RT&S November 2016

November 2016 | www.rtands.com

RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

TRRA Bridge Maintenance:

planning for the next 100 years PLUS Switch stands, switch machines Rail Engineering Education and also

AREMA News p.30

Contents

RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

November 2016

News

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Features

18

Industry Today 5 Supplier News 8 People

Maintaining TRRA bridges Maintenance is key when it comes to keeping a pair of bridges that have seen over a century of use in service.

Columns

Switch stands, switch machines More sophisticated software coupled with better designed hardware allow suppliers to keep trains on the right track.

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26 Departments

voestalpine nortrak

Railway engineering education For the industry to continue to thrive, it is essential to develop programs rich in classroom time and research opportunities for tomorrow’s engineers.

The west approach of TRRA’s Merchants Bridge. Photo by Jared Wigger.

Story on page 18

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On Track Flexibility within an old industry

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arema

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14 TTCI R&D 30 Arema News 35 Products 36 Calendar 37 Advertisers Index 37 Sales Representatives 38 Classified Advertising 39 Professional Directory

NRC Chairman’s Column Start off 2017 at the NRC Conference

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Railway Track & Structures

November 2016 1

On Track Vol. 112, No. 11 Print ISSN # 0033-9016, Digital ISSN # 2160-2514 EDITORIAL OFFICES 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910 Chicago, Ill. 60603 Telephone (312) 683-0130 Fax (312) 683-0131 Website www.rtands.com Mischa Wanek-Libman/Editor, mischa@sbpub.com Kyra Senese/Assistant Editor, ksenese@sbpub.com CORPORATE OFFICES 55 Broad St 26th Fl. New York, N.Y. 10004 Telephone (212) 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr./ President and Chairman Jonathan Chalon/Publisher Mary Conyers/Production Director Wendy Williams/Creative Director Maureen Cooney/Circulation Director Michelle Zolkos/Conference Director

RT&S Railway Track & Structures (Print ISSN 00339016, Digital ISSN 2160-2514), (USPS 860-560), (Canada Post Cust. #7204654), (Bluechip Int’l, Po Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Agreement # 41094515) is published monthly by SimmonsBoardman Publ. Corp, 55 Broad St 26th Fl., New York, N.Y. 10004. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices. Pricing, Qualified indi vidual in the railroad employees may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions printed and/or digital version: 1 year Railroad Employees (US/Canada/Mexico) $16.0 0; all others $46.0 0; foreign $80.00; foreign, air mail $180.00. 2 years Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $30.00; all others $85.00; foreign $140.00. Single copies are $10.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2016. All rights reserved.

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Flexibility within an old industry

T

he month of November is usually a good time to take stock and say a word or two of thanks, but that vein of gratitude is hard to tap when you feel like you’ve been working three times as hard for half as much as you did the previous year.

The rail industry in general is going through a rough patch, experiencing a dip, encountering headwinds and a million other descriptors for less than ideal business conditions. Generally, economists are not seeing markers that would indicate an impending recession and the U.S. economy, while sluggish, is still growing. All this causes many in the industry to shrug their shoulders and ask, “What gives?”

We recently wrapped third quarter 2016 earnings season and the top brass at Class 1s described floods that raised operating costs, a delayed grain harvest and shifting and reduced traffic demands as contributing factors to mixed results. CSX, Canadian National and Norfolk Southern had an easier go of Q3 than Canadian Pacific, Kansas City Southern and Union Pacific, but all are hopeful for what the end of 2017, a full year ahead, could bring.

This begs the question: Do they really believe there could be relief toward the end of 2017 or are they being hopeful in a “fingers crossed” kind of way?

The answer is that it doesn’t matter, because the Class 1s are looking for ways to be masters of their own destinies.

While earnings reports for the third quarter were nothing to jump up and down about, it became clear that the Class 1s are truly devoted to finding new efficiencies, cutting costs and providing dependable service that will help soften any economic punches that may continue to come.

CSX cited strong cost performance and efficiency for helping to position itself to leverage network improvements, technology enhancements and service to capture growth opportunities.

Norfolk Southern saw its Q3 operating expenses decline 10 percent due

to factors such as targeted expense reduction initiatives and reduced fuel expenses. The railroad said it was “well on the way to achieving productivity savings of about $250 million” that would help position it for longer-term growth opportunities.

Canadian National said it has been resilient, as it has remained flexible and service-focused.

CN’s President and CEO Luc Jobin also noted the railroad’s continued reinvestment in the business and infrastructure that drives ongoing safety, service and productivity improvements. CN’s capital program for 2016 has been revised to US$2.05 billion, down ever so slightly from the US$2.1 billion the railroad estimated it would spend this year back in January.

Union Pacific also revised its targeted capital spending through the end of the year to just under $3.6 billion, a drop from the $3.75 it estimated to spend in January. Even with revenues down, UP said it was committed to spending 15 percent of its revenues on its 2017 capital program.

As I am writing this, we are still days away from electing a new leader of the United States, and effectively, the entire free world. By the time you read this, you will know what those results are, but not the full effect of what a new leader may have on economic, energy and surface transportation policy or the economy. Unknowns and headwinds are aplenty; there is cautious hope for a better 2017, and invoking the words of CN’s Luc Jobin, the best thing the industry can do until there is solid evidence of smoother economic times is to remain flexible.

Our ability to bend rather than break is reason enough to be thankful.

Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor

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November 2016 3

INDUSTRY TODAY BNSF names BJRY “Shortline of the Year” BNSF named the Burlington Junction Railway (BJRY) its 2016 “Shortline of the Year” at the company’s annual Shortline Conference on Oct. 20.

BNSF noted BJRY’s commitment to encouraging safety efforts and building customer relations and growth opportunities as reasons for the honor.

BJRY’s notable achievements in 2015 included moving 100 frac sand unit trains and constructing a 2,000-foot stretch of interchange track in Quincy, Ill. Representatives say the shortline’s volumes grew 8 percent in 2015 by collaborating with BNSF, despite the strains affecting the freight market.

“Our success is due to us having the best employees of any operation. Customers constantly report that our employees genuinely care about their problems and concerns. This award is a credit to them and their dedication to our railroad,” said Bob Wingate, general manager, BJRY.

Track Construction Machine helping double track NHHS rail line Double track construction is getting a boost on portions of the New Haven-HartfordSpringfield (NHHS) passenger line thanks to a new Track Construction Machine (TCM).

Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Commissioner James P. Redeker unveiled the mammoth TCM made by Harsco Rail that is being used to double-track portions of the NHHS Line, which is being branded as the CTrail Hartford Line.

The CTrail Hartford Line is scheduled to begin operations in January 2018 and building a second track parallel to the existing single track, which is currently used by Amtrak trains, will allow more frequent train service and more efficient train movements.

The 250-ton TCM will lay nearly nine miles of track between North Haven and Meriden during the next three weeks. This marks the first time a TCM will be used to lay this significant length of track in Connecticut. Officials say the TCM has increased production capabilities over other methods of track construction and note the machine’s ability to construct without interfering with the operation of train traffic on the adjacent existing mainline track.

The TCM is the main component of a moving assembly line designed to install rails and ties in one efficient operation. Prior to start of the operation, train cars carrying fifty, 1,600-foot long rails were off-loaded and the rail was deposited on either side of the rail bed. Fifteen tie cars, each carrying 176 concrete railroad ties weighing more than 800 pounds each, are towed behind the TCM and feed it with concrete ties via a conveyor system. While pulled along the rail bed by a bulldozer, the TCM uniformly lays the ties onto the ballast at predetermined spacing and simultaneously threads the rails onto the ties. A clipping machine attaches the rail clips to hold the completed track assembly together.

The machine can assemble up to 1,000 feet of track per hour (500 ties) in ideal conditions, at over one mile of track per day. Officials note that prior to the use of the TCM, it would have taken months to complete this work using either track panels, which require offsite assembly and transportation to the site, or manual installation through the use of other, more traditional track construction equipment.

The TCM is expected to return to Connecticut in 2017 to add another ten miles of track between Meriden and Newington. By the time the expanded service begins in 2018, about 32 miles of the 62-mile corridor between New Haven and Springfield will be double-tracked.

“The launch of the Hartford Line will provide an opportunity for Connecticut to join in a regional vision to a make rail a more convenient and faster option for travelers,” Commissioner Redeker stated. “Expanded rail service will strengthen transportation infrastructure in Connecticut and the region.”

Virginia Beach light-rail extension cost estimate: $243 million Extending light-rail to Virginia Beach Town Center from Newtown Road, Va., could total $243.1 million in capital costs, transit officials say.

Virginia-based public transit agency Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), the city of Virginia Beach and the engineering firms working to develop the extension collaborated to estimate the project cost.

Officials say the project intends to bring 3.5 miles of additional track to The Tide, HRT’s 7.4-mile line serving 11 stations. The extension would allow for the addition of three new stations at Constitution Drive, Kellam

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November 2016

Road and Witchduck Road. Project planners say the new track would be elevated from Independence Boulevard east to Market Street before returning to grade and ending the line at Constitution Drive. Bridges are planned above Witchduck Road, Independence Boulevard and Market Street to allow for regular vehicular traffic to travel in the area.

Following the completion of the preliminary engineering phase, HRT will present bridging documents to Virginia Beach to prepare for the extension’s final design and construction phase.

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INDUSTRY TODAY Canada increases investment in rail safety at crossings The government of Canada has committed more than CA$55 million (US$41.5 million) to improve safety through its new Rail Safety Improvement Program.

Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, said the new program increases overall funding, expands the list of eligible recipients and broadens the scope of projects that could be funded to enhance rail safety.

