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CONTENTS

January 2024

28

COLUMNS Notebook 3 Editor’s Happy New Year!

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

Operated by Ensco 4 TTC Michigan Tech’s Crossing-i System

20

Chairman’s Column 8 NRC NRC Honors Top Performers At Annual Conference

Union Pacific — Measuring and Designing Rate of Change in Track Alignment For story, see p. 20

the Board 10 From Association Participation = Unmatched Professional Development Deeper Look 12 AWhere The Wheel Meets The Rail

31 AREMA Message from the President

Union Pacific Measuring and Designing Rate of Change in Track Alignment

24

Vendor-Product Spotlight Tie Handling

26

Vendor-Product Spotlight Vegetation Management

28

Vendor-Product Spotlight Rail Flaw Detection

4 rtands.com

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January 2024 // Railway Track & Structures 1

EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

Happy New Year!

Vol. 120, No. 1 Print ISSN # 0033-9016, Digital ISSN # 2160-2514 EDITORIAL OFFICES 1025 Rose Creek Drive Suite 620-121 Woodstock, GA 30189 Telephone (470) 865-0933 Website www.rtands.com DAVID C. LESTER Editor-in-Chief dlester@sbpub.com JENNIFER McLAWHORN Managing Editor jmclawhorn@sbpub.com EDITORIAL BOARD David Clarke, University of Tennessee Brad Kerchof, formerly Norfolk Southern William Riehl, Genesee & Wyoming/AREMA Scott Sandoval, Genesee & Wyoming Robert Tuzik, Talus Associates Gary Wolf, Wolf Railway Consulting CORPORATE OFFICES 1809 Capitol Avenue Omaha, NE 68102 Telephone (212) 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 ARTHUR J. MCGINNIS, JR. President and Chairman JONATHAN CHALON Publisher MARY CONYERS Production Director NICOLE D’ANTONA Art Director HILLARY COLEMAN Graphic Designer JO ANN BINZ Circulation Director MICHELLE ZOLKOS Conference Director CUSTOMER SERVICE: 847-559-7372 Reprints: PARS International Corp.

253 West 35th Street 7th Floor New York, NY 10001 212-221-9595; fax 212-221-9195 curt.ciesinski@parsintl.com

W

e are starting 2024 with a couple of new features. The first will be a column from each of our Editorial Board members in every other issue. You may recall that we announced our Editorial Board in the August 2023 issue (page 8), and each member has made a significant contribution to the magazine in the five months they’ve been aboard. We’re kicking off this year’s series of Editorial Board columns with a piece by Bill Riehl, who is Chief Engineer of Structures for Genesee & Wyoming and AREMA Senior Vice President for 2023-2024. This position on the board will rotate annually as AREMA Senior Vice Presidents finish their terms and welcome a replacement in this position. We’re very glad to have Bill’s technical expertise as well his representation of AREMA. Bill’s piece this month is entitled “Association Participation = Unmatched Professional Development,” and is found on page 10.

We’re also pleased to announce that Gary Fry, Ph.D., P.E., whose work you may be familiar with from Railway Age, has joined our team as the author of a monthly column called “A Deeper Look.” Gary is the Vice President of Fry Technical Services, Inc. (https://www.frytechservices.com/). He has 30 years of experience in research and consulting on the fatigue and fracture behavior of structural metals and weldments. His research results have been

incorporated into international codes of practice used in the design of structural components and systems including structural welds, railway and highway bridges, and high-rise commercial buildings in seismic risk zones. He has extensive experience performing in situ testing of railway bridges under live loading of trains, including high-speed passenger trains and heavy-axleload freight trains. His research, publications, and consulting have advanced the state of the art in structural health monitoring and structural impairment detection. You can find Gary’s piece on page 12.

At Railway Track & Structures, we strive to present material of interest to all involved in this fascinating discipline. While some readers may not be interested in the technical depth and mathematical expressions that appear in Gary’s articles, there are many who will. For example, engineering professors and engineering students looking for additional reading to complement their study. Moreover, daily practitioners not interested in tackling the heavy technical portions can read the text and diagrams to get key conclusions from Gary’s work.

Due to the volume of material in this issue, my “From the Dome” column does not appear this month but will resume in February.

As we begin the new year, let us express our appreciation for your readership and support.

Our focus in on railway engineering, railway supply, and maintenance of way. However, we occasionally discuss other, non-engineering, topics that are of interest to anyone who works in the business, either in print or on our website’s daily news feed. Jennifer McLawhorn, our Managing Editor, and I work every month to develop a solid issue and are looking for opportunities for improvement continuously.

