie producing regions.

Jim Gauntt, executive director of the RTA, explains that Class 1 wood tie installations

were down 3.6 percent in 2017 compared to 2016. However, when Canadian purchases are removed, installations were down 5.5 percent.

Gauntt notes the rate of tie purchases compared to the same time-period 2017 is “flat-ish� when using a 12-month moving average basis (12MMA using August data, which is the most recent), but appear to be picking up the second half of the year.

Gauntt explains that RTA uses a rolling 12-month moving average (12MMA) to track tie purchases and production in order to better evaluate the long-term trends occurring within the market. He says that August data shows the tie purchases annual rate is down only 1.9 percent based on 12MMA while actual year-to-date (YTD) purchases rtands.com

are down at a rate of 6.1 percent. However, he notes the trend is now upward with August purchases 16.8 percent ahead of July. Even with the rate YTD purchases trending lower with YTD tie production down a whopping 20.3 percent, an inventory to sales imbalance has been created and Gauntt describes this imbalance as unhealthy.

“We seemed to have entered 2018 with inventory below optimal levels even for demand which has trended lower. And, inventories have continued to slide to near historic lows as compared to sales,” said Gauntt. “With commercial markets remaining robust and Class 1’s demand still strong, the issue of supply, more specifically, in-bound untreated tie procurement lagging outbound treated tie shipments have created disparity. It isn’t currently because of lack of capacity at the sawmill, but rather multiple confounding factors.”

He explains that saw mills must cut and/ or ship what is profitable to operate long term. Demand has been stronger in 2018 for hardwood lumber, log exports, pallet cants, flooring and crane mat markets, but the higher end lumber products are now facing an uncertain future.

The RTA’s econometric demand model for 2018 is forecasting year-end total demand at slightly higher, 22.87 million, than the current level of purchases.

“Although, the current pace compared to August of 2017 seems stable, if the forecast for total purchases at the end of 2018 ends at this level, it would mean tie demand for 2018 would be lower than 2017 by 4 percent. As of now, we are seeing stronger outbound shipments from the plants, but supply constraints are now capping purchases to some degree. It isn’t that the ties won’t be there – it’s a matter of how long will a purchaser have to wait. In some cases, with inventory imbalance the lead-times could stretch out to several weeks or even months,” said Gauntt.

Another factor, which is already impacting wood tie sawmills and remains impossible to predict, is weather. Gauntt notes the full impact Tropical Storm Gordon and Hurricane Florence have yet to be felt on in-bound untreated tie production at mills and says that, when coupled with near historic low inventory, based on either stable or increasing demand, it could become a major concern for 2019 treated tie production and purchases.

“You can’t treat or sell what you don’t have. And even if you do start getting enough in-bound ties, they must be dry enough to treat before they can make it into track – that takes even more time,” said Gauntt.

He also explains another factor bringing concern to the industry is the hardwood sawmill business in China.

“Hardwood log exports and lumber have rtands.com

moderated as phyto-sanitation requirements have ramped up and indecision on tariff impacts have crept into the marketplace. The reality, though, is that the Chinese economy is slowing as the effects on exports began to be seen even before the tariffs were announced. Not only is hardwood log and lumber demand softening, but also as much as 20-30 percent of the value of the U.S. hardwood lumber exported has been sucked out of the market since spring. This will ultimately put even more pressure on the sawmill community’s ability to be resilient enough meet railroad demand for ties over the next year or so,” said Gauntt.

Wood Bill Behan, president of Gross & Janes Co., says the tax reform has enabled a resurgence in manufacturing and transportation, but that all railroad capital programs do not always translate evenly to all spending needs.

“As such, overall demand for 2018 has been slightly down from 2017. Nonetheless, as expected we are beginning to see levels increase in Q3 & Q4. We believe the new demand trend will continue into 2019.

Industry-wide, Inventory to Sales Ratios have dropped dramatically, which could indicate demand will be steady throughout 2019,” explained Behan.

John Giallonardo, vice president Class 1 Sales, North American Operations Railroad Products and Services, with Koppers Inc., says 2018 has brought its share of challenges.

“Competition from other markets for raw material has resulted in escalating tie prices and a shortage of supply. Log exports and a strong lumber market are two of the primary drivers impacting the tie industry this year,” said Giallonardo.

He notes that it is too early to know how 2019 will evolve, but says demand from customers looks solid moving forward.

“However, the recovery of the raw material market holds the key to next year. We are beginning to see some encouraging indicators recently, but it’s a bit premature to know for sure how things will play out,” he explained.

Koppers recently acquired M.A. Energy Resources, which allowed it to enter the tie disposal business.

“We now have the ability to dispose of used ties in an environmentally-friendly manner. This was one of the most important and meaningful asks from our customers over the past few years and Koppers was committed to solving the problem.

This acquisition further enhances Koppers commitment to sustainability and creates a full cradle to grave model with our product offerings,” said Giallonardo.

Tim Carey, product manager, Industrial

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October 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 21

crossties

Concrete crossties from Vossloh.

Business at Lonza Wood Protection, says his biggest concerns are the proposed tariffs and potential backlashes from affected countries.

“While the new tax laws give opportunities to the railroads, the negotiations with the tariff-affected countries will have more bearing on the movement of products by rail as we close out the year,” said Carey.

George Caric, vice president marketing for

Stella-Jones Corporation, calls 2018 one of the most difficult years for crosstie production.

He points to strong demand for hardwood products and weather for the difficulties.

“The wet weather in the hardwood producing areas has created lower log inventories, which has affected our inbound shipments of green ties. The strong economy has increased demand for hardwood lumber products due to housing starts, higher oil prices and log exports to China,” he said.

Caric continued, “The strong U.S. economy and truck driver shortages has pushed the demand for rail transportation, which is great for the industry. However, the strong demand for rail shipments has caused a drop off in crosstie shipments due to the lack of track time for program maintenance.

We have recently experienced improvement in maintenance-of-way, switching and car availability. We are being told this will continue to improve and look forward to getting back to normal levels in 2019.”

He says strong commercial markets support the increased demand for rail transportation, but notes that the company feels that the tie

shortage will continue through 2019.

“Bridge timber and preplated crosstie demand is strong, which is a sign that the railroads are spending capital for new projects to support the growth and improve operations,” explained Caric. “For the balance of the year and into 2019, Stella-Jones will be working hard to improve our air dried inventories to meet the demands of our customers. StellaJones continues to look for alternative solutions for used tie recovery as this continues to be a concern for our industry.”

Concrete CXT, Inc., saw an uptick in business in 2018 after a couple of years of fluctuating capital spending activity by its North American Class 1 customers, according to Steve Burgess, president, CXT, Inc., and vice president Concrete Products, L.B. Foster Co. “We are currently experiencing a return to a positive trend in concrete tie volumes from our Class 1 customers. That segment looks like it will increase in 2019, as well,” he said.

Burgess added that the company is seeing continued strong demand from the transit

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22 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

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crossties

American TieTek ties, sold by LT Resources, interspersed among wood ties.

agencies, specifically in key western U.S. and Pacific Northwest markets. Projects that have been in the pipeline for some time are expected to be completed by the end of this year.

“We anticipate even better performance from this key market segment in 2019,” said Burgess.

In addition, CXT is involved in several transit projects on the West Coast, including Sound Transit in Seattle and G3 in Vancouver that will carry over through the

next several years.

Another L.B. Foster division, CARR Concrete, a concrete precaster in Waverly, W.V., services the East Coast. Originally, CARR offered a variety of concrete foundations and structures. In 2017, the facility was upgraded with the addition of a new concrete batch plant and expanded production capacity. The goal is to offer other types of precast concrete products such as lagging walls, bridge components, box culverts and precast bases for the Class 1 railroads located east of the Mississippi River.

“We also are working to introduce some of these products to customers in the West via sister CXT facilities in Hillsboro, TX, and Spokane, Wash” says Burgess.

CXT, Inc. notes that it takes a customercentric approach to its R&D efforts to focus on and solve specific issues.

“Our customers look to L.B. Foster for customized solutions packages to optimize their investment spending across their many project requirements,” said Burgess.

With that focus in mind, the engineering team has ongoing programs to study

changes in concrete mix design to optimize product properties and improve sustainability. The team also actively assesses new materials and design offerings. That includes some ties with enhanced physical properties that are currently in track.

Burgess is optimistic regarding opportunities in 2019 and beyond.

“Heavy-haul railroad traffic is very strong right now and we expect that to continue for the next couple of years, reflecting the strong North American economy,” he said.

Burgess also notes that tax law changes in the U.S. earlier this year may have a positive effect, providing funds for the railroads to increase dividends, buy back shares and to maintain or increase their infrastructure capital spending. He recognizes federal government support for transit projects in the United States and Canada has also been growing, which points to a positive climate for concrete crossties and other related concrete products over the next couple of years.

