Railroads are looking to their next generation of equipment to increase productivity without sacrificing safety or ease of operation.
NS says a new machine associated with the distribution/installation of tie plates is needed to reduce worker exposure.
compiled by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
N
orth American railroads are seeing an increase in business. While great for the bottom line, it leaves maintenance forces with tighter work windows to operate within. The equipment used must be reliable, versatile and have a positive effect on productivity. Safety continues to be the top priority among railroads, but as it pertains to equipment, it is no longer considered a feature as much as it is a standard. RT&S surveyed the Engineering Departments from North America’s Class 1 railroads. Their answer s show what those departments need and expect out of their machinery and what they would like to see in f u t u r e e q u i p m e n t i n c a r n at i o n s. RT&S thanks those railroads who 36 Railway Track & Structures
August 2014
What does an engineer really
want?
participated in this survey.
1. Equipment features
What features do you look for when in the market for m/w machinery? For example, is it safety, reliability, speed of operation, ease of getting on and off track, ease of maintenance, cost, productivity or something else? Amtrak: Features in priority order are as follows: Safety, reliability, ease of maintenance, standardization of parts and components, cost. Canadian National: Safety is always priority Number One, reliability and productivity are essential; we
e n c o u r a g e ve n d o r s t o i m p r ove ergonomics to ease fatigue of operation. Canadian Pacific: Safety, service/ after sales support, reliability, ease of troubleshooting. Kansas City Southern: At Kansas City Southern, safety and reliability are two main considerations when in the market for m/w machinery. Safety and ergonomics for the operator and/or maintenance technician is a primary concern. Reliability, speed of operation and productivity work hand-in-hand. If machine downtime is minimal this helps speed and production. Norfolk Souther n: Safety and productivity are always at the forefront when selecting equipment. Reliability follows closely behind. www.rtands.com