Funding will support safety improvements on rail property, along rail lines and at roadrail grade crossings such as flashing lights, bells and/or gates; the use of innovative technologies; outreach, promotional awareness, educational activities and public service announcements, research and studies; as well as the closures of grade crossings that present safety concerns.

The new program builds on three previous rail safety programs: the Grade Crossing Improvement Program (GCIP); the Grade Crossing Closure Program (GCCP) and Operation Lifesaver.

The government said the new program is a comprehensive approach to improving the

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safety of rail transportation across Canada, through key components that include: Infrastructure, technology and research; and public education and awareness.

The infrastructure, technology and research component replaces both the existing GCIP and GCCP by enhancing the focus on addressing the needs of communities of all sizes by making more safety improvements eligible and increasing federal investment. This component will focus on lower cost/high impact improvements although eligible projects could vary from small safety improvements to full pedestrian overpasses if funding is available.

With trespasser accidents in Canada accounting for 61 percent of fatalities, the government recognizes that more can be done to improve rail safety through outreach, education and awareness. Transport Canada said it will support research, studies and analysis that will contribute to a better understanding of behavior, attitudes and impact of rail safety issues including post-accident community trauma assessment.

Supplier News Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Fiscal and Management Control Board approved a two-year, $7.7 million contract for Brink’s Incorporated to perform cash collection operations.

GIC Railroad Products USA, LLC, and voestalpine Nortrak Inc. partnered to produce new high-performance concrete track support systems for the North American railroad and transit markets.

Granite Construction

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INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Incorporated received a $39 million sub-contract from Absher Construction Company to build Sound Transit’s Northgate Station in Seattle, Wash.

Greenbriar Equity Group LLC acquired Frauscher Sensor Technology, a global supplier of train tracking solutions.

A track construction machine produced

by Harsco Rail is helping to double track a portion of the NHHS Line.

Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx issued a Request for Qualifications for companies to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the Hurontario Light Rail Transit project.

Koppers Inc. and Norfolk Southern

EDA grants worth $5.85 million will fund rail projects in three states The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded $5.85 million in grants that will help fund a trio of rail projects in Illinois, South Dakota and Montana.

The city of Rochelle, Ill., has been awarded $3.4 million to extend a city-owned and operated rail line and rail switch yard to serve a local industrial/commercial property. In addition, EDA said the improvements would serve as a catalyst for attracting new businesses looking to locate in the region. The $7 million project is expected to create 1,290 jobs and leverage $362 million in private investment.

“Located at the crossroads of the nation, Illinois’ railroad system plays an essential role in transporting Illinois products to markets around the world,” said Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL). “The city of Rochelle’s proposed shortline rail extension and expansion of the city’s current switchyard will make available 600 acres of land for rail-serviced economic development, providing industry with access to Class 1 railroads and improving the movement of goods through Illinois while creating jobs in Rochelle and surrounding communities in northern Illinois.”

In South Dakota, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation received a $1.7 million grant to help provide rail access to the Foundation Park development area.

EDA’s investment will support the development of rail infrastructure in Foundation Park, which will provide local companies access to rail services for their shipping and receiving needs. The new rail sites will significantly improve the success of the park and the region’s economy by attracting new business and allowing local companies to expand.

According to grantee estimates, the investment will create 1,200 new jobs and spur $67 million in private investment.

“The [EDA] is committed to ensuring that our communities and regions have the critical infrastructure they need to support businesses and jobs,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker.”

The Lincoln County Port Authority in Libby, Mont., received a $750,000 grant for a planned rail spur between BNSF and Kootenai Business Park.

This EDA investment will support the creation of additional wood product manufacturing jobs in the distressed region of Lincoln County and will help the Lincoln Port Authority to redevelop its defunct rail spur, which serves the business park. Completion of the $1.66 million project will allow a local company to expand and attract additional manufacturing companies to the area.

U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) authored a letter of support for this project in April writing, “Completion of the new rail spur will reassure current businesses in the Kootenai Business Park that economic rail transportation will be available to them, and is considered vital to attract new businesses with good-paying jobs.”

“Through these additional funds Lincoln County will be able to create and save goodpaying Montana jobs,” Sen. Daines stated. “The Kootenai Rail Development Project will invigorate the region and be a boon for local business.”

UP completes spike replacement in Columbia River Gorge Union Pacific (UP) has announced the completion of its rail fastening system replacement throughout the curved track in the Columbia River Gorge, which saw the June 2016 derailment involving 16 tank cars near the town of Mosier, Ore. The curved track that stretches eight miles is now secured by a fastening system using spikes rather than lag bolts, which the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) said caused gauge widening along the tracks and led to the derailment in its preliminary report on the incident.

UP says its use of spikes instead of lag bolts is expected to improve the detectability of defects during future inspections, whereas defects in lag bolts were more difficult to identify. The FRA also noted in its

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June report that broken and sheared lag bolts can be troublesome to locate by high-rail inspections, but are critically important to resolve quickly.

“We have a clear focus—to safely operate our trains and protect our communities,” said Wes Lujan, UP’s vice president of public affairs for the railroad’s western region. “The fastening system replacement reinforces our commitment to rail safety in the Gorge as we strive to improve upon our 99.98 percent hazardous materials safety record and achieve our goal of zero incidents.”

The railroad says it has implemented significant safety improvements to decrease the network’s derailments by 35 percent from 2000 to 2015 and that it lowered derailments in Oregon by 58 percent between 2000 and 2015.

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INDUSTRY TODAY BNSF completes second track over the Pecos River in New Mexico BNSF has completed double tracking a three-mile segment that crosses the Pecos River near Fort Sumner, N.M. With the completion of this section of double track, only four miles of single track remain on the 2,200-mile Southern Transcontinental corridor that runs from Los Angeles to Chicago.

“This new three miles of second track moves this important Southern Transcon corridor ever closer to being completely doubletracked...connecting the West Coast to major intermodal markets such as Chicago, Dallas/ Fort Worth and Kansas City,” BNSF wrote on its website.

The Pecos River segment required a new bridge to be built. The bridge was completed earlier this year and the track was finished this summer. The remaining four miles that have yet to be double tracked will require two bridges to be constructed at the Salt Fork River on Oklahoma’s Panhandle sub and at the Missouri River on the Marceline Sub in Missouri.

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“Adding the second main track over the Pecos River on this high train density section of the Southern Transcon allows us to continue to provide transportation services that consistently meet our customers’ expectations while allowing us to continue to grow our franchise,” said John Wiederholt, general director line maintenance, Engineering-South.

The work to complete the double track over the Pecos River was part of BNSF’s $100-million New Mexico capital plan in 2016.

The largest component of this year’s capital plan in New Mexico will be for replacing and upgrading rail, rail ties and ballast.

BNSF’s maintenance program in New Mexico includes approximately 900 miles of track surfacing and/or undercutting work, the replacement of about 15 miles of rail and more than 195,000 ties, as well as signal upgrades for federally mandated positive train control.

This year’s program follows more than $325 million invested by BNSF in its network in New Mexico over the past three years.

Supplier News agreed to extend Koppers’ existing contract with the Class 1 through 2021.

RailComm launched its new iTrack Intelligent Yard Inventory system and successfully deployed it at Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks.

New York selected a developerbuilder team including Related

Companies, Vornado Realty LP and Skanska AB to transform the historic James A. Farley Post Office into a new train hall.

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INDUSTRY TODAY PANYNJ makes $300-million loan commitment to Gateway Program A key project in the Gateway Program, the Portal North Bridge, is moving forward with a financial commitment from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s (PANYNJ) Board of Commissioners.

The board authorized more than $300 million toward a low-cost federal loan for the Portal North Bridge, which is a critical component for trains into and out of New York City. The funds authorized will fund debt service on a $284 million loan and $18 million in loan expenses to pay for the new bridge.

The agreement will cover the principal, interest and related costs of low-interest federal loans obtained by the Gateway Program Development Corporation (GPDC) for a portion of the local share of the estimated $1.5 billion cost of replacing the existing Portal Bridge. PANYNJ will not be responsible for cost overruns of the project. Payments made by PANYNJ to GPDC, to be spread over 35-40 years,

will support the repayment of up to $284 million in federal loans from the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program and/or the Transportation Infrastructure Financing Act Program.

The GPDC, which is in the process of being incorporated, will be responsible for advancing the Portal North Bridge, along with the Hudson Tunnel Project to create a second rail tunnel between Midtown Manhattan and New Jersey.

The obsolete 106-year-old structure, which spans the Hackensack River, handles 450 New Jersey Transit and Amtrak trains and more than 200,000 passengers each day. The planned bridge project already is fully permitted with construction starting as early as 2018, an early part of the overall program of adding a second rail tunnel between New Jersey and Midtown Manhattan.

The new bridge is an early element of the Gateway Program’s Phase 1.

PEOPLE CANADIAN PACIFIC named Nadeem Velani as its new vice president and CFO..

HAMPTON ROADS TRANSIT named Jamie Jackson as its new director of transit development.

HARSCO CORPORATION appointed Jeswant Gill as president of Harsco Rail.

Herzog Contracting Corp. added Ralph G. Larison to its board of directors.

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit Executive Director and CEO Dan Grabauskas resigned Aug. 18. HART ex-officio voting board member Michael D. Formby is immediately serving as acting executive director.

LJA Engineering appointed Mehdi Nezami, P.E., as senior project manager in its land division.

Maser Consulting P.A. hired Francis J. Miller, III, P.E., to lead its rail engineering service division.

William A. Galanko will take over James A. Hixon’s duties as the new senior vice president law and corporate communications for Norfolk Southern Corporation , effective following Hixon’s retirement Dec. 1. John M. Scheib has been named as the company’s new vice president law.

