JULY 2014 | www.rtands.com
FAST TRACK To Fastener Advancements
PLUS welding practices Tools for switch point inspection and also AREMA News p.34
Contents July 2014
News
5
RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES
Features
14
Industry Today 5 Supplier News 8 People
Fastening systems get stronger Modern fastening systems work hard as traffic becomes heavier and more frequent.
Columns
14
20
New gauges to measure switch points A reduction in wheel climb derailments is behind a series of recently-developed gauges.
26
Rail welding research remains hot Welding service providers invest in their own research efforts to develop new products and better processes.
26 Departments 11 TTCI R&D 34 Arema News 39 Calendar 40 Products 41 Advertisers Index
Photo courtesy of Pandrol USA, LP. Story on page 14.
3
On Track Selling the value of potential
10
41 Sales Representatives 42 Classified Advertising 43 Professional Directory
NRC Chairman’s Column The legislative front - 2014
FOLLOW US on Twitter LIKE US on Facebook
www.rtands.com
20
Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 1
On Track
RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES
Vol. 110, No. 7 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 Jennifer Nunez/Assistant Editor, jnunez@sbpub.com CORPORATE OFFICES 55 Broad St 26th Fl. New York, N.Y. 10004 Telephone (212) 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr./ President and Chairman Jonathan Chalon/Publisher Mary Conyers/Production Director Wendy Williams/Creative Director Maureen Cooney/Circulation Director Michelle Zolkos/Conference Director RT&S Railway Track & Structures (Print ISSN 0033-9016, Digital ISSN 2160-2514), (USPS 860-560), (Canada Post Cust. #7204654), (Bluechip Int’l, Po Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Agreement # 41094515) is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 55 Broad St 26th Fl., New York, N.Y. 10004. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices. Pricing, Qualified individual in the railroad employees may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year Railroad Employees (US/ Canada/Mexico) $16.00; all others $46.00; foreign $80.00; foreign, air mail $180.00. 2 years Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $30.00; all others $85.00; foreign $140.00; foreign, air mail $340.00. BOTH Print & Digital Versions: 1 year Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $24.00; all others $69.00; foreign $120.00; foreign, air mail $220.00. 2 years Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $45.00; all others $128.00; foreign $209.00; foreign, air mail $409.00. Single Copies are $10.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2014. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. For reprint information contact: PARS International Corp., 102 W 38th St., 6th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10018 Phone (212) 221-9595 Fax (212) 221-9195. For Subscriptions & address changes, Please call (800) 895-4389, (402) 346-4740, Fax (402) 346-3670, e-mail rtands@halldata.com or write to: Railway Track & Structures, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, PO Box 1172, Skokie, IL 60076-8172. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Railway Track & Structures, PO Box 1172, Skokie, IL 60076-8172.
www.rtands.com
Selling the value of potential
I
n late June, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued its Record of Decision on the Fresno to Bakersfield portion of the California high-speed rail project. As far as the paperwork and environmental permitting portion of the project go, the Record of Decision is the last needed piece before the project can break ground. No sooner had news of the FRA’s decision reached my inbox, RSS feeds, Twitter, Facebook and LinkdIn than the flow of reactionary articles in support of and against the project were released, prompting some quick revisions to my news consumption before being overwhelmed by spin from both sides. W i t h t h i s l at e s t i n f u s i o n o f thoughts on the project, I had to wonder what it is about this project, or any mega project, that invokes such strong opinions? Part of the anxiety surrounding any large project is undoubtedly linked to funding. If a $1 million project has something go wrong or there are cost overruns, the recovery time is bound to be a bit quicker than with a $1 billion project. Earlier this year, construction stopped for a few weeks on the Panama Canal expansion over a dispute among stakeholders about who was responsible for $1.6 billion in cost overruns. That kind of unexpected cost will hurt any company’s bottom line, not to mention shake the confidence of vested parties. A subpart of the funding dilemma is the planning dilemma. While material cost projections exist, any estimate for a 10-, 15- or 20-year project is still a best guess scenario. Another issue associated with large projects is ensuring a level of understanding of what the project is trying to accomplish. The general public, as well as the project planners, must understand a project’s goal. As a personal, but non-mega project, example, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is building a new “L” stop just a block from my home. I’ve heard several of my
neighbors voice their hesitance about this new stop because they are worried “undesirable elements” will have access to our neighborhood. What I try to explain when I hear this is that a new “L” stop will support a planned new arena, shopping and dining area. A new stop is recognition of the potential growth of the neighborhood and serves as a way for the CTA, as well as the city of Chicago, to invest in the area. In my opinion, this last aspect of understanding may be behind the passion on either side of the high-speed issue. How many Americans (outside of this industry) have been on an actual high-speed train or if I widen the net, on a non-transit passenger train? In the right circumstance, high-speed rail could be great, but it’s hard to convince people, aka, taxpayers, to support a multi-billion dollar project based on its potential. However, selling a project’s potential is usually the starting point of any size venture. As far as mega projects that are doing it right go, I’ll use another local example: The Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program. The program is in its eleventh year and has been met with positive feedback all the way around. CREATE has been mindful of budgets, has gathered support and funding committments from various stakeholders and has had an open flow of communication with those communities where it has construction occurring, as well as the general rail industry. Even before work began, CREATE’s architects realized the program wasn’t just a Chicago capacity expansion, but had significance to North America’s rail network. To future project planners, CREATE offers a solid example of success.
Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 3
INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News
Auto Truck opened a new work truck upfitting and manufacturing facility June 23, in Kansas City, Mo. GrandLinq, a publicprivate partnership in which AECOM Technology Corporation participates, has been awarded a contract by the Region of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, where it will design, build, finance, operate and maintain a new at-grade lightrail transit system between the cities of Waterloo and Kitchener; the contract is expected to be worth approximately US$23 million to AECOM. IntegriCo Composites has received an order from a railroad in the U.S. for approximately 5,000 composite crossties for installation in their railway system. J.L. Patterson & Associates, Inc., and STV, Inc., received a contract worth up to $10 million from the Southern California Regional Rail Authority to provide
www.rtands.com
T h e Fe d e r a l H i g h w a y Administration (FHWA) and the District Department of Transportation released a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed reconstruction of CSX’s Virginia Avenue Tunnel, located immediately beneath Virginia Avenue in southeast District of Columbia. The FEIS incorporates feedback from the community and identifies “Alternative 3 - Two New Tunnels” as the preferred alternative for construction. The preferred alternative involves replacing the existing Virginia Avenue Tunnel with two new permanent tunnels constructed sequentially. Each new tunnel will have a single railroad track with enough vertical clearance to allow double-stack intermodal container freight trains. Alternative 3 has the shortest construction timeframe of the build alternatives considered (an estimated 30-42 months, compared to 54-66 months under another alternative). It addresses community concerns about moving trains through an open trench during construction by operating trains in an enclosed tunnel at all times in front of residences. It also maintains access for residents and emergency responders to all homes and cross-streets during the entire construction process. After the conclusion of the 30-day review period, FHWA will issue a Record of Decision. In transit tunnel news, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) celebrated the completion of tunneling work for the Central Subway Project, the extension of the Muni Metro T Third Line. Two 350-foot-long tunnel boring machines (TBMs) each tunneled 8,500 feet to construct the Central Subway tunnels, which will allow the T Third Line trains to travel quickly beneath SoMa, Union Square and Chinatown when the Central Subway opens in 2019, cutting travel times by more than half along the busy corridor. The TBMs excavated and constructed the Central Subway’s 1.5 mile-long tunnels at an average pace of 40 feet per day. Three subway stations will be built along the route the TBMs followed including the Chinatown Station, the Union Square/Market Street Station and the Yerba Buena/Moscone Station. In addition, the project includes a surface-level station at 4th and Brannan streets. Back on the East Coast, the Federal Railroad Administration, Maryland Department of Transportation and Amtrak are advancing an engineering and environmental study to examine various improvements to the 141-year-old Baltimore and Potomac (B&P) Tunnel in Baltimore, Md. The two-track tunnel, which opened in 1873, is located between the West Baltimore MARC Station and Baltimore Penn Station and is used by Amtrak, Maryland’s MARC commuter rail trains and Norfolk Southern. The existing track geometry and outdated tunnel design significantly impedes rail movement along the busy Northeast Corridor (NEC), creating a low-speed bottleneck impacting approximately 85 Amtrak trains, 57 MARC trains and one to two freight trains each day. The $60-million, federally-funded study, which began last fall, is moving into a new phase with expanded public outreach and opportunities for residents and commuters to learn more about the project’s purpose and need. The study, which will be complete in mid 2017, will include development and evaluation of various alternatives based on the need to enhance rail safety and to improve capacity, reliability and travel time for commuter, freight and intercity passenger rail service on the NEC. Alternatives will include the No Action Alternative, as well as a full array of Build Alternatives, such as rehabilitation of the existing tunnel and a new tunnel on new alignment. Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 5
bptunnel.com
Axion International Holdings, Inc., has received a purchase order of $890,000 for ECOTRAX® rail ties to be shipped to a large multi-national industrial company.
Tunnel projects advance for CSX, SFMTA and Amtrak
INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News on-call professional engineering design services for Metrolink. RAIL.ONE Group, a manufacturer of concrete crossties and system provider for rail-mounted tracks, opened a new factory in Clinton, Iowa. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board of Directors has awarded a $210-million contract for the South Coast Rail Project to Vanasee Hangen Brustlin/ HNTB Corporation, officially moving the project from planning into construction.