Concrete crossties have been manufactured in voestalpine Nortrak’s Cheyenne, Wy., plant for more than a decade.

W W W. N O R D C O . C O M

414-766-2180 24 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

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crossties

Willamette Valley Company’s FastPatch HPRE can be used to embed light-rail tracks.

“We focus on producing only the highest quality concrete and custom engineer each tie to the specifications of our customers,” said Steve Mattson, technical manager, Nortrak Concrete Systems.

John Stout, vice president of Rail Fixation Systems, notes that the company has seen

modest recovery in demand for 2018 and believes that trend will continue into 2019.

The company says it is encouraged by a trend toward higher freight traffic volumes and increased transit ridership driving infrastructure investment and explains it remains committed to innovating new high-performance concrete tie solutions to drive longterm sustainable demand.

As an example of this commitment, voestalpine Nortrak points to its new partnership with Getzner USA. The companies are jointly developing several new products utilizing Getzner USA’s under tie pads and rail plate pad product lines in combination with Nortrak’s concrete tie technology to take a systematic approach to improving the resilience of concrete tie track.

“The goal is to reduce impacts on special trackwork and the ballast beneath to extend customer maintenance intervals and the asset life of track components. We have several installations in track for Class 1s and transit customers and the results are promising with a number of customers adopting our system as their standard solution,” said the company.

Vossloh Tie Technology says the company has continued to experience growth as it expands into new markets and points to its new facility under construction for the Canadian Class 1 market as an example of this.

“We spend endless hours working with our engineers making sure our product has the best quality on the market. Our customers know and trust us to deliver a quality product with high performance and following great quality standards,” explained the company. “Rocla Concrete Tie, Inc., becoming part of the Vossloh North America merger had a positive effect as now we can provide more offerings and solutions to our customers under the OneVossloh umbrella.”

Track Tec S. A. plans to bring its prestressed concrete crossties to the North American market. The company is based in Poland and supplies various freight and transit railways in Europe with its products. The company says its crossties “combine robust product design with extremely long service life.”

Track Tec ties are currently undergoing laboratory tests in Europe, as well as at Transportation Technology Center, Inc.

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crossties

Composite AXION Structural Innovations has experienced an increase globally in multi-year expressions of demand from freight and passenger railroads. The company says demand is up 15 percent this year and anticipates a steady increase during the next few years.

“With relatively low manufacturing costs and relatively high raw material costs as a percentage of the costs of goods sold, the general rise in the price of thermoplastics has affected gross margin negatively,” said Billy Jordan, senior vice president, Commercial Development. “In response to current conditions and anticipated price increases ahead, we have had to adjust our raw material supply chain strategy to reduce the negative effects on margin as much as possible.”

Jordan credits the bump in demand for composite crossties to wider industry acceptance and the “age of installations” rather than the effects of the new corporate tax structure.

“As it was last year, we expect an increase as more tonnage accumulates on those installations and we believe that special track work will continue to be the driving force in domestic demand for Axion ties,” said Jordan.

In November 2017, NICE Glass LLC launched Evertrak™ composite crossties, a product line that will include standard crossties, turnout ties and specialty ties for bridges, tunnels and grade crossings.

Still in its first year, Evertrak LLC, the operating business of NICE Glass, brought Evertrak™ 7000 from concept to market, which the company says set a new standard for strength, stiffness and resistance to wear and fatigue.

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Treatment and compounds Greg Spilker, vice president and general manager of Encore Rail Systems, Inc., explains 2018 began slowly due to weather challenges, but business began to pick up in the second quarter, which he expects to continue considering the Class 1’s continued re-investment in addition to the new corporate tax structure.

“Should be a lot of positives coming,” said Spilker. “I’m not sure

®

lbfoster.com US: 1.800.255.4500 Intl: +44(0)114256222 28 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018 Rail_QTR3.indd 1

“Our tests results are exceptional and we’re focused on continued in-track validation with Class 1, shortline and transit customers,” said Matt B. Moore, president of Evertrak. “Looking forward through 2019, we see demand shifting from validation to mainline renewal, resulting in a 10-20 times increase in volume by the end of 2019. We expect long-term demand for Evertrak 7000 ties exceeding several million ties per year, particularly in high moisture environments, road crossings, turnouts and yard tracks – all ideal conditions for Evertrak’s strength, consistency and value.”

Moore explains the company has firm control over the plastic feedstock used in the Evertrak 7000 because the company is vertically integrated into plastic recycling.

“We sequester hundreds of pounds of plastic waste in every tie and global efforts to capture plastic waste mutually benefit the environment and our Evertrak feedstock production,” said Moore.

He continued, “At this point in our operation, any tax law generated demand is overshadowed by the growing awareness and buy in of our value proposition as a mainline crosstie, fully capable of delivering track strength equivalent to new wood for many tie cycles. With physical performance recognized and appreciated, Evertrak is eager to innovate with customers on purchase plans that fit capital budgets and leverage ‘capital dividends’ resulting from the new tax law. Total Cost of Ownership is the name of the game and we’re eager to innovate with ‘tie by time’ business models to allow our customers to capture long-term cost savings and meet short-term capital targets.”

LT Resources, Inc., is the marketing and sales representative for American TieTek composite crossties. Linda Thomas, president of LT Resources, says business this year has been good with 2019 looking to shape up even better.

“As our customers experience the consistency of American TieTek’s ties in their own systems and facilities, they standardize on the product, resulting in repeat business and more growth each year. American TieTek is well-positioned to supply material for any late year bump resulting from the new tax law,” said Thomas.

She continued to say that actions in D.C. have had a positive impact on business, with market confidence fueling the funding for new projects, but notes being in the composite tie market can seem to be an uphill battle.

“Much like what was experienced with the earlier concrete ties, most composite tie manufacturers have had quality issues on the way to perfecting their product. It’s a matter of the industry coming together and backing the research to improve manufacturing and testing where needed. In American TieTek’s case, in 2013 when the new company returned to the original TieTek formulation that was tested and proven both in commercial track and at TTCI for 15 years, their ties have performed without failure, both in TTCI’s most recent SRI Tie and Fastener Testing and in all kinds of real-world applications for virtually all types of customers. TieTek’s 2 billion gross tons accumulated at TTCI is impressive and translates to extended tie life for railroads in their own operating environments. Support of the composite tie industry by all interested parties is critical to assure qualified manufacturers can meet market demand,” explained Thomas.

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crossties

An installation of Evertrak composite ties.

how much can be added on with the late start to the year [and we may not learn] the true impact of the tax laws until 2019.”

He also notes that the uptick in the economy has made availability of materials and shipping logistics a challenge, but say Encore has placed a greater focus on service while its R&D department works on newer, more advanced equipment.

Nisus Corporation manufactures copper naphthenate under the QNAP® brand and a Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate (DOT) borate wood preservative under the Cellutreat® brand. The company says business is ahead of its projections, which it credits to the railroads’ move to embrace dual-treated crossties.

According to Ken Laughlin, divisional vice president of Wood Preservation, “Nisus is seeing high single-digit increases in both copper QNAP® Copper Naphthenate and our Cellutreat® liquid DOT borate for 2018.

Purchases are down for the railroads due

to tie shortages, but we are seeing increases due to the railroad shift to dual-treated ties.

Because of this shift, business is ahead of projected demands.”

Canon McDonald, Eastern Regional sales manager of Wood Preservation said, “We believe most railroads will continue with their planned capital investment in 2018 and may increase investment in 2019.”

Kevin Kirkland, CEO and president said, “We are working with Class 1 and shortlines to extend the life of existing bridge ties. East Coast Right of Way Maintenance, Inc., has developed on-track equipment to do remedial Cellutreat® liquid borate treatments on existing bridge ties. They are currently providing treatments for one of the Class 1 railroads.”

Rob Loomis, business manager, Performance Products Division at Willamette Valley Company, says business has been steady and in line with the company’s predictions for the year.

“We see an increasing demand to restore

crosstie assets with SpikeFast® polyurethane tie plugging, which helps reduce the overall costs of capital programs of railroads,” said Loomis.

He continued by noting that the increased focus on worker and track safety has had a positive impact on Willamette Valley Company’s business.

“Crossing a railroad track safely is important for cars, bicycles and pedestrians and repairing broken crossings with FastPatch DPR kit helps prevent injuries and makes the track safer for the public. Holding gauge longer on the track is critical in curves and high traffic areas and installing SpikeFast ES-50 in spike holes has proven to hold gauge longer than any other material, which means less work and a safer track for the railroads,” said Loomis.

The company plans to launch two products in 2019, which Loomis says continues Willamette Valley Company’s commitment to serving its customers by providing innovative solutions to commercial challenges.