Kevin Riddett was named as the new president and CEO of RailWorks Corporation.

Edward Quinn III was appointed president and CEO of R.J. Corman Rail-

road Group, LLC.

Alan C. Lullman joined STRATO, INC. as vice president of sales.

WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff appointed Drew Galloway as vice president, transit and rail planning.

Obituary Former Norfolk Southern senior executive James W. McClellan died Oct. 14, 2016, at age 77.

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NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN

Start off 2017 at the NRC Conference

The National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association, Inc. 500 New Jersey Ave., N. W. Suite 400 Washington D. C. 20009 Tel: 202-715-2920 Fax: 202-318-0867 www.nrcma.org info@nrcma.org

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As we work to close out 2016, we are well into planning for 2017. I am excited for possibilities of what the new administration in Washington will bring for our great country in 2017 and future years. Infrastructure throughout the U.S. is in need of significant investment for maintenance and expansion.

Many sections of publicly funded rail infrastructure in particular have long outlived their useful life.

Upgrading infrastructure and building new systems will grow our economy for generations. I expect that the new administration will find innovative ways to invest in our infrastructure. When they do, NRC members will help state DOTs, commuter railroads and rail transit agencies throughout the country invest those funds as efficiently as possible. It will be essential that all public dollars are spent wisely and we get the most possible bang for what will surely be limited bucks.

The NRC will be working hard in Washington to advance the mutual interests of its members and the railroad and rail transit construction industry.

We will support legislation that provides funding for rail and transit infrastructure projects, while pushing for competitive bid language for federal funding of these projects to ensure tax payers receive the highest quality work in the most costefficient manner.

On the freight railroad side, we will also work with our other industry associations to support a balanced regulatory environment that will allow privately funded freight railroads to continue to invest aggressively in their own infrastructure. For shortlines, we will push for permanency of the 45G railroad rehabilitation tax credit, which allows railroads to invest more private capital into their own infrastructure, and has proven to be an effective and popular public policy tool.

The 2017 NRC Conference is a great way to kick off 2017. The conference will run from Jan. 8–11 at the Boca Raton Resort in Boca Raton, Fla. We have an outstanding line-up of speakers—we’re expecting senior engineering executives from Class 1 railroads including UP, BNSF, CSX, NS and CN, shortline holding companies including GWI, Watco and OmniTRAX, as well as major rail transit agencies such as NYMTA, SEPTA, MARTA, Metra and MiamiDade Transit, with various other experts to add perspective. We’ll feature multiple updates from FRA experts on upcoming regulations, financial analysis on the industry and an in-depth legislative and government affairs panel.

We will also have another fantastic exhibit hall with more than 25,000 square feet of space. Thank you to REMSA for partnering with us on the exhibit hall again this year. The exhibit hall is selling out fast, don’t miss the opportunity to get your booth at this show. For more information about reserving a booth, pricing, hours and more, visit www. nrcma.org or www.remsa.org/nrcremsa2017. Please contact Urszula Soucie at soucie@remsa.org or 202-715-2921.

The NRC’s annual awards, Railroad Construction Project of the Year, Field Employee of the Year and Safety Awards, will be presented at the conference. If you haven’t participated in these contests in the past, we strongly encourage you to.

For more information on the 2017 NRC Conference and NRC-REMSA Exhibition, please visit http://www.nrcma. org/2017conference or contact Matt Bell at the NRC office via mbell@nrcma.org or 202-715-1264.

I look forward to seeing everyone there and I hope everyone has a safe and successful month.

by Chris Daloisio, NRC Chairman Railway Track & Structures

November 2016 11

TTCI R&D Detecting rail defects using phased array ultrasonics TTCI evaluates the application and effectiveness of phased array for rail inspection.

by Dr. Matthew Witte, scientist, TTCI

14 Railway Track & Structures

R

ail inspections are performed on a regular basis to assure the integrity of rail, but some track defects are not discovered during inspection; rather, they are discovered when the rail breaks. More reliable rail inspection methods are needed to find the undetected flaws. The most common inspection technique is ultrasonic (UT) inspection.

Conventional UT uses single-element probes oriented at fixed angles to inspect high-risk areas of the railhead and web. The limitations of UT include wor n rail misdirecting the inspection beams and surface

November 2016

defects, such as shelling, obscuring a hidden defect underneath. Phased ar ray ultrasonic testing (PAUT) offers ways to improve detection in these situations.

Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), has created a prototype demonstration rail inspection vehicle based on existing phased array ultrasound technology. This article will highlight some results from this research effort.

Phased array probes have many elements at the tip of each probe. This gives the ability to steer and focus the inspection beam without reorienting the probe.

The TTCI prototype has four probes, three matrix phased array probes (125 elements each) and one 54-element linear phased array probe.

The linear probe is aligned across the entire width of the railhead. The matrix probes are aligned with their primary axis parallel to the rail axis. One probe is centered on the rail and the others are offset to the gauge and field sides.

This configuration, as seen in Figure 1, puts 429 inspection elements in a single roller search unit (RSU).

The TTCI phased array prototype was created to demonstrate the application of phased array to rail inspection. The design represents an optimized configuration for maximizing the inspected volume of the head www.rtands.com

Opposite page, Figure 1: View from the bottom of the phased array roller search unit showing the probes.

Figure 2: PAUT detection of a TD under shell (a) Rolling B-scan with indication, (b) Example of TD under shell and (c) A-scan showing flaw indication.

Figure 3: High-resolution sector scan with defect sizing cursors.

and web using commercially available technology. Discrete inspection angles are selected to target specific areas of the head and web. The matrix probes can steer both longitudinally and laterally. The compound inspection angles assure that much of the railhead volume is inspected by more than one probe simultaneously. This provides redundant detection, which significantly improves inspection confidence for both detection capability and false alarm rejection.

A novel application of the beam steering capability of phased array assures accurate inspection of the intended volume on worn rail. The patented approach works without the need for external profiling equipment. Focal laws are updated in real time to correct for profile wear. This is accomplished by choosing the best fit from several pre-selected sets of focal laws that are stored in the instruments. Selection is based on a water path distance measurement that is made every time the probes are fired. Center to edge wear of up to 3.5 mm can be corrected.

Phased array also improves overall inspection efficiency.

Railroad operational efficiency requires making optimal use of inspection time. Minimizing track occupancy for inspection without compromising inspection fidelity assures the least amount of service disruption.

As such, the TTCI phased array prototype is designed to provide 20-mph continuous inspection while in the highspeed mode. Up to 28 distinct inspection angles are used in www.rtands.com

the high-speed mode. These angles provide inspection coverage of the entire head and web.

Inspection efficiency is further enhanced with a dual mode operation during which the operator can switch to high-resolution inspection mode to validate defects. By backing up to the location of the defect and switching to high-resolution mode, the operator can quickly create high-resolution scans of the defect without leaving the vehicle.

Further, the high-resolution data is stored in the same database as the high-speed inspection data, which facilitates analysis. All data is tagged with sub-meter GPS coordinates to allow for easy tracking of non-defect features and locating of defects for repair.

The phased array prototype is performing well in testing at the Rail Defect Test Facility (RDTF) at TTCI, Pueblo, Colo. The prototype performs as well or better than conventional inspection systems on all defect types. Certain defect types are very difficult to detect with conventional inspection.

One such defect type in particular is the transverse defect (TD) under shell. Shelling near the surface of the rail disperses the inspection beam, which is crippling to conventional UT inspection.

With the redundant inspection coverage of phased array, the TD may still be detected by one of the probes that is looking under the shell from behind.

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Figure 4: Rail break test to verify the presence and size of a 27 percent TD detected by the phased array prototype.

The TTCI phased array prototype also inspects into the web.

Bolt hole cracks are easily detected by the 45-degree beam from the center matrix phased array. Figure 2 shows an example of the detection scan for a TD under shell.

The high-resolution mode of the rail inspection prototype creates sector scans of the rail.

These scans are taken at a very l ow s p e e d . A c o m p l e t e s c a n is taken every millimeter along the rail and consists of a sweep across all available angles at 2-degree increments.

When the scans are viewed sequentially, the defect appears to walk across the scan. Data visualization routines could show a virtual recreation of the defect from the high-resolution scan data. Cursors within the display allow the user to determine defect size, as seen in Figure 3.

TTCI researchers have been performing destructive rail break tests to assure detection and sizing capability, and the team has created a new zone at the RDTF for this purpose. A 20-foot section with removable fasteners was created so rail samples with known defects could be evaluated.

Figure 4 shows a rail break example of a 27 percent transverse defect that was detected by the phased array truck at a speed of 20 mph. A high-resolution scan of 16 Railway Track & Structures

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the defect predicted it to be greater than 24 percent.

Defect signature characterization is considered a first step toward automating defect detection. The data available from the phased array inspection should make automated defect identification possible. The prototype currently uses gating algorithms to flag events of interest. These events are then transferred to a defect identification screen. On this screen, the operator can scroll through related scans and assign a defect type to the indication.

All of this identifying information is stored in the vehicle’s on-board database. Gating, when applied with automated characterization, makes fully automated defect detection a possibility.

Since its successful demonstration, TTCI has licensed the technology to several commercial developers who are working to bring phased array rail inspection to the North American market.

Acknowledgements

The phased array rail flaw detection work was sponsored by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) through its Strategic Research Initiatives Program.

TTCI thanks the AAR’s member s and the many dedicated employees that assisted in this research effort. www.rtands.com

The Terminal Railroad Association relies on a robust bridge maintenance program to keep its key connections in shape.