6 Railway Track & Structures
UP, IDOT plan $90 million investment along UP/Metra West Line Union Pacific (UP) and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) are making a significant investment in Metra’s West Line in the Chicago area. UP and IDOT will invest $45 million each for the construction of a new third mainline track on the UP/Metra’s West Line, from River Forest to Melrose Park and then from West Chicago to Geneva. The West Line improvements are designed to ensure smoother traffic flow and reduce conflicts between the commuter and freight trains that share the line. “This is a new day for Metra, one in which we want to ensure that every project we execute puts commuter s first,” Metra Chairman Martin Oberman said. “We are confident the West Line improvements will greatly improve the commuter experience.” The announcement was made during a celebration to mark the completion of a Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) rail
July 2014
project that included the construction of a rail overpass, the rehabilitation of two passenger stations and the addition of pedestrian tunnels in Bellwood and Berkeley and signal and track improvements along the UP/Metra West Line. The project created and supported 1,000 jobs and was funded primarily through a $52-million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant, a $27 million commitment from UP and other freight railroad partners, other federal funding of $3 million and a $615,000-investment by the state of Illinois. The CREATE program has completed a total of 21 projects and generated 10,000 jobs and has caused a 30 percent improvement in passenger and freight reliability. The program has been supported by a total of $500 million from the state, $450 million from the federal government, $325 million from the railroad industry and $30 million from the city of Chicago.
www.rtands.com
INDUSTRY TODAY Canadian Wheat Board buys shortline stake; BLU acquires trio of branch lines Blue Ridge Southern Railroad (BLU), a subsidiar y of Watco Transpor tation Services (WTS), has reached a definitive ag reement with Norfolk Southern to purchase three branch lines in North Carolina that feed into its terminal in Asheville. The lines are the T-Line, which runs west of Asheville; the W-Line, which runs south of Asheville and the TR-Line, which branches off the W-Line south of Asheville. BLU could begin operations by July 26, 2014. BLU will operate 91.8 miles of track and will initially operate with 10 locomotives, seven SD40’s and three GP39’s. BLU will immediately begin the hiring process to ensure uninterrupted service to the rail customers. A series of meetings were held and are scheduled to continue for WTS and BLU leaders to brief current NS employees on the transaction and explain the process for them to apply to become members of the BLU team.
www.rtands.com
In other shortline news, the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) will take a majority stake in the Great Sandhills Railway, a shortline railway operating 122 miles of track between Swift Cur rent and Burstall, SK., as part of its acquisition of Great Sandhills Terminal Ltd. (GST). The GST Board of Directors and CWB have entered into an agreement where CWB will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of GST for cash consideration of CA$581.98 (US$542.80) per share. The CWB said the agreement with Great Sandhills Terminal complements its recent acquisition of Prairie West Terminal by expanding CWB’s country assets in western Saskatchewan to include GST’s high-throughput grain handling facility near Leader, SK, in addition to the stake in the Great Sandhills Railway. The deal is expected to close before September 1, 2014.
Supplier News Wabtec Corporation has signed contracts for $16.6 million with Alaska Railroad Corporation to provide Positive Train Control equipment and services, including computeraided dispatch and back office systems. The Chicago Transit Authority Board approved the award of two contracts to Walsh/2-in-1 Joint Venture; $153.6-million for the Wilson station reconstruction project and $23.1-million for the initial foundation and retaining wall work for the 95th/ Dan Ryan station.
Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 7
PEOPLE
CSX appointed Brian Hammock as resident vice president of state government affairs, based in Baltimore, Md. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. appointed Louis Gravel as president of Genesee & Wyoming Canada Inc., succeeding Mario Brault, who is retiring in September. HDR, Inc., hired Tom Waldron as transit market sector director, based in HDR’s New York City office. Louisville & Indiana Railroad promoted John Goldman to president, succeeding Mike Stolzman, who is joining Colo Railroad Builders in Houston, Texas, effective July 11. Sound Transit Board officially designated Sound Transit Deputy Chief Executive Officer Mike Harbour as acting CEO as Joni Earl continues her medical leave; Harbour has been deputy CEO since October 2012. Transportation Safety Board of Canada appointed Kathleen Fox to chairperson and Faye Ackermans to part-time member. TriMet hired Sam Marra as executive director of maintenance operations. Parsons Brinckerhoff n a m e d V i n c e n t Lombardi supervisory resident engineer in its New York City office. Watco Terminal and Port Services hired Jeff Lederer as general manager at the Pecos Valley Southern Railway in Pecos, Texas, succeeding Mike Salts, who will be returning to the South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad.
Corrections: June 2014, page 14: Captions for Figures 5 and 6 within TTCI’s article Performance of improved rail steels under heavy-axle-loads at FAST incorrectly displayed the chemical formula for cementite. The formula should have been listed as Fe3C. June 2014, page 18: Quotes within the Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc., section of the article Grinding out the ideal rail profile should have been attributed to Darwin Isdahl, vice president, Asset Management Services.
8 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
www.rtands.com
Metro Transit’s Green Line opens, WMATA Silver Line opening set Metro Transit’s METRO Green Line Light Rail Line, which links St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minn., improving access to jobs and other opportunities, opened for service in June. The 11-mile Green Line, formerly known as the Central Corridor lightrail line, includes 18 new stations that will connect many neighborhoods along the line and provide improved access to four of the largest employment areas in the state, the downtown areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the University of Minnesota and the Midway District, as well as the State Capitol complex. The line also connects riders to the METRO Blue Line, which serves other destinations, such as Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the Mall of America. At Target Field Station, Green and Blue Line riders can connect to the Northstar commuter rail line. “With more than 3.2 million residents in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and thousands more expected in the coming decades, expanding transportation choices is critical to the region’s success,” said the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Acting Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy Peter Rogoff. “Projects like the new Green Line will make a huge difference for hardworking families, students and seniors who deserve reliable transportation options to get to work, school and other opportunities.” The Federal Transportation Administration provided $474 million through its Capital Investment Grant Program, as well as $4.5 million in other funds toward the $957-million project. The remaining cost was covered by the state of Minnesota, the Counties Transit Improvement Board, Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority, Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, the city of Saint Paul and the Metropolitan Council. “The Central Corridor is a transformative project for the Twin Cities,” Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) said. “I am looking forward to riding the train between Minneapolis and Saint Paul. It will be much better than sitting in traffic on 94. Folks throughout the Twin Cities will now have a faster and more wallet-friendly way to get to work, visit their friends and go to school. The Central Corridor showcases Minnesota’s leadership and reduces air pollution through investment in transit alternatives. We should thank the workers, engineers and all of our elected officials who worked together for many years to make this project happen.” The Metropolitan Council estimates the new light-rail line will serve more than 40,000 weekday passengers by the year 2030. As the Twin Cities celebrate its new transit addition, the Washington, D.C., area prepares for the opening of the long-anticipated first phase of the Silver Line on July 26. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will operate the line between Reston and Largo at the same frequency as most other lines. During rush hours, trains will run every six minutes; at offpeak times, trains will run every 12 to 20 minutes. Five new stations will be added to the system: McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill and Wiehle-Reston East. “The five new Silver Line stations will open to customers at noon and the first Silver Line train will depart Wiehle-Reston East, bound for Largo Town Center, at that time,” explained Richard Sarles, general manager and chief executive officer. To finalize employee familiarization and confirm schedules, WMATA plans to conduct a week of “simulated service,” starting July 20. During the service simulation, Silver Line trains will run on the system without carrying passengers to or from the five new stations. However, the “simulation” trains will carry passengers between East Falls Church and Largo Town Center. Work on Phase 2 of the project, which will extend the line 23 miles and connect the system with Herndon, Washington Dulles International Airport and points in Loudoun County, Va., is already underway.
www.rtands.com
Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 9
NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN The legislative front - 2014
The National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association, Inc. 500 New Jersey Ave., N. W. Suite 400 Washington D. C. 20009 Tel: 202-715-2920 Fax: 202-318-0867 www.nrcma.org info@nrcma.org
10 Railway Track & Structures
As the construction season hits mid-year and NRC member track construction and maintenance contractors continue to crank out quality projects, we also keep one eye on the action, or lack thereof, in Washington D.C. There are multiple pieces of legislation making their way through the congressional process that have the potential to affect our industry, so our association staff and members will continue to advocate aggressively for federal policies that support infrastructure investment and we will oppose any unnecessary regulatory burdens. The highest profile is the pending reauthorization of MAP-21, the surface transportation reauthorization bill. This bill funds both the federal highways program through the Highway Trust Fund and also much of the federal investment in rail transit through the Mass Transit Account. As of this writing, the accounts are set to dip below acceptable minimum balances by mid July, which would result in delayed payments to states and transit agencies. The NRC is pushing for a temporary fix to the accounts that would get the program to the end of 2014 and then we are supporting a robust, long-term (four to six years) full reauthorization of the program to be completed in the lame duck session of Congress in November and December. In addition to an increase in overall program funding above existing levels, the NRC supports eligibility for passenger and freight rail investments from highway accounts to the extent that those accounts are funded by non-gas tax sources, new dedicated funding for intercity passenger rail, new dedicated funding for a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER)-like multimodal grant program focused on freight, provisions to expedite project delivery and make sure rail projects have the same streamlining provisions as highway and transit projects, expanding the Section 130 grade crossing program and providing funding to support the implementation of Positive Train Control. The other major piece of funding legislation being considered that will affect our industry is the FY2015 transportation appropriations bill. A version of the bill has passed the House and a separate version has passed the relevant Senate Committee and is awaiting action in the Senate. On each of the programs that we are concerned about, we support the higher funding levels provided by the Senate. Those crucial programs are the Amtrak capital and operating support accounts, TIGER grants, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) formula funds and FTA New Starts/Small Starts Capital Investment Grants. July 2014
The NRC Grassroots program continues to gain steam with more events being scheduled to support the rail industry throughout the country. We invite our member companies to take advantage of the opportunity presented here to showcase their company, while fostering relationships with their congressional members. These events allow our elected representatives to see firsthand what we do as contractors and suppliers and to understand the importance of our industry. The NRC also improves its ability to advocate for the rail industry in D.C. by holding these events. Contact Ashley Bosch, vice president of Grassroots Advocacy and Events, at 202-715-1247 or abosch@nrcma.org, to put together an event involving your company. I recently attended an event held in Elgin, Ill., with Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL-8), hosted by Chicago Metra. This event focused on funding needed to replace an existing railroad bridge and construct a second bridge, part of the Metra operating system serving this suburb of Chicago. The construction of these two new bridges would eliminate a current bottleneck for trains going into and out of Chicago. The planned project will replace this existing single-track bridge and add a second bridge structure, creating new double-track service and improving passenger service for commuters (upwards of seven million passengers a year) who use this line to commute into and out of Chicago, as well as improve the freight service that operates on this line. The current bridge is the only single-track section on this entire run between Chicago and Elgin. Rep. Duckworth is a strong advocate for the rail industry and we thank her for her leadership. The event in Elgin was well planned and included both television and newspaper coverage. Media coverage such as this helps the rail industry gain support from our elected officials for funding requests for projects needed to improve both passenger and freight service. Finally, two upcoming events for your calendar: 1) The AREMA conference, September 28 through October 1 at the Hilton Chicago. 2) The NRC 2015 Conference and NRC/ REMSA Exhibition will be in Hollywood, Fla., at the Westin Diplomat from January 7 through January 10. Registration will open shortly. Fo r a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m at i o n r e g a r d ing all upcoming NRC events, please visit www.nrcma.org. Have a safe day. by Bill Dorris, NRC Chairman www.rtands.com
TTCI R&D Effects of heavy-axle loads on electric flash-weld surface degradation TTCI helps develop methods to mitigage and remediate weld degradation.
T
ransportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), investigated electric flash-butt weld (EFBW) degradation at the western mega site after the weld running surface conditions began to deteriorate. The western mega site, near Ogallala, Figure 1: Examples of EFBW running surface degradation. The primary direction of loaded traffic is from left to right.
by Daniel Gutscher, senior engineer II, Jay Baillargeon, engineer and Dingqing Li, scientist, TTCI.
