RT&S October 2015

October 2015 | www.rtands.com

Annual Crosstie Update: Constrained growth doesn’t dampen hopes for better 2016

PLUS Separating SEPTA, CSX Operations PCC’s Partnership to Preserve Line AND ALSO AREMA News p.44

Contents October 2015

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Features

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Industry Today 5 Supplier News 11 People

Annual crosstie report Crosstie market stakeholders are taking a cue from Chicago Cubs fans: Wait until next year.

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Columns Koppers Railroad Structures

L.B. Foster Co.

News

RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

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Shared corridor no more SEPTA and CSX prove that with proper coordination and cooperation, splitting up doesn’t have to be hard to do.

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PCC partnership for success Partnerships taking a long-range focus set the stage to preserve service and infrastructure along rail lines in Washington state.

20 Departments 16 TTCI R&D 44 Arema News 51 Calendar 52 Products 53 Advertisers Index

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On Track In case of emergency, count on Congress

53 Sales Representatives 54 Classified Advertising 55 Professional Directory

NRC Chairman’s Column Looking into 2016, budgeting for success

FOLLOW US on Twitter LIKE US on Facebook

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Matt Courchain, SEPTA

Photo courtesy of Arch Wood Protection. Story on page 20.

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Railway Track & Structures

October 2015 1

On Track

RAILWAY TRACK AND STRUCTURES

Vol. 111, No. 10 Print ISSN # 0033-9016, Digital ISSN # 2160-2514 EDITORIAL OFFICES 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910 Chicago, Ill. 60603 Telephone (312) 683-0130 Fax (312) 683-0131 Website www.rtands.com Mischa Wanek-Libman/Editor, mischa@sbpub.com Jennifer Nunez/Assistant Editor, jnunez@sbpub.com CORPORATE OFFICES 55 Broad St 26th Fl. New York, N.Y. 10004 Telephone (212) 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr./ President and Chairman Jonathan Chalon/Publisher Mary Conyers/Production Director Wendy Williams/Creative Director Maureen Cooney/Circulation Director Michelle Zolkos/Conference Director

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In case of emergency,

count on Congress

M

y husband enjoys getting into the office early. The “early bird” is late compared to him. When discussing his preferred early start to the day versus my more “normal” time, he explained that early in the morning is the time for him get his day job done before his phone rings, a colleague enters his office or he receives an e-mail with one issue or another requiring a solution that he is responsible for finding. He calls it going into “firefighter” mode and says is it doesn’t matter what official sounding title may be printed on his business card, because ultimately, it should just read, “In an emergency (perceived or otherwise), I’m the one you’re gonna call.”

While my husband can be counted on to deal with whatever issue may arise, another entity that is also gaining a reputation for being quick to act in a crisis is Congress. I wish I meant that in a flattering, gosh-you’re-so-darndependable way, but it is becoming increasingly apparent that the only time Congress is capable of getting something done is when it is forced to act in order to avert disaster.

I have, not one, but two examples and these both happened on the same day, September 30. First, Congress avoided a government shut down by passing a budget seven hours before the clock and money ran out. In a statement, the White House said, “with today’s bipartisan vote, Congress has taken a step away from the brink.” The passed bill only funds the government until Dec. 11, not even an ant would be impressed with that sized of step.

Second, and more importantly to this industry, was the introduction of legislation in the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee that would extend the Positive Train Control implementation deadline three years. It’s a bill, so there are nuances, but boiled down, it is a viable piece of legislation that could provide some wiggle room to the implementation

process. Hopefully, by the time this column is read, the bill will have been passed, but as of press time, it’s still a “to be determined” item.

While the industry is relieved by the possibility of an extension, why now?

There have been prior bills that would have extended the deadline, but like the majority of the thousand-odd bills introduced into Congress each year, they fizzled.

The industry, and those who advocate on its behalf in Washington, D.C., has been vocal about the unattainable task of meeting the 2015 deadline for every bit of four years, in some cases, longer. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report in 2013 citing all the challenges railroads faced with PTC implementation and recommended a deadline extension.

Congress talked, but that’s where it stopped. What happened to light the fire this time around?

In a phrase: The industry brought the drama. Freight and passenger carriers promised service shutdowns, which would stall shipments and clog roads with increased vehicle traffic.

The American Chemistry Council put the economic impact of a onemonth rail service loss at $30 billion with 700,000 jobs lost and household incomes dropping by more than $17 billion. Cue Congressional action.

Congress shouldn’t exist in “firefighter” mode. There are important issues, both looming and immediate, that deserve well-planned and thought out solutions, not quick voice votes, photo ops and statements boasting who screwed up the least. It’s not the way the railroads run their businesses and it shouldn’t be the way Congress operates either.

Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor Railway Track & Structures

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INDUSTRY TODAY APTA: Americans would ride highspeed rail According to a sur vey released by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), if high-speed rail were available today, two-thirds (63 percent) of Americans are likely to use high-speed trains and the percentage increases to 67 percent when respondents were informed of the costs and time-saving benefits of high-speed rail service.

In the survey “HighSpeed Rail in America 2 0 1 5 ,” c o n d u c t e d b y Te c h n o M e t r i c a f o r APTA, the likelihood of respondents using highspeed rail for their work and leisure travel increases as they were informed that it will be less expensive than flying and that it will take less time than driving to their destination.

The sur vey also revealed that Americans (71 percent of respondents) support efforts to streamline gover nment regulations that will promote real estate development near high-speed rail.

Rail serves as critical element in two completed port projects on either coast Ports on the East and West coast marked completion of two projects in which rail served as a crucial component to improve efficiency and accommodate growth.

PortMiami in Florida celebrated its entrance into the “big ship” era with the completion of the -50/-52 ft. Deep Dredge and On-dock Intermodal Rail project. More than $1 billion in capital projects have transformed PortMiami into the only major logistics hub south of Virginia capable of handling fully laden post-Panamax vessels.

PortMiami, in partnership with Florida East Coast Railway, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the state of Florida, invested $50 million to reestablish on-dock rail and connect the port with the improved Hialeah intermodal rail yard. Restoration of this service re-connects the port with the national rail systems and expedites the movement of goods throughout Florida and into the continental U.S. Goods coming into the port can now reach 70 percent of the U.S. population in four days or less.

The port says the on-dock intermodal rail service provides shippers the convenience of port-to-door service with absolute lead times that match or exceed those of trucking, but with greater reliability and reduced carbon emissions.

“The completion of PortMiami’s Deep Dredge and Intermodal On-dock Rail projects cannot be overstated, PortMiami is now positioned as the most reliable, convenient and efficient global hub on the North American East Coast ready to service the world’s leading ocean carriers, said Juan Kuryla, the port’s director and chief executive officer.

Meanwhile, on the West Coast, the Port of Long Beach officially completed the Green Port Gateway project, which it says was vital to ensure efficiency and sustainable cargo movement as shipment volumes increase at the port.

The $93-million project realigned a critical rail pathway to relieve a bottleneck, allowing port terminals to increase the use of on-dock rail, while decreasing truck traffic and air pollution. The upgrades will serve the port’s southeast terminals, including the new Middle Harbor terminal. Overall, almost six miles of new track was laid. The work included adding a third rail line under Ocean Boulevard, along with new retaining walls, utility line modifications and roadway improvements. The port says every on-dock train eliminates as many as 750 truck trips from regional roadways.

Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Officer Jon Slangerup said the Green Port Gateway is a key part of building the “Port of the Future.”

“This project will enable us to reach our goal of moving 35 percent of containerized cargo via on-dock rail this decade,” Slangerup said. “It will also support our long-range ambition to eventually move 50 percent of our goods directly from terminals by train.”

The port has plans for $1 billion in rail projects over the next decade as part of a broader modernization program.

New Haven-Springfield stakeholders vow progress plan Talks on Sept. 10 between Amtrak, Connecticut and federal officials resulted in a pledge to move the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield project forward. Specifics of that plan are still being worked out.

A joint statement from Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, the Connecticut Congressional delegation, Amtrak, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Federal Railroad Administration Acting Administrator Sarah Feinberg called the project a “top priority” and stated, “Today’s meeting was both positive and productive. It was clear that all of the stakeholders in this process...agree that this project must get done. By the end of the month,

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we expect to make progress on a path acceptable to all parties that can help move this project forward.”

The program aims to improve the track infrastructure to provide high-speed service between New Haven, Hartford and Springfield, Mass. Connecticut has pledged $244 million to the project and the federal government has committed $191 million.

Tensions between Gov. Malloy and Amtrak have been escalating due to cost increases and management issues. Gov. Malloy sent a letter to Secretary Foxx in May asking for his help to complete the project, a goal Gov. Malloy wrote was in jeopardy.

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FRA funds available to improve crossings, track along energy routes The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is soliciting applications for $10 million in competitive grant funding available to states to improve highway-rail grade crossings and track along routes that transport energy products, such as crude oil and ethanol.

The funding is part of the Railroad Safety grants for the Safe Transportation of Energy Products (STEP) by Rail Program.

Highway-rail grade-crossing collisions are the second-leading cause of all railroadrelated fatalities. While the number of fatalities has decreased for the last several decades, this number increased last year for the first time this decade.

FRA notes that highway-rail grade-crossing accidents are frequently the result of a driver’s lack of awareness of a crossing or an oncoming train or a driver’s attempt to “beat the train.”

Earlier this year, FRA ramped up its campaign

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to prevent collisions and save lives at highwayrail grade crossings through greater education, stronger enforcement and smarter engineering. To accomplish this, FRA developed key partnerships and has: worked with Google and other technology companies to integrate FRA’s grade-crossing location data to provide audio and visual alerts when using turn-byturn navigation applications; partnered with local law enforcement agencies to increase enforcement at railroad crossings and supported research on grade-crossing technology.

“Most of these deaths are completely preventable and that is why the Federal Railroad Administration has redoubled its efforts to reverse last year’s upward trend. These funds will allow states to take innovative ideas and make them a reality to increase safety and decrease fatalities,” said FRA Acting Administrator Sarah Feinberg.

Supplier News Metrolinx awarded Alstom a contract worth $113 million to provide a computerbased integrated train control system for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

Battelle has been awarded a $3.1-million contract by Metropolitan Transportation Authority to perform an Independent Safety Assessment and safety certification support for the design and implementation of Interoperable Communications-Based

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INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Train Control on the Queens Boulevard Line.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation awarded a contract for the Sugar Creek Road grade separation project to Blythe Development Company. NCDOT also awarded a $10.2-million grading contract to C.M. Lindsay & Sons, Inc., to create a new 2.4-mile single-track railroad connection in Robeson County.

Orange County Transportation Authority’s board of directors selected HNTB Corporation to design the OC Streetcar project.

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Canadian Pacific, Norfolk Southern complete D&H South sale Canadian Pacific completed the sale of more than 280 miles of track from Schenectady, N.Y., to Sunbury, Pa., to Norfolk Southern.

The $214.5-million sale of the Delaware & Hudson South (D&H) was first announced November 14, 2014, and approved by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board on May 15, 2015.

“The sale allows CP to create value for our shareholders while better aligning the route with the railroad that already moves the majority of traffic over it,” said Keith Creel, CP president and chief operating officer.

The D&H South sale includes all branch lines and industrial spurs that connect to the Sunbury-Schenectady mainline, plus some equipment, vehicles and parts.

“The D&H South Line integrates perfectly into our 22-state rail system and it allows NS to connect businesses along this important economic corridor with a rail transportation system that’s a top performer in safety and efficiency,” said NS President and Chief Executive Officer James Squires.