As I’ve said before, we value your feedback on all aspects of RT&S Media.

On behalf of the entire Simmons-Boardman team, we wish you success and happiness in the new year.

DAVID C. LESTER Editor-in-Chief

Railway Track & Structures (Print ISSN 0033-9016, Digital ISSN 2160-2514), (USPS 860-560), (Canada Post Cust. #7204564; Agreement #40612608; IMEX P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada) is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 1809 Capitol Avenue, Omaha, NE 68102. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at Omaha, NE, and additional mailing offices.

Pricing: Qualified individual and railroad employees may request a free subscription. Printed and/or digital version: 1 year Railroad Employees (US/Canada/Mexico) $16.00; all others $46.00; foreign $80.00; foreign, air mail $180.00. 2 years Railroad Employees US/Canada/Mexico $30.00; all others $85.00; foreign $140.00; foreign, air mail $340.00. Single Copies are $10.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only.

COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2024. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. For reprint information contact: PARS International Corp., 102 W 38th St., 6th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10018 Phone (212) 221-9595 Fax (212) 221-9195.

For subscriptions and address changes, Please call 847-559-7372, Fax +1 (847) 291-4816, e-mail rtands@omeda.com or write to: Railway Track & Structures, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, PO Box 239, Lincolnshire IL 60069-0239 USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Railway Track & Structures, PO Box 239, Lincolnshire IL 60069-0239 USA.

January 2024 // Railway Track & Structures 3

TTC OPERATED BY ENSCO

Crossing-i System by Michigan Tech Demonstrated at the Transportation Technology Center Michigan Tech demonstrates the value of drones.

By Colin N. Brooks, Senior Research Scientist, Michigan Tech Research Institute / MTRI Inc., Ann Arbor, MI

O

n November 7th and 8th, 2023, the Transportation Technology Center (TTC) hosted over three hundred attendees at the First Annual TTC Conference and Tour. The TTC Tour included multiple site visits and demonstrations, many of which had never been seen by the public before. One such demonstration was of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) funded project, the Michigan Tech Research Institute, Inc. (MTRI) Crossing-i System, a drone inspection technology for grade crossings. Figure 1 is an overview of the

demonstration site with one of the tour groups in attendance.

Why develop drone-based technology for Rail Grade Crossing Assessment? With over 200,000 highway-rail grade crossings in the U.S., ensuring safety is a top priority for the FRA. In 2018, the FRA reported 2,214 total Highway-Rail incidents that led to 270 fatalities[1]. A portion of these incidents were caused by inappropriate grade crossing design, inadequate sight distance triangles, or conditions where vehicles, such as low bed semi-trailers, became stuck on humped grade crossings are of special concern.

Phase 1 of the development of this technology was funded by the FRA with the objective of developing a proof-of-concept drone-based grade crossing inspection system that leverages automated processes to reveal potential safety risks.

The goals for the prototype system were to assess vertical profiles at a grade crossing against highway vehicle clearances, determine visual sight lines, and identify locations of gates, lights, and signage.

Figure 1: TTC Annual Conference attendees during the Crossing-I demonstration, November 8, 2023.

4 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

Inspection Technology The Crossing-i system was developed

by MTRI, a startup created to facilitate the commercialization of intellectual property of Michigan Tech University and its research center, the Michigan Tech Research Institute. Additionally, Michigan Tech is part of the Center for Surface Transportation Testing and Academic Research (C-STTAR), a consortium of universities and academic research centers focusing on intermodal transportation supporting TTC growth initiatives.

The prototype system can determine whether vertical approach grades at grade crossings create a risk of getting stuck on the tracks for different types of vehicles, assess the adequacy of visual sight lines, and locate relevant assets such as gates, lights, signage, etc. It uses high-resolution images collected via a drone that are then processed into 3D data for analysis.

The system can also use high-quality 3D data sources provided by other systems to complete the grade crossing analysis.

High-resolution imagery is collected from the drone f lying adjacent to the rail grade crossing for humped crossing analysis and over a larger area for visual sight line analysis. This high-resolution imagery is processed into Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and Orthoimagery of the rail grade crossings for vertical profile visual sight line assessment.

DEMs are produced through 3D photogrammetry software and have a resolution of 0.4 inches (1 cm) or better. An example grade crossing Orthoimage and DEM data is shown in Figure 2.