Neb., is a revenue service test bed for researching track components and maintenance practices. The Association of American Railroads and the Federal Railroad Administration are jointly sponsoring this investigation. TTCI engineers have obser ved similar weld degradation, which can affect the useful life of the surrounding rail, on various heavy-haul lines worldwide. Figure 1 shows examples of EFBWs at the mega site that are experiencing cracking and breakdown of the r unning surface. Ongoing obser vations and measurements revealed that rail grinding, which benefits the rails by removing rolling contact f atigue (RCF), may be detrimental to welds (if deeper cracks at the welds are not removed) and accelerates subsequent degradation.
Background
In 2005, a premium rail test was started at the western mega site. Since that time, the rails have accumulated more than 2,000 million gross tons (mgt) of traffic and are projected to exceed 5,700 mgt service life (based on wear rates).1 As the test progressed, the running surface of the EFBWs began to deteriorate. At approximately 1,500 mgt, the condition of some welds had deteriorated to the point where a remediation effor t was implemented by the host railroad to remove and replace the EFBWs that exceeded ultrasonic inspection www.rtands.com
Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 11
TTCI R&D Figure 2,Top: Visual and dye penetrant inspections of weld W2 before and after rail grinding. Figure 3: Pre- and post-grind profiles for weld W2. Grind occured at 1,638 mgt.
criteria. Running surface degradation of EFBWs is not only evident at the western mega site but is found in var ious heavy-haul environments worldwide. As rail life continues to increase because of improved rail performance and rail life extension methods, EFBWs that previously were expected to last for the life of the rails are experiencing breakdown at the running surface. This degradation prevents EFBWs from achieving the same longevity as rails. The welds in Figure 1 show some of the typical EFBW surface degradation at the mega site. Initial crack damage tends to follow the edges (metallurgical transitions) of the EFBW heat softened zones. These initial cracks may occur on the leading or trailing edges of 12 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
the heat-softened zones. Subsequent surface damage and crack growth tend to occur on the trailing edges of the heat-softened zones.
In service degradation
In order to understand the root causes of EFBW degradation and to aid in the development of methods to mitigate and remediate weld degradation, TTCI began monitoring welds in three curves at the western mega site. Twelve EFBWs were selected for ongoing monitoring. The welds were located in one- and two-degree curves and had in excess of 1,500 mgt of accumulated traffic. The welds showed little observable damage and generally represented the early stages of running surface degradation.
TTCI examined the welds periodically, both visually and with dye penetrant, to assess the extent and growth of cracks at the running surface. Figure 2 shows one of the welds, identified as W2, prior to a rail grind at 1,620 mgt and again shortly after the rail grind at 1,652 mgt. The grind occurred at 1,638 mgt and removed approximately 0.038 inch of material from the top of the rail. The grind was sufficient to remove rolling contact fatigue that was developing on the rails, but not enough to remove cracks that had developed on the welds. The examination with dye penetrant revealed that the overall area of cracking was reduced as the grind removed the shallower cracks near the edges; however, deeper cracks remained at the rail surface after grinding, as indicated by the heavier penetrant bleed (Figure 2). In addition to the visual observations, TTCI took longitudinal profiles of the welds along the running surface at the center of the railhead. Figure 3 shows longitudinal profiles taken for the same weld before and after grind at several mgt levels, including those shown in Figure 2. The longitudinal profiles are aligned at the ends in the parent rails. This method of aligning the profiles does not show the amount of rail removed as a result of grinding, but rather shows the variation of the weld from the overall rail r unning surf ace. Before the grind, the profiles had dips at the heat affected zones (HAZ), around the 0.5-inch mark from the weld centerline and also had longer shallower dips in the adjacent parent rail (see the region between 1.5 and 3.5 inch from the weld centerline). The grind was sufficient to remove www.rtands.com
Figure 4: Microstructures at various locations within an EFBW.
both the longer dips in the rail and the dips in the weld HAZ. Note that the dips in the weld HAZ at the 1,652 mgt had already started to form after the grind 14 mgt prior. Before the grind, the observed rate of batter for weld W2 at +0.5 inch from weld centerline was 0.00365 inch/100 mgt. After the grind, the rate of batter increased to 0.00427 inch/100 mgt, an increase of 17 percent. This is calculated based on the total dip from the running surface of the rail (represented by the ends of the profiles). This change is primarily due to the removal of work hardened material. T h e r e s u l t wa s t h at g r i n d i n g improved the surface condition of the rail by removing gauge corner RCF, but the weld did not receive the same benefit because the cracks were not removed.
Laboratory investigations
TTCI conducted metallurgical evaluation of fixed plant manufactured EFBWs that were made in similar rails to investigate how metallurgical properties of the welds may contribute to the observed surface degradation. Samples were extracted and prepared for examination with a scanning electron microscope. The samples were etched to reveal detrimental grain boundary carbides and the desired pearlite structure. Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a portion of an EFBW near the running surface and also identifies the different regions in the weld. The insets are scanning electron microscope images taken from these regions. The near HAZ is the portion of the EFBW where there was sufficient heat and time to transform the rail steel to austenite prior to cooling. Upon cooling, the austenite transformed back to pearlite and regained much of the original rail hardness and strength. The far HAZ www.rtands.com
did not reach sufficient temperature to transform the rail steel to austenite, but it was sufficient to activate the migration of carbon. This results in the breakdown of the rail pearlite structure into spheres of iron carbide within a relatively soft ferrite iron matrix. This structure has a significantly reduced hardness compared to the pearlite in the parent rail or near HAZ. Grain boundary carbide formation and coarsening was observed at the transition between the far and near HAZs. The presence of these carbides, resulting from the weld heat cycle and rail chemistry, can potentially promote grain boundary cracking; however, they cannot be isolated as the sole reason for weld degradation. This is supported by the fact that similar surface damage is observed on the trailing edge of both far HAZ regions. Note that grain boundary carbides are present on the trailing edge of the first far HAZ (far HAZ to near HAZ transition) but not on the trailing edge of the second far HAZ (far HAZ to rail transition).
Conclusions
Rail life continues to increase because of improved rail performance and rail life extension methods. As a result, EFBWs that previously lasted for the life of the rail are now reaching the point of breakdown at the running surface prior to achieving the same longevity as the rails. EFBW surface cracking can progress to the point where maintenance rail
grinding may not remove all of the cracks. It may be appropriate to consider the condition of EFBWs in addition to the rail condition when deciding the amount of rail grinding needed for a particular area. There are two primary approaches in dealing with EFBW degradation. First is to mitigate or prevent the weld degradation from occurring in the first place. This approach seeks to modify the weld properties at the running surface during weld production. The second is to remediate or repair the existing welds that are experiencing running surface degradation. TTCI, along with several industry groups, is investigating different mitigation and remediation methods to address EFBW degradation and evaluate the potential benefits of each. In May 2014, TTCI selected eight additional EFBWs for ongoing monitoring. These welds are located in new rail test curves that were installed in late 2013. The welds have approximately 125 mgt. Some minor cracking associated with the same transition regions is beginning to appear at this stage. TTCI will continue to monitor both sets of welds.
References 1. Baillargeon, J., Gutscher, D. and Li, D. May 2014. “Premium Rail Performance and Rail Life Extension at the Mega Sites.� Technology Digest TD-14-005. Association of American Railroads, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colo. Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 13
Albeit tiny, fastening systems are important to railroads and transit systems worldwide, as they hold everything in place.
Gripping
fastening systems
The Amsted RPS Loadmaster from its install on the Eagle P3 line in Denver, Colo.
by Jennifer Nunez, assistant editor
T
rack fastening systems are seeing steady and increasing business from the Class 1s, shortlines and transits, as suppliers produce these ever-important pieces to keep track in place.
Amsted RPS
Amsted says 2014 has been a steady year of growth. The company says it takes great pride in listening to customers and as railroads evolve, new developments and initiatives for the Amsted RPS line of fastening solutions do, as well. Amsted RPS says it has expanded its product portfolio to support the industry’s growth. After its introduction of the ME63 “Skl” style system for heavy-haul applications last fall, the company launched production of the Amsted RPS e-clip style, elastic fastener clip began, which it manufactures in its Atchison, Kan., facility and is made for use on all types of track, from heavy haul to transit. “The Amsted RPS e-clip is produced with an innovative 14 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
low-stress manufacturing process that significantly improves performance and enhances the working range of the clip, offering an improved fatigue limit for long life and reduced maintenance costs,” explained John Stout, vice president of sales and marketing. During 2014, Amsted RPS focused on the development of fastening systems that last the life of the rail to minimize maintenance and maximize track utilization. “ We c o n t i n u a l l y l o o k f o r n e w m at e r i a l s a n d manufacturing techniques that move our products towards the optimal performance combination of durability and resilience, while still being easy to install and maintain,” said Stout. “To support this trend, Amsted RPS has added more than 30 new products over the past three years to our portfolio.” Last year, Amsted RPS entered into a joint venture with Switzerland-based Schwihag AG to manufacture “Skl” style rail fastening systems for global heavy-haul customers. www.rtands.com
fastening systems
In conjunction with Schwihag, Amsted RPS says it has established new manufacturing capacity at the Atchison, Kan., facility to serve North American Class 1 railroads and provide Buy America-compliant products. The first product launched from the new venture was the ME63 “Skl” style system. The system includes the ME1 clip, rail pad, abrasion plate, field guide plate, gauge guide plate, screw spike and dowel. In 2014, Amsted RPS participated in multiple projects, including the supply of their Loadmaster Fastener on the the Gold Line and Union Station projects in Denver, Colo. “The Loadmaster is a dualstiffness, rugged, resilient track fastener specifically designed to provide railroads with a greater range of options for bridge, tunnel or slab applications,” noted Stout. “Denver Gold Line selected this product for its containment design providing innate ‘fail safe’ characteristics not seen in similar products and dual stiffness features to ensure a uniform ride under multiple load conditions while matching the track modulus of ballasted track with a service record of more than 25 years, in some of the most challenging areas in North America.” Ballast Mat is another Amsted RPS product designed to provide reduction
www.rtands.com
L.B. Foster
Lewis Bolt and Nut Evergrip tie plate fastener being installed on track.
of ground or structure borne vibrations and was used on Canadian bridges this past year. Ballast Mat consists of reinforced rubber with the upper surface textured to permit the ballast to nest for track bed stability, load distribution and protection against contaminants that may filter through over time. Amsted RPS carries Type 1, Type 3 and Type 4 for a range of axel loads. “Studies have shown that Ballast Mat can double the life of the ballast and reduce vertical track modulus by 55 percent in concrete tie track,” explained Stout. “Ballast Mats can be ordered in rolls or sheets to meet various project needs and requirements.”