October 2015

The acquired lines connect with NS’ network at Sunbury, Pa., and Binghamton, N.Y., and they provide NS single-line routes from Chicago and the southeastern United States to Albany, N.Y., and NS’ intermodal terminals in Scranton, Pa., and Mechanicville, N.Y. NS also gains an enhanced connection to its joint venture subsidiary Pan Am Southern, which serves New England markets. Additionally, NS has acquired D&H’s car shop in Binghamton, along with other facilities along the corridor.

As part of the transaction, NS will retain and modify overhead trackage rights on the line between Schenectady, Crescent and Mechanicville, N.Y., as well as Saratoga Springs, N.Y. NS has hired about 150 former D&H employees who have experience working in this corridor.

Track crews from NS are scheduled to perform routine maintenance in the corridor and NS plans in 2016 to add new ties, resurface 40 miles of track and install 14 miles of new curved rail.

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INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News Parsons has been selected by Metra, Chicago’s commuter rail operator, to install Positive Train Control on its trains.

Progress Rail Services Corporation entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Rail Product Solutions, Inc. from Amsted Rail Company, Inc. Chicago Transportation Authority award a $32.6-million contract to Ragnar Benson Construction LLC, to begin design work on the Ravenswood Loop Connector Signal Project.

Rocla Concrete Tie, Inc., entered in to a

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TriMet; Foothill Gold Line LRT projects mark major milestones TriMet in Portland, Ore., and California’s Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority celebrated major milestones for two transit projects.

TriMet opened the MAX Orange Line on Sept. 12. The $1.49-billion Orange Line was delivered on time, as well as approximately $48 million under budget. The 7.3-mile extension now brings the MAX system to 60 miles in length with 97 stations.

The project has been labeled TriMet’s most sustainable light-rail project. The Orange Line features an eco-track, stormwater treatment, eco-roofs, rooftop solar panels, habitat restoration and regenerative energy storage.

According to TriMet, the project employed an industry-leading approach to sustainable design, piloted new technologies and leveraged infrastructure to incorporate sustainable practices, environmental improvements and human-scale design.

These improvements include 286 bioswales to capture and filter 1.8 million

October 2015

square feet of stormwater; $4 million in environmental mitigation funds; 16 solar installation sites; eight green roofs and the first vegetated trackway, eco-track, in the United States.

Moving south to California, the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority and its contractor reached substantial completion of the Pasadena, Calif., to Azusa, Calif., section of the project. The $515-million segment is the third and final design-build contract to be completed and the construction authority said the entire $1-billion project is on budget and on time with passenger service expected to begin in the spring of 2016.

Designed and constructed by Foothill Transit Constructors, a joint venture of Kiewit and Parsons, the rail line will now undergo testing and pre-revenue service.

The contract included construction of 11.5 miles of light rail, 24 bridges, 14 at-grade rail crossings, six new stations and a 24-acre operations campus.

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INDUSTRY TODAY Supplier News long-term supply agreement with All Aboard Florida and Florida East Coast Railway.

Siemens was awarded a $156-million contract by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to install Communications-Based Train Control on the Queens Boulevard Line.

Tutor Perini Corporation was awarded a $56.3-million contract by Amtrak to construct the 11th Avenue extension to the concrete casing beneath the Eastern Rail Yard of the Hudson Yards site in New York City.

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CATS approved for $180-million TIFIA load for LYNX extension The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) in North Carolina will receive a $180-million Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan for construction of the LYNX Blue Line light-rail extension, which will expand the system from Center City Charlotte to the UNC Charlotte Campus.

“This project is already catalyzing economic growth and opportunity by connecting the city’s financial, high-tech and cultural centers with the thriving University of North Carolina at Charlotte campus and giving commuters an alternative to sitting in traffic on I-85 and US 29. The project also connects and will help revitalize many historically underserved neighborhoods,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “The Blue Line extension is an important piece of the overall transit system that Charlotte needs in order to thrive in the 21st century.”

CATS officials estimate that the light-rail extension will create approximately 7,600 jobs during construction with total light-rail

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ridership at more than 18,900 additional riders each weekday when the extension opens in 2018. The 9.3-mile extension will add service along what will become an 18.6-mile lightrail corridor in Northeast Charlotte and will help to reduce congestion along Interstate 85 and US Route 29, where commercial and residential growth is expected to continue.

In addition to the $180 million TIFIA loan, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is providing $580 million for the $1.16-billion project through FTA’s Capital Investment Grant Program. State and local funding will cover the remaining cost.

“For residents and visitors alike, Charlotte’s transportation system provides a lifeline to jobs, attractions, events and all that Charlotte has to offer,” said FTA Acting Administrator Therese McMillan. “With this project, CATS, the city of Charlotte and the state of North Carolina continue to make the critical investments in modern infrastructure that riders expect and deserve.”

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INDUSTRY TODAY PEOPLE American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) Board of Governors appointed Elizabeth Caruso, CAE, as AREMA’s executive director and chief executive officer.

CSX named Clarence Gooden president, replacing Oscar Munoz; named Fredrik Eliasson executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officer; Cindy Sanborn executive vice president and chief operating officer and Frank Lonegro executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Danella Rental Systems, Inc., named Steve Bolte vice president of business development, North America.

Laura Mohr joined HNTB Corporation as vice president and rail and transit group director.

Industry-Railway Suppliers, Inc., promoted Eren Reddick to U.S. field sales manager.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority selected Dr. Joshua Schank as head of its Office of Extraordinary Innovation.

Feds could finance half of new Hudson tunnel under proposal The federal government would pay for half of the estimated $20 billion needed to build a new trans-Hudson rail tunnel under a proposal by the governors of New Jersey and New York. New York, New Jersey and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey would finance the remaining 50 percent.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the plan “a viable funding framework to break the logjam over funding for a new trans-Hudson commuter rail tunnel” in a letter sent to President Barack Obama.

The letter reads, “We are writing jointly in an attempt to move the stalled project forward by putting a funding proposal on the table that we believe is realistic, appropriate and fair: split the responsibility for the cost. If the federal government will provide grants to pay for half of the cost of the project, the port authority, New York

and New Jersey will take responsibility for developing a funding plan for the other half, convening all relevant agencies and utilizing the proposed federal low-interest loan, local funding sources and other funding strategies necessary to complement the federal grant commitment. This funding framework is comparable to previous structures proposed for a new tunnel.”

The governors said the proposal represents a workable funding formula that builds on the collaborative efforts and input of state and federal elected officials from New Jersey and New York.

In addition to presenting, what they call, a realistic plan, the governors also requested that federal environmental and planning approvals be expedited in order to move forward as quickly as possible and both governors made a commitment to do the same with similar state-level reviews.

Elissa Konove has been named the deputy chief executive officer at Metrolink.

Norfolk Southern Chief Executive Officer James Squires was named chairman of the board of directors, replacing Charles Moorman; Michael Wheeler was named executive vice president and chief operating officer, succeeding Mark Manion, who will retire Feb. 1, 2016; Philip Merilli was named vice president engineering; Cindy Earhart’s title changed to executive vice president administration and chief information officer.

SNC-Lavalin named Neil Bruce president and chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors, succeeding Robert Card, who will retire.

S o u th e ast e rn P e nnsy lvan i a Transportation Authority named Jeffrey Knueppel, P.E., general manager.

Gary Smith has been named rail sector lead for Stantec’s freight rail team.

T N W C orporat i on a p p o i n t e d Clayton Kendall to manager, corporate development and property; hired Jason Love as director of business development; appointed Cene Cooley chief engineer and promoted Brynn Moreland to general manager of TXNW Railway. www.rtands.com

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NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN Looking into 2016, budgeting for success

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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It’s October folks; the fourth quarter has started and the end of the 2015 construction season is coming quickly, at least in those parts of the country that get a real winter. It’s also the time of year to start building our budgets for 2016.

Building a budget for the coming year includes taking a mix of historical data, planning for growth, including the usual anticipated work, glancing into your crystal ball, sprinkling in some magic, putting it all into a bowl and shaking well. Voila, we have our budget for the coming year. Sounds scientific, right? It is a challenge and can be a roll of the dice, so to speak, but this is how it’s done, year in and year out. Knowing your market, your customer base and knowing the potential work that is out there in your territory is what it takes. As contractors, we all do this in pretty much the same manner with the hope that our budget stays achievable throughout the year and then we’ll do it all over again.

As the construction season winds down, I want to remind everyone to keep safety in the forefront; it’s paramount to all we do as contractors in the rail industry. Crews will begin to start working longer hours and more consecutive days without much down time in order to finish projects before the end of the year. Our managers in the field must remain diligent and continue to reinforce safe practices to our employees. We have to work with a healthy sense of urgency in order to accomplish our goals for the year, but safety can never take a back seat to getting the work done. I would like to wish all of our member companies success in reaching their goals and staying injury free through the remainder of the year. Best of luck to all.

The NRC Grassroots initiative has a new vice president leading the charge - Lindsey Collins, who is taking over for Ashley Bosch. I would like to thank Ashley for her great work ethic, integrity and leadership of this program during the past few years. Ashley is now working on other projects for Chambers, Conlon & Hartwell (CC&H) including working on similar grassroots events for shortline railroads; we wish her continued success in her new position.

Lindsey is an associate with CC&H, where she will serve as the new vice president of this program going forward. She is responsible for arranging visits between members of Congress and NRC member companies. These planned events take place at a membership company’s facility or a project site and take a lot of work to pull together and make happen. Her first one was just completed in late September, as NRC member L.B. Foster hosted Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-5) at its concrete tie facility in Spokane, Wash. L.B. Foster arranged for a tent for the congresswoman to meet its more than 200 local employees and give formal

remarks. The event concluded with a tour of its tie production capabilities. Representatives from two other NRC member companies – RailWorks Track Systems (a fantastic company I’d note) and Shannon & Wilson – were also able to attend.

Rep. McMorris Rodgers is chair of the House Republican Conference, the fourth highest-ranking republican in the House and the highest ranking woman in Congress. And given that Speaker John Boehner just announced his resignation a few hours before I wrote this, she might be moving on up the leadership ladder.

Lindsey will also provide assistance to NRC members regarding membership services, conference planning, website updating, committee staffing and regulatory and legislative issues. Lindsey brings highquality experience with her into this role for the association. She holds a master’s degree in modern British and European history from Oxford University and a bachelor’s degree in history and English literature from Queens University of Charlotte.

Welcome to the NRC, Lindsey.

On the legislative front, beyond the host of issues that are at play in the surface transportation reauthorization discussion, two issues in particular are dominating our attention in D.C. at the moment: 1) The unrealistic PTC implementation deadline of December 31, 2015 is approaching rapidly. If the deadline is not adjusted to reflect reality, a massive disruption of hazmat freight, intercity passenger and commuter rail service will result, which is an unacceptable outcome.

2) A small group of trucking companies and shippers are seeking to raise the maximum weight of trucks allowed on interstate highways from 80,000 pounds to 91,000 pounds and also to extend the length of trucks to allow “Twin 33’s.”

These changes would divert freight traffic from railroads to highways, decrease safety, increase the amount of public subsidy needed to maintain the highway network and decrease rail investment.

On a positive note, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) just recently announced the availability of $10 million in grant funding available for states to improve highway grade crossings and rail infrastructure along routes that transport energy products, such as crude oil and ethanol.