“Our latest product, FastPatch HPRE®, is being deployed to embed light-rail tracks in major cities such as Dallas, Los Angeles and Chicago. FastPatch HPRE is installed at 20-30 cubic feet an hour through a dispenser from PRE-TEC (division of WVCO),” explained Loomis. “Another product we have launched is our POLYQuik® coating for lining railcars. Our coating is designed to protect the railcars from corrosion and damage. POLYQuik is currently being used to restore existing cars and protect new cars from future damage.”

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ditching & draining

Midwest Mole performs most of its ditching and drainage jobs for a Class 1 railroad, and the majority of their work involves auger bores (as pictured) for the installation of new pipes.

2018

DITCHING AND DRAINING

UPDATE

Suppliers emphasize the need for targeted maintenance along railway ditches in addition to safely executed drainage efforts. By Kyra Senese

S

uppliers share the most effective tools and strategies used for handling messy projects quickly and efficiently.

Advanced Drainage Systems The transportation industry aims to incorporate more sustainable and cost-effective engineering materials and practices into its infrastructure systems, said Tori Durliat, director of marketing, Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS).

This has prompted research into new products that can be manufactured with more sustainable materials, such as those

32 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

incorporating recycled content.

The incorporation of recycled materials into products used in transportation infrastructure offers both economic and environmental benefits, Durliat says.

Among the research efforts Durliat refers to is a Villanova University study of the performance of corrugated, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe with recycled resin, which found the pipe’s performance to be indistinguishable from pipe made from virgin material.

Completed in late 2017, the three-year field and laboratory evaluation is an important step in validating the use of corrugated

HDPE pipe manufactured with recycled materials for commuter railroad and highway applications, Durliat explained.

The study was funded cooperatively by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program Project 4-39.

As for ADS’ work, Durliat said the company continues to provide pipe and other stormwater management products for culverts, plus stormwater retention and detention systems and to construct underground storm and sanitary sewer pipelines.

“We’re seeing all the major rail players including Amtrak, Union Pacific, CSX and rtands.com

ditching & draining

BNSF using corrugated HDPE pipe since the inclusion in the AREMA Manual,” explained Durliat. “Norfolk Southern used about seven miles of HDPE pipe for the underground drainage system at its Memphis Regional Intermodal Facility.”

Upon reviewing the AREMA specifications, Durliat said officials chose to select HDPE pipe.

“After the project was completed, they found that the pipe reduced costs, increased efficiencies and added longevity to the facility that will be heavily traveled and be subjected to hundreds of tons of weight from above, plus it also helped the system to comply with state and federal water quality regulations,” she said.

In the past, Durliat says the railroad industry specified heavy gauge, riveted, annular corrugated metal pipe with a bituminous coating or reinforced concrete pipe. The benefits of using corrugated HDPE include improved corrosion resistance, favorable cost of construction and proven structural capacity under Cooper E80 Loading conditions.

BTE Torrential rains, hurricanes or a sudden downpour can trigger devastating mudslides. Instantly filling trackside drainage ditches, these dangerous mudflows bring debris, clay and sloppy conditions that contaminate ballast, clog culverts and cause treacherous track washouts.

Quick response to drainage problems resulting from these muddy disasters is critical for keeping trains running smoothly and avoiding costly delays, said Ballast Tools Equipment (BTE) President Ned Williams.

BTE has the equipment to help repair railroad tracks that have been damaged by natural disasters.

Recently, a Class 1 railroad called for emergency help when heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Gordon caused multiple messy mudslides, closing an important railroad track to all traffic, Williams said.

This particular track was built along a river at the bottom of a steep cliff, making the muddy landslide areas difficult to access as they were miles from the nearest crossing.

“It was a soupy, nasty, muddy Mississippi River mess,” Williams said.

Time was of the essence and multiple BTE Hi-Rail Excavators were dispatched and quickly hi-railed to the jobsite more than 30 miles away. Hi-rail rotary-dump trucks met the excavators near the disaster area to help with the situation. rtands.com

“BTE machines are engineered to handle long distance rail travel,” Williams said.

“The robust hi-rail drive gear stays cool and can handle lengthy mileage runs without interruptions.”

The BTE excavators got to work immediately. When support trucks and equipment arrived, Williams said BTE’s tracked machines easily cleared for the passing equipment and then jumped back on-track to continue working from the hi-rail position.

“We are able to work on this single line track quickly and efficiently,” Williams said. “Ditching with a powerful BTE excavator in the hi-rail position is fast and effective, allowing miles of ditches to be cleaned out in short order.”

“

The place for potential improvement is to look to the DOT and utility industry and see what has been working for them...and determine whether it can be a viable option for the rail industry.” – David Howell, senior project manager, Midwest Mole

BTE supplied Greis Trucking & Excavating with much of the equipment to get the track drainage problems stabilized.

Williams said the skilled Greis team worked through the weekend to clear the mud and open the track.

Additional work will be required to reopen culverts, undercut and replace fouled ballast areas and improve the uphill bank stability.

For more typical track maintenance, Greis has upgraded several of their excavators with BTE’s hi-rail systems and extensive lineup of specialty attachments to improve productivity and efficiency.

The versatility of BTE machines allows operators to perform multiple functions with just one machine. The BTE-313 Hi-Rail Excavator, for instance, easily handles more than a dozen of BTE’s versatile attachments and ditching buckets, including a highperformance BTE Undercutter and the BTE Culvert Cleaner.

“With BTE, you can take care of these natural disasters including the ditching, the undercutting, the culvert cleaning, with just one machine,” Williams said. “BTE has versatile machines in multiple sizes to meet our customers’ needs and get the job done effectively and efficiently.”

Georgetown Rail Equipment Company Georgetown Rail Equipment Company (GREX) offers equipment used extensively for ditching, cleaning up of slides and placement of material for embankment hardening and water diversion, especially the SPS self-powered slot train, the company said.

The SPS self-powered consist is comprised of endless gondola cars stretching up to 430 feet in length. With an on-board excavator and remote-control capability, the SPS is intended to provide a highly effective ditching solution, the company said.

The mobility offered by the SPS allows railroads to quickly engage projects with efficiency and minimal manpower, the company said. All SlotMachine® and SPS trains are equipped with multiple attachments coupled to a rototilt on a zero-turn radius excavator. With the rototilt attachment, the units offer a reach of 35 feet from the centerline and the ability to maneuver the bucket in any position necessary.

The current SPS model originated from the original SlotMachine design, which required a work train for power. GREX said the company created the SPS in response to an industry demand for self-powered equipment. The machine allows for one operator to perform all the functions of traditional slot trains, the company said.

With 30,000 to 50,000 pounds of tractive effort and the ability to travel at speeds up to 50 miles-per-hour, GREX said its fleet of SPS units can accommodate a high volume of material due to utilizing all the available space for the entire length of the cars.

The units are available with both 550-ton and 250-ton capacity. A qualified operator can seamlessly move the SPS utilizing a wireless remote control while in work mode, making the SPS a one-man-operation. Ditching is performed at a rate of 250 tons per hour with material being offloaded October 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 33

ditching & Draining

Loram offers a variety of services that cover all drainage maintenance needs with a product line that includes shoulder ballast cleaning, ditching, specialty excavating, undercutting and track lifting, Hyslip added.

For this muddy disaster, BTE supplied Greis Trucking & Excavating with the hi-rail excavators to get the mud and debris removed from the track and to help repair flooded drainage ditches.

at 450 tons per hour.

A key component to great drainage is ensuring proper ballast, GREX said.

BallastSaver®, GREX’s ballast assessment tool, utilizes Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology that scans the ballast and ditch line on a 360-degree arc.

“It is a valuable tool that eliminates the guesswork in volume of ballast needed,” the company notes.

GREX said the machine also allows customers to maximize ballast budgets by highlighting where ballast should be placed.

“In early 2018, GREX became part of the Loram family of companies. One of the natural synergies between the two companies has been the opportunity to pair BallastSaver with Loram’s ground penetrating radar solution, Hyground®. The combination of these technologies can enable customers to have a comprehensive look at conditions throughout the roadbed,” GREX said.

The company said it has continued to boost its fleet size of both the SlotMachine and SPS to keep up with increasing demand in both the U.S. and Canada.

“With input from customers, enhancements are routinely made to the SPS to increase efficiency and safety – a tradition we’re committed to carrying into the future to continually evolve the equipment to suit modern needs,” GREX said.

Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc. Drainage of the track is a key consideration 34 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

in track design and maintenance.

Ideal track conditions include proper internal and external drainage, where internal drainage maximizes the flow of water out of the track and external drainage ensures water exiting the track is carried off of the right-of-way, said Jim Hyslip, chief engineer, Civil, Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc. “It is important that both internal and external track drainage are working together,” he said.

Loram said it is continually working to improve the deployment and operation of its fleet of ballast cleaning and track drainage improvement machines, Hyslip said.