TRRA:

spanning a river and a millennia

by David Ostby, regional manager, Koppers Railroad Structures, Inc. Aerial photos by Jared Wigger, manager of Bridges and Buildings, Terminal Railroad Association

B

efore St. Louis was known as the “Gateway to the West,” the Mississippi River was a barrier to commerce. To Samuel Wiggins, the river represented an opportunity so he started a ferry service across the river in East St. Louis.

And what a business it was becoming.

As the railroads pushed west, Wiggins Ferry Service expanded its boats, warehouses and rail yards to accommodate freight cars and locomotives; dominating the movement of goods and people in the area. Clearly, the residents of St. Louis did not like the idea of being held hostage by this ferry monopoly. Beginning in 1867, a group of St. Louis businessmen met and formed the St. Louis Bridge and Iron Company with the hopes of building a bridge to alleviate the ferry monopoly.

Almost immediately, the St. Louis Bridge and Iron Co. set about raising money to build what would be the first steel bridge to carry train traffic across the Mississippi (an earlier timber rail bridge near Rock Island burned 15 days after it opened under suspicious circumstances). By hiring James Buchanan Eads as their bridge engineer, they literally changed the course of history.

Eads designed a double decker tubu18 Railway Track & Structures

lar arch span with three 500-foot sections made of a new material called “structural steel” which Andrew Carnegie had just started making at one of his mills. Eads next engineering first was the mammoth river caissons which would be lowered to the bottom of the Mississippi. Once pressurized, men inside these huge caissons used Eads-designed pumps to excavate the river silt and move them deeper until they hit bedrock. Eads was responsible for many engineering “firsts” these were but a few. The bridge was completed in 1874 with tremendous fanfare.

The opening of the Eads Bridge was the genesis of what was to become the Terminal Railroad Association (TRRA).

The Eads Bridge also caught the eye of Jay Gould, the financial railroad baron from the East Coast. He used his business acumen to acquire and launch various St. Louis holding companies used to secure terminal facilities, build connecting elevated transit routes and bring his own group of railroads together. Like a spider web, the tracks grew in all directions in downtown St. Louis and beyond.

The builders of the Eads Bridge did not plan for future railroad connections and the lack of business forced the bridge company into receivership by 1878.

November 2016

Employing one of his holding companies, Jay Gould gained control of the Eads Bridge in 1880. This was the start of a railroad shipping monopoly in St. Louis.

The Wiggins Ferry Service fought hard against this new technological force of iron and steel, but the writing was on the wall. The merchants of St. Louis were not impressed with Gould’s shipping monopoly in their midst. Together they raised money to build yet another bridge over the Mississippi to free them of this expensive tyranny. In 1889, the building of the Merchants Bridge began.

On July 30, 1889, Jay Gould brought together six “partner railroads” and formed the TRRA of which he was the first president. The Merchants Bridge was completed in 1890, this structure had the benefits of a number of railroad connections already in place to give railroad traffic access to the bridge. Unfortunately, during the financial panic of 1893, this organization went bankrupt, as well. In stepped the TRRA and “rescued” the Merchants Bridge and some of its creditors. Jay Gould completed his checkmate of all rail traffic in St. Louis.

Again, the business constituency of St. Louis cried foul and set out to build yet another bridge; the Municipal www.rtands.com

LEFT: A train traverses the Merchants Bridge.

BELOW: Work equipment on the MacArthur Bridge.

TRRA evolves with the times

Bridge (later renamed the MacArthur Bridge). Also, after repeated legal attempts to declare the TRRA a business “monopoly,” the city of St. Louis had the U.S. Supreme Court’s attention too.

Construction on the Municipal Bridge began in 1910. In the interim, the Supreme Court’s final ruling was handed down in February 1915, holding that TRRA could not exclude railroads from using its infrastructure to serve St. Louis, any railroad could have access to TRRA routes on equal terms as other owners.

To the dismay of the antagonists to the TRRA, the court did not split up the TRRA. Instead, TRRA had to include all railroads that would pay the dues and have freight rates set by the Interstate Commerce Commission. The new Municipal Bridge, with double tracks and overhead automobile traffic lanes opened in 1920. For the first time in almost 75 years, the railroad monopoly in St. Louis was broken… sort of.

In reality, the TRRA had become a series of connecting railroads. The sprawling East St. Louis rail yards located on the old Wiggins Ferry frontage and related transfer connections allowed TRRA to build trains according to their customers/owners wishes. The resulting spider web of 20-plus railroad companies all tied into the core feeder lines of the TRRA. This nexus of transportation was a true “hub and spoke” system that allowed access to all four points of the compass. www.rtands.com

By the 1940’s, the importance of all these railroad connections hit its zenith.

In 1943, an average of 200 trains a day traversed TRRA property while close to 100,000 people made transit connections in St. Louis. The Gateway to the West was second only to Chicago in moving freight and people. Over time, the importance of moving people lost significance to other modes of travel. Mergers within the railroad industry continuously depleted TRRA membership role but the remaining members grew in size.

Today there are five partner railroads that share control of the TRRA, they are BNSF, Illinois Central, CSX, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific.

Together, these five railroads pay a “users fee” depending on the number of bridge crossings and trains built in the yards and the use of the hump yard for train classification. TRRA is a self-supporting railroad that survives by the “fees” they collect and industries they serve.

With more than 10 miles of bridges, not counting all the elevated connections,

TRRA emphasis is on keeping bridge infrastructure in a state of good repair.

This focus on bridge maintenance was reinforced by TRRA’s acquisition of the MacArthur Bridge in 1989, transferring ownership of the Eads Bridge back to the City of St. Louis after almost 110 years.

Now St. Louis could concentrate on their Metro light-rail system and the TRRA had the broad shoulders of the MacArthur and Merchants bridges to fully consolidate and maximize operations.

The next 100 years

Over the past decade, engineering plans and feasibility studies have been conducted to determine the best methods to replace the 127-year-old Merchants Bridge. Currently, the expansive west approach is being filled using a mixture of fly ash, concrete and a foaming agent to create “cellular fill encasement.”

More than 70,000 cubic yards of this cementitious slurry is in the process of being placed. Eric Fields, chief engineer for TRRA, highlights the difficulty in the next phases, which will be the main river spans and the east approach.

“We are pursuing the best methods for replacement while juggling financing, permitting and design parameters.

Existing infrastructure on the East approach must be taken into account along with the difficulty in removing the

Railway Track & Structures

November 2016 19

TRRA:Planning for the next 100 years this page: An inspector looks at the underside of one of the TRRA’s bridges. opposite page: The west approach of the Merchants Bridge is being filled using a mixture of fly ash, concrete and a foaming agent.

truss spans. This will be a mammoth undertaking with multiple state, federal and local municipalities becoming involved. One of the next important upgrades is the reinforcement of the main river piers of the Merchants Bridge for seismic activity (AREMA Level 2 forces),” said Fields.

“Clearly, we continue to inspect and maintain the Merchants Bridge” explained Jared Wigger, manager of Bridges and Buildings for TRRA. “We have evolved and upgraded our inspection techniques so that the majority of all bridge inspections are completed with our own forces. Due to the age of

TRRA:Planning for the next 100 years the Merchants Bridge we perform two detailed inspections each year with our focus targeting the floor system (stringer/floor beam connections) and other key connection points.”

On average, TRRA spends upward of three months inspecting the MacArthur and Merchants Bridges alone not counting the miles of elevated rail that needs inspection too.

“We try to schedule our inspection on the big bridges to coincide with our yearly programed steel repairs with our contractor, Koppers Railroad Structures. In the event we locate a defect requiring more immediate attention, we have our contractor close at hand and that saves on costs,” reports Wigger.

Fields notes, “The MacArthur Bridge is in great shape. We believe the floor system may need greater attentions in 20 years and upgrades to the truss sections are probably 50 years away.

The recent removal of the unused overhead roadway has removed considerable deadload on the MacArthur Bridge.”

Today, TRRA operates over almost 155 miles of track; 45 miles of this is still part of the original core system that includes the Merchants and MacArthur River crossings.

“Even with reduced coal and oil

shipments, our member railroads recognized that the TRRA is a strategic and vital transportation link that must be maintained. We have definitive plans that reach out almost 50 years,” explained Fields.

SWITCHING SAFELY FROM TRACK TO TRACK

Vossloh Signaling, Inc. has been working closely with Class 1s to develop standard layouts for its switch machines.

Switch stand and switch machine suppliers thoughtfully update their offerings to simplify installation and offer in-depth safety solutions.

by Kyra Senese, assistant editor

M

anufacturers and suppliers of switch machines and stands continue to update their products, offering solutions to avoid delays while maintaining the safety and reliability of service customers depend on.

Alstom Signaling, Inc.

Alstom Signaling, Inc.’s latest switch product release is the Hydra-Switch Yard Machine, which is hydraulic, solar and remote-control operated.

“This product complements our Model 6 Yard Machine offering and gives customers a solution for both flat yard and hump yard needs,” said Alberino Palozzi, trackside product manager for Alstom.

Palozzi says the signaling market has remained stable in 2016, with metro and commuter properties focusing on state of good repair, while light rail continues to see the construction of new lines and extensions. He noted the freight market is returning to traditional maintenance and signaling upgrades to improve efficiency.

He added that Alstom’s acquisition of GE Signaling in 2015 has opened the signaling freight market to Alstom, which he says has strengthened the company’s presence in North America. Customers have purchased most of their 22 Railway Track & Structures

November 2016

positive train control (PTC) materials and are now focusing on installation and commissioning the equipment.

However, he says rail properties are consistently finding alternative uses for the 7R switch circuit controller, originally developed for PTC. Palozzi also says the power switch market is trending toward using simple products.