Applications for such grants are now being received by the FRA. Finally, don’t forget to register and make travel plans now for the NRC 2016 conference at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, Calif., January 6-9. To register, go to www.nrcma. org/2016nrcconference. Have a safe day.

by Bill Dorris, NRC Chairman Railway Track & Structures

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TTCI R&D Testing of electric flash-butt railhead repair welds under heavy-axle-load traffic at FAST

by Megan Archuleta, engineer, Daniel Gutscher, senior engineer and Joseph LoPresti, principal investigator, TTCI.

Railhead defect repair welds using an improved electric flash process are being evaluated at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing, located in Pueblo, Colo.

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nder the Association of American Railroads’ Strategic Research Initiatives Program, Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), continues to evaluate head defect repair (HDR) welds developed by Holland LP and EWI (forFigure 1: First-generation HDR weld (left) and second-generation HDR weld (right) after rough and finish grinding.

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merly Edison Welding Institute). The HDR welding process uses an insert and electric flash welding to remove defects from the head of the rail. This method is intended to reduce the time it takes to remove a head defect and to eliminate the need to cut the rail, add a repair plug and install two thermite welds. Testing at FAST has validated the concept of electric flash head repair welds and has identified some performance improvement opportuni-

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Figure 2: Second-generation HDR weld after rough and finish grinding. Red arrow shows the vertical cut direction down the center of the insert for Weld 1 and Weld 2. The gray arrow shows the cut direction at the point where the left bottom corner of the insert meets the bottom of the railhead for Weld 3.

Table 1: Removal information of second-generation HDR welds at FAST.

ties before full implementation.

Within the rail industry, maintenance track crews routinely remove and replace rail due to indications or defects found in the head of a short length of rail. In 2011, TTCI began evaluating HDR welds as a possible way to decrease the time required to remove these head defects to 45 minutes and to limit material waste.

Three separate electr ic flashbutt HDR weld types (laboratoryproduced, first-generation in-track and second-generation in-track), developed by Holland and EWI, have been tested at FAST for the past four years. The welds produced in the laboratory have sustained the longest in-track weld life compared to the first- and second-generation welds. Two laboratory-produced welds are still in track at FAST and have accumulated more than 500 million gross tons (mgt).

First-generation HDR welds

In 2011, laboratory-produced HDR welds were installed in the High Tonnage Loop (HTL) at FAST. As a result of the positive performance of the laboratory-produced welds, firstgeneration HDR welds made in-track

by Holland’s mobile welding unit were installed in the HTL at FAST. First-generation inserts were made by partially rolling a rail bloom into a railhead profile, which was then machined into the insert. These welds were installed in both the high and low rail in a five-degree curve with four inches of superelevation over wood ties in the HTL at FAST. The www.rtands.com

testing of first-generation HDR welds ceased prematurely in late 2012 due to transverse defects caused by stress concentrators within the geometry of the head repair inserts in relation to the adjacent railhead. Technology Digest TD-14-002 contains additional

testing information and results of the laboratory-produced welds and firstgeneration HDR welds.1

Second-generation HDR

In March 2014, Holland and EWI, with assistance from TTCI, installed

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TTCI R&D Figure 3: (a) Weld break that occurred in August 2014. The white arrow points to the location of the defect initiation point and the red arrow points to the center of the HDR insert. (b) Weld removed after hand scanning found a nine percent CSHA NDT indication within the weld.

10 second-generation HDR welds in track in the HTL at FAST. Four HDR welds were made over cribs in the rail, four HDR welds were made over already existing electric flashbutt welds and two HDR welds were made in rail over ties. The secondgeneration improvements addressed the major failure modes of the firstgeneration HDR welds by focusing on shear and post grind methods to reduce stress concentrators, by modifying transformers to reduce heat input into the insert and modifying the insert fabrication to reduce batter and stress concentrators under the railhead by providing a better fit of the bottom corners to the railhead (Figure 1). Special attention was given to the rough and finish grinding of the HDR insert in relation to the rail profile, especially to the corners of the insert.

With the first-generation welds, finish grinding did not completely smooth out the point where the 18 Railway Track & Structures

corner of the insert meets the bottom of the railhead and created stress concentrators at these locations.

No chemistry alterations within the HDR inserts were made even though the supplier of the material used for the inserts and the method of manufacturing changed between the first- and second-generation. Secondgeneration inserts were manufactured from a billet and then forged into the insert. For this evaluation, Holland’s mobile welding unit installed 10 HDR welds on both the high and low rail in a five-degree curve with four inches of superelevation over wood ties in the HTL at FAST.

Measurements

For all generations of the HDR welds, long itudinal profile and hardness tests taken on the running surface of the welds were recorded at various mgts. The longitudinal profiles taken for the second-

October 2015

generation HDR welds showed that the amount of wear and deformation of the second-generation testing is about 44 percent less than that of the first-generation HDR welds.

After track testing was completed, three welds were chosen for residual stress tests. For all three welds, the rail cuts were made transverse to the rail at 0.25 inch from the strain gauges. Weld 1 and Weld 2 were vertically cut down the center of the insert and Weld 3 was cut where the corner of the insert meets the bottom of the railhead.

The strain gauges were attached to each railhead repair weld in seven locations including running surface of the rail, side of railhead, under the railhead, web of rail, center of radius between the rail web and foot, base flange and bottom of rail.

Comparisons between the HDR welds and a new rail were made. The longitudinal residual stress profile for the new rail was primarily in compression with the exception of the top of the head and the base of the rail, which were both in tension.2 This differed from the HDR residual stress profiles, which were in compression at the top of rail and web and in tension under the railhead. Having the rail in tension under the railhead makes this location more susceptible to fracture at stress concentrators at the bottom of the railhead.

Fast testing results

After only 86 mgt, a secondgeneration HDR weld broke vertically just to the side of the HDR insert location (Figure 3). TTCI cut the broken weld from the track and sent it offsite for evaluation.

Holland and EWI examined the fatigue striations to find the crack initiation site. The findings noted that the likely cause of this break was a lip or lap of weld material that was unground and acted as a stress www.rtands.com

TTCI R&D concentrator. 3 The narrow layer of metal was not fully connected to the web of the rail and it had not been removed by the grinding process after welding.

After this break occurred, TTCI performed nondestructive tests using ultrasonic scanning on the remaining nine welds and found indications at the fusion line in the railhead of most of the welds. Indications were found either at the running surface or just under the railhead of the welds. The welds containing the larger defects were removed and cut open to investigate the cause of fatigue. Welds containing smaller defects were either left in track or removed for residual stress testing. One of those indications grew from less than two percent crosssectional head area (CSHA) to 30 percent CSHA during an additional 34 mgt, after which the weld was removed. A weld containing a nine percent CSHA defect was opened up in the laboratory to determine the cause of the indication (Figure 3). EWI used scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM/EDS) chemical analysis on the “shiny spot” of the opened weld and SEM/ EDS images indicated globular-shaped particles that melted and resolidified without any bonding. The flat spot acted as a stress concentrator allowing progressive crack growth with continuous fatigue of the rail.4

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Table 1 shows the removal information for all 10 welds when the test ended in November 2014 with an accumulated tonnage of 149 mgt.

Future development and testing

Holland and EWI will make necessary changes to address defect initiations found within the second-generation HDR welds and then will finalize the details of the thirdgeneration electric flash-butt HDR welds. Holland and TTCI are planning to install the third-generation HDR weld samples in the HTL at FAST in late 2015.

References 1. Gutscher, D. and LoPresti, J. March 2014. “Testing of Electric Flash Railhead Repair Welds at FAST.” Technology Digest TD-14-002.

Association of American Railroads, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colo.

2. Gutscher, D. March 2010. “Railhead Repair Weld Residual Stress Investigation.” Technology Digest TD-10-007. Association of American Railroads, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colo.

3. Workman, D. August 2015. “Failure Analysis of HW 567: Summary Report.” EWI Project No. 14022MYY. EWI, Columbus, Ohio.

4. Workman, D. August 2015. “Failure Analysis of HW 568: Summary Report.” EWI Project No. 14022MYY. EWI, Columbus, Ohio.

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October 2015 19

Stella-Jones’ green tie loading yard.

Crosstie manufacturers say the market is steadily growing.

crosstie

by Jennifer Nunez, assistant editor

annual update 2015

W

ood tie supply has been low due to challenging weather climates since 2013, but the market seems optimistic as timber becomes more readily available with time. Suppliers of wood, concrete, composite/alternative ties and life-extending preservatives weigh in on this past year and look towards a growing future for the crossite market.

“Production has been on an upswing in the east for most of the year and as weather improved in the west, we saw similar improvement as log decks increased,” said Jim Gauntt, executive director of the Railway Tie Association.

“Part of this is due to necessary pricing increases, but some of it also has to do with other markets for lumber and other products, such as crane mats and board road for the fracking industry softened. In some regions (mostly eastern plants), the ability to start improving white tie inventory so that air-dry tie inventories will be sustainable by late spring next year is looking probable. In other regions, wet weather has hampered building the air-dry stacks; in those areas, production plants appear to be several more months away from sustainable air-dry inventory.”

Gauntt notes that purchases remain strong from the commercial markets and the Class 1s and, even though the forecast was reduced slightly for 2015, it now looks like that may have been premature based on anecdotal evidence from the marketplace.

RTA believes the Class 1s have maintained strong programs as they continue to build for the future – they seem to have made the determination that strong steady maintenance, as

20 Railway Track & Structures

October 2015

well as targeted new construction, is the optimal approach for ongoing tie programs. Gauntt says the commercial markets are thriving not only because of the 45G tax credit extensions, but also because of the efforts Class 1s are making to improve partnerships with shortline and regional roads. All of these efforts to improve the traffic getting from the feeder network onto the Class 1 network, along with increasing intermodal traffic, seems to be driving this, he says.

“It’s no secret that wood tie supply has been behind the proverbial eight-ball since mid-2013,” Gauntt explained.

“Getting past the challenges the weather has posed in some regions and that other hardwood markets posed for the industry has been and continues, in some areas, to be the hardest row to hoe. There is a lot of optimism though that the situation is improving enough to feel as if the industry has regained its footing and demand is being and will be met even if growth in demand increases.”

Wood supply from a fundamental trees-in-the-forest standpoint has never been an issue, he says. The hardwood industry was sustainable even at peak production of nearly 14 billion board feet annually. Now, in the eight-billion board foot range, hardwood forest inventories remain in great shape. The main challenges, Gauntt says, have been sawmill and logging capacity, which has improved substantially in the past couple of years. He explains that the weather will always pose issues, but from a supply standpoint, the wood tie industry is more than up to the challenge of being sustainable for the long haul.

“We have forecasted a 1.5 percent growth for 2015,

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2015 crosstie update Cross section of a Koppers boratetreated crosstie.

which may end up being a little lower than actual year-end demand totals,” Gauntt explained. “For 2016, we believe wood tie demand will grow by 3.4 percent or more, as long as the overall U.S. economy stays on a path of growth.

Wood

Wood tie supplier Gross & Janes Corp. says the first six months of the year

22 Railway Track & Structures

were challenging from a procurement perspective and that demand remains strong and production is increasing.

“Customers are concerned about lack of ties in general, mostly due a protracted wet period in the south,” said Mike Pourney, president and chief executive officer of the company.

Koppers Inc. says its 2015 business continues to be very solid despite softening in the coal, oil and gas sectors, which have had an impact on the railroads. The need to maintain the infrastructure continues to be a necessity and does not lend itself to a lesser market, the company notes.