Loram utilizes ground penetrating radar (GPR) and LiDAR scanning to quantify both the internal and external components of track drainage.

Hyslip explains the GPR provides information on the internal drainage condition of the track, through quantification of subsurface moisture and ballast fouling.

The LiDAR scanning, integrated with GPS and an inertial measurement unit (IMU), provides accurate latitude and longitude position along with accurate elevation, Hyslip said.

For drainage design, the ground points established by LiDAR must have an accurate elevation component to allow for the ditch to be designed and built in order to reach an outlet point off of the right-of-way and facilitate an effective slope to the ditch.

Midwest Mole, Inc. As a trenchless contractor installing new drainage systems, upgrading existing drainage systems or rehabilitating existing drainage structures, Midwest Mole said the company continues to see expanded equipment options with the capabilities to perform such work.

David Howell, senior project manager for Midwest Mole, said one of the primary areas where he sees such an increase is in the rehabilitation of existing pipes.

“Most of these technologies have been around for awhile, but more companies are entering the fray to provide the products, particularly when it comes to spray on cementitious linings,” Howell explained.

“There are several pipe products available to slip line the existing drainage structures.

A lot of these products and methods have been used for several years in Departments of Transportation (DOT) and utility industries, but have not been as widely used in the rail industry.”

Howell says the rail industry has been slow to adopt some of these products because members of the industry want to ensure the product will hold up and meet the challenges present near tracks.

Another issue Howell said he’s observed among railroads is that they could be more proactive regarding repairs to culverts before structures are too degraded to allow for a rehabilitation product.

“You end up with the need to install a new pipe or two and abandon the old culverts,” he said. “We have started to install more pipes via pipe ramming technology to help alleviate some of the risk posed by other methods during the installation.”

Pipe ramming can overcome various soil conditions and include going through some obstructions that can be found under the tracks, he said.

“It does become a balancing act, though, at times to weigh the risk mitigation versus the installation price on what may be the right fit for any specific project,” explained Howell.

Midwest Mole has observed the replacement of culverts as an area railroads are continuing to focus on year after year, Howell said.

“This can be a hard thing to budget for.

You either need to go out and look at the rtands.com

ditching & Draining

needs for the upcoming year and make your budget for your work based on specific projects or allocate a set amount and just get as much done that year as you can,” he said.

“It seems culverts are looked at more as a maintenance item that gets a set total dollar [amount] unless you have some large projects that you are planning for.”

However, he said with the variables of labor cost and material cost that are continuing to rise, it can be difficult to know how far a company’s dollars will stretch.

Plus, he adds, the complexities of project sites can add costs that may not have been accounted for unless a company has spent time and effort evaluating each location.

The culverts look a lot different when assessing them from the rail versus viewing them from adjacent properties, he said.

“I have heard various railroads mention they have several culverts they plan to work on over the next few years,” Howell said. “A lot of the infrastructure is beyond its design life and needs attention to make sure the drainage is continuing to work properly for years to come.”

In terms of newly-introduced processes and equipment, Howell notes that the company’s trenchless industry has not seen many new processes or equipment introduced lately.

“The place for potential improvement is to look to the DOT and utility industry and see what has been working for them for several years and determine whether it can be a viable option for the rail industry,” he said. “There does not always seem to be a lot of connections between the two industries. Rail related companies seem to stay in the rail industry and the DOT and utility companies stay in their industry.”

Midwest Mole has continued to install several new culverts for the rail industry year after year, Howell said. The majority of the projects have been and continue to be installed using auger boring to replace failed culverts and a slip line of a new pipe in an old culvert from time to time, he said.

“Whenever you are going to install a new pipe under the tracks, you do not know what you will find,” he said. “You can encounter large rocks where a washout may have occurred at one time or you can encounter old bridge piers where the bridges had been removed and a pipe placed in its place or even driven rail that was installed to help stabilize the embankment….You can also occasionally encounter debris from an old derailment that had occurred at that location.”

Such obstacles can be hard to anticipate rtands.com

Loram’s ground penetrating radar solution, Hyground® at work.

or design for, Howell said, noting a lack of documentation of where new pipes are installed and a lack of geotechnical investigations being performed.

“This geotechnical information is critical to help with determining the correct method for the installation,” he said. “When you do not have this information, you can end up in a situation where you end up incurring additional cost or increased risk to the track because the contractor simply does not have enough information to be prepared for what they might encounter in the embankment.”

This year, Midwest Mole worked on a few projects during which the company gathered additional information by test pitting prior to the work. The company chose pipe ramming to safely install the new pipes.

One was in a running sand condition and the other was large boulders that also made pipe ramming the proper choice.

Due to unexpected obstacles in the field, Howell said the company has begun to offer the service of potholing and creating a report for one of the Class 1s Midwest Mole does work for regarding where the utility lines are near the work site so any relocation or redesign work can be handled before the work begins.

Midwest Mole performs most of its ditching and drainage jobs for one particular Class 1 railroad, and the majority of their work involves auger bores for the installation of new pipes.

“Our work typically falls under the bridge department for the culverts and we do not get into the ditching work

typically,” he said.

Looking ahead, Howell said the company continues to see opportunities to provide its trenchless technology services to the rail industry.

“We aim to be the preferred trenchless contractor for the rail industry,” he said. “We are always looking for ways for us to expand our client base and the services we offer.”

RCE RCE said excavator-based machines have always been used for ditching work and the company has recently expanded its line of material handling carts by introducing the Rail Dump Cart.

The new cart is capable of removing material during ditching. Sales Manager Dennis Hanke said the product works well with the company’s hi-rail excavators and the hi-rail Swing Loaders.

During the past year, Hanke said the company’s dump carts have been used with hi-rail-based excavators to provide a means to remove spoils from the work site without requiring additional equipment or manpower.

Hanke said RCE customers include Union Pacific and BNSF, and most of the company’s contractor customers use the hi-rail excavators RCE has supplied them for ditching work, as well as other rail maintenance projects.

From discussions with customers on the railroad and contractor sides of the business, Hanke said 2019 looks like it will be a busy year.

October 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 35

TAM Rule Compliance

ACHIEVING STATE OF

GOOD REPAIR T

he Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Facility Condition Assessment guidebook was released in April 2017 and it introduced new data collection and reporting requirements for transit agencies. Per the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) legislation, transit agencies are required to routinely collect and report facility conditions to the National Transit Database (NTD). Bentley Systems, Inc.’s, OpenRail facility condition assessment module is purpose-built for FTA Facilities and Inspections and is the ideal solution to satisfying

36 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

the new FTA requirements and advancing any agency’s Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plan.

With limited resources and tight budgets, transit agencies now have a new responsibility to comply with these requirements.

To satisfy the updated regulations, agencies are required to report the condition of each facility supporting transit operations, including administrative and maintenance facilities, as well as passenger and parking facilities. The guidebook outlines a new methodology for collecting, aggregating and reporting facility data to the NTD. Facility

condition assessments must be conducted by assessing the condition and assigning a rating for facility assets using FTA’s Transit Economic Requirements Model (TERM) scale. Additionally, the rule requires assessments to be at a level of detail sufficient for monitoring and predicting the future performance of assets for investment prioritization within the agency’s TAM plan.

Transit agencies are newly tasked with incorporating facilities into their TAM Plans, creating policies around these condition assessments, performing the assessments and implementing capabilities rtands.com

Bentley Systems, Inc.

WITH FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENTS

TAM rule Compliance

Taking advantage of the right software can enable transit agencies to comply with FTA’s TAM rule.

By Taylor Gilmore, senior product manager, Rail and Transit, Bentley Systems, Inc.

to support their staff in assessment planning, data collection, investment planning and reporting this information to the FTA. Few cost-effective facilities management solutions are available on the market.

Typical solutions in use today include rudimentary capabilities such as Microsoft Access or Excel or large Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) systems. Microsoftbased applications are difficult to securely manage as a single source of truth with multiple contributors and EAMs require significant investments and lengthy implementation rollouts. rtands.com

Bentley’s Facility Condition Assessment offering is a set of tailored and streamlined capabilities specifically designed to support the new FTA requirements. These capabilities are part of Bentley’s OpenRail Asset Reliability solution, which is proven and capable of supporting the entire process from maintaining the facility inventory, inspection planning, field data collection using mobile devices, electronic inspection reviews and back office reporting. The module includes standard configurations for detailed data collection of all facility components, automatically calculates the overall facility condition assessment score per the FTA guidebook and supports the FTA reporting requirements. Mobile data collection capabilities enable inspectors to quickly record facility conditions in the field with a mobile device that uses familiar and purpose-built forms.

Transit agencies can achieve significant cost savings by leveraging the out-of-the-box module, which enables rapid deployment of the solution to achieve immediate results in the hosted and purpose-built web and mobile applications. Although this solution ensures compliance with FTA requirements, administrators can further tailor the application by utilizing the included configuration capabilities to quickly extend the inventory and condition assessments based on specific agency needs. Doing this mitigates change management risk and provides a consistent method to produce high quality decision support outcomes and prioritization.