Easily derived from the high-resolution DEMs, the crossing slope and profiles reveal noteworthy features, as shown in Figure 3. Notably, in this example, the northern segment of the rail grade crossing exhibits a slope surpassing the recommended American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) guide’s maximum grade of 0.89% for 30 feet from the ends of the ties.

Examining profiles for both northbound and southbound lanes along the example grade crossing highlights the rtands.com

TTC OPERATED BY ENSCO

Figure 2: Example orthoimage and DEMs of a grade crossing. This crossing is considered a humped crossing as certain vehicles could become stuck on the crossing as they attempt to cross.

Figure 3: Profiles for northbound and southbound lanes along the rail grade crossing of the example grade crossing.

rtands.com

January 2024 // Railway Track & Structures 5

TTC OPERATED BY ENSCO

Railroad Grade Crossing Viewshed, shown in Figure 5, which analyzes visual sight lines. This tool uses the speeds of vehicles and trains to determine if a crossing has acceptable visual sight lines based on requirements defined in the AASHTO Green Book.

Figure 4: Example humped crossing analysis results using the Crossing-i Automated Profile Assessment Tool.

TTC Demonstration The demonstration performed during the TTC Tour consisted of installing four high-precision GPS beacons in the four corners of a grade crossing to reference measurements. After a recognition f light, a preplanned f light mission was loaded in a multi-copter drone that followed a predetermined path at a stable altitude to ensure the capture of the required imagery and LiDAR data. The complete survey process in a production setting took around 90 minutes per crossing. The processing time for a single crossing takes an average of three hours, depending on the number of workstations or cloud instances assigned to the task. Attendees at the tour got to witness the Crossing-i drone conduct its f light and collect data on the TTC grade crossing at Post 100. A tent with a large monitor was set up so the attendees could view the inspection data.

As part of its mission, the TTC looks forward to continued collaboration with universities and the FRA to aid in advancing railway safety through research and technology development.

Through the annual TTC Conference and Tour, these projects will have a great venue to share with and demonstrate to the railway community.

Reference Federal Rail Administration. (2019).

Safety Analysis Web Site. Retrieved from: https://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/default.aspx

Figure 5: Example Results of the Railroad Grade Crossing Viewshed Tool using drone imagery derived DEM. The red point is the location of a vehicle at the stop sign at the crossing. Areas highlighted in green would be visible, pink areas not visible.

discrepancy between the northern and southern sides. The incline on the northern side is more pronounced, potentially posing a challenge for specific vehicle configurations that may navigate this crossing.

Additional software tools were created to further analyze the data. Figure 4 6 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

depicts the Automated Profile Assessment Tool, which utilizes wheelbase and ground clearance information for various highway vehicles used in the analysis to show if those vehicle types will have clearance issues on the measured grade crossing.

Another software tool in use is the rtands.com

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NRC CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN

NRC Honors Top Industry Performers at Annual Conference

STEVE BOLTE Chairman, National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC)

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TOP PERFORMERS IN THESE CATEGORIES WHO WERE HONORED AT THE NRC 2024 ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN SCOTTSDALE IN JANUARY.

O

ne of my favorite parts of the NRC Annual Conference is when we honor exceptional contractors and suppliers with special awards. It is truly invigorating to see our members celebrate the enormous ways their peers are employing innovation, collaboration, and hard work to make our industry safer and more productive.

Congratulations to the top performers in these categories who were honored at the NRC 2024 Annual Conference in Scottsdale in January.

Projects of the Year – Ames Construction won the NRC’s 2023 Large Project of the Year award (greater than $10 million) for its work on the Sandpoint Junction Connector project.

Ames successfully addressed significant access and environmental challenges to complete the complex, three-year project in Sandpoint, Idaho, 14 months ahead of the owner’s schedule.

8 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

The project added a second rail bridge over Lake Pend Oreille adjacent to BNSF Railway’s existing rail bridge, as well as new bridges over Sand Creek and Bridge Street. These infrastructure improvements have enhanced BNSF freight movement in the region by enabling trains to run in both directions across the bridges and reducing congestion and environmental impact in Sandpoint.

BNSF Site Project Manager Ryan Kopera described Ames as a “dedicated contractor partner” that helped “make the project a success through on-time performance, effective cost control, and communications when changes occurred.”

R.J. Corman Railroad Services won the NRC’s 2023 Small Project of the Year award (less than $10 million) for its work to construct a new test loop at MXV Rail’s Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST) in Pueblo, Colorado. The project team overcame weather challenges and an aggressive construction schedule to successfully complete the unique, fivemonth project on budget and with zero recordable safety incidents.