“Customers are pressed to maintain higher average train velocities and reduced headways,” he said. “Alstom’s GM4000A was developed with this in mind.”

The GM4000A has become popular among consultants and transit properties, which Palozzi attributes to its ability to replace most industry machines, requiring minimal training and its time savings during trackside maintenance.

Palozzi says Alstom’s top priority for next year is to continue nurturing customer relations.

“By offering a complete range of solutions and adding value by constantly innovating, we will achieve this vision,” he said. “Of course, our product offering must continue to be of the highest quality and delivered when and where our customers need them.”

Strukton Rail

Strukton Rail opened its American branch, Strukton Rail www.rtands.com

voestalpine Nortrak, Inc., says the company has seen significant interest in its Unistar-HR switch machines throughout the commuter rail market.

North America (SRNA), in September 2016, which focuses on smart maintenance services for rail and rolling stock.

“We combine algorithms and big data analysis with our monitoring and measurement systems to better predict when maintenance will be required,” said Ellen Linnenkamp, managing director of SRNA. “We are now able to predict the failure of a switch one week in advance with almost absolute certainty.”

One of Strukton’s recently developed products, the ZKL 3000 RC system, is a remote-controlled shunt which allows for activation and deactivation of the shorting action. The system increases rail worker safety, as well as the availability of the track, Linnenkamp says.

Linnenkamp says Strukton has noticed the effects of U.S. railways shifting from corrective to preventive and predictive maintenance techniques.

“We believe Strukton’s innovations can help railway companies in the U.S. make big steps forward in that development. That is why we just opened our American branch [SRNA] in [Maryland],” she said.

Linnenkamp says Strukton has observed a stronger focus on the safety and reliability of track, which she says calls for improved reliability of switches when considering decreased railroad budgets.

She added that Strukton believes smart maintenance will play an increasingly important role in railway operations in the coming months.

“New technologies and developments in the field of information technology and the application of algorithms will allow rail companies to predict and plan maintenance further ahead,” she said. “This will make railways safer and more cost effective.”

voestalpine Nortrak, Inc.

A few years ago, voestalpine Nortrak combined the fully trailable Racor® 22 switch stand with the Automater ®, a powered machine for yard applications, to create the Racor Automater HT. The Automater HT is now in its second generation and, Chris Nordstrom, regional sales manager, signaling, says the HT is named for the backup mechanical Hand Throw lever, which he says offers users full dual control functionality.

He says if problems develop with communications, power www.rtands.com

systems or if the hydraulic actuator, hoses and motor are removed from the machine, crews can still operate the Automater HT in manual mode in the same way they would operate a traditional main line switch machine.

Nordstrom says the Automater HT eliminates the need for yard crews to refer to special fallback instructions if anything happens to affect the power drive and maintenance forces do not need to be called out on overtime for repairs. The second generation Automater HT incorporates a revised clutch design that makes key components more accessible to allow for more convenient inspection and maintenance and a mechanical lock makes it impossible to move the hand throw lever if the selector lever is not first placed in the HAND position.

In terms of recent economic impacts, Nordstrom says while voestalpine Nortrak has seen pressure on Class 1 freight capital budgets, the company has received significant orders for its Unistar-HR switch machines in the commuter market. The Unistar HR is a modular switch machine system that can control switch points and moveable point

Power Switch Machine

• Trailable at any speed • No gears, clutches or chains • On-board programmable controller • Local and remote control • Control packages available • Extremely Low Cost Of Ownership WESTERN-CULLEN-HAYES, INC.

2700 W. 36th Place • Chicago, IL 60632 (773) 254-9600 • Fax (773) 254-1110 Web Site: www.wch.com E-mail: wch@wch.com Railway Track & Structures

November 2016 23

SWITCH STANDS/MACHINES frogs in a turnout, which Nordstrom explained can be done all from a single interface to the signal system.

Voestalpine Nortrak has not faced any safety issues throughout the past year, Nordstrom says, adding that the company is aggressively pursuing improvements it can make to its safety performance while encouraging employees’ safe work behaviors.

Regarding the growing implementation of PTC, Nordstrom said, “PTC’s draw upon railroad technical resources will require vendors of all types of signal equipment to provide technology and field ser vice that reduces the burden on existing installation and maintenance forces. Voestalpine Nortrak is committed to providing signaling and trackwork products that consume less railroad labor.”

For cases requiring advanced expertise, Nordstrom says voestalpine Nortrak is investing in its field service representatives to enable them to respond to any product issues that arise on track.

Nordstrom says the company has observed an increased interest among customers in improving reliability through condition monitoring.

“Switch Condition Monitoring (SCM) capabilities are integrated in our Unistar-HR and embedded CSV-24 switch machines,” he explained. “SCM monitors every throw of a switch machine and generates alerts or alarms as plant conditions deteriorate over time.”

24 Railway Track & Structures

November 2016

From the factory, he says the machines can be equipped with SCM technology that can warn operators of impending infrastructure problems before a train is delayed. Voestalpine Nortrak also provides SCM packages that can be retrofitted to other switch machine brands, he says.

Regarding the next year of business, Nordstrom says voestalpine Nortrak expects freight railroads’ capital budgets to see continued pressure in 2017 given the leveling of Class 1 carload traffic. He expects transit projects to continue on at about the same rate as 2016. There may be some growth associated with increased port activity on the east coast and with projects on private industrial track along the Gulf coast, he said.

Vossloh Signaling, Inc.

Vossloh Signaling, Inc., recently expanded its offerings to include the Mechanical Switchman Buffer, a product that has been part of Vossloh’s broader product portfolio and is the original Pettibone product, according to Anthony Musa, vice president of signaling product sales.

The mechanical switchman can be hooked onto any hand-throw or power switch stand and allows a train making a converging approach to pass through to the straight line whereby the wheels force the points to open and then close after the train passes. The mechanical switchman uses hydraulic fluid and a 2,200-lb. spring, Musa says.

Vossloh switch machines—and g reater control

www.rtands.com

SWITCH STANDS/MACHINES solutions—are used in flat yards and in Dark Territory, areas in which PTC is not applied. In flat yards, Vossloh offers Modular Yard Automation (MYA), which is a control solution comprised of a variety of products that, in various custom-combinations, enable remote switch control and monitoring at arrival and departure tracks.

Musa says the MYA product modules can include a DTMF control/communication system, zone occupancy system, power system, yard-management software and the patented TS-4500 hydraulic switch machine. He explained the direct drive TS-4500 design offers several features, such as minimal linkages and sealed bearings that ensure reliability, minimize maintenance and lower the total cost of ownership.

In Dark Territory, Vossloh provides FAS-PAS, an offering that provides remote switch control on non-signaled lines.

Traditionally, Musa says track switching in dark territory—into a siding, for example—has meant bringing the train to a complete stop, exiting the locomotive, manually throwing the switch into reverse, bringing the train through the siding and then stopping again to return the switch to the normal position.

With FAS-PAS, a locomotive can query the switch position and throw the switch from up to two miles in advance of the siding.

Similarly to MYA, FAS-PAS is compr ised of a scalable suite of products, including the Vossloh VSM-24

www.rtands.com

electromechanical switch machine, Musa explains. The VSM-24 is a drop-in replacement for the M-23, which is completely interchangeable with the OEM. Both the TS-4500 and VSM-24 switch machines are also available as stand-alone units.

Musa added that Vossloh has recently been working closely with Class 1 signaling departments to create standard layouts for the company’s switch machines. He says this work is meant to ensure better fit and function and makes installation easier.

Looking ahead, Musa says Vossloh is committed to providing innovative solutions.

“We will continue working with our customers to meet their needs—now and into the future,” he said.

Western-Cullen-Hayes, Inc.

Western-Cullen-Hayes, Inc. (WCH) says customer interest in its Model WCHT-72 electro hydraulic switch machine has remained consistent throughout 2016. The machine has not been affected by PTC implementation, the company says.

Carl Pambianco, sales manager for WCH, says the WCHT-72 provides switch machine customers with the dependability and versatility they seek in automated switching operations, allowing for enhanced safety, as well.

Pambianco added that the machine’s low cost makes it one of the most affordable options on the market.

Railway Track & Structures

November 2016 25

rail engineering’s

educated effort Existing programs evolve to include the right mix of academics and research and new outreach efforts are exposing a younger audience to the possibilities of rail.

by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor

E

ducating the next generation of railway professionals remains an industry-wide challenge. Strides have been made from the days when a handful of engineering programs included rail in their curriculum–there are 20 American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA) Student Chapters and 107 students at the last AREMA Conference, but more is needed. While what follows is not a comprehensive list of all programs available, it is meant to provide a snapshot of the new efforts underfoot to educate tomorrow’s railway engineers.

AREMA

The AREMA Committee 24 - Education & Training aims to overcome the challenges faced when preparing the next generation of railway engineers.

“The issue is increasing the overall visibility of the rail industry as a career. We want to ensure that high school and college engineering students know about the industry and the vital role it plays in the economy,” said Committee 24.

The committee targets the development of programs to relieve the pressure placed on railway industry professionals to educate on the job and perform the role of mentor, which the committee says may not occur due to workloads, personalities or a variety of other factors.

The committee says AREMA has more events, seminars and webinars to interest young people than ever before. Events, such as the AREMA Annual Conference, as well as the Practical Guide to Railway Engineering seminar, Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering seminar, Track Alignment Design seminar and the Railway Engineering Education Symposium, can be of great value to potential future engineers.

26 Railway Track & Structures

The committee also facilitates the Meet the Next Generation events where “young potential engineers get the inside story on the rail industry and determine if this is the industry for them to pursue, in addition to allowing the industry direct access to the students instead of a resume.”