It is critical that agencies deploy comprehensive capabilities for reliability strategy development, inspection, maintenance and management of all transit assets. Being built on Bentley’s OpenRail platform, the Facility Condition Assessment module affords agencies an opportunity to expand beyond facilities to take advantage of Bentley’s entire OpenRail for Asset Performance solution for their transit inventory. OpenRail integrates operational asset data to support multiple operational objectives, from inspecting and reporting to capital-project decision making. By implementing OpenRail Asset Performance, many agencies have the power to determine optimal maintenance strategies across facilities, track, rolling stock and equipment and have seen millions of dollars in cost savings through improved maintenance efficiency, reduced salary costs and the ability to reinvest those savings into capital projects. Utilizing these capabilities enables agencies to reduce risk, improve safety, achieve higher customer satisfaction and avoid potential loss of ridership.

Industry-leading rail and transit organizations are developing and implementing enterprise-wide information systems and processes in compliance with emerging BIM and asset management standards to ensure consistent application across all planning, projects, operations and maintenance functions. Many agencies rely on OpenRail for Asset Performance to support their journey to digitalization by empowering effective asset management practices and enabling BIM management of information through the whole lifecycle of a built asset. As a result, these agencies have a spatially-enabled common data environment to manage rail, transit, bridge and tunnel assets and related information for infrastructure operations. It delivers complete information management during the transportation infrastructure’s operating life and supports safe and reliable life extensions.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They are included for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

About the author: Taylor Gilmore is the senior product manager of OpenRail for Asset Performance at Bentley and oversees the direction of Bentley’s AssetWise products and supporting mobile applications.

Gilmore has spent the past eight years working on infrastructure asset management software and has been directly involved in the successful planning, design and delivery of more than 20 infrastructure management systems during his time as a project manager and product manager at Bentley. Gilmore has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Grove City College and lives in the Pittsburgh area.

October 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 37

Message From The President

A

s I noted in September, I will use the platform of the president’s column to provide AREMA’s members with greater insight into the association. We will look at how AREMA functions and offers in addition to the Annual Conference and a subscription to RT&S. We will also explore some of the opportunities to become involved, especially with the technical committees. In many cases, active participation in committees can lead to a committee leadership role, involvement with AREMA’s standing committees and AREMA Board leadership roles. The many members that volunteer their valuable time are what make AREMA the pre-eminent railroad engineering organization it has been for more than 120 years and which it continues to be today.

This month we will introduce the AREMA headquarters staff and their important roles in managing the day-to-day operations of the association. AREMA would not be able to operate without the dedication of our talented staff located at AREMA’s headquarters in Lanham, Md. Some of the AREMA staff’s key responsibilities include: • Providing support to the Board of Governors, Functional Group Board of Directors and technical committees • Planning and executing the Annual Conference, seminars and other meetings • Coordinating with other organizations such as RSI, REMSA and RSSI • Supporting the Publications Committee to ensure balloted materials are included in the manuals Allow me to also introduce you to the AREMA staff.

AREMA’s Executive Director/CEO is Beth Caruso, CAE. Beth has been with AREMA for more than 19 years and received her Certified Association Executive (CAE) 38 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

designation in 2010.

In addition to managing AREMA operations at our headquarters, Beth works closely with the AREMA Board of Governors to develop the vision and direction of AREMA. She also coordinates closely with the Functional Group Board of Directors in assisting with the myriad of tasks related to our Functional Groups and committees.

She enjoys supporting AREMA’s leadership and assisting with their vision for AREMA. Stacy Spaulding, CAE has also been with AREMA for more than 19 years, during which time she obtained her CAE credential. In her role as senior director, Executive and Board Operations, Stacy works with the Executive Team, Board of Governors and the Functional Group Board of Directors. She has a key role in the operation of the technical committees and facilitates the Annual Conference technical program. Stacy enjoys working with the Board members, some of whom she has known since she started in 1999!

Vickie Fisher, CAE, senior director, Finance and Human Resources, supports Beth Caruso along with her key responsibilities for AREMA’s financial reporting, human resources and oversight of the exposition held in conjunction with the Annual Conference. Her ability to balance the needs and best interests of AREMA with those of the employees is most valuable. Vickie says AREMA’s role as an educational based organization always provides the opportunity to learn something new.

AREMA’s Director, Membership and Information Systems is Janice Clements.

Janice has worked with thousands of members throughout the years and especially enjoys meeting members at the Annual Conference.

If you have ever had a question regarding your membership or how to log into the website, Janice is the one who has been able to provide assistance and get the problem solved.

Desirée Knight, CAE, CMP, is AREMA’s director, Education and Meetings. The reason behind the excellent Annual Conferences, expositions, seminars, webinars and board meetings is Desirée’s wonderful ability to work with vendors and orchestrate the meetings and events for AREMA. Desirée has won an executive leadership scholarship with the American Society of Association Executives and has recently been nominated to be on the Professional Convention Management Association’s Board of Directors.

Lindsay McNicholas, MBA, is AREMA’s

director of Marketing and Communications. Her most important responsibility is to design, coordinate and implement all of AREMA’s integrated marketing and communications campaigns. She also interacts with all of headquarters departments to ensure AREMA is reflected appropriately.

Lindsay travels to trade shows and meetings as a representative of AREMA. The Director of Information Technology Services is Skip Gmeiner. Skip is responsible for the overall planning, organization and execution for all AREMA IT functions to meet both AREMA staff and membership requirements. He enjoys researching new technologies and determining how they would benefit AREMA. Recently, Skip has migrated AREMA’s core business processes to the cloud and had a large role in updating AREMA’s website in 2017.

Alayne Bell is manager, Committees and Technical Services. Alayne coordinates the work of AREMA’s 30 technical committees and the pre-publication aspects of all AREMA manuals and other publications. She also supports the AREMA student chapters through the work of Committee 24 and the Educational Foundation Scholarship Program.

Christy Thomas, CEM, is the program and services manager. Her primary responsibilities include managing the Exposition at the Annual Conference and working with the more than 200 exhibitors to assist them with preparations and logistics. Christy also assists the IT department with website content management and the conference app.

Morgan Bruins is administration manager. Morgan manages the publication sales and the Corporate License Agreements at AREMA. She also works with the other headquarters departments to provide assistance with the Annual Conference and the seminar programs.

These are the wonderful people that work “behind the scenes” to keep AREMA running on a daily basis. During this past year, I have gained a deep appreciation of their hard work and valuable contributions to AREMA. They all deserve a great round of applause!

When asked what they like best about working at AREMA, without exception they all responded that they enjoy working with their co-workers and the relationships they have built with other AREMA members. They all enjoy working with you – the members of AREMA. For that, you all deserve a round of applause, as well! rtands.com

C-24: A long road to seminars on track design Always with the goal to learn collectively from peers and colleagues

By Robert D. Kimicata, Kimicata Rail Consulting, Inc., Committee 24 Member

GETTING TO THE POINT: Instructor Rebecca Reyman (Amtrak) works out a more detailed explanation on the whiteboard.

W

ith the goals of sharing knowledge and developing skills, another successful session of the Track Alignment Design Seminar (TADS) was held following the AREMA 2017 Annual Conference, which took place in conjunction with the Railway Interchange held in Indianapolis, Ind. Presented by Committee 24 (C-24), the TADS course is one of many seminars offered by AREMA to provide workforce development, transfer institutional knowledge and offer Professional Development Hour (PDH) credits in an organized and professional environment. While projectspecific skill building and on-the-job experience are important parts of professional development, the standardized and wellorganized TADS events provide a valuable platform to consistently share knowledge across the industry.

Unlike typical one-off seminars created by individuals with specialized areas of expertise, TADS is modeled after the successful Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering (IPRE) seminar. This IPRE format helps facilitate multiple presentations. The IPRE organizers are regularly updating and

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improving content and the presentation itself, as well as developing future presenters.

Development of TADS, initiated in July 2008,

“

TADS participants learn how to confront complex and interconnected problems and then they must share with fellow participants how they made their choices and plotted their course of action.

was in response to multiple requests on the IPRE Seminar Evaluation Form that stated clearly: Please develop an expanded version

of the IPRE Track Design Module. From this participant request came the creation of the seminar on track alignment design.

After gaining approval by AREMA, work started on the TADS course material during the Fall 2008 C-24 committee meeting held in conjunction with the Salt Lake City AREMA 2008 Annual Conference with REMSA Exposition. Developed as a team effort by C-24 and led by Gray Chandler (retired CSX Transportation), the largest portion of the material is credited to Paul Li (retired UMA, now AECOM) and Caroline Schettler (UMA, now AECOM). Emerging talent and veteran committee members alike contributed to the effort, with more experienced members focusing on what needed to be taught, while newer members advised on where their knowledge base was weak, how the new-generation workforce learned and how to apply new technology to the presentations.