John Giallonardo, vice president Class 1 sales, says intermodal traffic will continue to get a lot of attention and short of another recession, will continue to be the key target for the

October 2015

Class 1 railroads moving forward.

“Our customer s are always challenging us to find ways to extend tie life,” noted Giallonardo. “Through our partnership with Kop-Coat, we have developed a truly superior borate treatment process that has enabled us to secure a very high percentage of the borate crosstie treatment being performed in the U.S. market. Our process is both measurable and repeatable. Our customers know what they are getting and paying for every single time. Our process has proven to be both highly effective in extending tie life and is extremely economical, as well.”

Koppers currently has long-term treating agreements in place with many of the Class 1 railroads.

The company is also aligned with shortline, regional and transit railroads, as well as an array of railroad contracting companies that fit the geographic footprint surrounding each of its treating plants. Giallonardo attributes these long-

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2015 Crosstie update Pudding River bridge made with Arch Wood Protection’s Chemonite® crossties in Clackamas County, Ore.

term commitments to delivery of solid service and exceptional quality control. He says the company’s move to certification as a Responsible Care company has greatly aided in all facets of the business and helped drive the company’s safety performance to record levels.

“Following two dismal years of production, the supply of raw material has surged in 2015,” Giallonardo said.

“Although, in a perfect world, there would be balanced production throughout the country; to date, eastern procurement areas have far outpaced those west of the Mississippi River. Record rainfall and weak lumber pricing inhibited western raw material production through the early summer months. More recently, the western production areas have shown substantial increases. Sustained production will be required in order to replenish the appropriate air-dry inventories for our customers.”

For Stella-Jones, Inc., 2015 presented many challenges.

“Overall, the crosstie demand remained very strong,” explained George Caric, vice president marketing. “We are very thankful to our customers as we worked through trying times as a depleted air-dried inventory meant longer lead times and supply shortages. The extremely wet weather in the southwest curtailed tie production. The good news is that tie production is robust in certain areas, allowing us to build back inventories.”

Caric says building back its air-dried inventories will enable the company to meet the steady demand forecast for 2016.

“There are headwinds looming for 2016 that may have an impact on capital spending,” he noted. “Support for the extension of the 45 G tax credit is key for shortline operators.

An extension to the Positive Train Control start date is another important issue that could deplete capital dollars.

The price of natural gas and oil is good for consumers, but we have seen some of the projects related to the industry put on hold.”

Caric says Stella-Jones expects to see inventories rebound and the demand remain at the current levels.

Concrete

As a new concrete crosstie supplier, GIC says it has made significant progress since last fall. The G13 concrete crosstie, designed for heavy-haul and shared-corridor mainline tracks, passed all American Railway Engineering and Maintenanceof-Way Association design qualification tests and was installed in multiple field locations. GIC says business has been impacted by significant interest from Class 1 railroads and transit authorities in GIC’s combination of manufacturing technologies and crosstie designs.

“The challenging operating environment, existing crosstie limitations and a desire for increased durability has created a growing interest in innovative crosstie technologies,” the company noted. “Both Class 1 railroads and transit authorities are driving GIC to improve the efficiency of the concrete crosstie. As a result of improved efficiency, GIC concrete crossties often have a lower first cost compared to other crosstie types, including standard 24 Railway Track & Structures

October 2015

www.rtands.com

2015 crosstie update

RAIL.ONE USA’s first delivery of concrete ties were installed near Columbus, Neb.

wood crossties. Additionally, GIC’s innovative pre-stress reinforcement design creates a more uniform distribution of pre-stress forces and results in a reduced stress state within the crosstie.”

In the next year, GIC will continue to demonstrate the technical features of its concrete crossties through field installations on revenue service lines and accelerated tonnage at the Transportation Technology Center.

According to Steve Burgess, president, CXT, Inc., and vice president concrete products, L.B. Foster, 2015 has proven to be a good year for the company’s concrete tie sales.

“Activity is mixed across the various end-use segments in which we compete,” explained Burgess. “Spending by North American Class 1 railroads for new construction was expected to be very strong at the beginning of the year. With some projects delayed, however, it has not been as is substantial as we had expected. We are still seeing performance from that segment this year similar to 2014.

Sales to the industrial segment are also a bit mixed as

26 Railway Track & Structures

October 2015

www.rtands.com

2015 crosstie update

por t projects to enhance the rail infrastr ucture at these locations continues to move ahead. On the other hand, given the lower prices for crude oil, the track expansion projects to exploit growth in domestic energy production have slowed a bit.

And finally, in the transit segment, the design-build projects are moving ahead. We continue to see significant business opportunities in the North American transit industry. So, overall, we see mixed, but relatively solid performance this year.”

Burgess says customers continue to look for a package of solutions from infrastructure suppliers to optimize their investment spending across the many requirements of their projects.

“We can offer a family of products and services to the customer,” he stated. “On several recent projects, we have delivered packages including new rail, concrete ties, direct fixation fasteners and friction management products and services.”

In order to expand its supply footprint the company purchased Carr Concrete in mid-2014. Carr has a facility in Waverly, W.V., and operating as a precaster, has offered a variety of concrete foundations and structures.

L.B. Foster has plans in place to use this facility to manufacture products for the many transit lines, shortlines and Class 1 railroads located east of the Mississippi River.

Looking to 2016 and beyond, Burgess is optimistic.

“There are unquestionably challenges in the future, including the uncer tainty of robust, longterm federal transportation funding.

Investment in our transpor tation infrastructure, whether by heavy-haul railroads, transit agencies or other industrial/port expansions, is critically important for long-term economic progress,” he said. “Given that, as well as the growing recognition of life-cycle costs, we believe that CXT products and ser vices will offer significant advantages.”

“We noted a cautious, but increasing interest in concrete ties,” said Ludwig Schöll, chief sales officer of RAIL. ONE USA. “Reduced maintenance, resulting in increased track availability and overall performance of the existing www.rtands.com

infrastructure, is on the wish list of most major railroads.”

Schöll says that Class 1s are by far the company’s core customers.

However, he notes there is interesting potential identified in the transit market based on the slab track systems developed by RAIL.ONE.

“QA/QC processes adapted from the automobile industr y are an identified trend,” he explained. “This aside, durability of products is key.

Additionally, we identified a growing interest for products par ticularly designed for cer tain applications (yards, mainline, etc.) A declining

Railway Track & Structures

October 2015 27

2015 crosstie update L.B. Foster’s CXT 129S-97 ties on the Bay Area Rapid Transportation extension to Antioch in the San Francisco Bay area.

demand in concrete ties over the past weeks was noted, overall, a slightly reduced level compared to last year.”

Rocla Concrete Tie, Inc., says business has been steady through the first half of 2015, mostly due to consistent demand from the Class 1 railroads.

“Class 1 and existing transit authorities have kept our existing plants busy during 2015,” the company noted. “We have seen growth potential for 2016 with a new Florida plant, which will begin production in February of next year.

This is due to demand for capital projects from existing partner Florida East Coast Railroad and the new All aboard Florida projects immediate need for new track construction.”

The company sees demand softening into 2016 as the industry tries to understand the impacts of the worldwide economy and lowering commodity prices.

Composite/alternative

Axion International Inc. says its ECOTRAX ® ties have continued to gain acceptance domestically and internationally.

“As an example of that growth in demand, municipalities are starting to change standards in areas where traditional

28 Railway Track & Structures

October 2015

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2015 crosstie update

Engineers inspect GIC concrete crossties after a production cycle.

ties do not last,” explained Cory Burdick, vice president of the Rail Division. “Transit agencies have begun to receive increased amounts of funding for greener alternatives that have longer life cycles. An example of our growth this year as a green alternative came in New York where Axion was awarded the contract to supply all ties for the New York City

30 Railway Track & Structures

October 2015

Transit St. George Rehabilitation Project, an area in Staten Island that was damaged severely by Hurricane Sandy.”

Burdick says there has been a growing recognition that multiple tie types are required to meet the vast needs of railroads and that the recognition has been directly related to the steady increase in demand for composite ties.

“What we term the ‘specialty’ tie market remains to be our biggest growth segment and it includes tunnel ties, switch ties, ties for road crossings and bridge ties, as well as continued supply to Class 1s for mainline in high-rot zones,” he noted. “In 2015, Axion has shipped more than 20,000 tunnel ties to be installed with the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, as well as provided switch ties for the complete replacement of all turnouts on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Blue Line.

We continue to be a firm believer that the greatest value in our ECOTRAX ties lies within specialty applications,

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2015 crosstie update

IntegriCo’s composite crossties installed out on track.

such as these, where our immediate economic value is realized.”

Scott Mack, chief executive officer of IntegriCo Composites, says that the level of interest in composite ties continues to grow and demand has increased year after year.

“Our brand-new, $20-million facility has increased our capacity and improved the already high-level of consistency,” said Mack. “Additionally, we believe our world-class quality control systems and equipment will result in unparalleled performance in the crosstie industry. The need for alternative products to wood and concrete have been driving our business for the past six years. Composite ties are an effective solution due to their longer life while meeting corporate wide sustainability objectives.”

Mack says IntegriCo’s biggest challenge has been meeting the demand.

“We had six-plus months backlog for most of the past two years,” he explained. “Thankfully, the new manufacturing line gives us capacity for current demand, while the overall facility allows for significant expansion to meet expected future requirements.”

Preservation/extension

T i m C a r e y, i n d u s t r i a l p r o d u c t specialist at Arch Wood Protection, Inc., says that business has continued 32 Railway Track & Structures

on a steady, but growing pace.

“The greatest growth has been outside of railroad usage in marina and port construction on the west coast,” he explained. “In track usage, situations where non-oily surfaces are preferred lead our growth, such as for bridges and for commuter rail.”

C a r e y n o t e s t h at AC Z A a n d borate compounds are both Type III termiticide, which are slow-acting, non-repellant materials, which means termites will move to other parts of the colony before they die – affecting the entire colony.

“Combining ACZA with borates gives a railroad a well-protected tie,” he said. “Extreme weather effects both the harvesting and drying of wood ties and the long, wet winter and sporadic heavy rains since then, can control tie availability. But the industry as a whole continues to rise to the task of making sure that ties are available.”

“At Encore, we work year round to improve our compounds and application equipment,” said Encore Rail Systems, Inc. “We are continually involved in the research and development of new products, working with a team of chemists to ensure we have the best products available. Our current focus remains on rail seat abrasion and wood tie plugging. At Encore, we have the ability to not only develop new products,

October 2015

but also design the equipment necessary to apply them.”

In the crosstie industry, there is an increased focus on heavy rail seat abrasion, while chemical tie plugging continues to be the standard for wood crossties, the company notes.

“Field testing has shown that ties do live longer when they are chemically repaired. In addition, we are precoating concrete ties with SpeedSet ® in tie plants across the North America to help prolong the life of new concrete ties,” Encore explained.

The bulk of Encore’s business continues with Class 1 railroads; however, g rowth continues with contractors working on Class 1s, shortlines and transits, the company says. In addition to equipment and compounds, Encore focuses heavily on aftermarket support with both its parts sales and service team.

“We have seen an increase in wood tie plugging cartridge orders,” Encore said. “This is a result of the railroads mandating chemical tie plugging over wood plugs. Railroads are always looking for more-efficient and costeffective ways to repair track. We are continually working with our team of engineers to design more productive, reliable and operator-friendly equipment. An example is our new enclosed cabin ride-on machine.”