CaRRL

Dr. Derek Martin, professor and a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Chair holder at the University of Alberta, says the Canadian Rail Research Laboratory (CaRRL) was established in March 2012, to be Canada’s premier education and research program in railway engineering.

CaRRL, which is housed within the University of Alberta’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and is part of the affiliated lab program of Transportation Technology Center, Inc., offers railway specific courses and features a large dedicated laboratory space inside the Natural Resources Engineering Facility. Martin says that Phase 1 (2012-2017) of the CaRRL research program focuses on scientific and technological research to support key Canadian and North American priorities of ground hazards (subgrade) and winter service reliability and capacity.

Dr. Michael Hendry, assistant professor and associate director of CaRRL, notes the multidisciplinary nature of the lab, which includes collaborations between the departments of civil and environmental engineering, mechanical engineering and electrical and computer engineering.

“This has allowed graduate students from a variety of disciplines to approach a challenge with various viewpoints and provides a positive environment for them to work as a team. Additionally, CIV E 719 is a new graduate course in railway engineer-

November 2016

ing that has been taught by a former railway engineer, who had brought in several guest lecturers from the industry to speak to students. Students were able to work on an industry-identified term project, further exposing them to real-life challenges faced by industry,” said Hendry.

CaRRL’s collaborative efforts are not limited to the university departments as the public and private sectors work with the lab to develop solutions to industrywide issues.

“The collaborative nature of the CaRRL partner organizations is truly distinctive. It speaks to the shared values and interests of the railway industry, academia and government, to garner resources to develop and evaluate scientific, technical and methodological solutions to support and enhance the Canadian railway industry’s ability to manage the risk associated with ground hazards and extreme cold climates,” said Martin. “It clearly demonstrates that combining and sharing resources builds research momentum and allows for best practices to become standard in industry, creating a superior system for other countries to follow.”

Michigan Tech

Michigan Tech’s Rail Transportation Program (RTP) is designed to align with the needs of the industry from Class 1 railroads to manufacturers and other industry stakeholders. Dr. Pasi Lautala, assistant professor, civil and environmental engineering and director of the RTP says the program concentrates on developing well-balanced candidates with core skills for railway careers.

Michigan Tech recently approved a minor in Rail Transportation in the spring of 2016, which is designed so that students from various engineering disciplines can www.rtands.com

engineering education obtain it. Beyond core engineering, students study leadership skills, as well as logistics and transportation management giving them what Lautala calls a solid skill set that aligns well with railway careers.

The program has also added an introduction to rail transportation course as a primer that allows deeper study in the succeeding railroad engineering courses.

Michigan Tech has also increased the number of externally funded undergraduate student projects with the support from the National University for Rail Transportation (NURail), Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and our industry partners.

“We see these projects as an ideal winwin scenario, as they offer our students an opportunity to use their acquired skills in rail transportation/engineering topics and projects sponsors get an ‘unbiased’ look into the challenges they are facing,” explained Lautala.

Students have worked with Canadian National to develop an alternative method for field checking of rail defects during maintenance operations and the school

www.rtands.com

has teamed up with MDOT on a program that allows smaller railroads and rail shippers in Michigan to use our student teams to work with their engineering challenges.

Lautala says the most exciting research development in the school is in the area of grade-crossing safety, specifically identifying trends in driver behavior upon approach of a grade crossing.

“We believe that this type of research can shift us toward a more data-based evaluation of the effectiveness of our current warning devices and a faster testing of potential future technologies/approaches for future warnings,” said Lautala.

Concerning the future of railway engineering education, Lautala believes that more universities will get involved, but the general focus will shift from growth to enhanced offerings and partnerships with the industry.

“I think we’re moving from an era of ‘academic expansion’ to ‘academic alignment and coordination’ that helps us get more out of the resources that we’ve been able to develop over the past decade. It may include some specialization among

academic players, but I think the greater need is in improving our coordination among academia and between us and various industry stakeholders,” said Lautala.

Penn State

“Due to the uniqueness of the railroad industry and the specific domain knowledge required of an effective railroad manager or engineering professional, the need exists for greater railway engineering education prior to full-time employment and/ or promotion,” explained Steve Dillen, instructor in electrical engineering, Penn State Altoona.

Penn State offers the only Bachelor’s of Science in Rail Transportation Engineering (RTE) in the U.S. where Dillen says students gain the engineering and mathematics education required to meet the challenges facing the industry.

Dillen notes that while the primary focus of the program is civil infrastructure, students also gain hands-on education and training that will make them marketable for a career in any area of railroad engineering. Dillen also mentions that

Railway Track & Structures

November 2016 27

engineering education unlike waiting until enrolment in a graduate program, RTE undergraduates work along with university faculty on research projects. Some of the current projects include the vibrational analysis of ballast, stresses of geogrid performance and high and wide load measurements.

With an eye toward the future, Dillen believes that engineers educated in security and risk analysis will be more in demand.

“The railroad industry has an immediate need for all engineering disciplines, but the future need will be network infrastructure security. As railroads conform to the PTC requirement, those networks will be vulnerable to cyber attacks - much like our nation’s power grid and today’s automobiles with the “Internet of Things.” So, these networks will need robust firewalls, security keys, authentication, etc., to avoid disasters,” said Dillen.

UDel

The University of Delaware has a threepoint objective to its railroad engineering education activity: To provide courses that offer a strong railroad engineering background to undergraduates and graduates; provide active research projects to both aid the industry with new technologies and/or analyses and to provide students with the opportunity to have hands-on experience in dealing with real railroad problems and solutions and provide professional level education to include short courses and graduate certificate programs to allow working professionals to improve their technical knowledge and understanding of railroad engineering theory and practice.

Dr. Allan Zarembski, professor and director of the Railroad Engineering and Safety Program, says the university recently began a formal Graduate Certificate in Railroad Engineering for industry professionals and has added a railroad geotechnical engineering courses and an undergraduate intro to railroading course to the existing senior/graduate level courses on railroad engineering and safety and derailment engineering.

“We see continued growth in our railroad programs to include addition of new courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and integration with new research programs. We have seen the number of graduate students involved in railroad research at both the undergraduate and graduate levels expand, with increased interest in our programs both domestically and from overseas,” said Dr. Zarembski.

One area of focus is that of “Big Data” 28 Railway Track & Structures

analysis. The university holds a conference on the subject each December, which continues to thrive and is becoming an area of research development for the university.

“We have several major new research programs to include ‘Big Data’ analysis of subsurface track condition measurement and correlation with track geometry; analysis of the relationship of crosstie degradation and failure to track geometry degradation; development of a new generation of rail wear equations; development of new inspection tools for switches and risk-based inspection scheduling for highspeed curves,” said Dr. Zarembski.

UIUC

The University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign (UIUC) has a long history in rail engineering education that dates back more than a century. The university’s Rail Transportation and Engineering Center’s (RailTEC) has 150 students who can choose to take any of the eight rail-specific courses offered every year. RailTEC’s strong academic program is complimented by its diverse research efforts at its four laboratories and various field sites. In August 2015, RailTEC held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its newest fully functioning lab: Research and Innovation Laboratory (RAIL).

The university said the work being done at RAIL is critical as the industry continues efforts to move freight across the continent safely, efficiently and economically and with rail transit systems are undergoing substantial expansion.

While RailTEC continues to enhance its educational offerings at the undergraduate and graduate level it is also looking to stoke interest in railroad engineering amongst a younger crowd: Grade school students.

In August 2016, RailTEC hosted local 3rd and 5th graders from STEAMcation, a summer STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) program for elementary students where RailTEC students and faculty developed hands-on activities for the grade schoolers to learn about and gain exposure to rail engineering. The elementary students were able to build a track replica using sand, gravel and pushpin spikes, as well as learn principles governing wheel/rail dynamics, car size and weights, signals and traction among other activities.

“All of us feel that we want to get more kids interested in STEM, and more kids interested in railroad transportation. And it’s important to attract this next genera-

November 2016

tion of students into this field,” said Dr. Christopher Barkan, professor and George Krambles Faculty Fellow in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and executive director of RailTEC.

UNM

The University of New Mexico (UNM) established the Smart Management of Infrastructure Laboratory (SMILab) in August 2015, under Director Dr. Fernando Moreu, who says the lab offers UNM students a blend of practice and research to prepare for professions in the rail industry.

The SMILab focus is on bridge engineering design and dynamics, track maintenance, infrastructure deterioration monitoring and assessment and railroad engineering in general.

“UNM seeks to develop the use of nextgeneration smart sensing technologies and strategies in monitoring and testing railroad bridges, as well as railway track components,” said Dr. Moreu.

UNM offers a course in structural design every fall, in which seniors in civil engineering learn basics on railroad bridge design and hear from structural engineers working in the industry. The university also added a senior/graduate course last spring on advanced structural dynamics, which introduces students to random vibration, health monitoring and damage detection, with an emphasis in the monitoring of railroad bridges and infrastructure.

Dr. Moreu notes that the university continues to develop new course offerings to current students, as well as ways to educate STEM students and high school students through summer camps.

Fundamental and applied research, as well as the development of collaborative partnerships are also key areas of UNM’s rail engineering education philosophy.

UNM is looking at how utilizing sensors such as Arduino, LVDTs and magnetic strain checks can cost-effectively collect dynamics responses under simulated train crossing events. UNM has collaborated with STEM to offer a new class on remote laboratory experiments using the internet; Sandia National Laboratories to develop an impact rating system for vehicle-railroad bridge collisions and Los Alamos National Laboratory to develop a cost-effective way to monitor deflections of track components, specifically prestressed crossties.

www.rtands.com

AREMA NEWS 2017 Call for Papers The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) invites all interested parties to submit Papers on subjects of interest to the railway engineering community. Authors of accepted papers will be invited to publish and/or present at the AREMA 2017 Annual Conference in conjunction with Railway Interchange to be held in Indianapolis, Ind., from September 17 – 20, 2017.