Task assignments included module writers, proofreaders, presentation reviewers, graphic and animation developers, photo editors and more. All contributors later reported having improved their knowledge or gained new skills from their participation in the process. Learning collectively from peers and colleagues, exposure to different challenges others have encountered and developing relationships that can be future resources are just a few of the many benefits of active AREMA committee participation.

The TADS format itself is centered on the fictitious Fox Valley Railroad, but in a very reality-based fashion. Fox Valley topics are drawn from actual projects that reflect issues designers are facing on a regular basis.

Names and locations of the Fox Valley projects are changed to respect confidentiality of businesses and as a subtle tribute to those actively involved in both C-24 and TADS. Projects and concepts begin with a serious challenge: a not-so-simple industrial track with clearance, curvature and turnout location issues. Subsequent projects build upon the concepts presented in earlier modules; they grow in complexity through a shoo-fly with a turnout, a siding and a loop-loading track, a passenger station realignment and a new rail line. The reality of it all is palpable Continued on page 42 October 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 39

HIGHLIGHTS ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXPOSITION

AREMA Past Presidents at the Annual Committee Chairs Luncheon

Crowds gather for a demonstration in the Exhibit Hall

40 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

Guests raise a toast at the Presidents Reception and Dinner

Committees meet to examine projects, strategies and new developments for the rail industry

2018 Dr. W.W. Hay Award Winner, Arup, for “The Fulton Center in New York City” project

The latest technology is discussed in the Exhibit Halls

CHICAGO • SEPTEMBER 16–19

Jim Kessler, Dwight Clark and Captain Mark Kelly break for a photo after his motivational speech

League of Railway Women hosts a reception to help connect and cultivate women’s interest in the industry

The Structures Technical Session captivates the audience

Committee members enjoy a reception in their honor rtands.com

HIGHLIGHTS CHICAGO • SEPTEMBER 16–19

Jim Kessler officially takes over as AREMA President for 2018-2019

Students review their answers for the Quiz Bowl

The Conference Operating Committee takes a break from their hard work

Tony Hatch compels the audience with an Industry Update at the Closing General Session

The Honorable Ronald Batory makes an address at the Annual Committee Chairs Luncheon

Students fill the room to hear the Meet The Next Generation Panel speak about how to build their careers in the rail industry

The Engage with AREMA Panel discusses how AREMA membership has been an advantage in their careers

Opening General Session Keynote Speaker, Captain Mark Kelly, gives a moving speech rtands.com

ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXPOSITION

Functional Group Board of Director Karen Horiszny is recognized for her service

Young Professionals separate into teams and break the ice with games to help add networking value to their Conference experience October 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 41

as participants realize how the scenarios apply to real-time, real circumstances.

The hands-on, workshop-oriented seminar concludes with a new yard fully realized, with a nonstandard ladder angle, the introduction of signal issues and fully addressed constructability challenges. TADS participants learn how to confront complex and interconnected problems and then they must share with fellow participants how they made their choices and plotted their course of action. The intent of this process is to teach the how and why, to be applied in other situations, not just the mechanics of designing the particular project. An optional group dinner in the evening provides an opportunity for the participants to pursue several things: discuss specific seminar items in greater detail, network within their profession or simply develop personal relationships with presenters and colleagues.

The first presentation utilizing this methodology was held at the AREMA 2009 Annual Conference and Exposition in Chicago. This inaugural effort was taught by a large group of instructors who were individually responsible for development of the modules they presented. In addition to having expertise and a professional fluency in their project issues, the other instructors learned new things, as well. They were able to absorb in-depth knowledge of the key elements of other presenters’ projects. The recording of this shared seminar knowledge, in the instructor notes portion of the material, is key to the repeatability of future seminars presented by a new cohort of instructors.

At each seminar, C-24 strives to have one or more auditors. In addition to assessing the material and presentation, the auditors

are training to become future presenters. The seminar material includes a brief “Participant Review” form with separate entries for each module on that year’s schedule of topics. Internal critiques and review forms are an essential part of the continuous improvement process, not just for the specific event but for each presenter’s professional development, as well.

The success of the seminar is measured in two ways: the feedback on participant evaluations and the high percentage of seminar newcomers who enroll specifically on the recommendation of prior TADS attendees.

A sold-out TADS event was offered again immediately following the AREMA 2018 Annual Conference and Exposition in Chicago, Sept. 19-21. As a direct result of detailed comments received from TADS participants, C-24 is currently working on an advanced version of TADS, which will be called TADS 2. This innovative, advanced track-design course will help professionals in the industry develop a deeper understanding of how to design for suboptimal situations and builds on the knowledge and skills learned in TADS (a recommended prerequisite). Such real-world problems often present multiple solutions, which can be a problem in and of itself. Effective track design to address challenges sometimes requires a compromise or alteration to what are considered ideal design practices. The TADS 2 concept is to help identify the most critical design factors that must be adhered to for safety, operations, maintenance and constructability, among other reasons.

Look for a rollout of TADS 2 at the AREMA 2019 Annual Conference held in conjunction with Railway Interchange in Minneapolis, Minn.

engineering students specializing in the railway industry and supports other educational and training endeavors that ensure the future of the profession.

Application deadline: Dec. 7, 2018.

talent pool of job candidates with the training and education needed for longterm success. Visit w w w.arema.org/ careers to post your job today. Use code RAILCAREER to receive a discount.

Order the NEW 2018 Portfolio of Trackwork Plans now. R e a d u p o n p l a n s a n d specifications that relate to the design, details, materials and workmanship for switches, frogs, turnouts and crossovers, c ro s s i n g s , ra i l s a n d o t h e r s p e c i a l trackwork. Order online now at www. arema.org or contact mbruins@arema.org.

Demonstrate that you are a professional by joining AREMA Membership today.

A R EM A m e m b e r s a re d e d i c a te d to improving their practical knowledge and are interested in exchanging information with your peers in order to advance the railroad engineering industry. Not an AREMA Member? Join at www.arema.org.

Leverage the power of your association’s Railway Careers Network to tap into a

Not an AREMA Member?

Join today at www.arema.org

Continued from page 39

Professional Development AREMA of fers seminar and webinar programs that extend our ability to serve the educational needs of our railway engineering community with PDH accredited courses. If you need additional continuing education credits, plan to sign up for an upcoming seminar: Bridge Inspection & Streambed Scour Seminar Date: Oct. 15 – 18 PDH: 21.75 hours Details: This seminar is designed to give the railway professional an understanding of what is involved in inspecting bridges, culverts and tunnels to ensure they are safe for the passage of trains. Led by experienced railroad bridge professionals, this seminar will give you a basis for knowing when to ask an expert about a potential concern. The instructors teach the participant how to recognize early signs of issues that, if not addressed, can develop into serious problems. The Bridge Inspection portion of the seminar is based on the new AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook.

For more information on our seminar programs and to register, please visit www.arema.org.

FYI

2019 Call for Papers: Papers are being accepted for the AREMA 2019 Annual Conference in conjunction with Railway Interchange to be held in Minneapolis, Minn., from Sept. 22-25, 2019. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 14, 2018. Please visit www.arema.org for more information and to submit a paper online.

Th e AR E MA Sch olars h ip Program is accepting applications for the 2019-2020 academic year! The AREMA Educational Foundation provides scholarships to 42 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

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Calendar

OCTOBER 9. Western Railway Club meeting. Union League Club of Chicago. Chicago, Ill. E-mail: info@westernrailwayclub.com.

Website: www.westernrailwayclub.org/ railway-meetings.htm.

15. Professional Development Seminar – Introduction to Rail Dynamics. University of Nevada, Las Vegas – Main Campus. Las Vegas, Nev. Contact: Boniphace Kutela.

Phone: 702-858-0013. E-mail: kutela@unlv. nevada.edu.

15-16 . Pen n State Altoona Railroad Industry Exchange. Altoona, Pa. Contact: Cindy Royal. Phone: 814-949-5722. E-mail: LMH13@psu.edu. Website: https://sites. psu.edu/rrix/.

1 6 -1 7. A d v a n c e d Tr a c k G e o m e t r y Wo rks h op. U n ive rsit y of Te n n esse e.

Chattanooga, Tenn. Phone: 865-974-5255.

Website: ttap.utk.edu.

1 6 -1 7.

Conference

on

Railroad

Infrastructure Diagnosis and Prognosis.

Richard Tam Alumni Center. Las Vegas, Nev. Contact: Boniphase Kutela. Phone: 702-8 5 8- 0 013 . E-m a i l: k u te l a @ u n l v. nevada.edu.