Working with Norfolk Southern and Mellott wood preserving, Nisus Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Kirkland and Vice President of R&D Dr. Jeff Lloyd developed the BTX System, which Nisus says allows a railroad to treat their bridge ties and timbers with borate and achieve equal retention irrespective of size or species.

A number of por ts are drilled strategically in the ties and filled with Cellu-Treat Liquid DOT Borate. As the tie goes through the Boulton cycle, the borate is drawn from the ports into the heartwood of the tie. The tie is then treated normally with either creosote or QNAP copper naphthenate. www.rtands.com

2015 crosstie update

Top: Encore’s Cabbed Ride-On Tie Plugger.

Nisus crossties that were treated using a single BTX port then let sit for a year; the red curcumin spray indicates the presence of borate.

“The results have been amazing,” said Lloyd. “We are seeing full penetration of the heartwood of the tie. We even tested this using a single port and after one year, you can see the borate has fully penetrated the tie, providing the tie with wood preservative protection in the otherwise untreated heartwood of the tie.”

Nisus also launched a QNAP two-percent oil-borne product for field treatment of end-cuts, drill holes and dapping of post treatment ties and timbers. When a tie is cut for a switch or bridge, the preservative penetration may not reach the center of the tie, Lloyd mentions, leaving the end of the untreated wood exposed to wood decay.

“Simply applying QNAP 2 with a brush or a roller will protect the tie and meet the requirements of the AWPA M4 Standard,” he explained. “QNAP 2 for endcut treatments comes in a five-gallon metal bucket and is available through your tie-treating company or directly from Nisus Corporation.”

The dual treatment of railroad ties with Cellu-Treat Liquid DOT Borate has reached a tipping point with most of the railroads that are either treating or considering treatment of their ties for Hazard zones 3, 4 & 5, notes Lloyd. By eliminating incipient decay that starts during the air-drying process, ties are significantly stronger at the time of pressure treatment and last twice as long in track based on Dr. Terry Amburgey’s in-track study, he notes.

According to Ken Laughlin, division vice president for 34 Railway Track & Structures

October 2015

Wood Preservation for Nisus, “NS has been the leader is specifying QNAP copper naphthenate for bridge ties.

Wheeler Lumber, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, is currently treating QNAP copper naphthenate bridge timbers for Union Pacific, Canadian Pacific, BNSF, G&W and a number of shortlines. Amerities will begin producing QNAP copper naphthenate bridge ties in Dalles, Ore., beginning in October, bringing the number of QNAP treaters to 11 facilities. With the addition of Cahaba in Brierfield, Ala., there are now 10 Cellu-Treat Borate DOT dual-treatment facilities in the U.S. “We believe all ties will eventually be dual-treated,” he said.

Willamette Valley Company (WVCO) formulates, manufactures and sells CTR-100, a 100 percent solid, no VOC, polyurethane compound for the repair of worn rail seats in concrete ties. WVCO is currently working with railroad engineering departments, leading pad assembly manufacturers and concrete tie manufacturers to develop longer-lasting repair systems in combating the occurrence of rail seat abrasion.

WVCO is selling the CTR-100 to concrete tie manufacturers who are working with the railroad engineering departments to pre-coat new concrete tie seats.

WVCO says test results show that the application of a thin film coating of CTR-100 hastens the start of rail seat abrasion by a factor of four times when compared to an uncoated concrete seat.

WVCO’s SpikeFast technology, for wood tie remediation, a non-foam 100 percent solids polyurethane is being used to repair wood damage that occurs due to plate cut. The same formula used for spike hole filling is now being utilized to repair the void area where the steel plate has displaced the wood fiber. Most of these types of repairs are being done on bridge decks and switch ties.

WVCO has developed and is commercializing a repair compound, FastPatch LV–Low Viscosity, which is being used when degradation has occurred in the plastic inserts in concrete ties. This compound helps anchor the new insert, cures in 10 minutes and can be torqued in one hour.

“FastPatch concrete repair systems were developed over a decade ago,” noted John Murray, vice president. “We were approached by key transportation professionals about developing a longer-lasting material for repairing roadways and bridges. With our experience developing innovative railroad and wood products, this challenge was soon answered with a new product called FastPatch. After six years of development and in-field trails, FastPatch proved to outperform and outlast traditional products, plus it was easier to install with our custom dispensing machine and easy-to-use kits. We now offer a variety of FastPatch Systems for a wide range of pavement preservation applications.” www.rtands.com

Coordination, collaboration, trust and respect are all factors that played a role in reducing risk and stress surrounding the six-mile separation of operations between SEPTA and CSX .

by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor All photos by Matt Courchain, SEPTA

SEPTA, CSX

work through

separation Anxiety

G

ood planning and communication are the usual contributing factors cited for the success of a track project. For CSX and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), those two elements, along with a hefty dose of trust and respect, served as catalysts, resulting in the successful completion of the West Trenton Separation Project within a two-year time frame.

“This project shows that when people sit down, roll up their sleeves and are all in on both sides, you can work to make something happen,” said SEPTA General Manager Jeff Knueppel.

SEPTA and CSX partnered on the $38.8-million project, which separated operations between the passenger and freight provider between Woodbourne and West Trenton Stations on CSXowned track.

To separate or not?

This section of track has been experi36 Railway Track & Structures

encing sustained growth in both passenger and freight operations. SEPTA runs 57 passenger trains a day along this segment and ridership on its West Trenton Regional Rail Line has increased 60 percent during the past decade. In addition, CSX runs more than 20 freight trains a day along this segment, which serves as a key freight route to moving goods throughout the Greater Philadelphia region and provides an important link in CSX’s north-south network.

With train levels increasing, congestion was one of the big factors driving the separation project along. Congestion contributed to potential service issues, but it also made maintaining the infrastructure more difficult. CSX was responsible for maintaining track, C&S and bridge infrastructure, while SEPTA was responsible for maintaining the electrified catenary. As Knueppel explains, maintenance practices an electrified railroad should perform

October 2015

more often, such as tree trimming, aren’t always an easy sell when looking to secure a maintenance window.

In addition to the potential conflicts that arose with congestion, SEPTA handled dispatching for both the passenger and freight operations.

For CSX, that meant if a hot shot train reached the Philadelphia area around rush hour, that train would have to wait due to passenger operations having priority.

“It was tough for both sides,” said Knueppel. “We were helping CSX where we could, but we had to get our customers around and it was putting a lot of pressure on the two entities. We were having more and more calls to discuss hot shots that were delayed.”

Perhaps the biggest issue to push the separation project forward was Positive Train Control (PTC).

“The goal of the project was to improve both freight and passenger service in that corridor and to address the www.rtands.com

Opposite page: The track could be a busy place during this project. SEPTA says that betwee n its in-house forces, CSX’s in-house forces, third-party forces and train traffic, safety was a critical focus in the project design and execution.

federal PTC mandate. CSX and SEPTA are installing different PTC systems and, therefore, the best option was to separate the passenger and freight operations over the last segment of shared track on the Trenton Line,” said Pete Delfox, manager – network planning with CSX. Knueppel says that SEPTA, as the tenant, was concerned with the slew of unknowns surrounding PTC and the possibility of not being able to operate over this section of track after the implementation deadline was a real threat. “[CSX and SEPTA] initially tried to come up with a technical solution for interoperability that would have kept the tracks in the same configuration, but if we were going to be serious about meeting the deadline, coupled with the problems concerning congestion and maintenance, it became apparent that we were going to have to separate,” said Knueppel.

Getting to work

Plans for the project were finalized in April 2013. However, Act 89, which provides dedicated transportation funding, had not yet been enacted in Pennsylvania. At least on SEPTA’s part, finding a way to pay for the project was a big question. The boost needed came with the awarding of a $10-million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant in September 2013.

“We were in dire financial straights at the time,” said Knueppel. “We had made the decision to separate, but we weren’t sure where to come up with the money, at least to start. So, the timing of the TIGER grant was perfect. When you look at it, it’s amazing that we were able, both parties, to achieve this in less than two years. It’s a model of cooperation.”

The scope of work included building 3.75 miles of new SEPTA-dedicated track along the existing rightof-way, upgrading six miles of track, www.rtands.com

separating the “Trent” interlocking, building a new SEPTA-maintained “Iron” interlocking and separating the “Wood” interlocking. This section of track was originally a four-track railroad, but Knueppel notes that a lot of things happened over the years, which resulted in fundamental work, such as placing signal power plants in proper spots and building a retaining wall where a rock cut had deteriorated, needing to be done to get the right-ofway ready for the project.

Additionally, SEPTA’s West Trenton Yard played an interesting role in the project.

“We had a yard, West Trenton Yard, that was on the wrong side of the tracks,” explained Knueppel. “Originally, we were worried we would have to do a follow on phase (after the completion of the initial separation project) to move the yard. However, both railroads worked on a great idea that got rid of that issue by morphing Trent interlocking around and, basically, fly the CSX line around the yard. We pulled our yard in, made it longer and narrower, and the two mainlines have now become yard tracks. There was an old wye that went off to Trenton, which gave them enough room to fly the freight line around our yard at 50 mph.

Everyone was thrilled that both entities were able to come up with a solution that got us away from having to do anything with the yard in the future.”

The volume of traffic in the area complicated the construction of the project. Knueppel says both parties approached the project in phases.

“We were moving toward this quickly and we had to make sure that properly trained people were maintaining the infrastructure. This is a busy stretch; we’re talking 80 trains a day in a condensed time period. Couple that with the fact that CSX and SEPTA both use the combination of in-house and third-party sources and we had to make sure there was safety of operations,” said Knueppel.

To enforce the focus on safety, Knueppel says SEPTA utilized a diagram that was on a single piece of paper displaying where all parties would be working.

“These diagrams were key to making sure, during these busy weekends and different phases of the project, Railway Track & Structures

October 2015 37

septa/CSX West trenton Separation The shared SEPTA, CSX alignment can be seen at top in the diagram on the left. The new separated alignment is displayed below. There is still one connection between the entities at Wood interlocking to accomodate a military route.

that everybody knew what was going on. Also, every morning, we held faceto-face coordination meetings out on the line before anybody went out because we had multiple entities out there, maintaining safety was a top priority,” said Knueppel.

Coordinating a project such as this was its own challenge. Knueppel says SEPTA has a good working relationship with CSX and said both entities took a leap of trust to see that this project would proceed. SEPTA and CSX had worked together on a much

smaller separation project on the Fox Chase Line in 2004, which set a precedent for the larger West Trenton Separation Project.

“There was a certain level of trust that allowed both parties to move forward aggressively. It was not always the type of project where every last detail was figured out. Face-to-face interactions were incredibly important.

I think there were eight or nine phases throughout the two-year time period and everyone had to hit things or we were done. CSX did a great job of constantly meeting, constantly working and making sure that we could advance things,” said Knueppel.

septa/CSX West trenton Separation SEPTA and CSX performed the final work to separate operations at the end of August and both railroads are already seeing the benefits.

Knueppel says the congestion relief primarily, during rush hour, was immediately apparent following completion of the project. He also points out that, as of the writing of this article, SEPTA is still in the hunt to meet the PTC implementation deadline of Dec. 31, 2015, a goal that would not have been possible without the separation project.

Additionally, Knueppel says the separation clears the way for SEPTA to make ADA improvements at the two stations located on the stretch that was separated, Yardley and West Trenton.