“2014 is shaping up to be a very solid year for the fastener business,” explained Bill Treacy, general manager, Transit Products, L.B. Foster Co. “While this year we are winding up deliveries for the Honolulu Area Rapid Transit (HART) project, which was the largest single order in company history, we are experiencing a sustained flow of other opportunities among a variety of North American transit agencies. We continue to see these projects come from three key areas: ongoing maintenance programs, rehabilitation and replacement of existing lines and new lines and expansions. We believe that positive momentum will carry over into next year.” Treacy notes that the use of heavy, commuter and light-rail modes of mass transit continues to grow. As U.S. demographics continue to shift towards a younger population, for a variety of reasons, he expects that the use of mass transit will increase and says a lot will depend on the successful passage of the next transportation bill. “The current legislation, MAP21, expires at the end of September,” he said. “Right now, there is much uncertainty about the duration of the next bill, transit funding and the seemingly conflicting rhetoric coming out of Washington D.C. We have not felt
Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 15
fastening systems Pandrol USA’s VICTOR tie plates installed.
any impact yet, but suspect that the transit agencies do not have a clear view of the future.” L.B. Foster continues to develop new technologies to meet changing industry demands. “To meet transit agency requirements, our technical efforts revolve around the development of new products for those specific needs,” said Korhan Ciloglu, R&D manager, Rail Products. “In addition, we continue our focus on the issue of stray currents in track, which can cause problems, such as electrical interference and premature track degradation due to corrosion. Through the novel use of coatings, we have several solutions involving application to specific elements of the fastener to mitigate stray currents.”
Lewis Bolt & Nut
Lewis Bolt & Nut Company says that 2014 has started out ahead of the strong pace it saw in 2013. With record spend at BNSF, along with correspondingly high maintenance-of-way budgets at the other large roads, the railroad supplier base is and should be doing respectable at a minimum, notes Dave Barry, vice president sales. “Discussions with the Class 1s reveal that this pace should continue for the next few years, barring unforeseen circumstances,” he explained. “Sales across all of the Lewis product lines are up (some more than others) from the same period last year. Our Evergrip™ line of tie plate fasteners is once again showing solid growth. Customers continue to appreciate the benefits of this product, especially considering the difficulty in obtaining ample track time. In recent tests, the Evergrip takes up to 75 percent more torque to turn them out versus traditional screw spikes, Barry says. It also cannot be over driven, as they stop when the meet the plate. “Old style lags, often based on torque, can be easily overturned (or under), potentially leading to issues, such as broken screws,” he said.
Pandrol USA
Pandrol USA, LP says business has remained strong in 2014 after a record year in 2013 and all of its product lines are seeing strong sales, including fasteners and tie plates, as well as its insulator, tie pads and other plastic parts for its fastening systems. “North American railroads continue to improve their 16 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
track systems and increase their capacity to take advantage of the benefits provided by the lower fuel costs to move freight by rail and to meet the needs of shifts in demand,” said Breen Reardon, director of sales and marketing. Reardon says Class 1 railroads are seeing an everincreasing need for high-strength resilient fastening systems to meet the higher speeds and heavier axle loads generated by today’s heavy-haul freight service. “We have seen growth in resilient fastening systems on both concrete and wood ties,” Reardon noted. Pandrol USA is currently developing a number of new and improved fastening systems for concrete and wood ties working in conjunction with Class 1 railroads. A number of products are currently in track undergoing real world tests and according to the company, are performing well. Recently, a collaborative effort by Pandrol USA, Arkansas Steel Associates and Southwest Steel Processing in November 2013 was made for new robotic tie plate production lines. The new lines are designed to manufacture Pandrol VICTOR tie plates for wood ties. “The production line more than doubles the capacity to supply VICTOR tie plates,” explained Reardon. “Used in conjunction with either Pandrol ‘e’ clip or FASTCLIP fastenings, the VICTOR tie plate is becoming the standard railroad tie plate system for Class 1s on wood ties for curves of two degrees or greater on bridges, on curves of more than six degrees and on steep grades.” Each of the two production lines is equipped with an induction furnace, a robot to take the heated base plate to a 1,000-ton press and a robot to place the cast shoulders in place to be swaged into the base plate. Each line produces a finished VICTOR plate every 17 seconds and once the shoulders are swaged in place, Reardon says they have a pull out strength more than double those specified for shoulders in concrete ties. Pandrol VICTOR plates are available in both 16-inch and 18-inch versions and enable the specification of both the type of shoulder and the hole punching type and pattern required. The tie plates can have holes punched for cut spikes, screw spikes or some combination of the two. “In the past twelve months we have expanded our captive plastics plant to better meet the needs of our railroad and transit customers,” noted Reardon. “The plastic injection molding plant has eight high-capacity injection molding machines and a ninth smaller machine for prototyping and short production runs. The plant is solely dedicated to the production of railroad tie pads and insulators that are used with Pandrol’s track fastening systems. By vertically integrating to produce tie pads and insulators, as well as rail clips for the various Pandrol fastening systems, we are able to more effectively meet our customers’ requirements and control product quality.”
Rail Forge
Rail Forge has seen recent growth in sales of its GageLok threaded fasteners and says business has been quite strong in 2014. www.rtands.com
fastening systems
Top, Rail Forge’s GageLok fastener. Vossloh’s fastening system installed out on track.
Driving this growth in sales is the ability of GageLok screws to be installed without pre-drilling, enabling more rail operators to employ the holding power of a threaded fastener, says the company. “Traffic is high across the rail networks and that is certainly driving a need for increased track maintenance,” explained Keith Ishaug, chief executive officer. “This is leading to more and more opportunities for Rail Forge. Railroads have seen how they can obtain superior fastening performance with our GageLok screws while saving valuable track time and money compared to other options.” The company is seeing business being driven across multiple segments of the market, including Class 1s, shor tlines, as well as passenger railroads and industrial customers. Projects range from standard maintenance and renewal projects to special projects undertaken to facilitate 18 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
new traffic routing patterns associated with ever-increasing movements of energy products from North Dakota, Ishaug explains. Ishaug also noted GageLok screws are increasingly being specified as the fastener of choice for resilient fastener plates and also in applications using composite ties. Looking to the future, Rail Forge is developing fasteners with special security features designed to reduce theft and vandalism for locations where these problems exist. The company plans to reveal other new innovations at the AREMA Conference in September.
Vossloh
Vossloh Fastening Systems business levels have been increasing every year, notes Ron Martin, vice president and general manager. “As more railroads and transits understand the systems and their benefits, complete their field testing and have the results from their labs and ours, the confidence level for our fastening systems has been very high,” said Martin. “We have seen a steady uptick in the demand for our products from all rail sectors. The increase in confidence in our engineered products is not surprising. When the system is fully understood and
all the benefits are taken into account for durability, reliability, maintenance requirements and long-term costs, our system consistently shows its value. We do extensive testing on all systems from the inception of the design to post field implementation, this is when we like to get material back from the field and do extensive testing, so even the best designs can be made better as field and lab testing is used to validate all aspects of the systems design and durability. Some of our customers do their own testing and have already validated the superiority of the system design.” Vossloh has a new manufacturing facility located just outside Waco, Texas, and will look after all business needs for North America, allowing the company to meet Buy America requirements, as well as allow more control in the development of new eng ineered products and systems. The company says the facility is equipped with the latest technology for quality testing of all components and will also be outfitted as a test and research lab, which will allow the same testing done presently at its plant in Werdohl, Germany. “Vossloh Fastening Systems is always looking at product development scenarios to provide the best solutions to the most difficult challenges a railroad or transit may have,” explained Martin. “With our engineering and new quality groups’ abilities and our newer test facility coming on line soon, we will be in a very positive position to work closely with our customers on solutions they require.” One specific new development this year is Vossloh’s new generation dowel and screw combination. “Optimization in the geometr y of both components and a modified dowel material result in decreased stresses within the concrete and i m p r ove d p a s s a g e o f f i n e s a n d water, leading to improved crosstie performance and longer life cycles,” Martin said. He notes that the Vossloh Fastening System is designed with components that exceed the requirements of standards and performance specifications. Each component goes through its own rigorous set of tests and design criteria to ensure the assembly performs as a system where the components interact with each other as designed. www.rtands.com
development of:
Hand Gauges for Inspection of
Switch Points to Prevent Wheel Climb
Researchers look to techniques established abroad to develop improved tools for switch inspection in order to reduce wheel climb derailments. by Dr. Allan M. Zarembski PE, FASME Hon. Mbr. AREMA, research professor and director of Railroad Engineering and Safety Program, University of Delaware and Brad Kerchof, director Research & Tests, Norfolk Southern Railway
W
heel climb in switches remains a frequent cause of derailments on freight, passenger and transit rail operations in the United States. While some causes are relatively straight forward, such as over speed entering or leaving the switch, or a broken point, most wheel climb derailments are a combination of poor or degraded switch point condition and a worn or degraded wheel profile. While some guidelines and standards for switch condition exist, there are currently no easy-to-use gauges
20 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
available for track inspectors to identify switch points that have the potential for allowing wheel climb. A recent project sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences Ideas Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) Program looked at improved inspection tools that can be used to reduce wheel climb derailments at switch points.1 This project started by looking at international inspection practices and the potential application of these practices for U.S freight and passenger railways. The proj-
ect identified measurement tools for inspection of switch points used on a number of European railways, including Network Rail (UK) and SBB (Swiss Federal Railways).2 Noting that European railroad conditions and operating parameters differed noticeably from U.S. practices, the IDEA program and its expert panel looked at identifying those inspection gauges that could be modified and adapted for U.S. conditions to include expected lateral (L), vertical (V) and L/V force levels and the associated potential for wheel climb in the switch point areas. The study team identified four potential wheel climb mechanisms that are of particular concern to U.S. railways. They included: • Chipped or damaged switch points. • Poor wheel/rail contact through the point for new or moderately worn wheel profile. • Excessive gauge face wear of the switch point. • Severely worn wheels. To measure these four mechanisms, a series of hand gauges were developed, fabricated3 and field-tested in yards of a major Class 1 railroad. For the chipped or damaged switch point, European gauges were modified to reflect U.S. wheel and switch point geometry. This modification was based on a series of analyses performed using the standard AAR 1B wheel profiles (both narrow and wide flange) and measured switch point profiles. This included analysis of the location www.rtands.com
special trackwork: switch point inspection Opposite page: Figure 1, AAR 1B narrow flange wheel profile on damaged switch point of Number 10 turnout.4 This page: Left, Figure 2, Chipped Point Gauge. Figure 3, Chipped Point Gauge in field.
of the gauge point of wheel (where radius reverses on wheel flange), where there is the greatest potential for wheel climb. As illustrated in Figure 1, for the AAR 1B narrow flange wheel, the analysis determined that the distance from top of stock rail to the point of potential wheel climb should be approximately 0.70 inches
www.rtands.com
and that the gauge face angle should be 70 degrees. The shape of the Chipped Point Gauge is shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 shows how this gauge is used in the field; note that it is mounted on a gauge-width rod to maintain a correct orientation. The second set of hand gauges addressed the issue of improper wheel
contact that could result in the flange climbing the switch point. Here too, European gauges were modified to reflect U.S. wheel profiles, including a new AAR 1B profile (the bottom gauge in Figure 4), a moderately worn AAR 1B profile and a severely worn AAR 1B profile (the top gauge in Figure 4). The new AAR 1B wheel profile was
Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 21
special trackwork: switch point inspection
evaluated in a yard environment where it was determined that switch point contact below the 60-degree mark indicates that the potential for wheel climb exists and remedial action may be necessary (Figure 5). This gauge was judged to be a helpful aid to inspection. The severely worn AAR 1B profile likewise represents a condition that contributes to derailments; however, analysis of the mechanisms of wheel climb suggested that the 60-degree check is not an effective indicator of potential wheel climb for this severely worn profile.