18-19. Railway Age NextGen Train Control Conference. Le Méridien Philadelphia.

P h i l a d e l p h i a , P a . W e b s i t e : w w w. railwayage.com/nextgen/ 22-25. 100th Annual RTA Symposium and Technical Conference. Bonita Springs, Fla. Phone: 770-460-5553. E-mail: ties@rta.org.

Website: https://www.rta.org/.

2 3 -2 5 . S m a r tTr a n s i t . P e n n s y l v a n i a Convention Center. Philadelphia, Pa. Phone: +44 (0)20 7045 0900. E-mail: marketing@globaltransportforum.com.

Website: https://www.smartrailworld.com/ events/smart-transit.

NOVEMBER 5-9. Railroad Track Inspection & Safety Standards. Center for Transportation

The Railway Educational Bureau Track Safety Standards

BKTSSAF

Track Safety Standards, Subparts A-F Only $9.86 for orders of 50 or more!

$10.95

Bridge Safety Standards FRA Part 237 establishes Federal safety requirements for railroad bridges. This rule requires track owners to implement bridge management programs, which include annual inspections of railroad bridges, and to audit the programs. Part 237 also requires track owners to know the safe load capacity of bridges and to conduct special inspections if the weather or other conditions warrant such inspections. Updated April 3, 2017.

Bridge Safety Standards $7.95 BKBRIDGE

12-14 . AS LR R A 201 8 Ce ntra l/Pa c if ic Region Meeting. Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. San Diego, Calif. Contact: Cara Boyle. Phone: 202-585-3447. E-mail: cboyle @aslrra.org. Website: ht tps:// aslrra.org/ 1 4 -1 6 . A S L R R A G e n e r a l C o u n s e l Symposium and Finance & Ad m i n i s trati o n S e m i n a r. S a n D i e g o Sheraton Hotel and Marina. San Diego, Calif. Contact: Cara Boyle. Phone: 202585-34 47. E-mail: cboyle @aslrra.org.

Website: https://aslrra.org/

DECEMBER 13-14. Big Data in Railroad Maintenance Pl a n n i n g C o n f e r e n c e. U n i ve r s i t y of Delaware Newark Campus. Newark, Del. Contact: Allan Zarembski. E-mail: dramz@ udel.edu.

Federal Regulations Workplace Safety

Subparts A-F

Track Safety Standards, contains all the Track Safety Standards, Subparts A-F, for Classes of track 1-5. The standards cover general information, Roadbed, Track Geometry, Track Structure, Track Appliances and Track-Related Devices, and Inspection. Includes Defect Codes.

Updated April 3, 2017.

Research, The University of Tennessee.

Chattanooga, Tenn. Contact: Diana Webb. Phone: 865-974-5255. Website: ctr. utk.edu/ttap.

This reprint includes the FRA's Railroad Workplace Safety Standards addressing roadway workers and their work environments. These laws cover such things as: personal protective equipment, fall protection, and scaffolding for bridgeworkers; and training issues. Also includes safety standards for on-track roadway vehicles. Updated April 3, 2017.

BKWRK

$10.50

Railroad Workplace Safety Only $9.45 for orders of 50 or more!

Track Calculator The Track Safety Standards Calculator is a must for anyone who works on track. This slide rule type calculator contains many of the details for Classes of track 1- 5. Deviation from uniform profile and from zero cross level. Difference in cross level. Updated as of July 11, 2013.

BKTCAL Track Calculator $10.50 Only $9.50 for orders of 50 or more!

Only $7.15 for orders of 50 or more!

The Railway Educational Bureau 1809 Capitol Ave., Omaha NE, 68102 www.RailwayEducationalBureau.com rtands.com

800-228-9670

www.transalert.com

Add Shipping & Handling if your merchandise subtotal is:

UP TO $10.00 10.01 - 25.00 25.01 - 50.00 50.01 - 75.00

U.S.A. $4.50 7.92 10.78 11.99

CAN $8.75 12.65 16.80 21.20

Orders over $75, call for shipping

October 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 43

PRODUCTS

Remote control system

Work lamp

Laird Controls has released a portable remote control system that allows one rail operator to easily move locomotives throughout the rail operation. The Transport QC remote control locomotive (RCL) system can be easily moved from one locomotive to another, improving operational efficiency, the company said.

The product allows a single worker to pilot a locomotive rather than requiring three individuals in a work crew. The Transport QC quick connect remote control unit is intended to improve worker safety, productivity and rail operator profitability.

The system is intended to be lightweight and compact while securely containing all hardware and components in a single enclosure weighing about 75 lbs.

The system can be configured for various options, such as radio frequency communication, proportional train brake control, digital talkback, wireless 4G capabilities, two-way RF communication and enhanced safety alerts. Several self-monitoring features are built in to minimize reliance on operator intervention. Website: www. lairdtech.com/products/

Larson Electronics has released a portable work lamp that provides operators with a temporary lighting solution for remote worksites that require detailed tasks. The 50-watt light features a non-metallic bulb guard, flame-retardant handle and convenient swivel hook for mounting.

The WAL-HL-NM-50W-20-BC is a portable 50-watt fixture for rugged work sites, designed for repair and maintenance tasks, inspections and other applications that need powerful portable illumination.

The company said the portable work lamp is built with polypropylene with a flame-retardant handle for safety, and contains the bulb in a non-metallic guard to protect the light from rough impact.

The incandescent lamp also features a plastic hook for seamless temporary mounting, allowing hands-free operation. To activate the unit, a convenient push button switch is located on the handle which can be activated even with thick gloves. A 20-foot cord is included for low voltage connections, which can be terminated using a set of positive and negative battery clips. Website: www.larsonelectronics.com

The Railway Educational Bureau

BKRRNN

The Railroad What it is, What it does

Development and Operation of New York's IRT and BMT

The fifth edition of The Railroad: What It Is, What it Does is even more valuable than before. Inside you’ll find a comprehensive look at how today’s railroads function—from equipment to procedures and marketing to maintenance.

History does repeat itself. Many of these issues are brought to life by exploring examples learned from mitigating various issues and tactics used when the NYCTA assumed control of the BMT and IRT lines.

What it is What it does

$46.95

BKNYIRT

This book gives a comprehensive look at the railroad industry. It meets a continuing need by students and the railroad industry as an up-to-date text that presents the basic principles of railroad engineering and an application of these principles.

The most comprehensive collection of definitions relating to track. Over 1500 terms from antiquated forgotten slang to today's jargon. Clearly illustrated line art enhances the text.

Dictionary of Railway Track Terms

$35.00

BKRE

Introduction to North American Railway Signaling

Introduction to North American Railway Signaling covers the basics of signaling philosophy and techniques.This is the book you need for information pertaining to signaling systems used in the various rail transportation modes in North America.

Rail grinding saves millions of dollars every year! The Art and Science of Rail Grinding is the first book dedicated exclusively to the subject.

$145.00

The Railway Educational Bureau 1809 Capitol Ave., Omaha NE, 68102 www.RailwayEducationalBureau.com 44 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

$335.00*

Railroad Engineering

The Art and Science of Rail Grinding

BKGRIND Rail Grinding

$59.95

Dev. & Op. of NY’s IRT and BMT

Railroad Engineering

Dictionary of Railway Track Terms

BKRTT

Track Resources

BKINARS

$56.95

North American Signaling

800-228-9670

www.transalert.com

Add Shipping & Handling if your merchandise subtotal is:

UP TO $10.00 10.01 - 25.00 25.01 - 50.00 50.01 - 75.00

U.S.A. $4.50 7.92 10.78 11.99

CAN $8.75 12.65 16.80 21.20

Orders over $75, call for shipping

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Ad Index

COMPANY

PHONE #

FAX #

E-MAIL ADDRESS

AREMA Marketing Department

301-459-3200

301-459-8077

marketing@arema.org

Cover 3

CMI-Promex Inc.

856-351-1000

856-351-1659

cmipromx@cmi-promex.com

11

Danella Rental Systems, Inc.

561-743-7373

561-743-1973

SBolte@danella.com

10

Diversified Metal Fabricators, Inc.

404-875-1512

404-875-4835

sales@dmfatlanta.com

5

Harsco Rail

803 822-9160

803 822-8107

railinfo@harsco.com

8

Herzog Railroad Services, Inc.

816-385-8233

jhansen@hrsi.com

23

Hougen Manufacturing Inc.

866-245-3745

800-309-3299

info@trak-star.com

26

Koppers Inc.

412-227-2739

412-227-2841

GrossTJ@koppers.com

29

Landoll Corporation

800-428-5655

888-293-6779

jim.ladner@landoll.com

2

L.B. Foster Co.

412-928-3506

412-928-3512

glippard@lbfosterco.com

28

Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

763-478-6014

763-478-2221

sales@loram.com

7

LT Resources, Inc.