“It was very hard for us to make cost-effective ADA improvements the way we were running out there. We are working on projects for both stations where we will be able to put in highlevel platforms and do it cost effectively. We may have spent money on the separation, but it helped us save on the ADA work that we will do later,”

said Knueppel. “Also, track speeds are coming up to 70 mph, which is an increase on the passenger line; we had been at 60 mph. The turnouts we installed are pretty high speed, No. 20s, so we’ve done things to make sure we can move quickly.”

Dispatching has now returned to each entity. Knueppel says SEPTA measures delays in seconds and minutes and having surety of disp at c h i n g i s a r e l i e f . Fo r C S X , regaining dispatching capabilities in this area plugs a six-mile hole that will improve its ability to coordinate train movements.

“This was a true collaborative effort between CSX and SEPTA and the benefits of separating CSX freight and SEPTA passenger operations have been immediate. Both CSX and SEPTA are enjoying the freedom to operate their respective services more efficiently and without conflict. The PTC effort is ongoing, but will be much easier to install and maintain as separate passenger and freight rail systems,” said Delfox.

Kevin Jurgelewicz, SEPTA project manager, added, “I think the real key to it was an understanding and a respect of each others strategic business initiatives and business priorities.

We also did most of this while keeping trains running. It was only during select cutovers that we would suspend service. We did all this safely, while keeping things moving.”

“In the end, I think this was a forward looking project for both companies and it was a solution for so many things. The exciting thing was the teamwork within each other’s companies and that leap of trust. We built a relationship enough where we both moved before every last detail could be worked out and people just kept moving. I think this ensures a long and improved future for both SEPTA customers and for the freight carrier in this region. I’m just incredibly proud of my own forces, our construction manager, Gannett Fleming and our designer, HNTB and what they were able to accomplish. They did a fantastic job,” said Knueppel.

PARTNERSHIP PRESERVES

Palouse rail lines

Washington state, WATCO and PCC join forces to enhance the movement of crops and preserve critical rail lines.

I

t all began thousands of years ago with successive ice ages. Extremely fine soils were blown across the exposed landscape and deposited in the southeast corner of Washington state.

The Palouse region is a collection of somewhat random hills and valleys with slopes of up to 50 percent inclines depending on orientation. Anchored by the cities of Walla Walla, Pullman, Colfax and Cheney (south of Spokane, Wash.), this picturesque region was first used to graze livestock. When the first plow bit into the dirt in the 1860s, things changed rapidly.

Word of the verdant soils confirmed by record-breaking harvests spread.

During the 1870s, grazing was all but discontinued as farming rose in prominence. Like the California gold rush, the once ignored hills became an agricultural mecca by the 1880s. In this case, ripening wheat, barley, chick peas and lentils was the gold in them thar’ hills. To help hasten the farm to market economies, in came the fastest growing 40 Railway Track & Structures

industry of all: Railroads.

Lured by the terraforming farming community, the expanding railroad industry spread out like fingers across the challenging landscape. With little or no level ground to work with, the expense to gain access to the Palouse region was high. Shifting soils and the need for an abnormally large number of bridges helped the railroads gain access to the farmer’s bounty. Key players in this expansion were the Union Pacific, the properties that would become BNSF and Milwaukee Road. But changing economic winds and competing transportation methods (barge and truck traffic) gradually took the luster out of the rail network. With the demise of the Milwaukee Road and suffocating regulations, the remaining railroads deferred maintenance and started the process of line abandonment. Adding to the misery was the boom/bust cycles of the harvest and planting times that dominated this agrarian region. By the late 1980s, it was obvious that rail trans-

October 2015

port of wheat was slipping away.

The 1980s also witnessed the growth of two “new” industries; shortlines and very large grain cooperatives. With the “can do” attitude of growing a new business, shortline operators looked at the forlorn trackage in the Palouse Region as an opportunity. Famers realized that their 90-100-year-old grain elevators were ill suited for large grain moves dictated by the higher loading efficiencies sought by Class 1 railroads.

The “dance” between new shortlines and grain co-ops began.

WATCO Transportation Services brought its shortline knowledge, ingenuity and most importantly, money to the Palouse Region in the purchase of the Pleasant Valley and Hooper lines in 1992 to form the Palouse River & Coulee City Railroad (PCC). The partnership with the farmers began to grow.

The next big partner was obviously the large grain co-ops and their need for reliable transportation of crops. As time progressed, the costs to upgrade rail and www.rtands.com

Opposite page: Shortline providers, such as PCC, help move grain from co-ops like the one pictured.

This page: A Koppers Railroad Structures crew at work on a PCC bridge. WATCO says that its goal is to maintain, and whenever possible, upgrade infrastructure to accommodate shippers.

bridges were escalating much faster than traffic revenues and WATCO was rethinking its purchase. At that point, the biggest partner of them all arrived, Washington state. The agricultural and economic significance of the Palouse Region to Washington was just too important for the state to ignore. Starting in 2004, the state of Washington began a series of line purchases from WATCO along with “banked� rail lines to secure a patchwork quilt tying together the very heart of the Palouse region.

Bob Westby, PCC Railway System Manager for Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT),

www.rtands.com

Railway Track & Structures

October 2015 41

PCC Partnership commented that “obviously we were concerned about the effects of wear and tear along with congestion on these local roadways and the resulting escalating costs for transportation impacting this region. We also knew that an initial investment had to be made in the rail infrastructure that previous owners could not immediately justify. Washington state took the long view and this has benefited customers across the globe.”

WATCO, having invested considerable effort in its previous ownership and movement of grain, was chosen as the operator for several major sections of the PCC. WATCO then leased the Wallula Sub (East of Walla Walla) from the UP, which gave them access to not only the UP mainline, but the BNSF too.

Scott Adams, chief eng ineer, WATCO Western Region, recognizes the difficulty in maintaining and operating more than three separate and distinct subdivisions of the PCC system.

“Due to all of the previous owners, we have different rail sizes and a myr-

42 Railway Track & Structures

iad of bridge types to contend with.

To support the bridge maintenance, we partnered with Koppers Railroad Structures. They help provide engineering, project management and the repair crews to complete programed repairs on a yearly basis. They have also been very helpful with those occasional bridge emergencies.”

Adams continued, “WATCO has responsibilities to uphold to the citizens of Washington. We are acutely aware of how our operations can affect the large grain cooperatives all the way down to the farmer in the fields. We take this very seriously. Our goal is to maintain and, whenever possible, upgrade this infrastructure to accommodate the shippers.”

Typical structural upgrades usually target bridge decks and caps. The emphasis is on increasing the current 268k cars to possibly 286k. This has put added pressure on the stringer cords, caps the tie decks in general. Bad tie decks are obvious, but caps and string-

October 2015

ers require closer inspection to determine if possible exceptions exist. When possible, the PCC will replace older caps with oversized ones. Depending on span lengths, additional stringers may be added to strengthen the cords.

The importance of the large grain cooperatives as an integral partner cannot be ignored. Their ability to store more than a million bushels of wheat and related grains is significant. More importantly, this size gave the cooperatives flexibility to space rail movements throughout the year. This provides a constant stream of business and helped to eliminate the boom/bust cycles that impacted railroad employment and revenue streams.

The Palouse Region of southeast Washington has a diverse and active network of railroads operating to support this rich wheat-growing region.

Without the partnership of Washington state, WATCO and the grain cooperatives in this area, a completely different story might have unfolded.

www.rtands.com

AREMA NEWS 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 to be considered for publication and/or presentation at the AREMA 2016 Annual Conference to be held in Orlando, FL, from August 28 - 31, 2016.

The AREMA 2016 Annual Conference will include the following subject tracks (organized around the AREMA Functional Groups and interests): Communications & Signals, Engineering Services, Maintenance, Passenger & Transit, Structures and Track.

There will also be a separate sub-track within the C&S Functional Group Session on Tuesday for topics related to Information Technology and Positive Train Control. We welcome submissions in these topic areas.

Message from the President

I want YOU to participate in AREMA

Brian A. Lindamood, PE AREMA President 2015-2016

Submit your paper online at www.arema.org

by December 1, 2015.

The Abstract should be a concise synopsis of the paper and should be able to serve effectively as a screening mechanism for reviewers.

44 Railway Track & Structures

October 2015

When I was a child growing up in a small town, a daily ritual was walking to the post office with my mother to get the mail. Next to the window was a poster, with which I am sure many of us are familiar, depicting Uncle Sam pointing back with the words “I want YOU.” What does this have to do with AREMA, you might ask?

AREMA provides the recommended practices for the railway industry in North America and represents the foundation upon which most railroads, government entities and others use as a basis for design standards. The development of this material is afforded through the collaborative work of technical committees, reviewing, developing, scrutinizing, processing new information and updating the vetted material as recommended practices. These technical committees represent the backbone of AREMA and their work is the foundation of the organization.

This sort of relationship is similar to American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, American Institute of Steel Construction, the American Concrete Institute and other organizations providing the design, construction and maintenance of infrastructure.

What is different is that, unlike some of these other organizations, AREMA, with the exception of a small administrative staff, is an entirely volunteer-run organization. As such, we could conclude that what we, as an industry, get from AREMA is directly related to what we, as an industry, put into it.

In my experience, we get many fold more by simply being involved, both individually and as an industry.

We often see the term “investment” associated with fees associated with industry conferences, trade shows and short-courses. However, just as educators know that there are different types of learning, there are different types of investments, as well. While it is easy to look at a shortcourse advertisement or a tradeshow program and make travel decisions related to the content provided, it is much more difficult to assess the value in convening with a score of industry experts and colleagues on an annual basis (or more) to research and develop material.

What is frequently over-looked in these travel requests is the opportunity to canvas others’ opinions and guidance on a list of topics generated by the individual attending, not simply trying to glean the relevant information desired from a presentation intended to address a larger population. Even more important is the networking that develops.

If a need in my organization develops regarding a specific topic, I may not know who specifically can provide some help, but I almost always know someone else who does. www.rtands.com

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

2015 - 2016 Upcoming Committee Meetings

Nov. 5-6

2015 Oct. 18-19 Committee 34 - Scales

Committee 30 - Ties

Tucson, AZ

Vancouver, WA

2016

Oct. 27-28 Committee 4 - Rail

Stockton, CA

Feb. 4

Committee 9 - Seismic Design for Railway Structures

Spring, TX

Nov. 3-4

Committee 37 - Signal Systems

Atlanta, GA

Feb. 24-25

Committee 7 - Timber Structures

Las Vegas, NV

Nov. 4-5

Committee 36 - Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems

Atlanta, GA

March 15-16 Committee 37 - Signal Systems

Oakland, CA

AREMA is more than an e-mail to your inbox and a certificate to hang on the wall. Organizations that view AREMA participation as reserved for management, or as some sort of reward, are not recouping their investment. Life, like some exams, is open book. You do not have to know everything if you know where to look for the answer.

I have been fortunate. Early in my career, my superiors recognized my interest in AREMA and railway engineering and provided for my participation on committees and the annual conferences. I believe that the investment made by my supervisors over the years in travel expenses and time away from the office has more than repaid itself in increased productivity and efficiency.

Thank you, all of you.

In closing, I want YOU to thoughtfully consider those experts in your organization that have relevant knowledge and experience and encourage them to contribute. I want YOU to consider the development of your younger staff and invest in their professional development by supporting their involvement in AREMA beyond just paying annual dues. Most of all, I want YOU to find a technical committee that interests you and participate. I can assure you that all of us will benefit from your investment.

Not an AREMA Member?

Join today at www.arema.org Put your career on the right track with AREMA's Railway Careers Network Services are free and include confidential resume posting, job search and e-mail notification when jobs match your criteria. http://www.careers.arema.org.