Message from the President

Silver linings and Thanksgiving

David A. Becker, PE AREMA President 2016–2017

While all submissions on relevant railway engineering topics are welcomed, the following topics have been identified as being of current interest to membership: • Communications and Signals • Engineering Services • Maintenance • Passenger and Transit • Structures •

Track

The deadline for papers is December 16, 2016.

For more information on paper topics, submission guidelines and requirements, please visit www. arema.org.

30 Railway Track & Structures

November 2016

For many railroaders, public holidays and weekends often become just another workday. That was exactly what happened to me over this year’s Fourth of July weekend. My employer, Norfolk Southern, was dealing with a massive landslide severely impacting rail traffic in downtown Pittsburgh, Pa., and I was onsite providing engineering guidance and helping to direct the emergency response.

Three long days into the response effort and during a short lull in the action, I had the good fortune to run into two of Norfolk Southern’s summer Maintenance of Way & Structures department interns, Ryan Smith from Penn State, and Margaret King from Virginia Tech. As sometimes happens during a crisis, these young employees had been sent out to the problem location to be of general assistance and to, hopefully, learn something, but they hadn’t been given any particular direction on what to do after they arrived.

Having found myself in several similar situations at the start of my career 30-plus years ago, I have always been sensitive to newer employees that find themselves in that position. I introduced myself and struck up a conversation to find out who they were and to get them up to speed with what was happening. I was headed toward a location that afforded a good view of the entire site (and was also a good place to sit down for a few minutes), so I had them tag along.

From that vantage point I walked them through the scope of the landslide problem, what was going on from a geotechnical standpoint and how and why the railroad contractors were approaching the cleanup and slope remediation in the manner they were. There is nothing like a real world whiteboard to help bring college coursework concepts from geology, drainage and construction management to life.

As our conversation continued, it turned toward their college experiences, so I took the opportunity to talk about AREMA and ask whether they were involved with a student chapter. Both students immediately and enthusiastically replied, “Yes we are!’’ As it turns out, they were also both chapter leaders, so we had a great conversation about what works, or doesn’t work, for the chapters. We discussed ways to encourage involvement and improve ways to bring students into the chapters and raise awareness of the industry.

One very interesting and fundamental insight I heard was that there is an assumption that students in general know more about the rail industry than they do. This is a great takeaway. Why would a student become involved with a student group interested in engineering aspects of the rail industry if they have never really had exposure or connection to the rail industry as a whole? We need to keep in mind that railroads are nearly invisible to much of the population – and students are part of that population. We should assist with providing them general industry information.

Another more obvious takeaway was that student chapters will

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Upcoming Committee Meetings 2017 Meetings Jan. 24-25 Committee 15 - Steel Structures

Fort Myers, FL

Oct. 3-4

Feb. 1

Committee 9 - Seismic Design for Railway Structures

San Jose, CA

2018 Meetings

Feb. 23-25

Committee 24 - Education & Training

May 23-24

Committee 15 - Steel Structures

June 7-8

Committee 9 - Seismic Design for Railway Structures

Jacksonville, FL Calgary, ON Canada Denver, CO

Committee 15 - Steel Structures

Pueblo, CO

Jan. 30-31 Committee 15 - Steel Structures Feb. 7

Phoenix, AZ

Committee 9 - Seismic Design for Railway Structures

May 22-23 Committee 15 - Steel Structures

Spring, TX Cincinnati, OH

For a complete list of all committee meetings, please visit www.arema.org/events.

Negotiated airline discount information for AREMA committee meetings can be found online at: http://www.arema.org/meetings/airlines.aspx.

do best when participating in interesting and meaningful activities. It is all the better if this includes some form of direct interactions with people in the industry and not just other students or faculty. The simplest way to accomplish this is to arrange to attend a student chapter meeting and give a presentation about the basics of the industry or an interesting project you are involved with.

I believe there are many opportunities that are not fully considered which could provide student chapters direct field exposures to the work of our industry. Using the events of that July day as an example, I think basic teaching opportunities abound. Most of our membership is involved with progressing rail-oriented engineering projects, scheduling major maintenance work or producing railoriented materials and equipment.

Ask yourself if there is something you are involved with that could be considered for a student chapter field visit.

An example of a meaningful field exposure opportunity could be as simple as having a knowledgeable person take a student group to a safe trackside location, such as a public crossing or passenger platform, for an hour or so and watch a track maintenance production gang work. This will be an opportunity to discuss with them what is happening and what they are looking at.

Many of us join AREMA for professional interaction.

Let’s make reaching out to the next generation an active part of that professional interaction. AREMA has more than 6,000 members and just 20 student chapters, so the ratio of potential speakers and/or dedicated chapter advocates is nearly 300 to 1. This month, I challenge each of you to take a look at the student chapter list and reach out to Committee 24 (Cassandra Gouger) and ask to be linked up with a chapter that you might be able to assist.

• • • • • • • • • •

Brigham Young University Concordia University Michigan Tech University North Carolina State University Oregon State University Pennsylvania State University Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Rutgers University University of Alberta University of British Columbia

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• • • • • • • • • •

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Kentucky University of Manitoba University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of Nevada, Las Vegas University of South Carolina University of Tennessee-Knoxville University of Toledo University of Wisconsin-Madison Virginia Tech

An enthusiastic and optimistic discussion with the next generation became my silver-lining on what was otherwise a very challenging July day. It was just the energy boost I needed!

Now for my Thanksgiving…. First, I want to extend a sincere thank you to those dedicated members of Committee 24 and the AREMA headquarters staff who are directly involved with supporting the operation of the student chapters. In less than a decade, they have created something of great value starting from scratch. However, sustaining what has been created requires the help of a larger segment of our membership – for those of you who read this column and step-up to the challenge, I thank you in advance!

For those who attended the AREMA 2016 Annual Conference & Exposition’s Monday general session, one highlight was Scott M. Saylor, president of the North Carolina Railroad Company, presenting the AREMA Educational Foundation with a check for $50,000 to be used to create an endowed scholarship! On behalf of our entire membership, I want to extend sincere thanks to the North Carolina Railroad Company for making this outstanding long-term commitment to the education of our industry’s next generation.

In closing, I will remind everyone that November is the perfect time of year to consider making a tax-deductible donation to the AREMA Educational Foundation’s scholarship fund if you have not already done so. In 2016, 39 scholarships were awarded, totaling $82,000.

One ongoing initiative of the foundation is to increase the minimum award amount from $1,000 to $1,500.

The deadline for making a donation toward a 2017 scholarship is December 9, so don’t delay in being part of this important effort.

Railway Track & Structures

November 2016 31

AREMA NEWS

Getting to know Mike Raupach Each month, AREMA features one of our committee chairs or members.

We are pleased to announce that the November featured member is Mike Raupach, chair of Committee 42 Bridge Maintenance.

AREMA: Why did you choose a career in railway engineering?

RAUPACH: Love of hands-on work and the different learning disciplines from many types of structures and repairs. Also a strong family tradition; great-grandfather, grandfather, father, brother, myself, my nephew and numerous cousins have all been or are currently employed by CSX Transportation and its predecessors.

AREMA: How did you get started?

RAUPACH: I got my start in a tunnel force in Wheeling, W.Va., back in 1981.

I worked from August until December and bid over onto the bridge department and have been here ever since, in many different capacities. I’ve been an operator, foreman, inspector, training manager at the Railroad Education and Development Institute (REDI) and am now presently in Engineer Bridge Inspection – Northern Region.

AREMA: How did you get involved in both AREMA and your committee?

RAUPACH: I had asked my supervisor, Edward Sparks, about giving back to the industry in my remaining years until retirement, sort of like continuing what I had started while at the REDI Center in Atlanta, Ga. AREMA: What are your hobbies outside of your work?

RAUPACH: Spending time with family, hunting, fishing and following my son’s football kicking career. He is a junior in high school and has already achieved 200-plus career points and is nationally recognized. I am also a soccer referee and referee instructor. I enjoy helping the youth develop to their full potential.

AREMA: Tell us about your family.

RAUPACH: We are close, alternating family dinners at both my wife’s family home and mine almost every Sunday with a table full of family. We also make evening visits to the other so each week we are able to see our parents and the 32 Railway Track & Structures

MiCHAEL C. raupach, SR. Chair of Committee 42 - Bridge Maintenance Engineer Bridge Inspection, CSX Transportation

kids see their grandparents.

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

RAUPACH: I have been taught by my father to find my replacement and prepare them to take the lead when I leave. I just find it hard to prepare just one. I love our industry and especially the Bridge Department. I tell everyone: I will bleed steel, timber and concrete.

FYI…

Order now: 2017 Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices. Please visit www.arema. org or contact Morgan Bruins at 301.459.3200, ext. 711, or mbruins@ arema.org to place an order.

Call for papers: Papers are now being accepted for the AREMA 2017 Annual Conference in conjunction with Railway Interchange to be held in Indianapolis, IN, from S e p t e m b e r 1 7- 2 0 , 2 01 7. T h e deadline is December 16, 2016.

Please visit www.arema.org for more information and to submit a paper online.

November 2016

AREMA: W h a t i s yo u r b i g g e s t achievement so far?

RAUPACH: I would say my children, grandchildren and becoming Chair of Committee 42 – Bridge Maintenance.