The buildout was highly intricate and required great attention to detail and communication with various parties and stakeholders. Unlike typical standard track construction, this buildout required R.J. Corman to install several distinct products and materials throughout the construction of the three-mile section of track comprising more than 20 experiments and additional proprietary tests.

“R.J. Corman’s dedication to the buildout was demonstrated on multiple occasions when they committed multiple crews to support 7 day-a-week construction during the entire length of the project,” said Scott Cummings, Assistant Vice President of Research & Innovation at MxV Rail.

Field Employee of the Year - Modern Railway Systems Chief Signal Engineer Tom Hunter won the NRC’s 2023 Field Employee of the Year Award.

Modern Railway Systems’ Vice President Shon Tulik noted Tom’s commitment to excellence and said he regarded him as someone who raises the character and performance of everyone he encounters.

“Tom’s dedication to bettering and mentoring those around him enriches not only our industry but also the communities where we operate. He is a genuine railroader who shares his knowledge and experience, leaving a lasting impact on all fortunate enough to work alongside him,” asserted Tulik.

Known as a true craftsman, Tom has a well-established reputation for setting the gold standard for safety and inspiring others to deliver work of the highest quality. “He consistently goes above and beyond to ensure our clients’ satisfaction,” added Tulik.

Innovation in Technology - FTS Tools LLC and Industry-Railway Suppliers, Inc. won first and second-place awards respectively for the NRC’s 2023 Innovation in Technology award, which recognizes the use of technology to enhance safety and operations.

FTS Tools developed a lightweight, portable, sensor-based device called LaserFocused that measures rail deflections under full dynamic load. Developed with extensive input and testing by Class I and transit line inspectors, this device magnetizes to the web of the rail and, as a train passes, records lateral (pushing), vertical (pumping), superelevation, rail temperature, and more, under full dynamic load in a specific location of track. It provides data in real time on a smart phone and automatically sends reports to the track inspector.

Industry-Railway Suppliers introduced the new CD400SP-IQ, a self-propelled intelligent clip piler manufactured by Pandrol. Using a wireless, Bluetooth remote control, the machine operator controls all functions of the tie clipping process without touching the machine – speed, clipping and de-clipping, clipping type, and engine on/off – which enhances safety and productivity. The machine’s “IQ” system collects and stores machine data that is accessible remotely.

To fully appreciate the contributions of these award winners as well as our 46 “Safe Contractors of the Year,” check out the NRC’s website at www.nrcma.org.

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FROM THE BOARD

ASSOCIATION PARTICIPATION =

UNMATCHED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2

BIOGRAPHY: Bill Riehl is Genesee & Wyoming’s Chief Engineer-Structures where he is responsible for overall structure safety management for the more than 10,000 track carrying structures and tunnels owned and operated by the G&W family of Railroads in North America. A Structural Engineering graduate of the Pennsylvania State University in 1987, he worked several positions with railroad consultants, contractors, shortline and regional railroads including Florida East Coast Railway and RailAmerica. He earned a Master of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Florida in 2003. He is a licensed professional engineer in Florida, Ohio and Wyoming. He currently is the AREMA Senior Vice President 2023-2024 and will be President of AREMA 2024-2025.

In addition, he is a member of the Conference Operating Committee, Committee 7 – Timber Structures and Committee 24 – Education and Professional Development and is a Fellow in the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME).

10 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

023 has been an exciting year for the evolution of Railway Track & Structures. Specifically, RT&S appointed an editorial board to support David Lester’s mission to keep RT&S as the premier source for current railroad engineering topics and news. As announced in the August issue, I have the honor of joining the Board as the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA) representative with my assumption of that association’s Senior Vice President role. This marks another step in my ongoing journey to give back to an industry that has meant so much for my own personal and professional development.

Active participation in your professional association provides leadership and professional development opportunities that can’t be matched in your typical day job. In my case, concurrent with my railroad career I spent almost 42 years in the reserves and retired last year as a Colonel. I can say that leading in a contested environment or humanitarian crisis is easy compared to leading a technical committee made up of experienced volunteers. In the military, there is a service obligation and a rank structure. This allows the leader to focus on drawing the best out of the team. In a technical committee, you first have to keep the volunteers with their strong opinions in the room before you can even think about advancing the work of the committee.

As you learn to do that, you bring soft skills and technical knowledge back to your day job.

Yes, it is hard work, and it takes dedication of your time and effort outside of work, but I will use my own journey through AREMA leadership to highlight the benefits of being active in your association.