Call for Mentors As the years pass, it becomes more vital to introduce and educate the next generation about 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 to industry professionals to influence the next generation. 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 under Education & Training to become a mentor today.

www.rtands.com

FYI‌

Save the date for the AREMA 2016 Annual Conference & Exposition to be held in Orlando, FL, from August 28-31, 2016.

Call for papers: Papers are now being accepted for the AREMA 2016 Annual Conference & Exposition to be held in Orlando, FL, from August 28-31, 2016. The deadline is December 1, 2015. Please visit www.arema.org for more information and to submit a paper online.

Book your 2016 AREMA exposition booth now for the AREMA 2016 Annual Conference & Exposition in Orlando, FL, August 28-31, 2016. For more information and to book your exposition space, please contact Christy Thomas at cthomas@arema.org.

A R E M A we b s i t e a d ve r t i s i n g . . .

Want to be listed on the AREMA w e b s i t e t o ga i n e x p o s u r e f r o m the more than 6,800 AREMA members? Contact Lindsay Hamilton a t 3 01. 4 5 9 . 3 2 0 0 , e x t . 7 0 5 , o r lhamilton@arema.org to get advertising rates.

AREMA on social media... S t a y 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.

Railway Track & Structures

October 2015 45

AREMA NEWS

Getting to know Gary Noto Each month, AREMA features one of our committee chairs.

We are pleased to announce that the October featured chair is Gary Noto, chair of Committee 41 - Track Maintenance Steering Team.

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

Noto: I was hired as a trackman with Penn Central Railroad in 1975 and once I started, I knew I wanted to do it forever. I enjoyed working outdoors through the seasons and especially the fact that we did something different almost every day. I found it to be so interesting, taking on new problems daily.

AREMA: How did you get started?

Noto: I was dating someone who worked for Penn Central as a clerk and she told me they were hiring in the Track Department. The work seemed so interesting and rewarding so I applied. The rest is history and I have been married to that woman I was dating back in 1975 for 38 years.

AREMA: How did you get involved with AREMA and your committee?

Noto: While working as a track supervisor in 1985, I was becoming more and more interested in learning everything I could about railroading. One of my mentors, who was always answering my questions back then, suggested that I might enjoy joining what was then The Roadmaster’s Association. Needless to say, I joined this association and after participating for several years, in 1997, I started to become interested in the committees. Approximately five years ago, I heard there was a track maintenance team and knew instantly that because this group dealt with practices regarding the things I had done all my working life, I wanted to be associated with it.

AREMA: Tell us about your family.

Noto: I live in Connecticut with my wife, Laura. We relocated from New Jersey in 1994 with our two children, Michael and Samantha. After working for a few years after college, my son applied for and was awarded a position in the training department with Amtrak and is now working with the System Safety Department there. He married my daughter-in-law Stephanie and they have blessed the family with the love of my life – my granddaughter, Kelly. After graduating college, my daughter decided to relocate to New York City and work there. After a couple of years, she realized that she wanted to return to Rhode Island where she had attended college and decided to settle there. She is employed at a physical therapy practice and is enjoying life in the Ocean State.

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

Noto: After all these years, my biggest pleasure is spending time with my family and especially with my granddaughter.

It really does always come down to the fact that the simple things in life are the most enjoyable.

46 Railway Track & Structures

October 2015

Gary Noto Chair , Committee 41 Track Maintenance Steering Team Deputy Division Engineer, Track and Structures Amtrak

AREMA: What is your biggest achievement?

Noto: Maintaining the busiest section of railroad in the country, along with all my fellow workers throughout the past 40 years, has been my main accomplishment. But I would have to say that raising two incredible children is my greatest achievement, and they are both now wonderful adults that know the importance of working hard and treating people with respect. Also, that while coaching youth sports for more than 40 years, I have quite possibly made a difference in the lives of hundreds of children. It has been very gratifying seeing them all grown up and raising families of their own through the magic of social media. Volunteering has given me the opportunity of affecting the lives of many children and hopefully they are passing on to their children the values that I tried to instill in them.

AREMA: What advice would you give to someone who is trying to pursue a career in the railway industry?

Noto: As you journey through your railroad career, seek out experienced and knowledgeable people and ask plenty of questions. Also, be more than willing to learn new things every day. There will be many ups and downs along the way and it is very important to be able to take the good with the bad. Most of all, please respect the dangers associated with the industry. www.rtands.com

AREMA Publications 2016 Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices

©

2014 Portfolio of Trackwork Plans ©

Now available The Communications & Signals Manual is a manual of recommended practices written

by AREMA technical committees in the interest of establishing uniformity, promoting safety or efficiency and economy. The Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices is an annual publication released every October.

Downloadable Sections Available Online.

2015 Manual for Railway Engineering ©

There have been numerous updates to more than 5,000 pages of the Manual for Railway Engineering. The chapters are grouped into four general categories: • Track • Structures • Infrastructure & Passenger • Systems Management. The Manual is an annual publication, released every April. It is available in a multi-volume loose-leaf format, CD-ROM, revision set (loose-leaf only) and individual chapters (downloadable format).

Downloadable Chapters Available Online.

The Portfolio of Trackwork Plans consists of plans and specifications that relate to the design, details, materials and workmanship for switches, frogs, turnouts and crossovers, crossings, rails and other special trackwork. This is a companion volume to the Manual for Railway Engineering.

AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook ©

The AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook provides a comprehensive source of information and criteria for bridge inspections for engineers engaged in the assessment of railway bridges. This handbook is published as a guide to establishing policies and practices relative to bridge inspection. It covers such topics as confined spaces, site conditions, loads & forces, nomenclature, bridge decks, timber, concrete & steel bridges, movable bridges, tunnel and culvert inspections, and emergency & postearthquake inspections. Also included are many color photographed examples in several chapters, as well as a glossary in the back of the book.

Practical Guide to Railway Engineering ©

Reflections on a Half Century of Railway Engineering and Some Related Subjects ©

Railway Memoirs by William G. Byers, PE

To order any of the AREMA publications, please visit www.arema.org or contact Morgan Bruins at +1.301.459.3200, ext. 711, or mbruins@arema.org.

www.rtands.com

This guide provides a comprehensive overview and understanding of the railway system. Whether you are new to the rail industry or a long-time contributor wanting to learn more, this bound book and CD-ROM offer in-depth coverage of railway fundamentals and serve as an excellent reference. (Also available in a CD-ROM version only.)

Railway Track & Structures

October 2015 47

AREMA NEWS

Student chapter highlight: UW-Madison

by Hannah Silber

The student chapter, called the Badger Railroad Society (BRS), was started by a master’s student in the Mechanical Engineering Department in the fall of 2013.

Hannah Silber

The AREMA Student Chapter at the University of WisconsinMadison is a relatively new, but growing student organization in the College of Engineering.

48 Railway Track & Structures

Since then, the organization has maintained a small base of 10 members, but is hoping to attract new incoming freshman this semester. Currently, the presidency of Badger Railroad Society is being passed from Hannah Silber, a Ph.D. candidate working in transportation safety and human factors, to Mike Schlicting, a Ph.D. candidate, hoping to bridge the gap between rail and air travel.

Dur ing the last academic year, Badger Railroad Society h a d a r e p r e s e n t a t i ve f r o m Operation Lifesaver come and give an interactive presentation on railroad crossing safety. One great perk of being involved in the UW-Madison Student Chapter is that members of BRS are able to attend UW-Madison’s Engineering Professional Development Railroad Eng ineer ing cour ses free of charge. A few members were able to attend the Track Inspection and Maintenance Course last fall, which included a tour of one of Wisconsin & Southern’s rail yards. BRS plans to begin this semester by attending the College of Engineering’s student organization fair. Later in the semester, BRS has speakers discussing some interesting topics such as high-speed rail, connecting airports and trains, railway operations and a bicycle tour of Madison’s rail history.

A Wisconsin & Southern locomotive at the Janesville Yard.

October 2015

www.rtands.com

www.rtands.com

Railway Track & Structures

October 2015 49

CALENDAR OCTOBER 17-20. ASLRRA Eastern Region Meeting. Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel. Erie, Pa. Contact: Jenny Bourque. Phone: 202-585-3449. E-mail: jbourque@aslrra.org. Website: www.aslrra.org.

20-23. Track Safety Standards Part 213 Classes 1-5 Workshop. Council Bluffs, Iowa. Phone: 800-228-9670.

E-mail: studentservices@sb-reb.com. Website: http://www. railwayeducationalbureau.com/TrkInspWrkShp.html.

27-28. Railroad Environmental Conference. Urbana, Ill. Phone: 217-244-4600. E-mail: rrec-conf@illinois.edu.

Website: http://railtec.illinois.edu/RREC/overview.php.

NOVEMBER 3-5. 97th Annual Railway Tie Association Symposium and Technical Conference. Marriott Starr Pass Resort.

Tucson, Ariz. Phone: 770-460-5553. E-mail: ties@rta.org.

Website: www.rta.org.

3-5. Bently’s Year in Infrastructure 2015. Hilton London Metropole Hotel. London, UK. Website: https://app.certain.com/profile/web/index. cfm?PKWebId=0x58649397e7.

10. Western Railway Club Meeting. Union League Club of Chicago. Phone: 847-877-1514. E-mail: info@westernrailwayclub.com. Website: www. westernrailwayclub.com.

2-6. Railroad Track Inspection & Standards. University of Tennessee - Knoxville. Valley Railroad Museum.

Chattanooga, Tenn. Contact: Diana Webb. Phone: 865974-5255. Fax: 865-974-3889.

10-11. Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety.

University of Wisconsin - Madison. The Pyle Center.

Madison, Wis. Contact: David Peterson. Phone: 800462-0876. E-mail: dmpeter5@wisc.edu. Website: www. edp/engr.wisc.edu/webR315.

DECEMBER 9. “Big Data” in Railroad Maintenance Planning 2015.

University of Delaware. Phone: 302-831-2442. Fax: 302831-3640. E-mail: cee-info@udel.edu. Website: http:// www.ce.udel.edu/home/list_events.html?id=366688.

JANUARY 12. NRC Annual Conference & REMSA Exhibition.

Hotel Del Coronado. San Diego, Calif. Contact: Matt Bell. Phone: 202-715-1264. E-mail: mbell@nrcma.org.

Website: www.nrcma.org.

12. Western Railway Club Meeting. Union League Club of Chicago. Phone: 847-877-1514. E-mail: info@westernrailwayclub.com. Website: www. westernrailwayclub.com. www.rtands.com

Railway Track & Structures

October 2015 51

PRODUCTS Swivels

Taimi Hydraulics introduced its next generation of inline and cartridge-style swivels. The T2 was designed to increase durability, increase operating pressure up to 6250 PSI (430 bar) and lower rotating torque. The patented Taimi swivel is sold in 24 countries. Phone: (418) 686-6868.