AREMA: What advice would you offer someone pursuing a career in the railway industry?

RAUPACH: Always keep an open mind, open ear and yes, open your mouth and ask questions.

Post your career opportunity now on AREMA’s Railway Careers Network! Target your recruiting and reach qualified candidates quickly and easily. Use code HOLIDAYS2016 for 20% off any job posting during the month of November and December. Start posting jobs today!

AREMA on social media... Stay up-to-date on the most recent AREMA information through all official social media outlets.

Become a fan of the AREMA Facebook Page and join the AREMA LinkedIn Group now!

Not an AREMA Member?

Join today at www.arema.org www.rtands.com

Past scholarship winner, now in rail industry: Michael McHenry Michael, you started your career in the rail industr y as an AREMA student chapter member at the University of Kentucky, how did that participation guide you toward your career goals?

RailCats, the AREMA student chapter at UK, hosted guest speakers, arranged railroad site visits and funded students to attend AREMA conferences. This augmented our railroad courses with hands-on learning and networking. It was ultimately these opportunities that helped me establish my career goals.

In 2011, you were the recipient of the AREMA Committee 18 - Light Density & Short Line Railways Scholarship, how did this impact you while you were at the University of Kentucky?

The scholarship reduced the financial burden of being a college student. More importantly, it communicated to me that AREMA was interested in working to develop young railway engineers’ skills.

What is the biggest accomplishment during your career at Transportation Technology Center, Inc.?

I would say it has been stepping into a leadership role focused on tie and fastener and other track system research. This role has given me the opportunity to conduct meaningful work toward finding solutions to

Attention Students:

2017 Scholarship Program Students, the AREMA Scholarship Program is now accepting applications for the 2017 academic year!

increase the safety, efficiency and reliability of our railroads.

Outside of your career, what do you do with your spare time?

My wife and I enjoy spending time outdoors.

We are currently working on climbing all of Colorado’s 14,000 foot peaks, most with our dog, Layla. I am also involved in the local trails advocacy group and enjoy mountain biking, photography and woodworking.

If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?

I would tell him to pause and be grateful for what he has and the people who have helped him along the way.

The AREMA Educational Foundation provides scholarships to engineering students who are specializing in the railway industry and supports other educational and training endeavors that help ensure the future of the profession.

Application Deadline:

December 9, 2016

Editorial note: The article that appeared in the October issue of RT&S, “AREMA’s student scholarships: 41 years of supporting the next generation,” was written by Committee 24 - Charley Chambers.

Call for Mentors

As the years pass, it becomes more vital to introduce and education the next generation to the railroad industry. To aid in this cause, AREMA has developed a Mentoring Program to benefit the AREMA Student Members. We would like to extend an invitation for you to influence the next generation as part of this Mentoring Program. As part of the Mentoring Program, you will be paired with a Mentee that is an AREMA Student Member. The pairing will try to match Student Members with someone with experience in the areas of the railroad industry they are interested in. Please visit the AREMA website listed under Education & Training to become a mentor today.

AREMA Website Advertising Want to be listed on the AREMA website to gain exposure from the over 6,700 AREMA Members? Contact Lindsay Hamilton at 301.459.3200 ext. 705 or lhamilton@arema.org now to get advertising rates!

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For more information on if you qualify, the complete scholarship listing and the application process, please visit www.aremafoundation. org.

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Railway Track & Structures

November 2016 33

THERE IS STILL TIME TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR

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It’s the end of the year and it’s time to ramp up recruiting and not only hire fast, but also hire well. At the Railway Careers Network, our talent pool consists of many applicants that remain committed to sustaining a job hunt – even during the busy holiday season.

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PRODUCTS

Rugged computing solutions

GammaTech Computer Corporation released its DURABOOK line of railroad-friendly computing products to allow for productivity while completing inspections, maintenance and other necessary tasks. The company says its DURABOOK line has been designed in accordance with the MIL-STD-810G guidelines for protection against drops, shocks, spills and dust. Several of the line’s models are said to offer an IP65 rating, with sealant protecting them from water and dust damage. Many of GammaTech’s models feature enhanced wireless and communication capabilities with 4G, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as a daylight visible screen for bright outdoor settings, with an optional backlit keyboard for use when working in darker environments. The company says all of its DURABOOK products can be customized based on customers’ needs and specifications. Phone: 510-492-0828.

Wayside energy storage

STORNETIC, an energy storage systems manufacturer, says it has enhanced its EnWheel® for use as wayside energy storage. “Our wayside storage device helps [decrease] costs. It stores the braking energy of trains and makes it available for the acceleration to leave the station. Through this the peak power demand and the related costs are reduced. This means a cost saving for the operator at every stop and a benefit for the environment,” said Dr. Rainer vor dem Esche, STORNETIC’s managing director. The EnWheel® is designed to handle more than 1 million charging cycles.

“This durable solution is of particular interest for customers with many charging cycles,” the company said of the product. “The device operates purely mechanically—without the use of chemicals—and is made of materials that are fully recyclable.”

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Railway Track & Structures

November 2016 35

CALENDAR NOVEMBER 16-18. ASLRRA 2016 Finance & Administration and General Counsel Symposium. Renaissance Oklahoma City Convention Center Hotel, Oklahoma City, Okla. Contact: Jenny Bourque. Phone: 202-628-4500. E-mail: jbourque@aslrra.org.

18. University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering 2016 Energy Hub Conference. 8 a.m.-2:42 p.m. Website: https:// www.facebook.com/energyhubuw/ or https://www.engr.wisc.edu/ event/2016-energy-hub-conference/.

21. Sustainable Energy Seminar Series. University of Wisconsin Madison, College of Engineering. E-mail: spwilliams@wisc.edu.

Website: http://today.wisc.edu/events/view/102340.

DECEMBER 1-2. SmartRail Asia. Located in Bangkok. Organized by Global Transport Forum. Phone: +44 (0)207-045-0900. Website: www. smartrailasia.com.

7. Rolling Stock Fleet Maintenance Cost Reduction Congress 2016.

Grange St. Paul’s Hotel. 10 Godliman St., London. Website: http:// www.rolling-stock-maintenance.com/

36 Railway Track & Structures

November 2016

15-16. 2016 Big Data Railroad Engineering Conference. Two-day event from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the University of Delaware Newark, Del. Website: http://www.engr.udel.edu.

JANUARY 2017 8-11. 2017 NRC Conference & NRC-REMSA Exhibition. Boca Raton, Fla. E-mail: conference@nrcma.org. Website: http://www. nrcma.org/2017conference.

11-12. Midwest Association of Rail Shippers (MARS) Winter Meeting. Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Hilton Chicago, Oak Brook Hills Resort, Oak Brook, Ill. Phone: (630) 513-6700. Website: www.mwrailshippers.com.

12-13. 13th Annual Southwestern Rail Conference. Magnolia Hotel, Dallas, Texas. Hosted by Texas Rail Advocates. Website: http:// texasrailadvocates.org/sw-rail-conference-2017/.

30-2. NIT League Transportation Summit. Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa. Phone: 703-524-5011. Website: http://nitl.org/events/ annual-conference/.

31-2. 2017 AAR Quality Assurance Auditor and Industry Conference. New Orleans. Website: http://www.aar.com/standards/ useful_links.html.

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Ad Index Company

Phone #

Fax#

e-mail address

Page #

AREMA Marketing Department

301-459-3200

301-459-8077

marketing@arema.org

C3

Danella Rental Systems

610-828-6200

610-828-2260

pbarents@danella.com

24

rebersold@herzogservices.com

16

info@trak-star.com

7

jim.ladner@landoll.com

2

Herzog Services, Inc.

816-233-9002

Hougen Manufacturing, Inc.

866-245-3745

Landoll Corporation

800-428-5655

816-233-7757

800-309-3299

888-293-6779

Moley Magnetics, Inc. 844-M-MAGNET (844-662-4638) 716-434-5893 sales@moleymagneticsinc.com 8 Neel Company, The 703-913-7858 703-913-7859 jlewis@neelco.com

5

NRC

202-715-2920

10

RailCet

866-724-5238 217-522-6588

grif1020@yahoo.com

27

Railworks Corporation

866-905-7245 952-469-1926

jrhansen@railworks

20-21

402-346-4300

402-346-1783

bbrundige@sb-reb.com

25, 36

859-885-7804

www.rjcorman.com

29

robert.dimatteo@sperryrail.com

C4

Railway Educational Bureau, The

202-318-0867 info@nrcma.org

R.J Corman Railroad Group 800-611-7245 Sperry Rail Services

203-791-4507

voestalpine Nortrak, Inc.

307-778-8700 307-778-8777

gord.weatherly@voestalpine.com

C2

Western-Cullen-Hayes, Inc.

773-254-9600 773-254-1110

cp@wch.com

23

Reader Referral Service This section has been created solely for the convenience of our readers to facilitate immediate contact with the RAILWAY TRACK & STRUCTURES advertisers in this issue.

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

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Italy and Italian-speaking Switzerland Dr. Fabio Potesta Media Point & Communications SRL Corte Lambruschini Corso Buenos Aires 8 +39-10-570-4948 V Piano, Int 9 Fax: +39-10-553-0088 16129 Genoa, Italy info@mediapointsrl.it

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Japan Katsuhiro Ishii Ace Media Service, Inc. 12-6 4-Chome, +81-3-5691-3335 Nishiiko, Adachi-Ku Fax: +81-3-5691-3336 Tokyo 121-0824, Japan amskatsu@dream.com Classified, Professional & Employment Jeanine Acquart (212) 620-7211 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1325 New York, NY 10014 jacquart@sbpub.com

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November 2016 37

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