281-444-3494

281-444-3495

linda@ltresources.com

21

Montana Hydraulics, LLC

877-449-3164

dehlke@mthyd.com

30

Nordco, Inc.

414-766-2180

360-694-3882

cnielsen@nordco.com

24

Plasser American Corp.

757-543-3526

256-505-6051

plasseramerican@plausa.com

Cover 4

RailCet

866-724-5238

217-522-6588

grif1020@yahoo.com

22

Railway Education Bureau, The

402-346-4300

402-346-1783

bbrundige@sb-reb-com

43,44

Sperry Rail Services

203-791-4507

robert.dimatteo@sperryrail.com

Cover 2

Stella-Jones Corp.

800-272-8437

kdulski@stella-jones.com

25

412-894-2846

PAGE #

Track Tec S.A.

31

voestalpine Nortrak, Inc.

307-778-8700

307-778-8777

gord.weatherly@voestalpine.com

9,27

Advertising Sales MAIN OFFICE Jonathan Chalon Publisher 55 Broad St., 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 (212) 620-7224 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jchalon@sbpub.com AL, KY, TN Jonathan Chalon 55 Broad St., 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 (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 55 Broad St., 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 (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, 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,

Switzerland, North Germany, Middle East, South America, Africa (not South), Far East (Excluding Korea / China/India), All Others, Tenders Louise Cooper International Area Sales Manager The Priory, Syresham Gardens Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom +44-1444-416368 Fax: +44-(0)-1444-458185 lc@railjournal.co.uk 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 Jeanine Acquart 55 Broad St., 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 (212) 620-7211 Fax: (212) 633-1325 jacquart@sbpub.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

October 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 45

New & Used Equipment

R. E. L. A. M., INC.

Email: RelamCFE@aol.com Tel: 440-439-7088 Fax: 440-439-9399 Visit our website at: www.relaminc.com EQUIPMENT FOR SHORT OR LONG TERM LEASE HARSCO AND NORDCO TAMPERS 6700S, 6700SJ, 6700SJ2 Switch and Production Tampers Mark IV Switch and Production Tampers 3300 and HST Chase Tampers 3000 Tampers w/Raise & Line or Chase Tampers 2400 Tampers w/Raise & Line HYDRAULIC STABILIZERS HARSCO TS-30HDs TIE INSERTERS/EXTRACTORS Nordco TRIPPs TR-10s and TKOs 925 S/Ss, Standards, KTR-400s KNOX KERSHAW PRODUCTS KBR-860s and 925s, KSF-940 Ballast Regulators & Snow Fighters KBR-940 Dual Head Brush Cutters KTC-1200 Tie Cranes KKA-1000/1050 Kribber-Adzers KPB-200 Plate Brooms NORDCO ANCHOR APPLICATORS, SPIKERS & GRABBERS Models CX and SS Spikers M-3 Screw Spike Machines Model F Anchor Machines and BAAMs Model SP2R Dual Spike Puller/Grabbers RACINE RAILROAD PRODUCTS Dual Anchor Spreaders, Squeezers, Knockers (Anchor Removers), Anchor Applicators, DAACs (Dual Anchor Adjuster Cribber), Dual e-Clip Applicators, Ride-on Regauge Adzers, TPIs, Tie Straighteners, OTM Reclaimers, SAFELOK IIIs (SAR IIIs) HI-RAIL CRANES, SPEEDSWINGS & RAILHEATERS Pettibone Model 445E/445F Speedswings w/Multiple Attachments (F’s with Tier 4 Engine) Geismar 360/360-Tronic Hi-Rail Excavators, (Cold Air Blower, Brush Cutter, Grapple, Heel Boom, Train Air & Knuckle available) Badger 30 Ton Cranes w/Hi-Rails Propane and Diesel Railheaters - Single & Dual Sided, Self-propelled w/Vibrators HI-RAIL TRUCKS, EXCAVATORS, & CARTS Hi-Rail Gradalls, XL3300 Series III w/Digging Buckets & Brush Cutters Hi-Rail Rotary Dumps, Various Hi-Rail Pickups Hi-Rail Grapple Trucks (available w/Magnet, Rail Racks & Creep Drive) 25-ton Hudson Ballast Cars 25-ton Rail and OTM Carts, 5-ton Tie Carts

Available for Lease 3000 cu ft Covered Hopper Cars 4650 cu ft Covered Hopper Cars 4300 cu ft Aluminum Rotary Open Top Gons 65 ft, 100-ton log spine cars equipped with six (6) log bunks 60 ft, 100 ton Plate F box cars, cushioned underframe and 10 ft plug doors 50 ft, 100 ton Plate C box cars, cushioned underframe and 10 ft plug doors 26,671 Gallon, 263k GRL, NC/NI Tank Cars Contact: Tom Monroe: 415-616-3472 Email: tmonroe@atel.com 46 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

Sales

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CAll Bruce Harrod: 877-888-9730 BHarrod@aspeneq.com

HiRail Grapple Truck with swivel dump Price - $ 22,500.00 Ron Wise 484-366-9363 rcpwise@verizon.net

MOW Equipment Lease & Sale Brushcutting Specialized Hauling Track Surfacing Low Boys with Rail

www.RailwayEquipmentServices.net “A full service company with over 25 yrs exp!”

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New & Used Equipment

SALES – SERVICE – RENTALS – PARTS – HI-RAIL & CRANE INSPECTIONS HI-RAIL TRUCKS IN INVENTORY AND IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE FOR SALE OR RENTAL (NEW AND USED)

Hi Rail Gradalls

SECTION TRUCKS – GRAPPLE TRUCKS ROTARY DUMP TRUCKS ... PICKUP TRUCKS … AND MORE ALSO HEAVY DUTY HI-RAIL TIE & RAIL CARTS Omaha Track Equipment 13010 F Plaza • Omaha NE 68137 (402) 339-4512 Contact PAUL WARD • (402) 651-6632 paul@omahatrack.com

100 S PANIPLUS DRIVE OLATHE, KS 66061 MAIN: 913.764.1315

PARTS • SALES • SERVICE • RENTALS

Professional Directory

OLATHE, KS • HOUSTON, TX • BRIGHTON, CO • BRANCHBURG, NJ • SAN MARCOS, CA • CALGARY

www.Crane-Works.com

MARKETPLACE SALES Contact: Jeanine Acquart Ph: 212/620-7211 • Fax: 212/633-1165 Email: jacquart@sbpub.com rtands.com

ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

October 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 47

Products & Services

ERIC HEADRICK President

GLOBAL RAIL TENDERS

205 N. Chestnut/PO Box 404 Arcola, IL 61910

Ph217-268-5110 cell217-259-4823 Fax217-268-3059 email eric@rrcri.com

Get up-to-the-minute business intelligence by subscribing to GlobalRailTenders.com

Exchange Units/Related Tamper Parts and Assemblies To purchase parts, contact: New & Rebuilt sales@rrcri.com Electromatic/Hydraulic Units available for same Workheads day shipping

TURNING OPPORTUNITIES INTO NEW BUSINESS

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An Authorized Harsco Remanufacturing Facility Let Precision remanufacture your non-functional, outdated 6700 into a fully functional 6700 with the latest technology. If you have an old, worn-out 6700 tamper, we have your solution.

CALL 620-485-4277 OR VISIT PRECISIONRWY.COM FOR MORE DETAILS

REMANUFACTURED 6700 SALES

ON-SITE TRAINING

REESE WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?

• Track construction and maintenance • On-track ditching and rotary dump service • On-track tree trimming and brushcutting • Storm and flood cleanup and debris removal • Tie distribution, removal and disposal

EQUIPMENT LEASING

WANT TO SEE MORE OF OUR WORK? SCAN THE QR CODE FOR OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL .

825 S. 19th St., Independence, KS 67301

TRADE IN ACCEPTED

GET THE INSIDE SCOOP ON & OFF THE TRACK

K. W. Reese, Inc.

Box 298 • Mercersburg, PA 17236

(717) 328-5211 • fax (717) 328-9541 • www.kwreese.com

2016 NRC PlatiNum Safety awaRd wiNNeR RAIL BRIEF 48 Railway Track & Structures // October 2018

The Weekly RT&S Email Newsletter Subscribe at: www.rtands.com/RailBrief

rtands.com

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HIGH CAPACITY I PRECISION I RELIABILITY

The standard of ballast bed cleaning Saving time and resources, assuring high quality cleaning and offering flexibility in operation: that is Plasser’s philosophy for economical ballast cleaning. The most important foundation for sustainable track geometry is a faultless, straight formation. To produce this, the Plasser ballast cleaning machines for tracks and switches are equipped with an excavating chain in a transverse cutter bar - adjustable precisely to the required excavating depth and formation crosslevel.

www.plasseramerican.com “Plasser & Theurer”, “Plasser” and “P&T” are internationally registered trademarks.