Machine attachments

Gradall Industries, Inc., introduced a collection of options for its railway maintenance machines, which are designed for mobility and versatility. Gradall says its machines have a low profile, long reach, with a telescoping, tilting boom design. With a 220-degree full boom tilt capability, Gradall machines use a range of attachments to build and repair rail crossings, clean up landslides, replace rails, spread ballast and cut back overhanging trees and other vegetation. Gradall offers an optional Kinshofer Nox-Tiltrotator, featuring 360-degree continuous attachment rotation and an extra 110 degrees of tilt motion, enabling operators to position attachments with precision and in difficult locations. The Nox-Tiltrotator accommodates a wide range of attachments designed for railway maintenance, which can be changed hydraulically from the operator cab. The Gradall carrier’s short rear tail swing and low-profile telescoping boom create a compact profile, allowing Gradall machines to work efficiently under bridges and inside tunnels where knuckle booms won’t fit, the company notes. The Neotec rail gear system uses hydrostatic drive for on-rail mobility, achieving speeds of 15 mph or more. From the operator cab, the rail gear system is lowered and mobility is changed from the road mode to the rail mode and back. With the carrier wheels raised, hydrostatic drive speeds the carrier to the job site where carrier wheels may be hydraulically lowered for stability during digging, lifting and ballast movement. Highway speed models can be driven over highways at 60 mph, without the need for a lowboy trailer. On/off pavement models efficiently travel over pavement at speeds typically exceeding 15 mph. Phone: (800) 445-4752.

52 Railway Track & Structures

October 2015

www.rtands.com

Ad Index Company

Phone #

Arch Wood Protection, Inc., - a Lonza Company AREMA Marketing Department

Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. R. J. Corman Railroad Group

Danella Rental Systems Delta Railroad Construction Inc. Encore Rail Systems, Inc. L.B. Foster Co.

Georgetown Rail Equipment Company Harsco Rail

Herzog Railroad Services, Inc. Holland Co.

Hougen Manufacturing, Inc.

Koppers Railroad Structures Inc. Landoll Corporation Moley Magnetics, Inc.

Neel Company, The Nisus Corporation Nordco Inc. North American Rail Products Inc.

NRC Progress Rail Services Corp.

RAIL.ONE USA Corp.

RAILCET

Rails Company Railway Educational Bureau, The

Railway Tie Association

RailWorks Corporation Schenck Process

Stella-Jones Corporation

Taimi Hydraulics V&H Inc., Trucks

voestalpine Nortrak Inc. Willamette Valley Company

Fax#

678-627-2275 301-459-3200

301-459-8077 205-424-7245 205-424-7436 800-611-7245 859-885-7804 610-828-6200

610-828-2260 440-994-2997 440-992-1311 866-712-7622 303-922-6178 412-928-3506 412-928-3512 512-869-1542 ext.5292 512-863-0405 803-822-7551 803-822-7521 816-233-9002 816-233-7757 708-672-2300 ext. 382 708-672-0119 866-245-3745 800-309-3299 800-356-5952 608-221-0618 800-428-5655 888-293-6779 844-M-MAGNET (844-662-4638) 716-434-5893 703-913-7858 703-913-7859 865-577-6119

414-766-2180 414-766-2379 604-946-7272 888-692-1150 202-715-2920 202-318-0867 800-476-8769

256-593-1249

563-522-2795 ext. 105 563-522-2797 866-724-5238 217-522-6588 973-763-4320 973-763-2585 402-346-4300 402-346-1783 770-460-5553 770-460-5573 866-905-7245 952-469-1926 262-473-2441 262-473-4384 800-272-8437 412-894-2846 418-686-6868 714-387-0657 715-486-8800 307-778-8777 307-778-8700

541-484-9621 541-284-2096

e-mail address

Page #

debbi.lewis@lonza.com marketing@arema.org railroad@centurygrp.com www.rjcorman.com pbarents@danella.com info@deltarr.com www.encorers.com glippard@lbfosterco.com bachman@georgetownrail.com mteeter@harsco.com tfrancis@hrsi.com gpodgorski@hollandco.com info@trak-star.com rrdiv@koppers.com jim.ladner@landoll.com sales@moleymagneticsinc.com jlewis@neelco.com jimg@nisuscorp.com info@nordco.com cerhart@narailproducts.com info@nrcma.org info@progressrail.com info@railone-usa.com grif1020@yahoo.com rails@railsco.com bbrundige@sb-reb.com ties@rta.org jrhansen@railworks.com mktg@schenckprocess.com kdulski@stella-jones.com info@taimi.ca a.thoreson@vhtruck.com gord.weatherly@voestalpine.com 03alishab@wilvaco.com

30 Cover 3 8 43 2 37 21 Cover 2 35 10 28 9 6 23 27 11 5 25 Cover 4 42 12 22 26 19 8 50, 51, 52 31 38-39 41 29 42 24 7 33

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

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

Advertising Sales general sales OFFICE Jonathan Chalon Publisher (212) 620-7224 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1165 New York, NY 10014 jchalon@sbpub.com CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA, WV, Canada Quebec and East, Ontario Jerome Marullo (212) 620-7260 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1863 New York, NY 10014 jmarullo@sbpub.com AL, AR, IN, KY, LA, MI, MS, OH, OK, TN, TX 20 South Clark St. (312) 683-0130 Ste. 1910 Fax: (312) 683-0131 Chicago, IL 60603

www.rtands.com

AK, AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, KS, MN, MO, MT, NE, NM, ND, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, WY, Canada -足AB, BC, MB, SK Heather Disabato (312) 683-5026 20 South Clark St. Fax: (312) 683-0131 Ste. 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 hdisabato@sbpub.com

Louise Cooper International Sales Manager Suite K5 &K6 The Priory +44-1444-416917 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom lc@railjournal.co.uk

Italy 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

Responsible for advertisement sales in all parts of the world, except Italy, Italian-speaking Switzerland, Japan, and North America.

Julie Richardson International Sales Manager Suite K5 &K6 The Priory +44-1444-416368 Syresham Gardens Fax: +44-1444-458185 Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom jr@railjournal.co.uk

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

Suite N2, The Priory, Syresham Gardens, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3LB, UK

Classified, Professional & Employment Jeanine Acquart (212) 620-7211 55 Broad St., 26th Fl. Fax: (212) 633-1325 New York, NY 10014 jacquart@sbpub.com

Railway Track & Structures

October 2015 53

Professional Directory

NEW & USED EQUIPMENT

Hi-Rail trucks engineered for your applications with nationwide deliveries and warranties...

Grapple Trucks Magnets & Self Propelled

NEW & USED EQUIPMENT Available for Lease 4650 cu ft Covered Hopper Cars 3600 cu ft Open Top Hopper Cars 100 ton Automated/Manual Ballast Cars 4480 cu ft Aluminum Rotary Open Top Gons 50’, 70 ton mechanical refrigerated boxcars 65 ft, 100-ton log spine cars equipped with six (6) log bunks Contact: Tom Monroe: 415-616-3472 Email: tmonroe@atel.com

54 Railway Track & Structures

Section Trucks Telescoping & Articulating Cranes

ALSO AVAILABLE Hi-Rail Pickup Trucks Hi-Rail Mechanics Trucks Hi-Rail Aerial Devices Hi-Rail Welder Trucks

and many more truck configurations...

Track Maintenance Trucks

877-888-9370

ASPENEQUIPMENT.COM/RAIL

October 2015

www.rtands.com RT&S2013revAd.indd 1

2/12/13 2:57 PM

NEW & USED EQUIPMENT

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

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS BEING OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER; YES - EST 1910

E-Mail: RelamCFE@aol.com Tel: 440-439-7088 Fax: 440-439-9399

EQUIPMENT FOR SHORT OR LONG TERM LEASE HARSCO AND NORDCO TAMPERS 6700S, SJ, SJ2, Mark IV Switch and Production Tampers 3300 and HST Chase Tampers 3000 Tampers w/Raise & Line or Chase Tampers 2400 Tampers w/Raise & Line TIE INSERTERS/EXTRACTORS Nordco TRIPPs 925 S/Ss, Standards, KTR-400s KNOX KERSHAW REGULATORS, KRIBBER/ADZERS, TIE CRANES, PLATE BROOMS, BRUSH CUTTERS, & SNOW FIGHTERS KBR-850-925-940 Ballast Regulators & Snow Fighters KBR-940 Dual Head Brush Cutters KTC-1200 Tie Cranes KKA-1050 Kribber/Adzers KPB-200 Plate Brooms NORDCO ANCHOR APPLICATORS, SPIKERS & GRABBERS Model F Anchor Machines and BAAMs Models CX and SS Spikers Model SP2R Dual Grabbers RACINE RAILROAD PRODUCTS Dual Anchor Spreaders, Squeezers, Knockers (Anchor Removers), Anchor Applicators, DAACs (Dual Anchor Adjuster Cribber), Dual e-Clip Applicators, Ride-on Regauge Adzers, TPIs, Tie Straighteners, OTM Reclaimers, SAFELOK IIIs (SAR IIIs) HI-RAIL CRANES, SPEEDSWINGS & RAIL HEATERS Pettibone Model 445E Speedswings w/Multiple Attachments Geismar 360/360-Tronic Hi-Rail Excavators, (Cold Air Blower, Brush Cutter, Grapple, Heel Boom, Train Air & Knuckle available) Badger 30 Ton Cranes w/Hi-Rails Rail Heaters - Single Sided, Dual Sided, Self-propelled w/Vibrators HI-RAIL TRUCKS, EXCAVATORS, & CARTS Hi-Rail Gradalls, XL3300 Series III w/Digging Buckets & Brush Cutters Hi-Rail Rotary Dumps, Various Hi-Rail Pickups Hi-Rail Grapple Trucks (available w/Magnet, Rail Racks & Creep Drive) 25-ton Hudson Ballast Cars 25-ton Rail and OTM Carts, 5-ton Tie Carts

Grapple Truck

Rotary Dump

Hytracker

LEASE or BUY Hirail Gradall w/opt. Brush Cutter

Hirail Service/Maintainers Truck

Custom Build New or Used Chassies.

Also: Hirail Boom Dump Trucks Hirail Mechanics Trucks Hirail Section Trucks Hytracker for moving equipment Hudson Ballast Cars DMF & Harsco parts, service and installation

RAILROAD SERVICES

Est. 1910

Ph: 315-455-0100 • Fax: 315-455-6008 • Syracuse, NY • www.franktartaglia.com

Rail Scrap Retriever

4313 Southway St. SW Canton, OH 44706

(330) 479-2004 FAX: (330) 479-2006 www.sperlingrailway.com e-mail: info@sperlingrailway.com

Turning Opportunities into New Business Get up-to-the-minute business intelligence by subscribing to GlobalRailTenders.com

GLOBAL RAIL TENDERS www.rtands.com

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Railway Track & Structures

October 2015 55

NEW & USED EQUIPMENT

PARTS • SALES • SERVICE

Products and services

REESE WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?

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

K. W. Reese, Inc.

Box 298 • Mercersburg, PA 17236

(717) 328-5211 •

NEW & USED

fax

(717) 328-9541 • www.kwreese.com

2013, 2014 NRC SAFETY AWARD GOLD MEDAL WINNER

Grapple Trucks, Roto Dumps, Mechanics Trucks and Pickups.

WE ALSO RENT! Call Rob Wiskerchen at 715-897-2619 Toll Free: 888-405-0110 e-mail: rob@wisktrucks.com • www.wisktrucks.com

RAILWAY EQUIPMENT SERVICES, INC.

Get the inside scoop on and off the track

www.railwayequipmentservices.net MOW Equipment – Lease & Sale Track Surfacing – Tamp & Reg Brushcutting – Dual side Kershaw Specialized Hauling – Low Boys with Rail 318-995-7006 or 318-469-7133 “A full service company with over 20 yrs exp!”

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

ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED 56 Railway Track & Structures

October 2015

RAIL BRIEF: The Weekly RT&S Email Newsletter SUBSCRIBE AT: www.rtands.com/RailBrief

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