22 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
Left, Figure 4, new AAR 1B Wheel Profile Gauge in bottom measurement position. Severely worn AAR 1B wheel profile in top (inactive) position. Figure 5, contact below 60-degree mark on new AAR 1 B Wheel Flange Gauge.
Based on the results of the field tests with the severely worn profile gauges, the Norfolk Southern members of the team developed a gauge that simulates contact of a worn (vertical) wheel flange. This gauge, referred to here as Severe Profile Gauge (SP Gauge), has an angled gauge face with the measuring section adjustable vertically, which duplicates worn wheel/switch point contact, no matter what the height of the switch point is relative to the stock rail. The team looked at several different gauge face angles and finally selected 80 degrees and 75 degrees for further testing (see Figure 6). The 80-degree gauge face angle was judged to be too steep, but not by much (the gauge face angle of a new switch point for NS standard plan is 78 degrees). To address this, the team added a small square notch to the bottom corner of the 80-degree gauge, to make the gauge less likely to fail a good switch point. A “pass” edge and a “fail” edge were marked on the notch. However, it was judged that this gauge is hard to see (the notch is very small), and too lenient (allows acceptance of potentially failing point). The gauge with a 75-degree gauge face angle performed better, condemning fewer good switch points. Figure 7 shows the application of the 75-degree SP Gauge on a switch point in the yard test. While both of the adjustable SP gauges were judged to be useful for identifying a potential for a wheel climb derailment, there was still some concern regarding these as “final products.” The 75-degree gauge was deemed to be more conservative in that it may condemn marginally good points. The 80-degree notched gauge was considered non-conservative in that it may pass some marginally bad points. In addition, there was concern that the gauge position – tight against the stock rail - did not accurately reflect wheel flange tracking position on the bent stock rail side of the switch. The fourth gauge looked at wheel climb at a switch point with a significant gauge face wear angle. Studies have indicated that development of a significant angle between the gauge face and vertical creates the potential for a wheel to climb, particularly in an unlubricated condition with a high coefficient of friction.5 For example, for a very dry condition (corresponding to a coefficient of friction of 0.5), a www.rtands.com
special trackwork: switch point inspection
Left, Figure 6, adjustable 80-degree notched gauge (top) and 75-degree gauge (bottom). Figure 7, 75-degree worn wheel gauge with unsafe contact.
28-degree gauge face wear angle requires only an L/V level of 0.70 to initiate wheel climb. Noting that the traditional Nadal wheel climb threshold is 0.8 and that the majority of the measured maximum L/V ratio values are of the order of 0.8 or less, a wear limit on
www.rtands.com
the order of 26 degrees to 33 degrees is appropriate. This is consistent with the maintenance values adapted by several U.S. and international railway systems, who have defined gauge face wear limit values between 26 degrees and 32 degrees, based on the anticipated (or measured) levels of loading and standards for lubrication. The Gage Face Wear Angle Gauge, illustrated in Figure 8, has a 32-degree gauge face angle and specifically addresses the potential for wheel climb under high L/V conditions. Thus, the conclusions of the IDEA study, which involved
Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 23
special trackwork: switch point inspection
Figure 8, Gage Face Wear Angle Gauge.
three sets of field tests, found that the four identified gauges were useful, effec-
tive and a helpful aid to inspection: • The Chipped Point (CP2)
Gauge addresses chipped or damaged switch points. • The AAR1B gauge is the U.S. version of the European wheel profile gauge. Switch point contact below the 60-degree mark identifies an undesirable wheel/ rail contact condition that could lead to wheel climb. • The Severe Profile Gauge, based on a severely worn AAR 1B profile, gives an indication of potential wheel climb by a severely worn wheel. While both the 80-degree notched gauge and the 75-degree gauge were judged to be useful in identifying high risk switch points, they still require a degree of judgment. Additional development work is required before this gauge will be accepted as a go/no go inspection tool. • The Gage Face Angle Gauge with a 32-degree angle is used as a check for gauge face angle and the potential for wheel climb, particularly for high L/V conditions. The IDEA study team concluded that these four gauges show potential as useable field deployable measuring tools to inspect switch points, an area in which there is a noticeable “gap” in current measuring tools and practices. The gauges now need to make the move from research project to field validation and implementation.
References 1. National Academy of Sciences, Ideas Deserving Exploratory Analysis, Transportation Safety Technology Project SAFETY-23 Reducing Wheel Climb at Switch Points to Reduce Derailments. 2. Zarembski, A. M. November 2013. “Improving Inspection of Turnouts.” Railway Track & Structures, 24-27, Chicago, Ill. 3. Norfolk Southern Railroad Research and Tests Department fabricated the gauges used in these field tests. 4. Switch profile provided by Harsco Rail’s Automated Switch Inspection Vehicle (ASIV). 5. Zarembski, A. M. March 1996. “Development of Rail Gage Face Angle Standards to Prevent Wheel Climb Derailments.” American Railway Engineering Association Annual Technical Conference, Chicago, Ill. Editor’s note on gauge versus gage: RT&S uses the spelling of gauge with a “u” in all instances with the exception of proper names, such as the gauge name in Figure 8 and non-RT&S references. 24 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
www.rtands.com
The search for stronger welds
Welds made by Plasser’s APT 1500 R welding robot utilize a fully-automatic process.
forges research efforts by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
Rail welding service providers step up their research efforts to bring new products and stronger, longer lasting welds to North America’s railroads.
T
he life of rail steel has greatly improved over the years thanks to a committed research and development effort across the industry. A side effect of stronger steel is that the welds that use to last until the end of the rail’s expected life, aren’t always making it. Welding service providers, as well as researchers at Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (see page 11), are working diligently to increase the reliability of welds and extend service life.
Expanded mobile fleet
Chemetron Railway Products, a division of Progress Rail Services, says it continues to expand its fleet of mobile welding units with the addition of several new units that can be used for rail installation or portable welding applications. Chemetron is also adding rubber-tired units with cranes that will have a 30-foot reach. The company says these units are ideal for welding turnouts or other long-reach applications and, like Chemetron’s CAT track-hoe units, travel on the road and rail. On the fixed plant side of its busi26 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
ness, Chemetron opened a new welding facility in Russell, Ky. According to Mark McLean, manager sales, this plant has many new features, including automated spot and end polishing, enhanced control and power systems that provide consistently high-quality welds. “Chemetron works closely with our customers and rail suppliers to extend the life of our welds. At our new Russell, Ky., facility, state-of-the-art control supervises every aspect of the welding process, ensuring repeatability of the operation. The fully-automated material handling includes a new rail end preparation system that polishes the rail head, rail base and the rail butt with no human interaction, resulting in a consistent and repeatable electrical contact while welding,” said McLean. “Chemetron continues to refine the uniformity and reduce the size of the heat affected zone (HAZ). The improved uniformity and reduction in size will extend the life of our welds.”
New welding head
E.O. Paton (Hong Kong) Ltd. has developed a ne w welding head
designed for crossing welding in close proximity to the adjacent rail. The company says the head also allows welding of third rail systems without removing the conductor rail, while the welding head’s design allows welding of tram rail, as well as conductor rail. E.O. Paton expects to have a production unit available later this year Dennis Shears, technical director with E.O. Paton, says with the advent of high-allotted rails, the company has been researching technology that allows for a narrow HAZ, as well as hardness restoration (quenched if required). Shears notes that the results so far show that the joint face heat control is critical and that even small deviations of this heat can have a marked effect on the strength of the joint. Shears also says customer requests regarding welding quality almost always call for greater wear resistance, better hardness and longer life of the parent rail. Additionally, Shears says narrow HAZ requests that are below the required specifications are also becoming the norm. www.rtands.com
welding update A mobile welder from Holland.The company introduced the next generation of its long reach welder in 2014.
“Our process gives a very tight control in this area and allows for long life of the weld (almost identical to the rail life). Since weld face control is critical and subject to variations of alloying, extra care is required in the testing of the rail,� said Shears.
Long reach welder
Holland L.P. introduced the next generation of its long reach welder in 2014, which are being used to weld turnouts and insulated joints from the side of track. The company says the welder offers all of the same features and benefits as its standard mobile welders, including hi-rail gear, Holland welding control system and puller lite, but also offers increased mobilization flexibility by utilizing the standard truck body, an increased reach of more than 25 feet and a boom that allows for 300-degree movement. Holland has seen a strong push to uti-
www.rtands.com
lize flash-butt welding in new turnouts, in rehab of turnouts and large crossings, which it attributes to the life span, alignment and speed of flash-butt welding. The company says it is involved with several Class 1 crews, exclusively
welding and installing Insulated joints and that positive train control work is driving increased opportunities for flash-butt welding insulated joints. As for the subject of weld improvements, Russell Gehl, North American
Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 27
welding update Chemetron recently opened a new welding facility in Russell, Ky.
next generation control system, which will allow Holland to further rail weld quality and advancement,” said Gehl.