First, let me address the concern with the commitment it takes to advance through the AREMA leadership ranks. Yes, it can take up

to 15 years to advance through the committee leadership positions of Secretary, Vice Chair, Chair and the Functional Group positions of Director and Vice President, plus another three years for the Senior Vice President, President and Past President. However, if your goal is to be active in your association over the span of your career, then advancing through these positions is a natural progression that complements your professional progression.

As my own progression illustrates, if you are willing to step into the fray and accept the challenge, you will find this time goes by fast.

My railroad engineering life started during my practice senior year at Penn State (yes, I crammed a four-year degree into five) when I took their 400 level Railroad Engineering course to learn how to build a better model train layout. Thirty-seven years later, I look back and wonder at the direction of my career if I hadn’t had that initial exposure to the industry that led me to look at the job offerings in the back of this magazine and others.

Over the subsequent years, I moved between consultants, contractors, shortlines, regionals and now the largest shortline holding company in the world. While a structural engineer by education, the first half of my career was spent on the track side of maintenance-of-way. When I returned to consulting in 2000, I also returned to my structures roots. Through all of this, the one thing that remained constant was the relationships I built along the way.

For the seasoned reader in the audience, this may be familiar ground. For the young engineer just getting started, hopefully there is a nugget of value here. In 1987 upon graduation, I hired in with a consulting firm in downtown Philadelphia that has since faded away.

However, I had a great supervisor that pushed membership in the American Railway Engineering Association (AREA) and we attended rtands.com

Photo Credit: Bill Riehl

FROM THE BOARD

the spring 1988 conference in Chicago.

That set the hook. Because of the academic network I was introduced to in college, I joined Committee 24: Education and was in awe of the millennia of combined experience on the committee. It was an instant network of like-minded rail industry professionals that genuinely welcomed the “new kid”. In 1989 I joined the American Railway Bridge and Building Association for the same reasons.

Over the next few years, I struggled with travel authority to attend committee meetings and the conferences, but by the early 1990’s I was back in the saddle with another supervisor that encouraged and fully supported not only committee participation but conference attendance as well. In 1994 I joined the Roadmasters and Maintenance of Way Association. In 1997 these associations, along with committee functions of the Communications and Signals Division of the Association of American Railroads (AAR), were merged to form AREMA as we know it today.

As my career progressed so did my need for education around and solutions for more complex problems. AREMA and its predecessor organizations filled this need.

Certainly, the technical presentations and proceedings are an excellent educational resource. However, the added value, in my opinion, comes from working with your peers on Committees to codify best practices into the manuals and other publications.

These peers become part of the network you turn to when troubleshooting a particularly stubborn problem. It is amazing the number of problems that have been solved on a bar napkin after a simple question sparks a serious conversation.

In the mid 1990’s, I was assigned responsibilities for an in-house concrete crosstie manufacturing operation. While I had working knowledge of employing crossties in high speed, heavy tonnage freight mainline, I knew little about the manufacturing side of the product. This led me to join AREA Committee 10: Concrete Ties right before the formation of AREMA. With the merger, AREA Committees 3: Crossties and 10: Concrete ties were merged into AREMA Committee 30: Ties. Each of the factions within the Committee knew what their ties could do, but nowhere had anyone determined what crossties of any material needed to do to successfully transmit the wheel loads from the rail into the underlying ballast and subgrade. This was exciting work that ultimately led me to become the committee Secretary. While I underestimated the workload that came with the position, there rtands.com

AREMA Committee involvement is a solid way to advance your career

was instant credibility within the committee as I became responsible for tracking and documenting the Committee’s membership participation and work product.

Around 2000, I was approached by the Committee: 24 Education and Training leadership to join the committee and fill the Vice Chair vacancy. The committee was in the throes of writing the Practical Guide to Railway Engineering and building its companion seminar Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering. While at this point I had over 19 years military service and had a solid record of leading Air Force Civil Engineers in deployments on three continents, yet, as mentioned above, technical committee leadership is completely different. At the time there were approximately 70 members on the committee with combined experience well over 1,400 years, all with very strong opinions based on their varied backgrounds. Nevertheless, they all had one goal –– building the best education materials possible. Once you harness that drive, it is rewarding to see what can happen. Very few workplace environments provide a leadership opportunity of this magnitude where you can steer a large, diverse team from an initial concept through delivery of a significant project that remains a signature piece of AREMA educational content.

In 2007 when I accepted the precursor to my current position, I became responsible for a slew of timber structures. