Railway Age November 2022

N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 2

W W W. R A I LWAYA G E .C O M

AILWAY GE S E R V I N G T H E R A I LWAY I N D U S T R Y S I N C E 1 8 5 6

Debra Ross BNSF Railway

DRIVING CHANGE Women in Rail 2022

PASSENGER FOCUS: LRT

Growth Continues, But at Restricted Speed

TIMEOUT FOR TECH railwayage.com

The Essential Roles of Rail

August 2017 // Railway Age 1

220061

Every day, one Kershaw

®

Ballast Regulator

sweeps through miles of track maintenance operations.

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AILWAY GE

February 2020 NOVEMBER 2022

34

FEATURES

11

Women in Rail

DEPARTMENTS

34

Passenger Focus: LRT

42

Tech Focus – M/W

49

NGTC Conference Report

52

Timeout For Tech

4 6 8 57 58 58 59

55

MxV Rail R&D

Our 2022 Honorees

Past, Present, Future

Digitizing Drainage

Tech Convergence

Eleventh in a Series

LUTIS for Locomotives

Industry Indicators Industry Outlook Market People

COMMENTARY 2 60

From the Editor Financial Edge

Professional Directory Classifieds Advertising Index

COVER PHOTO Debra Ross, AVP, Talent Management, BNSF Railway, one of our 2022 Women in Rail honorees.

Railway Age, USPS 449-130, is published monthly by the Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation, 1809 Capitol Avenue, Omaha, NE 68102. Tel. (212) 620-7200.

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November 2022 // Railway Age 1

FROM THE EDITOR Steel-Toed Boots and a Heart of Gold

T

he maintenance-of-way craft is arguably the most difficult to practice. “Track work,” a simple, allencompassing way to describe this rugged outdoor sport, requires a combination of physical strength, resilience, mental acuity, situational awareness and precision—in freezing cold or blistering heat, snow, ice, rain, fog, wind, etc. You get the picture.

So does Staci Moody-Gilbert, Vice President, North West Region, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes DivisionIBT. One of our 2022 Women in Rail honorees (p. 11), Staci is one of the highest-ranking BMWED officers, the first woman General Chairwoman in the 35,000-member-plus union’s 135-year history, the first woman elected to the BMWED Executive Board, and one of the highest-ranked women on BNSF’s seniority roster. She co-founded the BMWED Women’s Committee and is an advisor on the Diversity Committee.

While all of our Women in Rail honorees are industry leaders, I wanted to give Staci a special shout-out because, in many ways, she’s unique—to my knowledge, the first track worker and union official to be so-recognized.

“We know that it isn’t easy to be a woman in the rail industry, let alone being a woman union representative,” says George Loveland, BMWED Burlington System Division Lodge 1214 General Chairman, BNSF. “Staci has shattered every boundary put in front of her, and her legacy will be one that may never be matched. In 2010, she ran for Vice General Chairman against two men. Told she was wasting her time, she ignored that and became the Division’s first woman in that post. In 2012, when Staci ran for General Chairman, she was faced with running against a good ’ole boy’s

club and was told she would be crushed. Well, it was her opponent who got crushed. In 2022, she was discouraged by some of her peers to run for BMWED Vice President. She disregarded those warnings because she had heard them so many times before. Staci is so fierce that no one ran against her for fear of losing to a woman and being humiliated. She is the definition of strength, a woman working in a ‘man’s world,’ and that doesn’t mean a damn thing to her.”

This “fierce woman,” a U.S. Navy veteran (Boatswain’s Mate Petty Officer Second Class and Tug Boat Deck Petty Officer) who in her 30 years of railroading earned an NTSB Derailment Investigation Training Certificate, BNSF Derailment Prevention Organizing Certificate and BNSF Safety Award, and is an OSHA-certified welder, among many other accomplishments, organizes an annual BMWED Habitat for Humanity project, “swinging a hammer, pouring concrete, hanging drywall and everything in between.” She also raises money for her church’s mission trips.

“In 1993 there were fewer than 100 women in the m/w craft in the railroad industry,” Loveland notes. “Staci came on board and broke boundaries. She was a laborer, a truck driver, a machine operator, a welder and a foreman. She paved the way for all the women who came after her, and set the bar high. Day or night, Staci is supportive, there for not only her staff and coworkers, but for her family. She worked tirelessly to make me the union representative I am today.”

In my humble opinion, our rail unions need more women like Staci in leadership positions.

You can take that to the bargaining table!

WILLIAM C. VANTUONO Editor-in-Chief

Railway Age, descended from the American Rail-Road Journal (1832) and the Western Railroad Gazette (1856) and published under its present name since 1876, is indexed by the Business Periodicals Index and the Engineering Index Service. Name registered in U.S. Patent Office and Trade Mark Office in Canada. Now indexed in ABI/Inform.

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2 Railway Age // November 2022

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csx.com

Congratulations Angie Williams Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer & 2022 Women in Rail Honoree Great with numbers and even better with people, Angie Williams is a driving force within CSX. Her vision and expertise have helped improve our financial processes, while her passion and advocacy have helped enhance the culture of our company. Angie’s hands-on approach, innovative management style and insistence on transparency and integrity in business embody the values that fuel our company’s success.

Angie Williams is a leader among leaders, and a shining example of how vital Women in Rail are to our industry’s future.

CSXT-001313_RailwayAge-AngieWilliamsWomenInRail2022-7x10_RsG.indd 1

10/26/22 10:49 AM

Industry Indicators ‘A SHIFT IN CONSUMER SPENDING AS WELL AS HIGH INFLATION’ “Total carloads on U.S. railroads were down 1.1% in September 2022 from September 2021,” the Association of American Railroads reported last month.

“Since 1988, when our carload data begin, only 2020 had fewer total carloads in September than 2022 did. For the first nine months of 2022, total carloads were up 0.1% over 2021, up 8.2% over 2020, and down 8.6% from 2019. Since 1988, only 2020 and 2021 had fewer total carloads through September than 2022 did. Intermodal was down 4.8% in September, its seventh straight decline and 14th decline in the past 15 months. Intermodal volumes are being constrained by a shift in consumer spending away from goods and toward services, as well as by high inflation, which means the same amount of money spent means a smaller quantity of goods purchased. In September, trailer originations were the fewest for any month in our records. For the year to date, U.S. intermodal volume was the fourth-most ever at 10.26 million containers and trailers, but down 5.1% from 2021.”

Railroad employment, Class I linehaul carriers, SEPTEMBER 2022 (% change from SEPTEMBER 2021)

TRAFFIC ORIGINATED CARLOADS

MAJOR U.S. RAILROADS

BY COMMODITY

TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 117,582 % CHANGE FROM SEPTEMBER 2021: +2.95%

Transportation (train and engine)

FOUR WEEKS ENDING OCTOBER 1, 2022 SEPT. ’22

SEPT. ’21

% CHANGE

Grain Farm Products excl. Grain Grain Mill Products Food Products Chemicals Petroleum & Petroleum Products Coal Primary Forest Products Lumber & Wood Products Pulp & Paper Products Metallic Ores Coke Primary Metal Products Iron & Steel Scrap Motor Vehicles & Parts Crushed Stone, Sand & Gravel Nonmetallic Minerals Stone, Clay & Glass Products Waste & Nonferrous Scrap All Other Carloads

79,698 2,753 34,415 26,122 124,468 39,456 278,829 4,980 12,683 19,561 21,365 14,412 31,843 16,056 55,023 89,110 13,183 31,883 14,376 18,374

83,925 2,699 34,995 24,982 125,715 40,563 273,943 4,161 13,248 23,439 25,195 14,975 38,184 16,965 46,643 80,123 16,148 33,896 16,177 23,253

-5.0% 2.0% -1.7% 4.6% -1.0% -2.7% 1.8% 19.7% -4.3% -16.5% -15.2% -3.8% -16.6% -5.4% 18.0% 11.2% -18.4% -5.9% -11.1% -21.0%

TOTAL U.S. CARLOADS

928,590

939,229

-1.1%

320,570

314,916

1.8%

1,249,160

1,254,145

-0.4%

49,173 (+4.79%)

CANADIAN RAILROADS

Executives, Officials and Staff Assistants

TOTAL CANADIAN CARLOADS

COMBINED U.S./CANADA RR

7,919 (+9.26%)

Professional and Administrative 9,810 (-0.21%)

Maintenance-of-Way and Structures 28,406 (+0.29%)

Maintenance of Equipment and Stores 17,556 (+2.10%)

Transportation (other than train & engine)

Intermodal

FOUR WEEKS ENDING OCTOBER 1, 2022

MAJOR U.S. RAILROADS

BY COMMODITY Trailers Containers TOTAL UNITS

SEPT. ’22

SEPT. ’21

% CHANGE

78,728

1,011,304

983,615 1,062,343

-29.0% -2.9% -4.8%

1 285,576 285,577

0 278,437 278,437

— 2.6% 2.6%

78,728

55,913 955,391

CANADIAN RAILROADS Trailers Containers TOTAL UNITS

4,718 (+0.51%)

COMBINED U.S./CANADA RR

Source: Surface Transportation Board

Trailers Containers

55,914 1,240,967

1,262,052

-29.0% -1.7%

TOTAL COMBINED UNITS

1,296,881

1,340,780

-3.3%

Source: Rail Time Indicators, Association of American Railroads

4 Railway Age // November 2022

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TOTAL U.S./Canadian CARLOADS, September 2022 VS. September 2021

1,249,160 september 2022

1,254,145 september 2021

well-oiled

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Short Line And Regional Traffic Index CARLOADS

BY COMMODITY Chemicals Coal Crushed Stone, Sand & Gravel Food & Kindred Products Grain Grain Mill Products Lumber & Wood Products Metallic Ores Metals & Products Motor Vehicles & Equipment Nonmetallic Minerals Petroleum Products Pulp, Paper & Allied Products Stone, Clay & Glass Products Trailers / Containers Waste & Scrap Materials All Other Carloads

ORIGINATED SEPT. ’22

ORIGINATED SEPT. ’21

% CHANGE

49,844 21,917 27,898 11,617 21,505 7,578 9,686 2,774 19,670 8,893 2,147 2,278 17,641 15,825 41,531 11,192 72,019

52,197 16,199 22,395 10,757 20,890 8,383 9,567 2,851 19,359 7,583 2,186 1,955 18,541 15,467 50,958 11,868 70,896

-4.5% 35.3% 24.6% 8.0% 2.9% -9.6% 1.2% -2.7% 1.6% 17.3% -1.8% 16.5% -4.9% 2.3% -18.5% -5.7% 1.6%

Copyright © 2022 All rights reserved.

TOTAL U.S. Carloads and intermodal units, 2013-2022

(in millions, year-to-date through september 2022, SIX-WEEK MOVING AVERAGE)

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November 2022 // Railway Age 5

Industry Outlook

STB Eyes Alternatives to URCS The Surface Transportation Board (STB) is seeking public comment on a new report that identifies and evaluates alternatives to the Uniform Railroad Costing System (URCS) that could be used as a replacement generalpurpose costing methodology. STB uses URCS for a variety of regulatory functions.

URCS is implemented in rate reasonableness proceedings as part of the initial market dominance determination; at later stages, it is used in parts of the STB’s determination as to whether the challenged rate is reasonable, and, when warranted, the maximum rate prescription. Among URCS’s other uses: to develop variable costs for making cost determinations in abandonment proceedings; to provide the railroad industry and shippers with a standardized costing model; to cost the STB’s Carload Waybill Sample to develop industry cost information; and to provide interested parties with basic cost information regarding railroad industry operations.

“URCS is an accounting allocation method using Class I railroad data as reported annually to the STB,” explains Railway Age Capitol Hill Contributing Editor Frank N. Wilner, a former White House appointed chief-of-staff at the STB, and during two decades at the Association of American Railroads was Assistant Vice President for Policy. “URCS was developed

by STB predecessor Interstate Commerce Commission in 1978 and adopted for use in 1989. URCS replaced Rail Form A, an accounting allocation system in use since 1939 that contained elements dating to 1907.

URCS, however, was developed using nowantique mainframe computers with low processing speeds, and although it was given updates in 1993, 2009 and 2011, its reliability is questionable.

6 Railway Age // November 2022

“A 2015 Transportation Research Board report, Modernizing Freight Rail Regulation, characterized URCS as ‘a cost allocation scheme that has no economic foundation.’

In an Aug. 9, 2019, online article for Railway Age (‘URCS: Love It or Hate It, We’re Stuck with It’), former STB Chief Economist William F. Huneke compared URCS to ‘a classic car lacking modern GPS and satellite radio, [with] built-in averages from a time when railroads, rather than shippers, owned most of the freight car fleet and line hauls were shorter as the modern merger movement had not yet run its course.’

“A key gripe of shippers is STB’s prior refusal to allow movement-specific adjustments to system-average URCS costs.”

STB in 2020 commissioned Laurits R. Christensen Associates, Inc. to perform a study and write a report to identify and evaluate alternatives to URCS, the STB reported in an Oct. 26 Federal Register notice. According to Wilner, it is a followup on a 2008 Christensen report, A Study of Competition in the U.S. Freight Railroad Industry and Analysis of Proposals that Might Enhance Competition, which said: “[Rail rate increases] do not appear to be excessive from a financial market perspective. The railroad industry is pricing at levels generating earnings that maintain or slightly exceed those necessary to ensure financial viability, [which] implies that there is little room to provide significant rate relief to certain groups of shippers without requiring increases in rates for other shippers or threatening the railroads’ financial viability.”

In its new 203-page report, Christensen evaluated alternatives to URCS “that could better or more efficiently reflect the operating environment of the modern railroad

industry. The project focused on costing methodologies that could be used as replacements or major structural updates to URCS to generate movement-specific variable costs for regulatory purposes.”

Christensen reported reaching the following main conclusions: • “Short-run economic costs (marginal and incremental costs) are appropriate for the statutory application of URCS. • “URCS and similarly structured models can produce short-run economic costs for railroad movements, but URCS costs depend materially on input values based on ‘stale’ analyses and non-empirical assumptions.

• “Using Carload Waybill Sample (CWS) data to reveal movement cost information has promise but also practical and theoretical challenges.

• “URCS variability inputs can and should be updated, but limitations of the R-1 annual report data may merit consideration of changes to cost reporting requirements.

• “The ‘Hybrid’ model is a feasible alternative for costing Class I movements, and its costs generally are plausible where different from legacy URCS. • “Updates to URCS Phases I and III can improve movement costing largely within the existing URCS framework.

• “Both the Hybrid alternative and URCS update approaches have merit, with the key tradeoffs related to the validity of the Hybrid’s use of NEIO regression models to measure movement-specific costs.

• “Implementing either the Hybrid model or a significant URCS update will materially affect application of the STB’s statutory jurisdictional threshold.”

STB noted in the Federal Register that it “has not made any determinations on whether it will propose changes to its general purpose costing system.”

Additionally, “[g]iven the preliminary and exploratory nature of this request for comments, the Board will not release supporting materials, such as the Confidential Carload Waybill Sample data or underlying workpapers developed by Christensen Associates, at this time.

Should the Board move forward with a proposal to modify its general-purpose costing system, a further opportunity for comment will be provided.”

The deadline for public comment is Feb. 23, 2023. railwayage.com

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MARKET First Look: Metra SD70MACH

The latest addition to Metra’s diesel-electric locomotive fleet, SD70MACH no. 500, is a remanufactured unit from Progress Rail and the first of Metra’s 500 series. The Metra Board in 2019 approved a $70.9 million contract for 15 remanufactured and repurposed diesel-electric locomotives to modernize the Chicago agency’s aging fleet. The contract included options for up to 27 additional units. The program involves rebuilding six-axle AC-traction Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) SD70MAC freight locomotives, 1,109 of which were built by EMD between 1993 and 2004. The remanufactured units are designated SD70MACH. The first SD70MACH was painted in heritage Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) colors to celebrate the upcoming 50th anniversary of its formation. Additional units are slated to be delivered approximately one per month.

NORTH AMERICA

WABTEC signed a five-year contract with AKIEM, a European rolling stock leasing company, to maintain locomotive components for rail operator customers in France and Germany. The aim, Wabtec said, is to improve safety, reliability and availability of rolling stock for Akiem’s customers. The agreement covers brake components, pantographs and HVAC for Akiem’s PRIMA and TRAXX fleets in France and Germany. Wabtec said proximity of its teams to Akiem’s maintenance sites helped it land the contract.

The SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAREGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITY (SCRRA) awarded a contract to HILL INTERNATIONAL to support state of good repair (SOGR) across the Metrolink system. Hill will provide staff augmentation support for systemwide track, structure and signal rehabilitation programs throughout the SCRRA system. Led by Metrolink Assistant Director of Rehabilitation Aaron Azevedo, P.E., with the leadership of Justin Fornelli, Chief of Program Delivery, this program, Hill says, will help maintain SOGR across the entire system. Hill will support projects replacing approximately 27,000 ties and 43,000 linear feet of rail; upgrading 1,146 linear feet of wood tie track to concrete ties; rehabilitating 16 turnouts; design, permitting and rehabilitation of multiple culverts; rail top bridge replacements; grading; nearly two dozen crossing upgrades; and more than eight signal system rehabilitation projects at more than 25 locations. The projects, Hill noted, are “vital to the safe and efficient movement of trains and will assist the Authority in delivering projects that are included in Metrolink’s SOGR backlog.”

Hill’s services also include rehabilitation program management,

8 Railway Age // November 2022

contract administration and management, construction and project management, field engineering and product development, signal project management, inventory management, asset condition assessments, scope of work development, independent cost estimate development, staff augmentation support, office engineering services and public outreach support.

The CALIFORNIA HIGH-SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY (CHRSA) awarded an approximately $35 million contract to FOSTER + PARTNERS AND ARUP (F+P ARUP) for design and support services for the Merced, Fresno, Kings/Tulare and Bakersfield stations that will serve passengers on the initial 171-mile segment. The F+P Arup contract includes the first of two separately funded phases: the first to advance the design work at the four station sites, including identifying right-of-way and utility relocation requirements necessary for construction; the second to progress to final design and construction ready documents, construction support and commissioning.

The first phase of work is estimated to be 30 months long. railwayage.com

Metra

WORLDWIDE

Alstom / Laurent Pascal © Alstom

www.alstom.com www.alstom.com

FromFrom designproduction to delivery, and possible role in between to every engineering, from qualitythat to project is critical to our business, our women are part of the fabric that management, the women of Alstom make sustainable makes Alstom what it is and help deliver equity in transportation, andthesmart solutionsandthat are diverse and increase mobilitymobility of our communities, reduce the as impact of adaptable cities they serve. human activity on to thethe environment.

Congratulations to Dejahto Singh for her Women Congratulations Dejah Singh forin Rail her Honorable Women Mention!

Honorable Mention!

in Rail

2022 women in rail

WOMEN IN RAIL

Shutterstock/ Manop Boonpeng

Railway Age’s Women in Rail awards program celebrates strong women who excel at leadership, serving the community and contributing to the industry—above and beyond their dayto-day job responsibilities. In its sixth year, more than 100 nominations came in for North American freight, passenger and supply sector leaders at all levels who have meaningful career accomplishments and are committed to supporting other women railroaders and encouraging more to join the ranks.

Selected by peers Barbara Wilson, former President and CEO of RailUSA, and KellyAnne Gallagher, CEO of the Commuter Rail Coalition, with input from the Railway Age staff, we are pleased to present the 23 honorees plus five leaders receiving Honorable Mention.

railwayage.com

20 22

November 2022 // Railway Age 11

2022 Women in rail JUDGES

BARBARA WILSON

Former President and CEO, RailUSA A rail industry C-suite executive, Wilson was most recently President and CEO of short line holding company RailUSA, providing strategic leadership and implementing long-range goals, plans and policies. Prior to joining RailUSA in 2019, she was President of Wells Fargo Rail, where she led business growth by acquiring three industry competitors to build the largest railcar leasing business in North America. She holds a bachelor’s from Boston College and an MBA from Babson College.

KELLYANNE GALLAGHER

CEO, Commuter Rail Coalition (CRC) Gallagher is a public transportation policy professional and a strategic advisor to industry leaders. With more than 20 years serving across industry sectors, in 2019 she founded CRC, where she is shaping policy and driving the agenda of the association, which serves as the singular voice of the commuter rail industry. Previously, Gallagher was a member of the New York MTA’s senior leadership team, which she joined after 16 years with the American Public Transportation Association.

“The 2022 honorees’ propensity for going above what is required makes their contributions even more important in these challenging times.”

— Barbara Wilson, Former President and CEO, RailUSA

Congratulations to Wabtec’s Alicia Hammersmith and all of the outstanding 2022 Women in Rail honorees.

Alicia Hammersmith Vice President of Operations, Transit

12 Railway Age // November 2022

railwayage.com

WHEN YOUR BUSINESS RELIES ON RAIL, RELY ON US. TrinityRail® is North America’s leading railcar equipment and services provider. With a comprehensive platform of leasing, manufacturing, maintenance and professional services, you can rely on TrinityRail to fully deliver trusted expertise, innovative solutions and supply chain optimization. Learn more at TrinityRail.com.

2022 Women in rail “The honorees deserve not just our recognition with an award, but also our thanks for making the industry more accessible to a broader range of talents and perspectives.”

— KellyAnne Gallagher, CEO, CRC

14 Railway Age // November 2022

MAEGHAN ALBISTON

Vice President, Capital Markets Canadian Pacific (Women in Rail honorable mention in 2019)

Albiston joined CP’s Treasury department in 2005 as Capital Markets Analyst. She moved to Investor Relations in 2011 amid a public proxy battle, and during her tenure has communicated CP’s corporate strategy to employees and shareholders throughout

the implementation of precision-scheduled railroading; enactment of CP’s growth strategy under a new CEO; and the continuing approval process for the acquisition of Kansas City Southern. Albiston in 2018 took on oversight of the railroad’s $13 billion pension portfolio, one of the oldest and largest corporate plans in Canada. Under her leadership, the plan has seen improvements to its governance structure and investment policies as well as enhancements to its investment strategies; today, it is in a surplus position. Recognizing an opportunity to improve CP’s ESG reporting and disclosures, Albiston became a sustainability champion and now advises management teams and the Board. She is passionate about giving back, and serves as a CP Leadership Coach, who is frequently asked to mentor high-potential talent companywide; participates in CP’s Women’s Leadership Network; and initiated a popular CP women’s networking series. Albiston was named a best Investor Relations Professional and Investor Relations Officer by Institutional Investor and IR magazines, respectively.

railwayage.com

CONGRATULATIONS TO Kansas City Southern de Mexico’s

Krimhilda Edith Rodríguez Silva on being honored as one of Railway Age’s Women in Rail

kcsouthern.com

2022 Women in rail

MARY CARLSON BIS

Senior Director, Emergency Management Amtrak

Following an incident on one of Amtrak’s long-distance services, Carlson Bis was hired as a consultant, and then as a fulltime employee, to develop a revised incident response strategy that resulted in better coordination with Amtrak employees, stakeholders in impacted communities, and

16 Railway Age // November 2022 Sandra 2022 Women in Rail Award Ad.indd 1

passengers. Today, employees are deployed to either Incident Site Operations, supporting first responders, the investigation, and customer tracking and accountability efforts; or Family Assistance Operations, establishing a Family Assistance Center plus customer service operations at stations and medical facilities. Carlson Bis ensures Amtrak not only meets but also exceeds the 16 federal requirements that all transportation carriers must provide riders in response to major incidents. Her team also leads outreach to local, state and federal emergency management agencies, local police departments, the FBI, NTSB and FEMA. When a severe incident occurs, Carlson Bis is at the scene or the Family Assistance Center making sure all responding agencies and Amtrak are communicating. Also, she is a firm believer that training together is key to success, and she creates a positive working environment where all are empowered to identify improvements. Carlson Bis is Co-Chair of Amtrak’s Employee Resource Group for women’s professional development.

ANAMARIA BONILLA

Deputy Chief Engineer-Structures MTA Metro-North Railroad

Bonilla is a 26-year rail transportation veteran. She has worked with a team on a variety of engineering initiatives for the commuter railroad: from moving bridge management to an online, map-based system and starting a regularly scheduled inspection program for transmission poles

railwayage.com 10/18/22 9:45 AM

BNSF proudly congratulates

DEBRA ROSS

for being recognized as a 2022 Women in Rail Honoree

by Railway Age. BNSF.com/Careers

2022 Women in rail and retaining walls, to initiating a thirdparty scan for creating tie inspection and joint inventories as well as forms that group conditions to prioritize locations for maintenance. She also managed contracts for the supply of automated track geometry units and an inspection car to accelerate MNR’s state-of-good-repair program.

During Hurricane Ida in 2021, Bonilla was part of the emergency response when a culvert collapsed at Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., shutting down four Hudson Line tracks.

She worked with a consultant to coordinate replacement design and construction inspection services, and identified other areas of vulnerability along the right of way. Bonilla’s active volunteer work in the salvage operation at the World Trade Center site 21 years ago continues to inspire all of those who know and work with her. As one of the leaders within the MNR engineering departments, and the only female engineering discipline lead, she is a role model for female engineers across the company.

CARRIE DONCHEZ Yardmaster

Norfolk Southern

Donchez, selected by Railway Age readers as an Influential Leader for 2022, began her career at NS as a Conductor and is now Yardmaster in New Orleans. Among her achievements: developing and presenting an operating plan to management using data such as average cars switched, inbound and outbound train

performance, and average car counts; reducing train departure time by 30 minutes through improved train builds and more efficient, predictable planning of yard crews; and decreasing dwell by 12 hours and increasing capacity by using data and operational knowledge, which prompted management to switch cars in order of train departure. She also leveraged relationships with other carriers to access camera feeds, scanners and track-line views pertinent to gateway movements. The increased visibility allowed for better collaboration and relationships among carriers and yardmasters. Donchez has held SMART-TD Local 1972 leadership roles, including Vice Local Chair and Local Chair, and was elected Secretary for the General Committee of Adjustment. She has also earned the union’s Gold Certification for workshop attendance; NS’s Spirit Award for Performance serving Domino Sugar and Hero Award for quick response to a warehouse fire, protecting company property and the public; and a Blue Professional Scholarship in 2022 for graduate work at the University of New Orleans.

Mississippi Export Railroad Company Congratulates President & CEO

KATE LUCE BOURGEOIS on being recognized as one of Railway Age’s 2022 Women in Rail.

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS IN SERVICE

18 Railway Age // November 2022

228-475-3322

www.mserr.com

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Congratulations to Maeghan Albiston on being named one of Railway Age’s Women in Rail 2022!

Join our team at cpr.ca/careers

2022 Women in rail

SHANNON DROWN

Assistant Vice President of Commercial Development, Railroads R.J. Corman Railroad Group

As second-in-command, Drown helps lead commercial efforts for 18 short lines. Her accomplishments include partnering with a global customer to develop a new dedicated terminal for Storage in Transit (SIT) of plastics, securing a 27%-plus volume

commitment with a five-year term; and leading commercial development efforts and providing project management guidance for a distillery customer’s new transload terminal, which opened in 2020 and, by 2021 was the second-largest customer on the R.J. Corman Bardstown Line. Drown’s work spearheading the R.J. Corman South Union Distribution Center expansion project—which boosted volumes of aluminum can body and tab stock—and providing a customized SIT solution for a global tire company—increasing carloads by 48% in 2020—led Railway Age to name R.J. Corman Memphis Line as its 2021 Short Line of the Year. Additionally, Drown performed a rate study on outbound sulfuric acid and zinc ingot for a zinc-manufacturing customer to identify key lanes where rail was competitive to other modes.

This shift to rail translated to approximately 1,484 OTR conversions for 2020.

Outside the office, Drown has served for six years as a YMCA of Greater Louisville Board member.

ALICIA HAMMERSMITH

Vice President of Operations, Transit Wabtec Corporation

Hammersmith has contributed to Wabtec’s success by leading the implementation of Lean to transition the Fort Worth, Tex., manufacturing plant to be capable of both new locomotive builds and modernizations, which allowed the company to support Union Pacific’s recent order for

Congratulations Alanna!

Alanna is passionate about supporting women in the rail industry and leads a global goods movement team that is designing and delivering sustainable infrastructure legacies for decades to come.

Alanna Strohecker, P.E., MBA VP, Global Goods Movement Director Railway Age 2022 Women in Rail Honorable Mention

aecom.com 20 Railway Age // November 2022

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2022 women in rail 600 modernizations; consolidating duplicate operations throughout Wabtec’s North American transit sector to deliver a “One Wabtec” experience for customers; driving sustainability initiatives to reduce Wabtec’s energy consumption and utilize energy regeneration; championing the implementation of numerous ERPs and digital solutions to improve systems across the organization; and originating the Services Material Organizational structure to forecast aftermarket parts and improve delivery by 22 points in just two years. In 2021, she earned Wabtec’s Leadership Award for Execution as well as Leadership Award, Team of the Year. Hammersmith has 31 years of industry experience and is an executive leader in the Women of Wabtec forum, which was created to promote the importance of gender diversity through education, industry best-practice sharing, and advocate development.

Additionally, she is an active member of the Society of Women Engineers and lends support to Girls on the Run, local rape crisis centers, and the Dress for Success program.

KAREN HANKINSON Vice President and Senior Project Manager RailPros

A registered civil engineer and traffic engineer, Hankinson leads RailPros’ Traffic Engineering group, which manages grade crossing-related projects in multiple states.

She has worked with the Colorado Department of Transportation on its railroad

manual, Utah DOT on its Statewide Railroad Preemption Standards, and Texas DOT on a statewide railroad preemption standard. Hankinson also designed the state of Colorado’s first two queue cutter traffic signals. She not only connects her team with other departments to enable cross-functional collaboration, but also mentors staff to help set goals and hone skills and meets with new employees to explain what her team does and offer help as needed. Hankinson serves on the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-ofWay Association’s Technical Committee 36 for Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems and the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ Railroad Committee Task Force for the Recommended Practice for Traffic Signal Preemption, and is Vice Chair of the ITE Grade Crossing Committee. She is also an Operation Lifesaver volunteer and has spoken at numerous conferences about crossings and railroad preemption. She holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from California State University-Fullerton.

Congratulations to TTX Company’s Jillian Krupko and all of the Women in Rail winners!

railwayage.com

November 2022 // Railway Age 21

2022 Women in rail

EVELYN HAWKINS President and CEO

JKEI Management LLC

Hawkins is a railroad construction general contractor and safety consultant, who as a minority female entrepreneur says she has an obligation to ensure that others like her have a voice. In 2021, Hawkins’ firm launched “The World is Your Oyster” program to teach would-be entrepreneurs the basics of starting

a business and to assist with Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification and gaining access to working capital. To date, the program has helped start up three new companies. Over recent years, Hawkins has conducted an internal safety audit and updated and developed safety and security certification program training materials at Houston MTA; developed and maintained a PHA for Chicago Transit Authority’s Red Line project; helped conduct tabletop and full-scale exercises and developed a PHA for a timber bridge replacement project at Austin Capital Metro; provided safety and security on-call support for pre-revenue St. Louis Loop Trolley service; and provided team support for WMATA’s 8000-series vehicle SSMP and tagging relay pilot program. She served previously on the Greensboro, N.C., City Zoning Commission and campaigned for a seat in the North Carolina Senate, District 26. She holds an M.S. in Technology Management-Environmental Health and Safety from North Carolina Agricultural Technical State University.

JODI HEATH

Regional Vice PresidentEastern Division Patriot Rail

Heath’s diverse sales and service background covers the rail, trucking and agricultural commodity grain-trading sectors. For the past eight years, she has worked with shippers and short lines at both Norfolk Southern and Pioneer Lines,

Congratulations Tracy MacPhee, Vice President of Passenger Rail and Motor Coach, for being recognized as a leader who is driving change and paving the way for the next generation of transportation professionals.

Ontario Northland has been moving freight in and out of Northeastern Ontario and Northwestern Quebec for over 120 years. The company also operates the Polar Bear Express passenger train which connects remote communities in Northern Ontario. ontarionorthland.ca

22RailAd-Tracy.indd Railway Age //2November 2022

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2022 women in rail which was acquired by Patriot Rail in September 2022. Her ability to communicate the benefits of rail contributed to 40% growth in her region at Pioneer in just three years. Among Heath’s strengths are her energy, work ethic and persistence at problem-solving. She and her team recently helped attract the development of a liquid fertilizer facility along the Napoleon Defiance & Western in Ohio.

Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc. broke ground on the 50,000-square-foot production facility in August; it is set to launch in 2024. At NS, she managed 62 small roads in eight states as Short Line Marketing Manager, and helped grow existing traffic and develop new business as Field Sales Manager-Illinois Division. Prior to joining the rail industry, Heath served as Associate DDG Merchant for The Andersons Inc., and traded grain commodities for more than 22 years at various co-ops, terminals, processors and ethanol facilities. She was also the Branch Manager for Helena Chemical in Huntington, Ind.

JILLIAN KRUPKO

Director-Operations Strategy and Analytics TTX

Krupko has spent her 12-year career at railcar pooling company TTX, starting in the company training program and moving into the Automotive group, where she coordinated railcar distribution throughout North America. She

now leads TTX’s Equipment analytics team in identifying and solving complex problems with cutting-edge data analytics technologies and techniques, such as machine learning and predictive modeling, which enables the organization to make well-informed, data-driven business decisions. Before being elevated to her current role in 2021, Krupko served as Automotive Asset Analyst, Senior Supply Chain Analyst, Manager of Maintenance Scheduling, and Senior Manager of Maintenance Scheduling. Her skillsets include car distribution, procurement, and shop and maintenance scheduling. Krupko is a member of TTX’s Women’s Business Network and serves on the Membership and Communications Committee; she will serve as Vice Chair beginning in January 2023. She is also a member of the League of Railway Women. Krupko holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Iowa and an MBA in supply chain and logistics management from Ashford University.

INGENUITY. INITIATIVE. IMPACT. Amsted Rail salutes the 2022 Women in Rail award honorees.

railwayage.com

November 2022 // Railway Age 23

2022 Women in rail

KATE LUCE BOURGEOIS President and CEO

Mississippi Export Railroad

Gregory M. Luce, Bourgeois’ great-greatgrandfather, purchased the Alabama & Mississippi in 1922, and the MSE was born, beginning a family legacy. Bourgeois joined the 42-mile short line’s Customer Service and Billing department in 2009, moving on to serve as Trainmaster and Dispatcher in 2011

24 Railway Age // November 2022

and as Manager of Transportation in 2012.

Four years later, she became COO. Bourgeois took over leadership in 2017 and quickly expanded the business, forming in 2019 a subsidiary, Alabama Export Railroad. Her nominators noted her passion for railroading and for providing first-mile/last-mile service.

She championed and led various groups to move the interchange with CSX from downtown Pascagoula to a brownfield site further east, eliminating not only capacity issues but also several highway/rail grade crossings.

And when a rail-served customer experienced service delivery issues, Bourgeois and her team came up with a creative solution to handle the cars at MSE and transfer to barge for end-delivery. She holds a bachelor’s degree in logistics, materials and supply chain management from Auburn University and an MBA from Duke Fuqua School of Business, where she earned the Keohane Leadership Award and now serves on the Board of Visitors. Kate is Second Vice President and on the Scholarship Committee for the North American Rail Shippers Association.

TRACY MACPHEE

Vice President of Passenger Rail and Motor Coach Ontario Northland Canada

With 25 years of passenger service experience, MacPhee plays an integral role ensuring that rail services from Cochrane to Moosonee continue to provide vital transportation solutions

railwayage.com

2022 women in rail that respond to the needs of Northerners. She not only oversees the transportation of passengers, but also of a variety of goods including vehicles, food and grocery items, medical equipment, and medicine. She also ensures that Ontario Northland services connect with other transportation networks.

MacPhee was instrumental in developing the business case, released earlier this year, for the return of passenger rail to northeastern Ontario. MacPhee’s ability to cultivate relationships has played a pivotal role at Ontario Northland. Throughout the pandemic, for example, she improved relationships with First Nation and remote communities by scheduling regular calls where stakeholders could share as well as learn the unique perspectives of the Indigenous communities. Making sure that passengers and community stakeholders feel heard, respected and safe remains a crucial part of the Ontario Northland operation today.

STACI MOODY-GILBERT Vice President

Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division-International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Moody-Gilbert, a U.S. Navy veteran, has served the rail industry for nearly 30 years as a laborer, truck driver, machine operator, welder and foreman. She is one of the highest-ranking women on the

roster at BNSF and the highest-ranking female union officer at BMWED as Vice President, Northwest Region. Despite being discouraged from running for BMWED office, she broke the glass ceiling three times as the first women elected Vice General Chair, Burlington System Division in 2010; General Chair in 2012; and Vice President in 2022, running unopposed. MoodyGilbert co-founded the BMWED Women’s Committee, is an advisor for its Diversity Committee, and recently organized a Military Veterans Committee. Her nominator described her as “the definition of strength,” setting the bar high for anyone to follow, and credits her leadership for his success as a union representative. Moody-Gilbert not only is dedicated to her fellow workers as well as her family, but also is committed to service. She organizes and participates in each year a Habitat for Humanity project on behalf of BMWED; helps fundraise for church-sponsored mission trips; and has worked with students at an underprivileged school to assemble a school store.

Rail isn’t part of our business, it IS our business

CONGRATULATIONS! We want to congratulate Karen Hankinson, Vice President of Traffic Engineering, on being a Railway Age “2022 Women in Rail” honoree. Karen is an integral part of our team. Her work to improve grade crossings across the U.S. helps keep people safe.

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November 2022 // Railway Age 25

2022 Women in rail

SANDRA OCAÑA

Purchasing and Logistics Manager The Greenbrier Companies, Mexico

From ordering supplies and managing inventory to negotiating with customers and planning production schedules across multiple Greenbrier facilities, Ocaña has helped The Greenbrier Companies keep operations running smoothly, particularly through the pandemic. Before being

promoted to her current role, Ocaña reduced inventory levels by more than $1 million in Oregon and trained buyers on the most efficient, effective way to use inventory. More recently, she compiled a thorough list of new suppliers who comply with Greenbrier’s quality standards and delivery requirements. Ocaña, a 15-year railroading veteran and skilled communicator and negotiator, currently oversees sourcing and logistics at two of three manufacturing facilities in Mexico. She works with national railroad companies to solve congestion problems at the border for crossing materials and finished goods (both inbound and outbound from Mexico). Due to her hard work and diligence, Greenbrier keeps railcars moving from its facilities to the tracks on time and on budget. She is an active member of Greenbrier’s Diversity Inclusion Strategy Committee (DISC), which helped form GBXcels-Women’s Leadership Group to focus on mentoring and preparing Greenbrier’s female-identifying workforce for advancement.

JACQUELINE L. PATTERSON Vice President

Zephyr UAS, Inc.

Escaping war-torn Nicaragua, Patterson earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Concordia University in Montreal, which awarded her the Civil Engineering Medal for being the highest-ranking graduating civil engineering student, the first time that honor was given to a woman and a Hispanic.

G&W congratulates Paige Raulerson, Dispute Resolution Manager, on her inclusion in this year’s Women in Rail feature!

Always willing to share her knowledge and invest time in preparing the next generation, Paige has significantly improved processes at G&W and enhanced the customer experience.

26 Railway Age // November 2022

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2022 women in rail Gaining employment with AECOM’s precursor, DMJM, Patterson began work on LA Metro’s Blue and Red Lines projects. She next launched JL Patterson & Associates, which she led for 26 years, developing expertise in all aspects of railroad engineering, from conceptual design to construction management and contract administration of light rail, heavy rail, commuter rail, freight rail and highspeed rail. She grew the firm from one person to 125 professionals in four offices before it was acquired by Jacobs Engineering Group.

Patterson in 2015 co-founded railroad design, engineering and construction management firm Zephyr Rail, and has since become a certified Construction Manager and Remote Pilot-in Command. Giving back is important to Patterson, who leads Habitat for Humanity projects and serves WTS, to which she has endowed scholarships. She has also earned CMAA’s Project Achievement Award for BNSF’s Triple Track through Cajon Pass, two Bentley Systems’ Be Inspired Awards for innovation, and WTS-Orange County’s Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award.

DEBRA ROSS

AVP, Talent Management BNSF Railway

Ross in 2020 was selected to lead the newly created Talent Management function at BNSF. Under her direction, the team has increased the diversity focus across recruiting and selection, performance management, mentoring, assessment and coaching programs, talent identification, and succession planning. Ross

has designed leadership-training programs, including one for 5,000 exempt employees to participate in annual outreach efforts; and will launch with her team next year a Leading With Inclusion program for all new hires and newly promoted leaders. Recognizing the coming wave of retirements, Ross and the talent and HR groups not only doubled down on recruiting and onboarding, but also on developing future leaders. They expanded the leadership development program to include 2,000 individual contributors; revamped high-potential development and talent review processes; and accelerated management development through coaching and mentoring— all contributing to BNSF’s ability to fill 95% of senior leadership openings internally. Ross also serves on cross-industry boards and heads the communications and education committees for the Young Men’s Service League. In addition to championing company award processes, leading to BNSF’s No. 6 ranking in Forbes’ Best Places to Work for Women, for example, she received the CLO Learning in Practice Award for Talent Management.

CONGRATULATIONS, Tomeka Watson-Bryant!

New Orleans Public Belt Railroad salutes you and all the Railway Age Women in Rail winners! www.railnola.com

railwayage.com

November 2022 // Railway Age 27

2022 Women in rail visibility to multiple departments; she also offered demonstrations on its use. The tool has been integral to tracking, and also has allowed for analysis of root cause data for disputes. This has helped the company work with internal and external teams to resolve invoice dispute root causes, from waybill issues with customers or Class I’s to operational errors in the field. Due to Raulerson’s participation in the Railinc Interline Switching Task Force committee, G&W is now implementing the Switching Settlement Data Exchange system, which will allow it to share data with Class I partners in a timely fashion, and as a result, receive payments faster. She is coordinating the PAIGE RAULERSON Manager, Dispute Resolution integration. Raulerson at age 22 promised Genesee & Wyoming her mentor she would finish college. While Railroad Services Inc. she took courses on and off, it was only years Within the Dispute Resolution depart- later that she enrolled in the University of ment, Raulerson is transforming processes. Florida’s online program, and studied while Recognizing the need to better track, working full time and raising her nine-yearorganize and research invoice disputes, old son. She earned her bachelor’s degree in she helped create an online data manage- business administration and management ment portal to house disputes and provide in 2020 at age 38.

Railway Age Magazine QtrPgAd_CarlsonBis2022.qxp_Layout 1 10/20/22 6:

KRIMHILDA EDITH RODRIGUEZ SILVA

Director, Health and Safety Kansas City Southern de Mexico

Rodriguez Silva, a 25-year railroader, is the first Mexican woman to hold a federal locomotive engineer’s certification. She leads all health and safety functions at KCSM, and directed the railroad’s implementation of OTS (Operational Test

Great Job, Cle! Metra would like to congratulate Cle Shaw for receiving Railway Age’s 2022 Women in Rail Award. Cle is Metra’s Manager Crew Management.

Congrat ulat ions to Mary Carlson Bis and all the women of Amtrak who move America forward! ®

28 Railway Age // November 2022

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2022 women in rail System), an application used to record field operational tests. Partnering with Information Technology, Field Operations and her U.S. safety counterparts, Rodriguez Silva ensured that the project was executed smoothly. Through her work, the quality of KCSM’s operational testing has greatly improved, which in turn helped the railroad achieve an average annual reduction of 28% in personal injuries and of 22% in human factor train accidents since 2019. Without her tenacity and attention to detail, the project would not have had a continuing impact. Additionally, at KCSM “Safety Camps” held earlier this year, Rodriguez Silva taught safety leadership skills, including root cause analysis determination and how to conduct more impactful operational testing events and to develop personnel safety-action plans. She has earned multiple company awards, including the coveted KCS Stormy Kromer® Award, which recognizes initiative, innovation and cross-functional teamwork.

KATIE SANDERS

Assistant Vice President Operations Technology Union Pacific

Sanders has held various roles across UP’s technology department since 2003. She is currently responsible for an organization that provides around-the-clock support for critical operations systems and for implementing reliable networks and maintaining

applications such as Positive Train Control, for which she developed support procedures for trains originating on the UP network and terminating on another railroad. She participates on industry committees for PTC that establish interoperability maintenance procedures and tools. Sanders and her team recently completed delivery of UP’s Computer Aided Dispatching system (CADX). A multiyear effort of several railroad departments, CADX was developed in-house to allow dispatchers to line signals and switches while issuing restrictions and authorities. Sanders worked with her team to develop a safe approach to implementation. Despite delays due to the pandemic, cutover was completed in 2021. Sanders serves as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Chair for the Nebraska Tech Collaborative, a business-led workforce initiative committed to developing, attracting, and retaining tech talent and entrepreneurs. She is also a founding member of UP’s Women in Technology team, now part of LEAD, UP’s women’s initiative.

AILWAY GE ARE YOU A RAILROAD OR SUPPLIER SEARCHING FOR JOB CANDIDATES?

Visit http://bit.ly/railjobs RA_JobBoard_Half.indd 1 railwayage.com

To place a job posting, contact: Jerome Marullo 732-887-5562 jmarullo@sbpub.com

November 2022 // 5/24/22 Railway10:03 AgeAM 29

2022 Women in rail

CLELEATHA SHAW

Manager-Crew Management Metra

Shaw served as a Metra commuter railroad Crew Caller for 15 years before becoming department manager during a manpower shortage. When the secretary to the director position was eliminated, she took on the responsibilities, including ordering supplies for the Consolidated Control

THE NEWS DESTINATION FOR THE RAIL INDUSTRY

Facility, and when her Chief Crew Clerk stepped down, she added scheduling, employee time claims, and training to her role. Additionally, when no one is available to contractually work a Crew Dispatcher position, she reports for duty. Due to questions daily regarding manpower, Shaw designed a report that she manages and distributes to all executive officers. Metra recently implemented a new crew system, and Shaw set up and assisted with training more than 400 engineers and conductors to handle hours of service on their iPads. She also works hand in hand with the Labor department to uphold union contracts. Outside of work, Shaw serves as Vice President of the National Railroad Superintendent Association and President of the Chicago Chapter of the National Association of Railway Business Women, participating with members at breast cancer walks, cooking family meals at the Ronald McDonald House, and packing food for the Chicago Food Depository to be delivered to shelters across the city.

ELIZABETH SMITH Chief of Staff

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority

Smith, a registered professional engineer, has spent nine years helping to shape SEPTA’s future. As Director of Strategic Planning and Analysis, she revived and led planning efforts for southeastern Pennsylvania’s first rail extension, the multi-billion dollar King of

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2022 women in rail Prussia Rail project. She was responsible for all technical activities and public outreach for the project’s Draft EIS. Her communication with elected officials, residents, customers and other stakeholders was critical in making adjustments to better meet community needs.

The project is now the first to enter the Capital Improvement Grant Program pipeline. In her subsequent roles as Chief Transformation Officer and Chief of Staff, Smith has played a pivotal role in SEPTA’s recovery from the pandemic, influencing ridership rebounds; addressing funding challenges; and advancing major projects, including Bus Revolution, Trolley Modernization and the next-generation fare collection system. She has also led SEPTA’s Ridership Recovery Task Force and a 20-week planning process resulting in a Transformation Plan of 150 employee-led operational efficiency initiatives, which when implemented by 2024 could result in savings of up to $117 million. Smith is a member of WTS, and a founder of the Philadelphia Chapter’s program that offers young girls an introduction to transportation careers.

TOMEKA WATSON-BRYANT General Manager

New Orleans Public Belt Railroad

Watson-Bryant started her railroading career just over 10 years ago at CSX. She transferred her Trainmaster skills five years later to NOPB, where she rocketed through the management ranks to Manager of Safety and Training— pioneering the railroad’s successful safety

program in 2019 and setting a safety record in 2020, with no reportable derailments, injuries or crossing accidents—and to Director of Marketing and Sales—increasing car volumes by 17% in her first year.

Watson-Bryant was promoted to General Manager in 2022, becoming the first African American woman to lead a U.S. short line. An honoree of Railway Age’s “20 Under 40” awards program in 2021 and an honorable mention in 2020, she has placed an emphasis on more efficient operations to improve fluidity as well as service to local customers and six Class I’s, which has led to NOPB logging a 47% increase in local customer volumes in FY 2022, storage volumes rising by 15% (almost 500 cars), and overall rail volumes increasing by 4%. Dwell has fallen to below 13 hours across the system. Watson-Bryant has also converted more than 90% of customers to automated billing to reduce errors and delay. Additionally, she serves as Vice President of the National Contract Management Association.

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Nicely done, Katie.

RAIL From Railway Age, RT&S and IRJ GROUP https://railwayage.com/newsletters NEWS

Congratulations to Assistant Vice President-Operations Technology Katie Sanders for being named one of Railway Age’s 2022 “Women of the Year.”

ROUND-UP of NEWS STORIES FROM:

RAILWAY AGE, RT&S and IRJ

November 2022 // Railway Age 31

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2022 Women in rail Honorable Mentions

• Meredith Slesinger Rail and Transit Administrator, Massachusetts Department of Transportation

• Cathy Campbell-Wilson Senior Vice President, Parsons Corporation

• Kathleen Smith Vice President, Business Development and Real Estate, Norfolk Southern

• Dejah Singh Project Warranty Manager, Alstom

• Alanna Strohecker Vice President, Global Goods Movement Director, AECOM

RailwayAge_LizSmith_102122.pdf 1 10/24/2022 4:48:44 PM

2022 AGE 2018 RAILWAY WOMEN ACHIEVER WOMEN IN RAIL AWARD HONOREE

THROUGH LEADERSHIP, VISION, AND PASSION LIZ SMITH MOVES SEPTA FORWARD C

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SEPTA CONGRATULATES LIZ AND ALL OF THE THE 2022 HONOREES

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Liz Smith, P.E. Chief of Staff SEPTA 32 Railway Age // November 2022

ANGIE WILLIAMS

Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, CSX Williams led the 2022 integration of Pan Am Railways into CSX, directing a cross-functional team that worked through the employee transition, ensuring uninterrupted benefits; transactional and financial accounting and reporting; sales and marketing; and operations and technology integration. She also drove the successful integration of Quality Carriers in 2021, and provided accounting and reporting guidance on the recent sale of property and property rights in three states worth $1.2 billion-plus. In addition to directing the streamlining of CSX’s accounting process and leading the initial stages of modernizing its financial systems, Williams improved the payroll process for craft employees by shifting from a manual to electronic solution, resulting in more accurate pay and added visibility. With 170 direct and indirect reports, she focuses on process improvement; prioritizes employee development; mentors women in Finance, Accounting and other departments; and started a coffee series to seek employee input. A 19-year railroad veteran, Williams is executive sponsor of CSX’s Asian Professionals for Excellence group and participates on panels for such groups as the National African American Women’s Leadership Institute. railwayage.com

STAY IN GEAR WITH RAIL GROUP NEWS RAIL GROUP NEWS brings you a daily round-up of news stories from Railway Age, RT&S, and IRJ. This email newsletter offers North American and global news and analysis of the freight and passenger markets. From developments in rail technology, operations, and strategic planning to legislative issues and engineering news, we’ve got you covered.

RAIL From Railway Age, RT&S and IRJ GROUP https://railwayage.com/newsletters NEWS

ROUND-UP

RAILW

PASSENGER FOCUS: LIGHT RAIL

PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

BY DAVID DAVID PETER ALAN, ALAN, CONTRIB CONTRI CONTRIBUTING BUTING EDITOR

34 Railway Age // November 2022

railwayage.com

PASSENGER FOCUS: LIGHT RAIL The S200, designated as an LRV4 by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni), is a high-floor LRV manufactured by Siemens Mobility in Florin, Calif. The S200 succeeds the SD-100, SD-160, SD-400 and SD-460 as the high-floor version of Siemens LRVs for North America, and is being manufactured and marketed with the low-floor S700.

Siemens Mobility

L

railwayage.com

LRT growth continues, but at restricted speed.

ight rail was a transit phenomenon like none other since the advent of the streetcar itself. A transit mode that burst onto the scene four decades ago, it brought rail transit to dozens of locations in the U.S. and Canada that had lost it during the mid-20th century. It deserves credit for revitalizing urban neighborhoods and central business districts, re-establishing rail transit as an important component of mobility and economic development.

It accomplished all that despite having a title that virtually none of its riders understood, and without an agreed-upon definition or taxonomy.

LRT has grown and prospered in California, despite a requirement that every proposed transit project that uses public funds must garner two-thirds voter support. It has brought rail transit to other regions like the Pacific Northwest and the Inter-Mountain West, while enhancing it elsewhere. It has also popped up as a novelty in some places, and as a major trunk line in others, fed by bus lines rerouted and rescheduled for that purpose.

Despite that success, LRT has never reached some major cities that once hosted significant streetcar networks.

It has never made appearances in New York, Chicago, Vancouver or Montreal, although such a line, the BQX, has been proposed for New York’s outer boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.

LRT has hit a yellow signal in recent years. Its growth continues, but at restricted speed. Some systems are extending existing lines, and there are still a few new starts under construction, but the future of this mode, which was once highly touted as the driving force behind a transit renaissance, may be in doubt. We will look at that future, but first we need to examine the past and present.

rail transit network to Cleveland in 1922.

The story goes that General Motors Chairman Alfred P. Sloan saw crowds of workers boarding streetcars in downtown Cleveland to head home from their offices.

He then decided to declare his personal “culture war” on rail transit and establish the primacy, if not the exclusivity, of the automobile as the way to go places in America. His campaign was stunningly successful, not only for destroying almost the entire rail transit network in the nation, but also for establishing “automobile culture” and “highway culture” as they exist today.

Rail transit reached its nadir at the halfway point between that day and this.

Outside of a smattering of service elsewhere, legacy “commuter rail” systems existed in the Boston, New York (including New Jersey), Philadelphia and Chicago areas. All of them were in trouble and continue to run today, only because public agencies were eventually formed to keep them going. Canadian systems in Montreal and Toronto had similar experiences.

Only a few American cities had “metro style” subway and elevated lines: Boston (MBTA’s Red, Blue and Orange lines), New York, Philadelphia and Chicago. The legacy PATH system connected northern New Jersey with Manhattan, while the newly expanded PATCO Line connected South Jersey with Philadelphia. Toronto’s TTC started its subway in 1954, and Montreal had started its system in time for Expo 67, a fair that celebrated Canada’s 1967 centennial.

Only seven American cities still had streetcars. Newark and New Orleans were down to one line each. Cleveland and Pittsburgh had two. Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco still had a number of lines that diverged from downtown.

Toronto was the only Canadian city that still had a streetcar system, and it was (and still is) the most robust in North America.

AFTER STREETCARS, BEFORE LRT There is an apocryphal story that pinpoints the demise of much of the nation’s former

DAWN OF LRT There was modest growth in the American rail-transit network during the 1970s, November 2022 // Railway Age 35

Brookville Equipment Corporation is a U.S. manufacturer specializing in streetcars and light rail vehicles. The Liberty® NXT Streetcar is the second evolution of Brook ville’s flag ship Liber t y Modern Streetcar plat form . “ De signed and manufactured by an American carbuilder for American operators,” the Liberty NXT, doubling as an LRV, features more than 70% low-floor standing area, station-level easy boarding through an automatic load-leveling system, modifiable couplers, and anticlimber heights designed for enhanced interoperability with existing streetcar and LRV fleets. In addition, an optional battery onboard energy-storage system (OESS) provides off-wire capabilities. The Liberty NXT is designed in compliance with ASME RT-1 standards for streetcar vehicles and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) buff strength requirements, while also complying with Buy America requirements of 70% or greater U.S. content. It features a crashworthy design with energy-absorbing carbody equipment, and flexible interior amenities such as bike racks, wheelchair seating, etc. These cars also feature a three-section carbody, connected by two articulation joints, accommodating 40 seated passengers, with the ability to transport 120 passengers comfortably.

but the new starts used metro-style trains.

Metro Rail (WMATA) in the Washington, D.C. area; BART in San Francisco and the East Bay; and MARTA in and near Atlanta started during that decade. Single lines in Baltimore and Miami (where a one-stop spur to the airport was added later) started in the 1980s.

Against this backdrop, LRT popped onto the scene. It started as a single line on the Edmonton Transit System in Alberta in 1978. Not to be outdone, Calgary followed suit in 1981. The San Diego Trolley also began operations that year, the first such system in the U.S. By the end of the decade, there were light rail lines in Buffalo, Portland, Sacramento and San José. There were no new “modern streetcar” lines yet, but vintage cars on McKinney Avenue in Dallas started running in 1989.

36 Railway Age // November 2022

If any decade can be considered the “Golden Age” of LRT, it was the 1990s.

During that time, new systems opened in Baltimore, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Sacramento, New Jersey and Salt Lake City.

Perhaps LRT’s biggest success story occurred in Los Angeles. When I first visited there in 1979, there was no rail transit at all— only a sparse and slow bus system. Hollywood Boulevard was still a tourist destination, but downtown appeared dead; its historic and iconic buildings were seemingly a reminder of past glory that would never return. Yet, it did return. Today, office buildings, theaters and other civic institutions have been revitalized. Other buildings have been converted to apartments. Metrorail, with its LRT and subway, along with enhanced bus service, brought downtown back to life. The same

thing is happening in other places, like Santa Monica. There is more rail transit coming to the City of Angels, too, including LRT. The first segment of the Crenshaw Line (K Line) opened Oct. 7, and the agency has unveiled plans to add more new rail lines and expand others by 2050.

Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) FasTracks program is doing the same thing for the Mile High City and nearby towns with both LRT and electric multiple-unit (EMU) main line trains.

Transit in Dallas is a major success story, too. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system consists of four lines that run through downtown Dallas on streets where no other vehicles are allowed, and radiate to suburbs that were served by interurban streetcars a century ago. There is also a modern streetcar line that runs separately from DART, along with heritage streetcars on McKinney Avenue (the M-Line). Rail transit has also expanded beyond DART’s service area through connecting lines: the Denton County A-Train; TEXRail in Fort Worth and nearby towns; and Trinity Railway Express (TRE) trains, which run between Dallas and Fort Worth with conventional commuter rail equipment.

The Utah Transit Authority’s TRAX LRT system now consists of three major lines, and there is also a modern streetcar line, running with slightly smaller cars. Complimenting TRAX is FrontRunner, a conventional train between Ogden and Provo, running with commuter rail equipment.

LRT growth has slowed considerably this century. Since 2000, there have been fewer new starts, most with single lines, and modern streetcars have made their appearance.

METRORail in Houston was the last three-line system to begin operations, starting in 2004. Metro in Minneapolis and St. Paul also has two lines, and so does Charlotte (CATS), where one of the lines started as a short streetcar line. In Seattle, Tacoma and Phoenix, there is only one rail line, but there are plans to expand all of them.

Streetcars have returned, too, mostly of the “modern” variety. Two such lines in Portland compliment the MAX LRT system.

Two such lines in Seattle are disconnected, and it will take several years to fill the gap between them. Several cities have a single streetcar line: Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City (with railwayage.com

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a second line running limited service), Tucson, and Washington, D.C. The most recent start was this past May in Tempe, Ariz., connecting with Valley Metro from Phoenix. There are hopes and plans to expand many of these lines, but none are being implemented.

Heritage streetcars have found a niche market, too. In New Orleans, Perley Thomas streetcars from 1923 still run a full-service schedule on St. Charles Avenue. Other lines in the city run cars with modern workings and a heritage look, built in-house around and shortly after 2000, and designed by local streetcar legend Elmer VonDullen. New Orleans residents would never refer to their lines as “LRT” or their cars as “trolleys”; the only acceptable name is “streetcar.” San Francisco has vintage cars, too, running full service on Market Street. So does Memphis, running on Main Street and two other lines. There are also heritage streetcar lines in El Paso; Tampa; Little Rock; and Kenosha, Wisc. Those lines run on limited schedules as tourist attractions and, although it is fun to ride them, they do not serve as full-time transit. Sadly, the El Paso Streetcar, using restored PCC cars that once ran in the city during their previous incarnation, was planned as a full-time line and operated only briefly as such.

DIVERSITY OF OPERATIONS It is difficult to fathom that vintage 38 Railway Age // November 2022

streetcars or newer cars built with a heritage look would bear the designation “LRT”; at least the riders would not call them that. There are other operations that might bear that name, an inaccuracy, since those lines run on railroads where freight trains also operate. They include the A-Train in Denton County, Tex.; Capitol Metro Rail in Austin; Sprinter in northern San Diego County; South Jersey’s River LINE between Trenton and Camden on New Jersey Transit; and TEXRail in the Fort Worth area. TEXRail specifically calls itself a “commuter rail” line.

There is no wider diversity of LRT operations than on NJT, which runs three systems that differ greatly among themselves, while also being completely different from the agency’s commuter rail operations. The oldest continuous operation is Newark Light Rail, most of which was known as the Newark City Subway from 1935 until 2001, when it ran with PCC cars. It was the sole survivor of the vast streetcar network that Public Service Coordinated Transport once ran. That route is longer today than it was then, and the current vehicles are longer and articulated, with three or four sections.

The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Transit (HBLRT) system consists of three lines that serve Hudson County, including Hoboken, Jersey City and Bayonne. The first segment

JUST WHAT IS LRT? According to the Fact Book Glossary (2015) from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA): “Light Rail is a mode of transit service (also called tramway, streetcar or trolley) operating passenger railcars singly (or in short, usually two-car or three-car trains) on fixed rails in right-of-way that is often separated from other traffic, for part or much of the way. Light rail vehicles are typically driven electrically with power being drawn from an overhead electric line via a trolley or a pantograph, driven by an operator on board the vehicle, and may have either high-platform loading or low-level boarding using steps.”

This definition is exceedingly broad, encompassing everything from the historic streetcars on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans to the River LINE in southern New Jersey, which runs on non-electrified rightof-way. The definition on the MerriamWebster website is narrower and much briefer: “a means of urban railway transportation using trolley cars.” According to Merriam-Webster, the first known use of the term “light rail” took place in 1975. Presumably, from what I know, that pertained to the line in Edmonton, Alberta. Another account placed the origin of the term with the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA), forerunner of the FTA, in 1972.

In Public Transport A to Z (2008), the UITP (International Association of Public Transport) offered this definition: “Light rail is an electric rail-borne form of transport railwayage.com

William C. Vantuono

opened in 2000, the base fare is higher than on NJT’s other LRT and bus lines, and parts of the system run on separate lanes in the streets of Jersey City or on historic right-of-way of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. The River LINE runs with diesel multiple-unit (DMU) equipment, mostly on the historic Camden & Amboy, which first ran in the 1830s, was later part of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and is now a portion of Conrail Shared Assets. The River LINE has a unique extended temporal separation arrangement with Conrail that benefits LRT and freight operations.

It’s described in detail in former General Manager Alfred E. Fazio’s book, Elements of Planning, Engineering & Operating Light Rail, With Applications in New Jersey, published by Simmons-Boardman Books.

PASSENGER FOCUS: LIGHT RAIL

Adam F. Moreira/Wikimedia Commons

that can be developed in stages, from a tramway to a rapid transit system operated partially on its own right-of-way.” The next paragraph considered LRT as lying “between a conventional bus service running on a highway at one extreme and an urban heavy rail or metropolitan railway at the other.”

That definition is not as broad as APTA’s, and it also excludes traditional streetcars and diesel LRT. None of the web-based commentaries included any reason for the term “light rail,” and I conjecture that it was used to encompass extended streetcars or modern interurban lines, where the rails did not need to be heavy enough to support locomotive-hauled trains. Otherwise, perhaps the nebulous character of the term may be perceived as necessary to support its inclusiveness, but can the riders relate to it?

We know that riders like urban rail transit, and that it has been successful in revitalizing cities and heralding economic development where it runs. But can the average rider keep from wondering why the “rail” is “light,” like “light beer”? Could the mode get a boost with a more rider-friendly name like “urban rail” to distinguish it from “metropolitan rail” (terms attributed to Yonah Freemark), which is now called “heavy rail” (like the New York subways or MBTA’s Blue, Red and Orange lines)? MBTA still calls its regional trains “commuter rail” without running a significant commuter-peak operation. Could “urban rail,” along with “metropolitan rail” and “regional rail,” become the typology of

the future? With “streetcars” in places like Toronto becoming essentially as long as many LRVs, it makes sense to stop relying on a technical definition and start using a term that riders will associate with a positive transit experience.

BEWARE OF THE BUSWAY Now that many LRT lines extend beyond the urban core of their principal cities, this might be the time to restore the term “interurban” to regular use. At this writing, the future of LRT is not advancing nearly as well as it did in the 1980s and ’90s. There are a few projects under construction, but not many: the OC Streetcar in Orange County, Calif.; the Silver Line in Dallas (on former Cotton Belt right-of-way); and the long-troubled Purple Line in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. There might even be a line running in Honolulu someday, but the pace of LRT expansion has definitely slowed.

Since I held the distinction of having ridden all rail transit in the U.S. for 77 days in 2019, there have only been six new rail transit service extensions, and two more will open soon. There were two more lines opened in Canada, both in Ontario (Kitchener-Waterloo LRT and a TTC Line 1 subway expansion). In the U.S. in recent years, though, the number of applications for busway projects has exceeded that for new rail starts or extensions.

Perhaps the biggest reason for this is the FTA’s current practice of adding busways to the list of project types eligible for new-starts

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MBTA Green Line B train of CAF Type 9 LRVs bound for Boston College, stopped at a red light in the median of Commonwealth Avenue at Carlton Street, between the BU Central and BU West stops. railwayage.com

November 2022 // Railway Age 39

PASSENGER FOCUS: LIGHT RAIL grants under the federal transportation statute, 49 U.S.C. §5309(a)(3) and (4), which define “‘corridor-based’ and ‘fixed-guideway’ bus rapid transit projects” as separate from rail projects. The former includes the words “as demonstrated by features that emulate the services provided by rail-fixed guideway public transportation systems,” and the latter includes similar words and describes those features in subsection (4)(C).

It seems reasonable to assume that some transit managers and elected officials are enamored with the busway concept because of that specific statutory encouragement, and because they are more familiar with roads than with rail; that the initial capital cost is perceived as being lower (although operating costs of running buses is often higher); and that they believe buses to be “good enough” for the non-motorists who depend on transit.

Those of us who are familiar with rail transit know that riders like it, and that motorists are more likely to join transitdependent riders on a rail line than on a bus,

although buses make good feeders for riders traversing the first and last miles of their linked trips. A rail line represents commitment to a neighborhood. It is easy to convert a busway into a conventional road for motorists, but it is much more difficult to rip up a rail line these days. That was a common practice under the direction of Alfred P. Sloan, but the rise of LRT at the end of the previous century and the rebirth of the downtown cores of cities like Los Angeles and Detroit provide strong evidence that the Sloan Era is over. Strong-minded, rider-oriented transit managers and elected officials can make sure it won’t return.

MAKING THE CASE FOR RAIL Revitalized urban rail, along with metropolitan rail and regional trains where applicable, can revive even a city that had appeared dead for decades. There is probably a no-morepowerful tool in the urban planning toolbox to help accomplish that objective. APTA once had a slogan: “Transit Means Business,” and it was strong rail transit that

demonstrated that slogan’s validity. In my capacity as a commentator about transit, I say that making the business case is essential when dealing with the politicians who make decisions about planning in their cities and towns, including mobility. I understand and fully support the environmental and social equity and justice arguments for better rail transit. Still, not all politicians do, and those arguments won’t win the day with every elected official. The business case will, though. It is difficult to fathom that any officeholder, whether a Democrat or a Republican, would refuse to invest in the sort of mobility that can attract businesses, make it easier for employees to get to those businesses, and revitalize the neighborhoods where those businesses operate and those employees live. It was mostly the streetcars that prompted our cities and major towns to grow and prosper in the past century. Today, it’s their descendants, the various forms of urban rail transit that include LRT, that can again move those localities toward new growth and new vitality.

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TECH FOCUS – M/W: BALLAST INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

Herzog’s ACT was used to assist with reconstruction of tracks impacted by Hurricane Ian in southwest Florida.

DIGITIZING DRAINAGE High-production machines and attachments, as well as computerized inspection vehicles, are built by (and sometimes operated under) multiple suppliers to help dump, spread, tamp, profile and clean ballast, helping to keep track in its place.

A

ny experienced railroad civil engineer will tell you that track is only as good as the ballast holding it in place. Ballast serves many purposes, the most important of which is drainage. High-production, computer-driven track machines and inspection vehicles perform one of the most critical of maintenance-of-way (m/w) functions: keeping ballast in a state-of-good-repair (SOGR) to provide a smooth-running surface with excellent drainage.

Railway Age contacted the following suppliers to find out about their latest technologies and what their customers are looking for, as well as the state of the market: Brandt Road Rail, BTE (Ballast Tools Equipment), DymaxRail, HRSI (Herzog Railroad Services), 42 Railway Age // November 2022

Knox Kershaw, Loram, Miner Enterprises, Plasser American, RCE (Rail Construction Equipment Co.), Ontario Trap Rock and Mitchell Railgear. Following is a roundup of offerings from suppliers who responded to our inquiries.

BTE BTE of Festus, Mo., recently introduced its next generation of ballast maintenance equipment. Starting with the BTE-325 Hi-Rail Next Gen Excavator, BTE says it has introduced new innovations to the platform to increase productivity, safety and reliability. Now, the BTE-326 Hi-Rail Excavator has made its way out to the field with even more safety and reliability features.

“Our customers are looking for increased efficiency to tackle maintenance challenges

through mechanics and technology,” said BTE Marketing Media Producer Ray Warren.

“This includes reducing time to fix spot maintenance issues while increasing track safety,” said Warren, who adds that BTE is “busier than ever” as its customers are experiencing “unprecedented” maintenance challenges that the company doesn’t see slowing down in the next two years. “We are bringing cutting edge technology not only to operating the platforms we offer, but also to the actual mechanics of the machines,” said Warren.

“Working directly with CAT, our engineers have developed root level software and incorporated it into the system, allowing the platform to better manage flow pressures and increase power to attachments while the machine is in motion,” said BTE Sales Engineer Matt Weyand. “Our exclusive railwayage.com

Herzog

BY CAROLINA WORRELL, SENIOR EDITOR

TECH FOCUS – M/W: BALLAST INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

partnership with CAT allowed us to bring to the platform the most asked for features our customers wanted. Adding to our attachment recognition system, the new machine firmware creates a seamless interface for the operator. Our engineers really took this project to the next level, to create cutting edge technology that has proven to increase productivity in maintenance situations.”

In addition to developing next generation software with CAT, BTE has upgraded the Hi-Rail systems of these next-generation machines. “Our BTE exclusive heavy duty Hi-Rail system allows for long tramming of the machine without the heating issues inherent in some systems,” said Weyand. “This capability, coupled with our heavy-duty motor and exclusive braking system, brings a new level of productivity and safety to the platform.”

When asked about the overall ballast market this past year, Weyand replied, “Here at BTE, our customers have created demand for our next-generation machines. The need is there, the challenges never stop, and we are proud to be able to bring new technology and better reliability to our customers to meet their ever-changing needs. Moving forward, we are bringing new attachments online this year to help our customers to be more efficient than ever before. This market faces constant challenges with regards to spot repairs, disaster recovery and general maintenance issues. BTE will continue to introduce new ideas and technologies to face those challenges, now and in 44 Railway Age // November 2022

the future.”

BTE says it is also developing a “revolutionary” warning system to not only warn operators of fouled track but also to warn individuals of approaching machines.

RCE “The current business market remains strong for us,” RCE tells Railway Age. “There is a lot of demand from our rail and contractor customers, but our biggest challenge still remains supply chain management.”

In August 2022, RCE released several product announcements. These include: New Series 5 P Swing Loaders: The new Series utilize a John Deere 544 P model machine with enhanced performance, efficiency and comfort “so customers can hit the heavy jobs harder,” RCE says. The new P model wheel loaders provide spacious operator stations, including customizable ergonomic electrohydraulic (EH) controls, and streamlined electrical and hydraulic routing, making these versatile and productive mid-size models “the perfect match to take rail maintenance operation to the next level.” The standard loader boom and housing has been replaced with a 200-degree turntable that allows the operator to accomplish swing crane functions.

The main boom assembly retains its structural integrity allowing the Series 5 to accomplish wheel loader functions with 14,500 pounds of lift capacity. Equipped with the high traction axles, the Series 5 Swing Loader has enough

drawbar pull to handle the positioning of continuous rail. Whether working on or off rail, the Series 5 Swing Loader “provides a powerful, safe machine that offers the reliability of John Deere wheel loaders and the ultimate in swing crane technology,” RCE says.

New Series Railavators–John Deere Models 210G, 245G and 250G Hi-Rail Excavators: The Railavator hi-rail excavator is RCE’s most popular machine because of its quality and versatility, RCE says. With its patented hydraulically powered retractable hi-rail, customers can take it anywhere they need, on and off track. The New Series 210G, 245G and 250G Railavators boast RCE’s new Ultra Life Axles.

These final drives are made of high strength alloy steel with double the structural strength of existing cast iron final drives. Many rail maintenance operations require severe duty applications with high point loading. The Ultra Life Axles have overall increased axle bearing capacity, are rebuildable/repairable and have a three-year/unlimited hours warranty.

The New Series Railavators have many design enhancements, including a new hydraulic system. There are more components in the common manifold, which means fewer hoses, separate components and joints to potentially leak. The F-N-R valves are now pilot-operated without electrical coils, which makes for a more reliable design, RCE says.

RCE also updated the Railavator structure, including the hi-rail linkages and supports, extending support gussets and adding weight railwayage.com

BTE

Working directly with CAT, BTE is develolping next generation software for its Hi-Rail systems, including the BTE-325 Hi-Rail Next Gen Excavator.

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Clockwise from top right– Structural inspection with Ground Penetrating Radar, HP Shoulder Ballast Cleaner, and Badger Ditcher

Ditching and drainage by Loram.

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Inspection with Loram’s Ground Penetrating Radar and LiDAR technologies ensure targeted ditch and drainage maintenance that will maintain the stability of your ballast and subgrade. Ditch and shoulder ballast cleaning deliver the benefits of increased cycle time between surfacing and lining programs, while preventing premature tie deterioration and loss of stability in track infrastructure.

From inspection and geotechnical services that precisely identify drainage and ballast conditions, to our industry-leading array of maintenance equipment and remediation solutions, Loram is equipped to maximize and protect your infrastructure investment. Learn more at Loram.com

Rail Grinding | Ballast Maintenance | Friction Management | Material Handling | Track Inspection Services ©2021 Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

TECH FOCUS – M/W: BALLAST INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

HERZOG In the days following Hurricane Ian, which ravaged southwest Florida and left railroads scrambling to restore tracks where washouts from high winds and rain occurred, CSX deployed Herzog’s Automated Conveyor Train (ACT) to assist with the reconstruction 46 Railway Age // November 2022

of impacted tracks near Ona, Fla., Herzog tells Railway Age. Designed to deliver high volumes of ballast quickly, the ACT conveyor arm reaches areas 50 feet from track center and can stockpile material or distribute ballast in precise areas along the right-of-way. For this automated solution, only a single operator is needed, which means “increased safety and operational efficiency on the line,” Herzog says.

“The ACT has proven to be a key resource for emergency response and will help the CSX restore critical rail access for these communities affected by this devastating hurricane,” said Herzog Vice President of Ballast Operations and Railcar Leasing Ryan Crawford.

“Because CSX utilizes its ACT year-round for routine maintenance, when disaster strikes, they can deploy it at a moment’s notice to help accelerate rebuilding efforts.”

When stockpiling, according to Herzog, the ACT can unload an entire 30-car consist in under two hours, even in curves and S-curves.

Its automated plow can strike off any ballast unloaded in the center of the track directly in front of the discharge car.

KNOX KERSHAW Advancements in automation and systems monitoring are making Knox Kershaw machines easier and safer than ever to operate, the company says. Knox Kershaw’s KBR 925 Ballast Regulator, designed for ballast work on all types of track, now includes the Plus+1® System Option allowing the machine to automate key functions to make operation smoother, as well as a touch screen to monitor system functions.

The new control system by Danfoss controls machine functions and displays machine

diagnostics, including engine parameters (RPM, temperature, pressure, level, DEF, voltage, engine hours and faults), hydraulic and air pressures, turntable position, travel/ work speed, fuel level, hydraulic temperature and level, transmission temperature, filter conditions, active transmission gear, travel direction, control joysticks and switches, valve bank coils and broom hours, to help operators optimize productivity.

The Plus+1® system is also an option on the company’s KSF 940 machine and comes standard on the KKA 1050, KTC 1250 and KPB 200.

Visibility in every direction, especially the wing areas, makes the KBR 925 “the ideal machine for final profiling,” Knox Kershaw says. The specially designed plow used in conjunction with the wing makes transferring from shoulder to shoulder a one-pass operation; the reversible wings allow work in either direction, so no movement is lost; the insulated broom box gives excellent service life; and the standard reversing valve allows ballast to be swept away from switches and road crossings.

Additional upgrades to the KBR 925 include: • Hydraulic tank relocated to front of machine for improved weight distribution.

• Increased hydraulic tank capacity of 130 gallons.

• Dual fuel tanks increase capacity from 110 to 220 gallons and fill from either side.

• Hydraulic and fuel tanks fabricated from Core 10 steel for improved life.

• Sloped fuel tanks with integral steps improve cab entry and exit.

Knox Kershaw

to the links and frames. These modifications reduce frame flexing and potential cracking.

The main drive frame is aligned in all axes for drive components. The drive axle mounting has been changed for more strength and durability, as well as the axle mount and front/ rear bumpers and tow points. The improved rotary manifold has a higher-pressure rating and longer life. And the push button monitor– which, according to RCE, is “raved about by its customers for its intuitiveness and ease of use”–controls the hi-rail and all available attachments from inside the cab.

Adjustable Lower Track Frames: The 50G, 85G and 135G Railavators feature an adjustable lower track frame. When retracted, the machine is under the legal size for transit without a required permit. In work mode, the hydraulically operated frame expands to straddle the track. “Maintenance crews will appreciate this ease of transport,” RCE says.

All Makes Rail Gear: RCE provides all makes high rail gear for Komatsu, Caterpillar and John Deere 20-metric-ton excavators.

The high rail gear is RCE’s patented hydraulic high rail system. The 20-metric class Railavator, RCE says, is ideal for rail maintenance applications, such as rail laying, tie handling, scrap pick-up, ballast, and site preparation and undercutting. The rail gear package can be fitted with features and designed to simplify service and minimize downtime and expense.

Attachments: Railavators are “the Swiss army knife of m/w equipment,” RCE says, and can be equipped with more than 20 attachments.

Recent industry trends include more compact product options and data connectivity. “Our 50G, 80G and 135G Railavators are gaining traction with rail and contractors looking to work in more compact environments, as well as ease of transport,” notes RCE. “We are also looking for ways to better support our customers remotely. Our equipment is equipped with JDLink telematics and remote support options, which provide us new ways to support and train our customers that don’t require a trip into the field.”

Knox Kershaw’s KBR 925 Ballast Regulator now includes the Plus+1® System Option. railwayage.com

TECH FOCUS – M/W: BALLAST INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE • Angled access steps for ease of entrance.

• Ballast wing utilizes the same grader blade throughout.

• Distributive wiring in mainframe for troubleshooting ease.

• Moved A/C to the front of the cab for added visibility and operator comfort.

• Improved cab pressurization.

• Service brake handle located on seat.

• Improved brake arm adjustment.

• All LED lighting.

• Upgraded step material to grating for better drainage and grip.

time. Analysis was also presented showing the lower total cost of ownership when utilizing a scheduled shoulder ballast cleaning program.

Loram says its customers, both domestically and internationally, are turning to data gathering and analysis to make informed decisions about where to spend their ballast maintenance budgets. “In the current era,

where there is an increased FRA scrutiny of mud spots and limited maintenance windows, a premium is being placed on ensuring that the right work is being done at the locations that need it most,” the company says. “Customers are moving beyond the adage of, ‘I know where my mud is’ and looking for technology partners that can give them the depth of

RCE

LORAM The most recent research presented at the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) 2022 Annual Conference & Expo, which took place this past August, highlighted the importance of ballast maintenance, Loram tells Railway Age. Papers presented demonstrated the effectiveness of shoulder ballast cleaning by quantifying the improvement in drainage realized, as well as the improvement in center fouling over

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TECH FOCUS – M/W: BALLAST INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE Loram’s GPR Inspection System

and ranging), linescan, x-ray tie inspection and video to assess the entire track structure. When this data is aligned with railroad supplied geometry history (to provide overall trending), a complete analysis of the track can be completed and used to inform planning.

Loram says it can partner with the railroad to “develop multi-year maintenance plans to fit with a customer’s budget and remediate/

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Loram

understanding necessary to ensure that their maintenance dollars will be spent to solve root causes of issues, not just symptoms.”

Good planning is the key to effective ballast maintenance, and understanding the current state of the track is the first step, Loram tells Railway Age, adding that the company’s inspection equipment can utilize GPR (ground penetrating radar), LiDAR (light detection

maintain as much track as possible in the most cost-effective manner.”

GPR, LiDAR, and geometry data are often used together to target where different types of ballast maintenance should be executed, Loram says. Areas with high shoulder fouling and moderate crib fouling are candidates for shoulder ballast cleaning alone, while high center fouling paired with persistent geometry issues may be a target for subgrade stabilization before undercutting. High fouling and moisture retention around bridge abutments, road crossings or switches can be targeted for vacuum excavation.

For example, Loram says GPR data can be used to identify areas that require undercutting or shoulder ballast cleaning. The total fouling data can then be paired with LiDAR data to plan the ballast cleaning task by identifying the current ballast volume and calculating how much the volume will be reduced by removing the fouling material. This data, Loram concludes, can be used to determine how much ballast will need to be delivered to restore the track to the target ballast profile.

NEXT-GEN TRAIN CONTROL CONFERENCE

SEPTA Chief Operating Officer Scott Sauer delivered the keynote address at NGTC 2022.

TECH CONVERGENCE

Transit or freight? As technology progresses, differences will go away.

William C. Vantuono

O

BY RON LINDSEY, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

n Oct. 20-21, I attended the 2022 edition of the annual Railway Age/ Parsons-Next Gen Train Control Conference, which was well attended by approximately 165 individuals. From its beginning in 1995, the conference’s primary focus has been that of Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC), which is the optimal moving-block train control system for transits across the globe. However, for freight railroads with thousands of track-miles, CBTC’s capital investment and ongoing maintenance requirements are too extensive. Additionally, moving-block is not a necessary traffic control for most freight trackage.

Perhaps that’s why those in the transit space outnumber freight railroading railwayage.com

personnel at this conference. But that may change somewhat in the not-so-near future.

I should note that since the U.S. federal mandate of Positive Train Control (PTC) in 2008, this topic has been covered (including my own presentations), keeping in mind that PTC is a non-vital system, and not used in conjunction with CBTC. After so many preceding conferences, there is no longer the need to explain the technical or functional aspects of CBTC. It is a wellestablished and proven train control system.

What is of interest now are the ongoing implementation challenges by various authorities.

For example, there was discussion on work trains in CBTC territory as well as the issue of interoperability for CBTC. To be clear, the latter is not the same as PTC interoperability, which addresses providing PTC functionality

on locomotives on home and foreign railroads. Rather, the issue of interoperability for CBTC appeared to me to be that of “equipment exchangeability” to support competition between suppliers.

Below I discuss what I believe where the highlights of the conference, and there were several most interesting ones not involving CBTC directly. Following that discussion, I will address what I see to be Advanced Train Control+ for North American freight railroads, a subject of particular interest.

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS What is unique about this conference, and most interesting in my humble opinion, is the introduction of topics that are not directly about CBTC. I am referring to three specific presentations made by suppliers on their November 2022 // Railway Age 49

NEXT-GEN TRAIN CONTROL CONFERENCE proven offerings: 4AI Systems, Piper Networks and Frauscher.

4AI Systems, the Australian company, now with a physical presence in the U.S., offers HORUS as an all-seeing artificial intelligence (AI), i.e., machine learning, system designed for real-time detection and classification of hazards and objects on and/or approaching the track. HORUS has been tested and accepted by the New York MTA Transit Tech Lab as a proof of concept. Specifically, this system addresses the “uncontrollable” intrusion of vehicles, individuals and even animals (cattle, kangaroos) that can encroach upon the right-of-way. It does so using cameras and AI to identify such objects with a calculated determination of what those intrusions are.

This is not a vital system nor an enforcement one such as PTC. Rather this is an “awareness” system for the driver beyond his/her recognition as a possible movement integrity issue.

Piper Networks provided information on three different systems: 1) HELIX, as deployed across the Northeast Corridor for Amtrak, is an enforcement system for m/w crews and

equipment. As with PTC, it is not a vital system.

2) Enhanced Transit Location System (ETLS) provides for the tracking of vehicles, trains and people with high accuracy. The brochure for ETLS states that it is vital. However, the term “vital” refers to equipment vitality (SIL4 safety verified). However, ETLS is not functionally vital in that it does not generate authorities.

3) SAFEGUARD is a grade crossing safety solution to make operators aware of potential hazards. Again, it is not a vital system.

Frauscher made a presentation on the use of axle counters, and the possible advantages of their use in the U.S. These hardy devices are used for vital track occupancy across the globe in lieu of track circuits. I should note that a point was made that a very low percentage of broken rail occurrences (perhaps 5%) are discovered via track circuits.

ADVANCED TRAIN CONTROL FOR FREIGHT RAILROADS In the Oct. 9, 2022 edition of The New York Times, there was a guest essay titled “Mismanagement and ‘Monster Trains’ Have Wrecked

American Rail.” The short of it is that Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) has fallen well short of improving railroad operations as promoted. What was introduced to CSX by Hunter Harrison was a methodology that was effective on the relatively straight and simple CN compared to the complexity of CSX’s trackage east of the Mississippi. What has occurred are trains as long as 15,000 feet prohibit meet/ pass opportunities due to limited sidings length. Hence, schedules cannot be adhered to, and the expected efficiencies by reducing major “slack asset resources” cannot be achieved. Therefore, if PSR isn’t working for those railroads that have deployed it, or for connecting railroads that have not, then what advanced train control can be delivered?

In North America, there are two primary train control methods: 1) Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) signaled territory, which relies on track circuits for occupancy, and 2) nonsignaled or “dark” territory. In the U.S., the split between the two is 50/50, with one-third of dark territory incorporating signals (Absolute Block) as a secondary level of vitality. For

WE SIFT THROUGH THE NEWS SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO RAIL GROUP NEWS brings you a daily round-up of news stories from Railway Age, RT&S, and IRJ. This email newsletter offers North American and global news and analysis of the freight and passenger markets. From developments in rail technology, operations, and strategic planning to legislative issues and engineering news, we’ve got you covered.

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1/10/22 12:51 PM railwayage.com

NEXT-GEN TRAIN CONTROL CONFERENCE CTC, the most obvious means to advance it is to replace the physical track circuits and control points with “virtual” positioning. This means that both the front and rear of the train must be known to determine track occupancy.

With this approach, virtual blocks can be dynamically defined to address the inefficiencies of fixed block with signals.

The capability to deploy a virtual CTC (VCTC) exists today. However, it may not be deployed by North American railroads soon for two reasons. First, VCTC (as my colleague Dave Schanoes and I developed for the railroads of Egypt and Kazakhstan) is a low-cost solution for suppliers, who may have to sacrifice substantial revenues generated by railroad capital investment and ongoing maintenance.

So, traditional suppliers will not be eager to deliver it. Second, the nearly total reduction in wayside infrastructure by deploying VCTC eliminates the need for vast numbers of railroad employees. Hence, rail labor will aggressively fight the change. As to deploying VCTC in dark territory, the case is much simpler as to the above two points. But there is the issue of

interoperability with signaled territory if locomotives cannot be dedicated.

Given the disappointing results of PSR and pushback on low-cost technologies like VCTC, I see one other possibility: Proactive Traffic Management (PTM). Simply stated, this is the ability to use real-time positioning and speed data to dynamically manage train movements via mathematical tools. I understand that at least one Class I is doing this.

Going forward with NGTC conferences, I expect there will be more to discuss on CBTC, but primarily for the uninitiated. I do hope there will be more discussions as to related subjects as provided by companies like 4AI Systems, Piper Networks and Frauscher. For example, a sister Frauscher company offers a fiber-optic-based product that replaces track circuits, as being deployed by a major European railroad. Another possibility is the use of the PTC wireless network to support advanced asset management, including PTM, for freight railroads, both individually and with an industry perspective. Unfortunately, that may not happen soon, I suspect.

Ron Lindsey is an independent consultant in the rail and intermodal industries. He began his career with IBM in 1970. He then joined the Trustee Staff of the Penn Central bankruptcy and has spent the past 40-plus years in railroad management and consulting. He was Chief Engineer Communications at Conrail and Director of Advanced Train Control at CSX, where his primary responsibility was to conceive and manage development of an overlay PTC system that is the basis for systems being deployed to meet the federal mandate. Additionally, he conceived and managed the design of an advanced train control/management system, Virtual CTC, for the railroads of Egypt and Kazakhstan. In addition to providing strategic technology planning sessions and market studies, Lindsey offers a suite of courses on conventional and advanced railroad operations based upon advancing technologies that are used by railroads, suppliers, and Professional Engineers to satisfy their ongoing education credits. His website, strategicrailroading.com, has numerous postings on the advancement of railroad operations and safety, including PTM, VCTC and PTC.

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TIMEOUT FOR TECH FIGURE 1. Track of the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Reaching 14,115 feet at the summit of Pikes Peak, it is the highest railway in North America and the highest cog railway in the world. (Courtesy of Gary T. Fry.)

GUIDEWAY, BEARING, AND BEAM

THE ESSENTIAL ROLES OF RAIL

BY GARY T. FRY, PH.D., P.E.

W

elcome to “Timeout for Tech with Gary T. Fry, Ph.D., P.E.” Each month, we examine a technology topic that professionals in the railway industry have asked to learn more about. This month we focus on steel rail.

The mass movement of goods and people 52 Railway Age // November 2022

by rail is the second-most energy efficient mode of transportation—second only to watercraft in navigable waterways. A main contributing factor to the efficiency of rail transportation is the extremely low rolling resistance created by hard steel wheels rolling on hard steel rails. Another factor is the favorable aerodynamic slipstream created by trains at speed.

There are no theoretical limits as to the

maximum weight or maximum length of a train. But there are practical limits that arise from economic, social, political, technological, geographic, geologic, and topographic constraints, all of which must be managed effectively for a railway to be successful. Regardless of these constraints, however, in terms of energy efficiency, rail transportation enjoys substantial and fundamental scientific advantages over railwayage.com

TIMEOUT FOR TECH every other transportation mode in existence, except waterborne transportation.

The trick is to have a railway where you’d like it to be.

Fortunately, railways are economically efficient and competitive to build, and they can be built almost anywhere.

Figure 1 shows an extreme example: the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Originally built more than 130 years ago, this railway climbs 7,800 feet in elevation along nine miles of track to reach the summit of Pikes Peak at 14,115 feet. Let’s take a closer look at the essential feature of this and every railway: the steel rail.

The steel rail of a railway serves the roles of three components at once: guideway, bearing, and beam. We’ll consider each of these in turn. Figure 2 is a closeup view of a rail and wheel in contact. First, the inside edge, or gauge face, of the rail serves as the ultimate, or final, guiding surface that restrains excessive lateral movement of wheel flanges, thereby keeping wheelsets properly on top of the rails. Second, the top surface of the rail is the linear bearing upon which heavily loaded wheels roll. Finally, the rail serves as a beam that distributes the wheel loads onto the crossties so that the weight of moving trains can be supported by the underlying layers of the track foundation.

In its function as a guideway, the rail depends upon strategic geometric conditions that ensure favorable interaction between wheelsets and rails, especially in curves. Notably, the rolling surfaces, or treads, of wheels are not flat edge to edge.

The treads are conical with their radius increasing between the edge of the rim and the face of the flange.

The conicity of their treads gives wheelsets an ability to self-center when rolling along straight (tangent) track and an ability to steer themselves around curves.

Moreover, the shape, or profile, of the railhead is designed to maintain favorable contact conditions with the wheelsets even as the rail deforms laterally under wheelset steering forces.

With exposure to wheel forces, the rail top surface and gauge face (inside edge) will experience wear that changes the railhead profile. Similarly, the treads and flanges of wheelsets experience changes to railwayage.com

FIGURE 2. Closeup view of a rail and wheel in contact. Although formed from a single piece of steel, rail serves three purposes simultaneously: as a guideway, as a bearing, and as a beam. (Courtesy of Gary T. Fry.)

their profiles because of wear. Measurements of railhead profiles and wheel profiles are collected periodically and compared against target profiles. When necessary, rails are ground with abrasive disks and wheels are machined to maintain their profiles for favorable dynamic interaction during train movements.

Next, we consider the rail acting as a bearing. On a heavy axle load railway in North America, the forces on a single freight car wheel can be as high as 36,000 pounds. Where the wheel and rail contact, the steel deforms—in much the same way that your fingertips flatten when you press them together. Because of the deformation in the wheel and rail, the 36,000-pound force is distributed over an area roughly

the size of a dime, or a little smaller. This tiny patch of contact from a large force is one reason that the rolling resistance of trains is so small, which is very desirable.

There is a consequence, however, to having large forces acting over small areas.

Engineers often refer to force distributed over an area using the term stress. Stress is a representation of the intensity of a force as it acts on a material—the larger the stress, the more demand on the material. Large forces on small areas create large stresses and require strong materials. Therefore, steel is used as a material of choice for wheels and rails. Specifically, among other attributes, steel alloys are chosen that are economical to produce in large volumes and that can be processed to be strong, November 2022 // Railway Age 53

TIMEOUT FOR TECH

Stress can be analyzed in a component using several techniques.

FIGURE 3. Fringe plot of stress distributions in a wheel and rail at the edge of a thermite rail weld. (Courtesy of Gary T. Fry and Maryam Tavakoli.)

resistant to forming fatigue defects, and resistant to abrasion and wear.

Stress can be analyzed in a component using a variety of techniques, including computer modeling, and can be visualized using plots of color gradients (fringe plots). For example, Figure 3 is a fringe plot of stress distributions within a wheel and rail at the center of their contact patch. The stresses were calculated using a computer modeling technique called finite element analysis (FEA). In the head of a railroad rail, within the wheel-rail contact patch, contact stresses are maximal and can cause damage, such as wear, to occur on the wheel and rail surfaces. Just below the running surface in the rail, the stress levels are lower but often high enough to cause damage in the form of fatigue defects. Stress analysis is a powerful tool that is used to design not only components but also the materials systems from which components are made.

Finally, we consider rail acting as a beam. The wheel loads are applied to the tops of the rails. The rails are supported at intervals along their length by crossties 54 Railway Age // November 2022

under their bases. The crossties, in turn, are supported by the rocky ballast layer of the trackbed. Because of the spacing between the crossties and the compressibility of the ballast layer, the rail f lexes vertically under the wheelsets as they roll along. Here the geometry of the rail is a main feature to consider, in addition to the strength of the steel alloy used.

Specifically, the area of the railhead, the area of the rail base, and the rail height are optimized. The objective is for the rail to f lex within safe limits and for the wheel loads to be spread among several ties at a time so that the trackbed, and natural soil beneath, can support the weight of passing trains. A larger railhead or rail base or a taller rail would all lead to less f lexural deformation but would also require more steel making the rail more expensive. Hence, the rail shape is optimized to provide acceptably safe and reliable performance at the least cost.

Steel rail is the essential component that establishes railway transportation as uniquely efficient energetically and economically. Railways can be built

almost anywhere to support the operation of trains of great weight, great length, and great speed and they can take us to aweinspiring vistas in nearly every corner of the world. All of this is made possible by the rails acting concurrently as guideways, bearings, and beams.

Dr. Fry is the Vice President of Fry Technical Services, Inc. (https://www.frytechservices.com/). He has 30 years of experience in research and consulting on the fatigue and fracture behavior of structural metals and weldments. His research results have been incorporated into international codes of practice used in the design of structural components and systems, including structural welds, railway and highway bridges, and high-rise commercial buildings in seismic risk zones. He has extensive experience performing in situ testing of railway bridges under live loading of trains, including highspeed passenger trains and heavy-axle-load freight trains. His research, publications, and consulting have advanced the state-of-the-art in structural health monitoring and structural impairment detection.

railwayage.com

MXV RAIL R&D

MxV RAIL R&D

LOOKING AT LOCOMOTIVES WITH LUTIS

By Matthew Witte, Ph.D., Scientist, MxV Rail

FIGURE 1. Example of traction motor components that failed from overheating.

MxV Rail

T

raction Motor (TM) lockup in a locomotive can be disruptive to a railway’s operations. While modern locomotives are equipped with many onboard diagnostic sensors to provide condition feedback, high-load mechanical components such as the gear train often remain unmonitored. A gearbox can overheat and lock up (Figure 1, above; and Figure 2, p. 56) and never be detected by the onboard systems, or by any existing wayside detectors. Therefore, wayside detectors that can monitor and indicate the main driveline components prior to failure are desired.

Under the Association of American Railroads’ Strategic Research Initiatives program, MxV Rail (formerly TTCI) railwayage.com

coordinated a yearlong, in-service assessment of locomotive undercarriage thermal inspection systems (LUTIS), also known as “in-track thermal detectors.” The thermal detectors, from two different vendors, were early test systems produced for this test. The sensors resided between the rails for monitoring traction motor components; each was configured to monitor the traction motors in real time as the trains passed overhead. The in-service testing of these systems started in late June 2020 and continued until the end of July 2021. The test location, a dual-track main line in the southwestern U.S. (Figure 3, p.

56), provided high-traffic volumes and line speeds for evaluating these thermal inspection systems.

As part of the evaluation, MxV Rail installed thermocouples (TC) and data loggers on three locomotives to record the real-time temperatures of select components. Three specific styles of locomotives were instrumented, including AC and DC traction motors from two different locomotive builders. The TC locations on the TMs were selected to be visible to the thermal scanning hardware. There were eight TC locations per TM on all six TMs of each locomotive for a total of 48 channels per locomotive. The TC data continually produced traces of component operating temperatures as the locomotives traversed the network. This continuous data was useful for determining warmup profiles and normal operating range temperatures November 2022 // Railway Age 55

MxV RAIL R&D

FIGURE 2. Another example of traction motor components that failed from overheating.

typical overall differences of approximately two degrees between the two LUTIS units themselves and differences averaged approximately six degrees between the thermocouples and either of the in-track units. Considering inherent differences of each measurement system (thermal scan technology, resolution, precise location of the thermocouples vs. scan position) and

MxV Rail

for the various components. When the locomotives passed the test site, direct point-by-point temperature comparisons could be made between the TC data and the thermal scanner readouts.

The revenue service trials of the in-track LUTIS demonstrated good correlation between the scanned and onboard temperature measurements. MxV Rail found

the range of operating temperatures, these differences are small. When compared to temperatures associated with an impending component failure, the differences appear to be insignificant.

The suppliers have been working on trending and identification algorithms to indicate abnormal temperature readings and trends. Early deployment of more than a dozen units in revenue service has resulted in more than 120 indications in the first year. To date, every alert has revealed a valid cause for attention.

Locomotive undercarriage thermal scanning may eventually make TM lockup an issue of the past. Detailed results of the tests can be found in two Technology Digest publications: • Poudel, A., M. Witte, and E. Satre.

2022. Revenue Service Evaluation of In-Track Locomotive Undercarriage Thermal Inspection Systems (LUTIS).

Technology Digest TD22-008. AAR/ MxV Rail. Pueblo, Colo.

• Poudel, A., R. Alishio, and M. Witte.

2022. On-Board Thermocouple Analysis for Locomotive Traction Motors.

Technology Digest TD22-009. AAR/ MxV Rail. Pueblo, Colo.

FIGURE 3. A locomotive passing over the in-track thermal detector.

56 Railway Age // November 2022

railwayage.com

PEOPLE JOHN NEWMAN

Progress Rail/Caterpillar HIGH PROFILE: Caterpillar Inc. announced last month that Marty Haycraft, Caterpillar Senior Vice President and President and CEO of Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, will retire at the end of 2022 after 32 years of service. He will be succeeded by John Newman.

Haycraft began his career in 1990 at Wheel Corporation of America, where he worked as a production employee and gained experience on freight car wheelset production and freight car wheelset materials. He joined Progress Rail in 1993 when Corbin Railway Services purchased Steel Processing Services, later to become Progress Rail.

Haycraft rose through the company, holding several operations, materials management and sales and marketing management positions, including Vice President of Operations for the company’s wheel and axle shops, parts reclamation, mobile crews and outside yards. He was named Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Caterpillar’s locomotive and railcar services business in March 2002, and in 2009 was promoted to Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of the business. In 2011, Haycraft was promoted to Senior Vice President, and in 2018, with expanded responsibilities internationally, was named Executive Vice President of Rolling Stock. In 2019, he moved into his current role as President and CEO of Progress Rail.

Newman, who will succeed Haycraft, joined Caterpillar in 2011 as an attorney with the Legal Services Division, providing support to Progress Rail. After joining the commercial team in 2012, he served as Regional Director of Sub-Saharan Africa, based in Pretoria, South Africa, and as the company’s Strategic Sales Director. In 2015, Newman was promoted to Senior Vice President of Corporate Services, responsibile for various administrative functions, as well as strategic growth, including mergers and acquisitions. He assumed his most recent role with Progress Rail as Executive Vice President of Infrastructure in January 2018. Prior to joining Caterpillar, Newman gained domestic and international experience working in the pharmaceutical, technology and textile industries before deciding to study law. After law school, he practiced at Burr & Forman LLP, where he focused on business planning, mergers and acquisitions, economic development and antitrust matters.

“With such an accomplished career, Marty has much to be proud of and celebrate,” said Caterpillar Energy & Transportation Group President Joe Creed. “This includes the tremendous strides he and his team have made in support of our locomotive emissions reduction technologies and new offerings to help customers achieve their climaterelated objectives. Marty has led his teams with integrity and heart, and his guidance and friendship will be missed.”

“Rail is a rapidly evolving industry, and John’s experience and expertise will serve him well as he leads the team into the future,” Creed said. “I look forward to working with John and his team as we continue to support our customers.”

M

etropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) last month confirmed Collie Greenwood as General Manager and CEO. Greenwood had served as Interim GM/CEO since January. A former bus operator, Greenwood rose through the ranks for more than 30 years to serve as Chief Service Officer with railwayage.com

the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), the third-largest transit system in North America. Greenwood joined MARTA in July 2019 as Chief of Bus Operations and Urban Planning. In January 2021, he was named Deputy General Manager of Operations where he oversaw all bus and rail operations and helped develop and deliver major

capital projects. “I am honored and humbled by this opportunity,” said Greenwood. “I love transit and have known since my days of driving a bus how vital it is to people and their communities. I am eager to get to work enhancing and expanding service in the metro Atlanta region.”

Cummins Inc. appointed Marvin Boakye Chief Human Resources Officer.

He will lead a global group of HR employees and serve on the Cummins Leadership Team. Boakye brings more than 25 years of varied and global experience to his role, including work in the manufacturing and automotive industries. He was an HR senior leader at Andeavor, a global integrated oil and gas logistics, marketing and refining company; Bell MTS, a Canadian telecommunications company; Goodyear, where he was based in Latin America for several years; PulteGroup, a Fortune 500 homebuilder; Papa John’s International; and The Home Depot.

Jacksonville, Fla.-based Patriot Rail Company LLC, which operates 31 Class II and III railroads in 23 states across the U.S., appointed Jerry Hall Chief Operating Officer. Hall brings more than three decades of rail industry experience to the Patriot team, most recently as Vice President of Transportation at Norfolk Southern (NS).

He served in a variety of operating roles at NS for more than 33 years in addition to his last position as Vice President Transportation, including Vice President Mechanical, Vice President Network and Service Management and Vice President Intermodal Operations. Hall holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Alabama and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Knorr-Bremse, the parent company of New York Air Brake, appointed Marc Llistosella as CEO for a three-year period, effective Jan. 1, 2023. Llistosella is a former CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation, CEO of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles and head of Daimler Trucks Asia. Since 2018, he has been active in investor and start-up founder roles, notably at Vaionic, a company specializing in the development of electric drive systems, and Einride, a Swedish company that develops electric and self-driving commercial vehicles.

November 2022 // Railway Age 57

Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation 1.Publication: Railway Age. 2. Publication Number #0449-130. 3. Filing date: September 30, 2022. 4. Issue frequency: Monthly 5. Number of issues: 12. 6. Annual sub price: $100.00. 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation, 1809 Capital Ave, Omaha NE 68102-4905; Contact Person: JoAnn Binz, Circulation Mgr; Tel: 843-388-3808. 8. Mailing address of company headquarters: Same as above. 9. Full name and complete mailing address of publisher: Jonathan Chalon, Publisher, Railway Age, 1809 Capital Ave, Omaha NE 68102-4905. William C Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief, 1809 Capital Ave, Omaha NE 68102-4905. 10. Owner: Simons-Boardman Publishing Corp, 1809 Capital Ave, Omaha NE 68102-4905; Arthur J McGinnis Jr, Simmons Boardman Corp., 1809 Capital Ave, Omaha NE 68102-4905. 11. None. 12. No change in preceding 12 months. 13.

Publication Title: Railway Age. 14. Issue date for Circulation data below: Avg. Oct 2021–Sept 2022; Actual Sept 2022. 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation. 15a Total Number of Copies: Avg. 17,983; Actual 18,053.

15b.1. Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions: Avg. 13,432; Actual 14,030.

15b.4. Requested Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes: Avg. 1,325; Actual 1,150. 15c.Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: Avg. 14,757; Actual 15,180.15d.1 Non-requested Copies: Avg. 2,961; Actual 2,664. 15d.4. Non-requested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail: Avg. 137; Actual 166. 15e. Total Non-requested Distribution: Avg. 3,098; Actual 2,830. 15f. Total Distribution: Avg. 17,855; Actual 18,010. 15g.

Copies not distributed: Avg. 128; Actual 43. 15h. Total: Avg. 17,983; Actual 18,053. 15i. Percent Paid and/or Requested: Avg. 82.6%; Actual 84.3%. 16a. Paid/Requested Electronic Copies: Avg. 8,483; Actual 8,458.

16b. Total Paid/Requested Print + Req/Paid Electronic Copies: Avg. 23,293; Actual 23,638. 16c. Total Print Distribution + Req/Paid Electronic Copies: 26,337; Actual 26,468. 16d. Percent Paid/Request (Print + Electronic Copies): Avg. 88.2%; Actual 89.3%. 17. Publication will be printed in the November 2022 issue. 18. Signature/Title: Jo Ann Binz, Circulation Mgr., Date 10/01/2022 - PS Form 3526-R.

RECRUITMENT

Edna A Rice Executive Recruiters SPECIALISTS IN RAIL AND TRANSPORTATION RECRUITING SINCE 1988 LEARN MORE

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58 Railway Age // November 2022

railwayage.com

Ad Index COMPANY

PHONE #

URL/EMAIL ADDRESS

PAGE #

AECOM

972-788-1000

BusinessInquiry.Americas@aecom.com

20

ALSTOM

917-972-3490

michelle.stein@alstomgroup.com

10

AMSTED RAIL GROUP

312-922-4516

kskibinski@amstedrail.com

23

800-USA-RAIL

www.amtrak.com

28

BNSF

817-867-6250

media@bnsf.com

17

CANADIAN PACIFIC

415-640-6121

Jeremy_Berry@cpr.ca

19

COMET INDUSTRIES

816-245-9415

tjfrancis@cometind.com

39

CSX CORPORATION

904-359-3200

csx.com

3

AMTRAK

CUMMINS INC

C4

G&W RAILROAD SERVICES INC

203-202-8900

corpcomm@gwrr.com

26

GREENBRIER COMPANIES THE

800-343-7188

gbrx.info@gbrx.com

16

402-346-4300

Natalie.cornell@hatch.com

40

HERZOG

816-901-4038

amcclain@hrsi.com

43

KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN

816-983-1372

dcarlson@kscouthern.com

15

KNOX KERSHAW INC

334-387-5669

knox@knoxhershaw.com

47

LORAM MAINTENANCE OF WAY, INC

763-478-2627

alexis.b.nubbe@loram.com

45

METRA MARKETING

312-322-4078

csantori@metrarr.com

28

MISSISSIPPI EXPORT RAILROAD

228-474-6383

tgilmore@mserr.com

18

NEW YORK AIR BRAKE

315-786-5431

Janice.Pfeil@nyab.com

5

ONTARIO NORTHLAND

800-363-7512

info@ontarionorthland.ca

22

PLASSER AMERICAN CORP

757-543-3526

plasseramerican@plausa.com

7

PORT OF NEW ORLEANS

504-528-3363

renee.aragon@portnola.com

27

PROGRESS RAIL A CATERPILLAR CO

256-505-6402

info@progressrail.com

C2

RAILPROS, INC

682-223-6897

www.railpros.com

25

RAILWAY EDUCATIONAL BUREAU

402-346-4300

bbrundige@sb-reb.com

48,C3

RAILWAY EQUIPMENT CO

763-972-2200

sales@rwy.com

51

RJ CORMAN

800-611-7245

www.rjcorman.com

24

SEPTA

215-580-7800

septa.org

32

SIEMENS MOBILITY

800-SIEMENS

www.USA.siemens.com

37

TRINITY RAIL

800-631-4420

trinityrail.com

13

TTX COMPANY

312-853-3223

ttx.com

21

UNION CAR TANK COMPANY

312-347-5705

nilsson@utlx.com

9

UNION PACIFIC

402-544-3560

cbeyah@up.com

31

WABTEC CORPORATION

412-825-1000

www.WabtecCorp.com

12

ZEPHYR

714-835-6355

Janelle.Patterson@ZUIRAIL.COM

14

HATCH LTK

The Advertisers Index is an editorial feature maintained for the convenience of readers. It is not part of the advertiser contract and Railway Age assumes no responsibility for the correctness.

railwayage.com

November 2022 // Railway Age 59

Financial Edge Clear Supply Chain Pathway? Don’t Hold Your Breath

T

he container ship backlog in Southern California was declared officially “over” by The Wall Street Journal in late October. Its ending was not celebrated as much as its beginnings. In January 2022 when the container ship backlog reached triple digits, COVID fatigue reigned. People were sick of their Pelotons and their families and ready to redirect months of frustration at anything that moved (or in this case didn’t move #rimshot). The end of parking lot Pacific Ocean was like the demise of the local tire fire; it went quietly, having become such a part of culture that people had mostly forgotten about it.

The WSJ identified three factors contributing to the end of backlog: (1) a substantial increase in inventories because of overordering by merchants; (2) a move to bring container ships to East Coast ports to avoid the West Coast congestion and (3) concerns about an impending longshoreman’s strike (resulting in more ships moving to the east).

The ILWU (22,000) members contract expired in July 2022. The last ILWU strike was in 2012. Stop if you’ve heard this before.

But in the now, that is an important but a subordinate issue. More important is the drop off in the number of boxes that are heading into the U.S. from Asia. Volumes in the West Coast ports were down 18% from a year earlier and are at the lowest point since June 2020. Road freight rates have declined 83% from a year ago.

Intermodal loadings year to date are down 5% vs. 2021 which, although higher than 2020, are still below pre-pandemic levels.

While most of the decline occurred in the beginning of the year, recent data suggest an additional pullback from recent parity with 2021. J.B. Hunt reported in its most recent earnings results a weaker than normal peak season. The AAR notes that October, generally, is the highest volume calendar month for intermodal loadings. A two-year decline in loadings at this point in the calendar year does not create optimism. Car orders for intermodal platforms (roughly 4,000 platforms scattered over 2022 and 2023) don’t provide a strong indication of strength or weakness in the market.

60 Railway Age // November 2022

Ron Sucik, President of RSE Consulting (and perennial Rail Equipment Finance (www.railequipmentfinance.com intermodal speaker), is an industry watcher who always has boots on the ground in the intermodal world. Ron gave me the following summary of what has caused the current situation in the market: When much of the import volume that got stuck off the West Coast ports was finally unloaded, it was too late for the retail season for which it was originally ordered.

This now “inventory” product clogged distribution centers and warehouses.

Additional imports coming through the ports struggled to be unloaded and sat in containers or may have been loaded onto chassis and sent to points inland.

There was additional panic buying being driven by two primary factors. One was a concern about more COVID shutdowns in China, so when there was an opportunity to place an order and get that order fulfilled, companies often did so just to make sure that they would have inventory later in the year. On top of that, the unloading cycle at the Port of LA has been more than 2x historical averages. There was a desire to ensure that all this together—COVID, chassis and warehouse availability and the pace of unloading—did not prevent a retailer from having products to sell.

From Ron’s point of view, the pattern of congestion started in the West, then moved swiftly inland. Inland congestion prevented the railroads from maximizing train volumes out of the West Coast and perpetuated further port congestion. That cycle —west to east to west again—prevented congestion at distribution centers and warehouses from resolving. It is the core cause for why railroad velocity and train volumes decreased, and for why so many of the available loads were shifted to trucks and away from rail.

Slow velocity ties up chassis for longer periods of time. This makes all freight more expensive. However, the collateral impact of continued congestion negatively pressures rail’s ability to move that newer freight through the system. Ron feels this congestion will impact intermodal loadings

until distribution centers and warehouses get some freedom to offload the overabundance of consumer goods they are storing right now.

All told, this potentially clear pathway may easily be disrupted by inflation and persistent high fuel prices that could easily cause a significant decline in consumer spending. A recession just might be the fix to allow the system to right itself.

Feel better? Didn’t think so.

Got questions? Set them free at dnahass@ railfin.com.

DAVID NAHASS President Railroad Financial Corp. railwayage.com

We’re current, are you? FRA Regulations Mechanical Department Regulations

Now Include Part 22 s 4

A combined reprint of the Federal Regulations that apply specifically to the Mechanical Department. Spiral bound.

Part Title 210 Railroad Noise Emission Compliance Regulations Updated 4-15-19.

215 Freight Car Safety Standards Updated 3-21-22.

216 Emergency Order Procedures: Railroad Track, Locomotive and Equipment Updated 3-21-22.

217 Railroad Operating Rules Updated 3-21-22.

218 Railroad Operating Practices - Blue Flag Rule Updated 3-21-22.

221 Rear End Marking Device-passenger, commuter/freight trains Updated 3-21-22.

223 Safety Glazing Standards Updated 3-21-22.

224 Reflectorization of Rail Freight Rolling Stock Updated 3-21-22.

225 Railroad Accidents/Incidents Updated 3-21-22.

229 Locomotive Safety Standards Updated 3-21-22.

231 Safety Appliance Standards Updated 3-21-22.

232 Brake System Safety Standards Updated 12-11-20.

$34.50

Mech. Dept. Regs.

BKMFR

FRA News: 49 CFR Part 218. Proposed rule: On July 28, 2022, FRA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would require establishing safe minimum requirements for the size of train crews, depending on the type of operation. FRA is announcing a 67-day extension to the original comment period, which ends on September 26, 2022, and announcing that it will schedule a public hearing (within the extended comment period) in a forthcoming notification to provide interested persons an opportunity to comment on the proposal and to discuss further development of the regulation.

DATES: Written Comments: The comment period for the proposed rule published at 87 FR 45564 on July 28, 2022, is extended. FRA must receive written comments on the proposed rule by December 2, 2022. FRA will consider comments received after that date to the extent practicable..

Part 213: Track Safety Standards

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49 Part 213, Subparts A-F. Classes of Track 1 through 5: Applies to track required to support passenger and freight equipment at lower speed ranges. Includes Defect Codes and Appendices A, B, and C to Part 213.

Softcover. Spiral bound. Updated 3-21-22.

Current FRA Regulations Item Code

FRA Part #

209 211 BKTSSAF 213 BKTSSG 213 BKWRK 214 BKFSS 215 BKROR 217 218 BKRRC 220 BKHORN 222 BKHS 228 BKLSS 229 BKSLI 230 BKSAS 231 BKSBSS 232 BKBRIDGE 237 BKLER 240 BKSEP

Update effective

3-21-22 3-1-21 3-21-22 3-21-22 3-21-22 3-21-22 3-21-22 3-21-22 3-21-22 3-21-22 3-21-22 3-21-22 3-21-22 3-21-22 12-11-20 3-21-22 3-21-22

Each

RR Safety Enforcement Procedures & Rules of Practice Track Safety Standards (Subpart A-F) Track Safety Standards (Subpart G) RR Workplace Safety RR Freight Car Safety Standards RR Operating Rules and Practices

RR Communications Use of Locomotive Horns Hours of Service Locomotive Safety Standards Steam Locomotive Inspection RR Safety Appliance Standards Brake System Safety Standards Bridge Safety Standards Qualification and Certification of Locomotive Engineers BKCONDC 242 3-21-22 Conductor Certification

32.00

50 or more

28.80

11.95 12.50 11.50 9.50 11.50

10.75 11.25 10.35 8.50 10.35

7.75 15.75 13.50 13.50 27.95 11.50 17.50 8.95 14.95

6.95 14.15 12.15 12.15 25.15 10.35 15.75 8.00 13.45

13.50

12.15

Combined FRA Regulations FRA Part #

Update effective

Each

25 or more

BKCAD

40 219

4-23-19 Drug and Alcohol Regulations in 3-21-22 the Workplace

39.95

35.95

BKSTC

233 234 235 236 238 239

3-21-22 Signal and Train Control Systems 3-21-22 3-21-22 3-21-22 3-21-22 Passenger Safety Standards 3-21-22

22.95

20.65

26.95

24.25

BKPSS

Compliance Manuals BKINFRA18 BKTM

Track and Rail and Infrastructure Integrity Compliance Manual - Volume II, Track Safety Standards - Part 213 Technical Manual for Signal and Train Control Rules. - Includes Part 233, 234, 235, 236

39.95 51.95

35.95 46.76

Updates from the Federal Register may be supplied in supplement form.

BKTSSAF

Track Safety Standards

$11.95

Order 50 or more and pay only $10.75 each

Part 214: Railroad Workplace Safety The FRA’s Railroad Workplace Safety standards address roadway workers and their work environments. Subparts A-General, B-Bridge Worker Safety Standards, C-Roadway Worker Protection, D-On-Track Roadway Maintenance, and Defect Codes for Part 214. Spiral bound. Updated 3-21-22

BKWRK

$11.50

Railroad Workplace Safety Order 50 or more and pay only $10.35 each

Bridge Safety Standards FRA Part 237 establishes Federal safety requirements for railroad bridges. This rule requires track owners to implement bridge management programs, which include annual inspections of railroad bridges, and to audit the programs. Bridge Safety Standards Part 237 also requires track owners to know the safe load capacity of bridges and to conduct special inspections if the weather or other conditions warrant such inspections. Spiral bound. Updated 3-21-22

BKBRIDGE

Bridge Safety Standards

$8.95

Order 50 or more and pay only $8.00 each

800-228-9670 www.transalert.com

The Railway Educational Bureau 1809 Capitol Ave., Omaha NE, 68102 I (800) 228-9670 I (402) 346-4300 www.RailwayEducationalBureau.com Add Shipping & Handling if your merchandise subtotal is: U.S.A. CAN U.S.A. CAN Orders over UP TO $10.00 $5.25 $10.15 25.01 - 50.00 13.20 22.06 $75, call for shipping 10.01 - 25.00 9.70 16.90 50.01 - 75.00 14.85 27.55 *Prices subject to change. Revision dates subject to change in accordance with laws published by the FRA. 11/22

AHEAD OF THE CURVE IN A DIGITAL AND DECARBONIZING WORLD Regina Barringer General Manager for Global Rail and Defense in Cummins’ Power Systems business.

The rail industry is on a challenging journey towards a decarbonized future, driven by meaningful carbon commitments and the hard targets of 2030 and 2050 goals.

Rail is likely to be powered by a more diverse set of technologies than ever before. Operators will pick and choose the right power system technology based on infrastructure availability, local regulations, economic feasibility, and the preferences of their customers.

Here at Cummins, we know that each of our customers is at a different place on their journey. However much progress they have made and whatever their timescales for change, we are committed to supporting them all the way and making sure we meet their individual needs with the right solutions delivered at the right time.

Learn more at cummins.com/rail or scan the QR code below.

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