Field training
sales manager – MOW with Holland says a reduced HAZ and automated alignment are often requested from customers. “Holland is committed to weld improvement. We are continually researching methods to modify and improve the weld control system and
its interaction with the puller lite system. We regularly make welds with these adjustments/improvements and send them to the to the rail manufacturers for evaluation. We use their feedback to even further improve on our weld quality. We are also evaluating the
Lincoln Electric Company, which is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, has been moving ahead in 2013-14 with continued improvements to the equipment, consumables and training methods for manganese welders. “One of the most cutting-edge units introduced to enhance training is the Lincoln Electric VRTEX 360, virtual reality student welding simulator,” said Brian Meade, manager railroad technical services – global accounts. “By implementing virtual reality welding training into traditional welding training programs, students learn more quickly. This increases welding school throughput and opens up more time to teach additional topics.” Meade does point out that skilled welders cannot be trained on simulators alone and need real arc time to fine tune their welding skills, but says the VR Welding Training can provide a beneficial educational experience. “Railroad welders can learn proper body and gun positioning, angles, travel speeds and welding techniques,” said Meade. “We have also spent time working with customers designing proper plate testing guidelines for real arc time tests.” Meade says Lincoln Electric is also introducing upgrades to its engine drive welding machines to comply with Environmental Protection Agency requirements, as well as simplifying control panel design and increasing output efficiency. “Field training remains a key component of our continuous improvement projects,” said Meade. “Anything we can do to make the machines and consumables more user friendly, can only make it easier for the welders. Our engineers work on a daily basis, looking at ways to improve the welding processes so we can give the railroads what they ask us for.”
Head Alloyed Welding
Orgo-Thermit, Inc., achieves its Head Alloyed Welding process by the use of a patented plug containing alloying ele28 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
www.rtands.com
welding update ments that distributes micro-alloys in the head of the weld. The company’s Head Alloyed Welds have gone through successful testing at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST) in Pueblo, Colo., and Dave Randolph, president of OrgoThermit, says the process is highly recommended for welding high hardness rail steels with running surface hardness above 380 HB. “Orgo-Thermit continues to research the life of rail welds, thus the testing done at FAST on our Head Alloyed Welds since 2011 when these welds were installed. In 2012, four Head Alloyed Welds reached 255 mgt and were removed from track, only due to excessive rail wear, meaning our welds remained intact,” said Randolph. “In June 2014, these welds reached a life time approximately three times that of a standard hardness weld that were installed and tested in the same section of track at FAST.” Additionally, Randolph says the company’s Rail Grinding Ser vice Division has been experiencing great
30 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
success removing corrugations and re-profiling the running surface of rails on numerous rail grinding projects throughout North America. This 12-stone, combined street/rail vehicle can simultaneously grind both rails, comes with on-board fire suppression and dust collection systems and is hirail equipped for entry on and off track. “Researchers have requested harder thermite welds to reduce surface degradation when welding high hardness tensile steel rails,” said Randolph. “Producing a harder weld is not a problem. The problem is to have a weld with ductility in the base of the rail that can still deflect sufficiently. The Head Alloyed Weld developed addresses both those problems.”
Automatic robot welding
Plasser American Corporation points to its many years of experience in the production and operation of rail bound, hi-rail and container flash-butt welding machines and mentions that new welding standards have resulted in an increase in welding requirements.
The company says conventional weld heads used up to now are mostly based on a Russian patent and do not or only partly meet these new requirements. More stringent requirements, combined with Plasser’s knowledge gained over the years, resulted in the development of its own automatic welding robot. The company says a feature of this new weld head is its working parameters of up to 10 inches stroke with 168 tons of force, which allow closure welds to be made without the use of additional rail pullers. Welds made by Plasser’s APT 1500 R welding robot utilize a fully automatic process. The welding head automatically aligns the height and running surface, as well as crowns the rail. The automatic centering device measures rail alignment via distance transducers located in the weld head and measurements are saved for quality assurance reasons. Another special feature the company points to on the weld head is its utilization of alternating current with a
www.rtands.com
welding update Lincoln Electric’s VRTEX display as it would been seen on the company’s VRTEX Welding Simulator.
medium frequency of 1,000Hz allowing the use of very small transformers in the weld head. The head runs on
32 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
direct current, which Plasser says has a positive effect on the weld quality. The built-in welding shear places a
load only in the direction of compression utilizing separate hydraulic cylinders. A non-contacting temperature measuring system allows for the precise cooling of high alloy rails with the help of a post heating process. The hydraulic system allows for very fast movements of the weld head, even for closure welds under full load (low consumption weld). The design of the clamping jaws eliminates the need to grind off company markings on the rail web, thus reducing preparation time stated Plasser. Plasser also says operator errors can be ruled out with the automatic robot welding process, which results in high reliability and documented welds of consistent high quality.
Trio of products
Railtech Boutet continues its focus on commercializing its trio of welding products that include the QP Hybrid Welding System, Head Wash Repair (HWR) welding and the Startwel® Ignition System. According to the company, these three products improve the overall aluminothermic welding process and were designed with customer requests in mind. A c c o r d i n g t o O l i ve r D o l d e r , executive vice president, managing director - Americas, Railtech Boutet’s North American customers are rapidly adopting the product trio and assisting customers with the adoption of these new products has kept the company extremely busy this year. Dolder says the QP Hybrid mold allows a quality weld to be made because it uses a compressible lining, allowing a perfect fit on the rail and drastically reducing the chance of flashing during the welding process. The company says its HWR weld is a good preventative maintenance weld and has produced well-received results for the repair of transverse defects, corner gauge defects and minor shelling. Railtech Boutet’s Startwel Ignition System initiates the pour process for a weld using an electric ignition and is classified as non-hazardous for transport. www.rtands.com
AREMA NEWS Professional Development Upcoming seminars Bridge inspection & streambed scour seminar August 4-7, 2014 Sacramento, CA
Message from the President
Summer in July By Joe Smak
Registration is open
railroad bridge load rating - steel structures September 15, 2014 New Orleans, LA
Joe Smak AREMA President 2013-2014
Please visit www.arema.org to register and to find out more information about these seminars or contact Desirée Knight at dknight@arema.org.
Please see cover 3 to find a listing of all seminars being held in conjunction with the AREMA 2014 Annual Conference & Exposition. online seminars Introduction to pipe ramming method of culvert installation and replacement August 13, 2014 1p.m.-2p.m. EST Presented by: Robert E. Harr & Alan Goodman, HammerHead Trenchless Equipment. See page 38 for more information about this online seminar.
34 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
“When in the course of human events…” On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, Pa. The 13 original colonies declared independence from Great Britain, forming the United States of America. On July 1, 1867, the Constitution Act was enacted in Canada, uniting the former colonies into provinces as a sovereign entity in the British Empire. So the month of July plays a big role in the history of the United States and Canada. The railroads of both countries played a big role in the history of the United States and Canada, as well. The railroads fueled the industrial revolution and the push of civilization west (and north). The railroads became the core of the expansion across the continent and many villages, towns and cities were settled close to the railroads. The railroads played a major role in the Civil War, World War I and a huge strategic role in World War II. The transcontinental railroads of the United States and Canada, forging west across the Rocky Mountains of the United States and the Canadian Rockies, brought the respective countries together over the vast distances that spanned from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. Without the railroads in both countries, history would not be the same as we know it today. We take the time to celebrate these national holidays, uniting with our friends and families. Summer has arrived and we gather to cook on the grill, picnic and enjoy the outdoors with our loved ones. Take advantage of these holidays and make sure you spend time with relatives and acquaintances, as these holidays honor the freedom that we all enjoy. Back in June, I was the keynote speaker at the International Crosstie and Fastening System Symposium held at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). I gave an update on AREMA activities and spoke about AREMA’s role concerning crossties and fasteners. This event brought together various people involved in all types of crossties and fasteners and was a success. The UIUC RailTec program is conducting valuable research involving crossties and fasteners, as well as other railroad related topics. UIUC also has one of the larger AREMA Student Chapters and is preparing tomorrow’s railroad engineers for the future of our industry. Also, the Railway Tie Association (RTA) toured several facilities in Illinois and then joined the symposium at the University. AREMA Committee 30 – Ties, attended the symposium and held their meeting after the event. AREMA continues to have a good relationship with both UIUC and RTA and we hope to continue that relationship into the future. As you read this article, AREMA Senior Vice President Randy Bowman and I are attending the Railway Engineering Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA) Presidents’ meeting in Lake Placid, N.Y. AREMA leaders are invited each year to attend the REMSA event and join in their conversations. I will give an update on AREMA activities and we will discuss topics that are relevant to Continued on page 35 www.rtands.com
2014 - 2015 Upcoming Committee Meetings Aug. 11-12 Aug. 13-14 Sept. 4-5 Sept. 16-17 Oct. 5-6 Oct. 22-23
Committee 1 - Roadway & Ballast Committee 7 - Timber Structures Committee 8 - Concrete Structures & Foundations Committee 15 - Steel Structures Committee 34 - Scales Committee 4 - Rail
New York, NY Cincinnati, OH Denver, CO New Orleans, LA Tucson, AZ Kansas City, MO
Nov. 10-12 Committee 37 - Signal Systems Overland Park, KS Nov. 12-13 Committee 36 - Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems Overland Park, KS Jan. 29 Committee 9 - Seismic Design for Railway Structures San Diego, CA Jan. 29-30 Committee 8 - Concrete Structures & Foundations Panama, Central America
Committee meetings being held in conjunction with AREMA 2014 Annual Conference & Exposition can be found at www.arema.org.
Negotiated airline discount information for AREMA Committee Meetings can be found online at http://www.arema.org/meetings/airlines.aspx. Continued from page 34 both organizations. We want to thank John Fox, current president of REMSA and the rest of their organization for their invitation and hospitality. AREMA continues to have an excellent relationship with REMSA and we hope to continue that relationship into the future. So, summer is upon us and you should take the opportunity to celebrate the holidays with your family and friends. Hopefully a vacation is on your schedule, so that you take advantage of the warm weather. After the eventful winter that we all endured, the warmer weather of the summer season is finally here. Enjoy it while you can and enjoy it with your loved ones. Unitil next time, be safe in all you do. Put your career on the right track with AREMA’s Railway Careers Network. Services are FREE and include confidential resume posting, job search and e-mail notification when jobs match your criteria. Please see ad on cover 3 for details on July specials for discounts on career postings.
FYI…
Register now for the AREMA 2014 Annual Conference & Exposition, September 28 October 1, 2014, in Chicago, IL. To register online, please visit www.arema.org. Please see the alert announcement on this page warning exhibitors about the telephone and e-mail scam. Register before August 20, 2014, to save money. Rooms are still available at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel (overflow hotel, not location of the conference) to accommodate the guests of the AREMA 2014 Annual Conference & Exposition being held September 28 - October 1 in Chicago, Ill. Please mention AREMA when booking your room to receive the negotiated discount rate. Register now at www.arema.org, as rooms are quickly filling up. Interested in gaining company recognition and building awareness? Think about sponsorship for the AREMA 2014 Annual Conference & Exposition. P l e a s e c o n t a c t L i n d s a y H a m ilt on a t lhamilton@arema.org or +1.301.459.3200, ext. 705, for more information. AREMA’s Official Facebook Page Become a fan of the official AREMA Facebook Page and stay up-to-date on the most recent AREMA information. The Official AREMA LinkedIn Group Join the official AREMA LinkedIn Group by visiting www.linkedin.com and searching groups for “American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association.”
Not an AREMA Member? Join today at www.arema.org www.rtands.com
Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 35
AREMA NEWS
Getting to know Richard Kral Each month, AREMA features one of our committee chairs. We are pleased to announce that the July featured chair is Richard Kral, chair of Committee 4 - Rail. AREMA: Why did you decide to choose a career in railway engineering? KRAL: My interest in trains began at an early age. As a young child, my great uncle used to take me to see trains of notoriety, such as the Zephyr and Comet. He had a great interest in railroads, which sparked my interest. We went to railway museums and rode old scenic steam trains. I heard many stories of the old railroads and how they played a part in the making of the country. It captured my imagination at that time and I ended up with an HO model train layout in the basement that occupied much of my time. AREMA: How did you get started? KRAL: I graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in mechanical engineering; I found there were many jobs in many fields available for engineering graduates. I had never really considered a career related to railroading. After interviewing for jobs in many different fields, I had an interview with a railroad supply company. The position was for an engineer to work in R&D on railroad track products. Luckily the company had vast knowledge of the rail industry and market and was home to more than a few railroad icons of the time. The R&D aspect of the job was great because it presented new and exciting opportunities for products and methods. One of these opportunities eventually led to a job with another railroad supplier. This job was much more than being only an engineer. It opened many doors to other aspects of the business world and brought my career more in to perspective. I loved the customer contact and enjoyed exploring new technologies with customers. I started to get to know people and make friends with people in the industry. That job led to my present employer, where I have been for the past 25-plus years and totaling more than 35 years in the rail supply industry. AREMA: How did you get involved in AREMA and your committee? KRAL: I joined the committee at the urging of railroad personnel with whom I had worked. Many of them were members of Committee 4 - Rail, which covered rail welding and is the area of interest nearest to my heart. By joining the committee, I was greatly able to expand my knowledge of rail and associated disciplines. Attending the meetings really expands a member’s knowledge of the subject matter. I have been a member since 1985. I eventually became secretar y for Subcommittee 1 - Welding. At the urging and, with the support of a few railroaders, I ended up as the chair of the full committee. It is a lot of work, but you learn a lot and it is enjoyable and rewarding. AREMA: Outside of your job and the hard work you put into AREMA, what are your hobbies? KRAL: I enjoy working around the house and tend to a 36 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
Richard kral Chair, Committee 4 - Rail Manager of Engineering Holland L.P.
vegetable garden in the summer. I also enjoy grilling and a good bottle of wine with friends, usually an Alexander Valley cabernet. AREMA: Tell us about your family. KRAL: My wife Wendy and I have been married 28 years. She works with special education grade schoolers, which has been a very rewarding job for her. She is a spectacular cook and enjoys developing her own recipes. We have two great sons, who are both currently in college. My older son, Aaron, is on his way to becoming an actuary and my younger son, David, is en route to becoming a nutritionist. AREMA: If you could share one interesting fact about yourself with the readers of RT&S, what would it be? KRAL: Primarily due to my jobs, I have been in every state except Idaho. Also, I have been to a dozen foreign countries. AREMA: What is your biggest achievement? KRAL: My biggest achievement is being part of a group of exceptional people who have built flash-butt rail welding in to a successful everyday portion of the rail industry. When I first began my career in flash-butt rail welding, there were about five in-track mobile welders in the U.S. and Canada. Today, 25 years later, there are more than 200. It is great to be part of that story. AREMA: What advice would you give to someone who is trying to pursue a career in the railway industry? KRAL: Try to work with people who excel in your areas of interest and for a company that continually tries to innovate and does not penalize you for trying something new. This will keep you learning. Keep applying skills you have learned in school to your problems. Put yourself in to your customer’s (internal or external) shoes. www.rtands.com
Announcement of AREMA Board of Governors 2014 Election
AREMA Publications Reflections on a Half Century of Railway Engineering and Some Related Subjects©
Railway Memoirs by William G. Byers, PE
2014 Manual for Railway Engineering© NOW AVAILABLE There have been numerous updates to more than 5,000 pages of the Manual for Railway Engineering. The chapters are grouped into four general categories, each in a separate volume: • Track • Structures • Infrastructure & Passenger • Systems Management. The Manual is an annual publication, released every April. It is available in four-volume loose-leaf format, CD-ROM, revision set (loose-leaf only) and individual chapters (hard copy and downloadable formats). Downloadable Chapters Available Online.
AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook© The AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook provides a comprehensive source of information and criteria for bridge inspections for engineers engaged in the assessment of railway bridges. This handbook is published as a guide to establishing policies and practices relative to bridge inspection. It covers such topics as confined spaces, site conditions, loads & forces, nomenclature, bridge decks, timber, concrete & steel bridges, movable bridges, tunnel and culvert inspections, and emergency & postearthquake inspections. Also included are many color photographed examples in several chapters, as well as a glossary in the back of the book. To order any of the AREMA publications, please visit www.arema.org or contact Beth Caruso at +1.301.459.3200, ext. 701, or bcaruso@arema.org.
www.rtands.com
2014 Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices© The Communications & Signals Manual is a manual of recommended practices written by AREMA technical committees in the interest of establishing uniformity, promoting safety or efficiency and economy. The Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices is an annual publication. Downloadable Sections Available Online.
Practical Guide to Railway Engineering© This guide provides a comprehensive overview and understanding of the railway system. Whether you are new to the rail industry or a long-time contributor wanting to learn more, this bound book and CD-ROM offer in-depth coverage of railway fundamentals and serve as an excellent reference. (Also available in a CD-ROM version only.)
2014 Portfolio of Trackwork Plans© NOW AVAILABLE
The Portfolio of Trackwork Plans consists of plans and specifications that relate to the design, details, materials and workmanship for switches, frogs, turnouts and crossovers, crossings, rails and other special trackwork. This is a companion volume to the Manual for Railway Engineering.
The Governance Nominating Committee, Chaired by Past President James N. Carter, Jr., has completed its task and the following nominee has been officially elected. Joseph M. Santamaria will assume his board of governor’s position at the AREMA 2014 Annual Conference and Exposition in Chicago, IL., September 28 – October 1, 2014. Elected as Governor (2014 – 2017) Joseph M. Santamaria Vice President – Engineering Union Pacific Railroad Santamaria has been in the railroad industry since 1977. From 1977 through 1990, he held various positions at Conrail. Santamaria joined Union Pacific in 1990 and has held a number of positions including director of locomotive shops, general director of locomotive maintenance, chief mechanical officer, vice president - Central and South Regions and vice president of transportation. Since 2012, Santamaria has been in his current position at Union Pacific as vice president – engineering. He holds a Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering Degree from Union College. He has been elected to a three-year term as governor on the board of governors.
Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 37
38 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
www.rtands.com
CALENDAR JULY 27-Aug. 2. 5th Annual Summer Youth Program in Rail and Intermodal Transportation. Michigan Technological University. Houghton, Mich. Contact: David Nelson. E-mail: dannelso@mtu.edu. Website: www.rail.mtu.edu/ summer_youth.html. 29-31. 2014 RTA Crosstie Grading Seminar. Stonewall Resort at Jackson Lake State Park. Sutton, W. Va. Website: http://www.rta.org/grading-seminar. AUGUST 3-8. Global Level Crossing and Trespass Symposium. Illini Union, University of Illinois. Urbana, Ill. Website: http://ict.uiuc.edu/railroad/GLXS/overview.php. 26-27. 2nd Annual Michigan Rail Conference. John Lewis Center, Macomb Community College. Warren, Mich. Contact: David Nelson. Phone: 906-487-1734. E-mail: 906487-1734. Website: www.rail.mtu.edu/mi-rail-conf. SEPTEMBER 8-10. Railroad Track Design. University of Tennessee Knoxville. Knoxville, Tenn. Contact: Diana Webb. Phone: 865-974-5255. Fax: 865-974-3889. Website: www.http:// www.ctr.utk.edu/ttap. 11-12. Basic Railroad Track Maintenance. University of Tennessee - Knoxville. Knoxville, Tenn. Contact: Diana Webb. Phone: 865-974-5255. Fax: 865-974-3889. Website: www.http://www.ctr.utk.edu/ttap. 14-16. American Association of Railroad Superintendents 118th Annual Meeting. Union League Club of Chicago. Chicago, Ill. Contact: Carrie Foor. Phone: 331-643-3369. E-mail: aars@supt.org. Website: www.supt.org. 14-16. ASLRRA Eastern Region Meeting. Hershey Lodge. Hershey, Pa. Contact: Jenny Bourque. Phone: 202-628-4500. E-mail: jbourque@aslrra.org. Website: www.aslrra.org. 23-26. InnoTrans 2014. Messe Berlin Convention Center. Berlin, Germany. Phone: +49(0)30 3038-2376. E-mail: innotrans@messe-berlin.de. Website: www.innotrans.de/. 28-Oct. 1. AREMA 2014 Annual Conference & Exposition. Hilton Chicago. Chicago, Ill. Contact: Lindsay Hamilton. Phone: 301-459-3200, ext. E-mail: lhamilton@ arema.org. Website: www.arema.org. OCTOBER 12-15. APTA Annual Meeting & Expo. Hilton Americas & George R. Brown Convention Center. Houston, Texas. Phone: 202-496-4839. E-mail: aatkins@apta.com. Website: www.apta.com. 14-17. 96th Annual Railway Tie Association Symposium and Technical Conference. Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. Orlando, Fla. Phone: 770-460-5553. E-mail: ties@rta.org. Website: www.rta.org. www.rtands.com
Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 39
PRODUCTS
Pneumatic torque wrench
Snap-On Industrial offers its pneumatic torque wrench. The dual-speed gearbox provides a rundown gear with speeds as high as 100 RPM and a torque gear with a much slower RPM for control and accuracy. The sealed housing prevents water, dirt and debris from entering and it has a variety of highstrength reaction arms available to fit nearly any application. The safety paddle requires two-handed operation of the tool to keep both hands away from pinch points near the reaction arm and its low vibration eliminates injury caused by repetitive use of impacting wrenches. Phone: 877-740-1900.
High-visibility workwear
Blaklader released its new line of durable, functional, high-visibility (hi-vis) workwear. The hi-vis clothing includes shorts, pants, jackets and vests that meet American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 107 requirements. Blaklader says i t s ga r m e n t s are designed to last longer and withstand more wa s h e s t h a n the average hi-vis garment and features 3M 速 reflective tape to k eep crews safe. The ANSI 107 Class 1 compliant pants use CORDURA速 leg shields that extend up to the thigh and down to the shin for added jobsite protection. In all Blaklader pants, kneepad inserts fit under CORDUA on the leg. Other jobsite functionality includes exterior utility pockets for carrying fasteners and tools without a tool belt and triple-stitched seams that are guaranteed for the life of the garment. Jackets are ANSI Class 3 and wind and waterproof, built with multiple layers for warmth, breathability and protection and the winter jacket and the shell jacket include chest pockets with waterproof zippers and arm pockets. Blaklader also offers shorts and vests that meet ANSI Class 2. Phone: 800-948-6452. 40 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
www.rtands.com
Ad Index Company
Phone #
Fax#
e-mail address
Page #
Amsted RPS 913-345-4807 913-345-4818 jstout@amstedrps.com AREMA Marketing Department 301-459-3200 301-459-8077 marketing@arema.org 205-424-7436 railroad@centurygrp.com Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. 205-424-7245 R. J. Corman Railroad Group 800-611-7245 859-885-7804 www.rjcorman.com Custom Truck & Equipment 816-241-4888 913-780-0045 b.boehm@cte-equipment.com 610-828-2260 pbarents@danella.com Danella Rental Systems, Inc. 610-828-6200 L.B. Foster Co. 412-928-3506 412-928-3512 glippard@lbfosterco.com Gage Bilt Inc. 586-226-1500 katherine.arbic@gagebilt.com GENSCO America, Inc. 416-465-7521 416-465-4489 info@genscoequip.com Herzog Services, Inc. 816-233-900 2816-233-7757 rebersold@herzogservices.com 708-672-2300 ext. 382 708-672-0119 gpodgorski@hollandco.com Holland L.P. Neel Company, The 703-913-7858 703-913-7859 btemple@neelco.com Pandrol USA, L.P. 1-800-221-CLIP 856-467-2994 757-543-3526 757-494-7186 plasseramerican@plausa.com Plasser American Corp. PortaCo, Inc. 218-236-0223 218-233-5281 info@portaco.com Progress Rail Services Corp. (Kershaw) 800-476-8769 256-593-1249 info@progressrail.com Progress Rail Services Corp. (Trackwork) 800-476-8769 256-593-1249 info@progressrail.com RAILCET 866-724-5238 217-522-6588 grif1020@yahoo.com Railway Educational Bureau, The 402-346-4300 402-346-1783 bbrundige@sb-reb.com RailWorks Corporation 866-905-7245 952-469-1926 jrhansen@railworks.com Sealeze Unit of Jason, Inc. 804-275-1675 ext.235 smaclaughlin@sealeze.com Unitrac Railroad Materials, Inc. 412-298-0915 865-693-9162 ppietrandrea@unitracrail.com voestalpine Nortrak Inc. 307-778-8700 307-778-8777 gord.weatherly@voestalpine.com Vossloh North America 00-49-239-252-273 00-49-239-252-274 claudia.brandt@vc.vossloh.com
15 Cover 3 8 Cover 2 23 22 4 28 32 9 31 7 19 29 30 33 24 6 39, 40 27 8 21 Cover 4 2,17
Reader Referral Service This section has been created solely for the convenience of our readers to facilitate immediate contact with the RAILWAY TRACK & STRUCTURES advertisers in this issue. The Advertisers Index is an editorial feature maintained for the convenience of readers. It is not part of the advertiser contract and RT&S assumes no responsibility for the correctness.
Advertising Sales general sales OFFICE Jonathan Chalon Publisher (212) 620-7224 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 620-7224 New York, NY 10014 jchalon@sbpub.com CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA, WV, Canada Quebec and East, Ontario Mark Connolly (212) 620-7260 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1863 New York, NY 10014 mconnolly@sbpub.com AL, AR, IN, KY, LA, MI, MS, OH, OK, TN, TX Emily Guill (312) 683-5021 20 South Clark St. Fax: (312) 683-0131 Ste. 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 eguill@sbpub.com
www.rtands.com
AK, AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, KS, MN, MO, MT, NE, NM, ND, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, WY, Canada -足AB, BC, MB, SK Heather Disabato (312) 683-5026 20 South Clark St. Fax: (312) 683-0131 Ste. 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 hdisabato@sbpub.com Australia, Austria, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Scandinavia, South Africa, Spain, Worldwide Recruitment Steven Barnes Suite K5 &K6 The Priory +44-1444-416375 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom sb@railjournal.co.uk
Africa, Britain, Eastern Europe, Far East, France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, Middle East, South America, Rail Tenders, all others. Louise Cooper Suite K5 &K6 The Priory +44-1444-416917 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom lc@railjournal.co.uk Italy & Italian-speaking Switzerland
Japan Katsuhiro Ishii Ace Media Service, Inc. 12-6 4-Chome, +81-3-5691-3335 Nishiiko, Adachi-Ku Fax: +81-3-5691-3336 Tokyo 121-0824, Japan amskatsu@dream.com Classified, Professional & Employment Jeanine Acquart (212) 620-7211 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1325 New York, NY 10014 jacquart@sbpub.com
Dr. Fabio Potesta Media Point & Communications SRL Corte Lambruschini Corso Buenos Aires 8 +39-10-570-4948 V Piano, Int 9 Fax: +39-10-553-0088 16129 Genoa, Italy info@mediapointsrl.it
Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 41
Professional Directory
EMPLOYMENT Heavy Construction Superintendents A well-established, 100% employee owned, heavy-highway contractor is seeking superintendents with a minimum 5 yrs. of verifiable experience. We are looking for safety conscious individuals to work with our project managers to manage the day to day responsibilities of running self-perform projects such as highway and railroad bridges, power plant work, and waste and water treatment plants. These individuals will be enthusiastic, cost conscious, and organized. Computer literate preferred, but if not we will train. Some travel will be required, with expenses reimbursed. Excellent salary w/ attractive benefit package. If you are presently working as a foreman and feel ready to advance in your career please contact us. Apply by resume to: PO Box 37270, Louisville, KY 40233, Fax: 502/992-3734 or email 54hcky@ gmail.com. DRUG FREE WORKPLACE EOE – M/F/Disabled/Veteran
NEW & USED EQUIPMENT
#9 115RE & 136RE AREMA Turnouts available for immediate delivery. 2 Santa Fe Drive – Denver Colorado 80223 – 720-355-0664 www.Specialtrackwork.com
Products and services
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 and removal
K. W. Reese, Inc.
Box 298 • Mercersburg, PA 17236
(717) 328-5211 • fax (717) 328-9541 • www.kwreese.com
2013 NRC SAFETY AWARD GOLD MEDAL WINNER 42 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
RAILWAY EQUIPMENT SERVICES, INC. www.railwayequipmentservices.net MOW Equipment – Lease & Sale Track Surfacing – Tamp & Reg Brushcutting – Dual side Kershaw Specialized Hauling – Low Boys with Rail 318-995-7006 or 318-469-7133 “A full service company with over 20 yrs exp!”
www.rtands.com
NEW & USED EQUIPMENT Some things never change. Quality, Service, and Dependability. Since 1910.
Rotary Dump
Grapple Truck
Hirail Crew Cab
LEASE or BUY Hirail Gradall w/opt. Brush Cutter
Hirail Service/Maintainers Truck
Custom Build New or Used Chassies. Also: Hirail Boom Dump Trucks Hirail Mechanics Trucks Hirail Section Trucks Hytracker for moving equipment Hudson Ballast Cars DMF & Harsco parts, service and installation
RAILROAD SERVICES
Est. 1910
Ph: 315-455-0100 • Fax: 315-455-6008 • Syracuse, NY • www.franktartaglia.com
RT&S Classified Section Jeanine Acquart 212-620-7211 www.rtands.com
R. E. L. A. M. INC.
E-Mail: RelamCFE@aol.com Tel: 440-439-7088 Fax: 440-439-9399
EQUIPMENT FOR SHORT OR LONG TERM LEASE HARSCO AND NORDCO TAMPERS 6700S, SJ, SJ2, Mark IV Switch and Production Tampers 3300 and HST Chase Tampers 3000 Tampers w/Raise & Line or Chase Tampers 2400 Tampers w/Raise & Line, 900 Tampers w/Jacks TIE INSERTERS/EXTRACTORS Nordco TRIPPs TR-10s & TKOs 925 S/Ss, Standards, KTR-400s KNOX KERSHAW REGULATORS, KRIBBER/ADZERS, TIE CRANES, PLATE BROOMS, BRUSH CUTTERS, & SNOW FIGHTERS KBR-850-925-940 Ballast Regulators & Snow Fighters KTC-1200 Tie Cranes KKA-1000 Kribber/Adzers KPB-200 Plate Brooms NORDCO ANCHOR APPLICATORS, SPIKERS & GRABBERS Model F Anchor Machines and BAAMs Models CX and SS Spikers Model SP2R Dual Grabbers RACINE RAILROAD PRODUCTS Dual Anchor Spreaders, Squeezers, Knockers (Removers), Anchor Applicators, DAACs (Dual Anchor Adjuster Cribber), Dual Clip Applicators, Ride-on Regauge Adzers, TPIs, Tie Straighteners, OTM Reclaimers, SAFELOK IIIs (SAR IIIs) HI-RAIL CRANES, SPEEDSWINGS & RAIL HEATERS Pettibone Model 445E Speedswings w/Multiple Attachments Geismar 360 Hi-Rail Excavators w/Cold Air Blowers & Brush Cutters Badger 30 Ton Cranes w/Hi-Rails Rail Heaters - Single Sided, Dual Sided, Self-propelled w/Vibrators HI-RAIL TRUCKS, EXCAVATORS, & CARTS Hi-Rail Gradalls, XL3300 Series III w/Digging Buckets & Brush Cutters CAT 320B Excavator on Hytracker Platform w/Gondola Hi-Rail Rotary Dumps, Various Hi-Rail Pickups Hi-Rail Grapple Trucks (Magnet, Rail Racks & Wireless Remote Optional) 25-ton Hudson Ballast Cars, 25-ton Rail and OTM Carts 5-ton Tie Carts & Hytracker Gondolas
jacquart@sbpub.com s r
r
TM
Railway Track & Structures
July 2014 43
NEW & USED EQUIPMENT Hi-Rail trucks engineered for your applications with nationwide deliveries and warranties...
Grapple Trucks Magnets & Self Propelled
Section Trucks Telescoping & Articulating Cranes
ALSO AVAILABLE
Hi-Rail Pickup Trucks Hi-Rail Mechanics Trucks Hi-Rail Aerial Devices Hi-Rail Welder Trucks
and many more truck configurations...
Track Maintenance Trucks
877-888-9370
ASPENEQUIPMENT.COM/RAIL
RT&S2013revAd.indd 1
2/12/13 2:57 PM
Are you a railroad or supplier searching for job candidates? visit http://bit.ly/railjobs The Railway age Job boaRd connects candidates and opportunities in the rail industry. To place a job posting, contact: Jeanine acquart • 212 620-7211 • jacquart@sbpub.com 44 Railway Track & Structures
July 2014
www.rtands.com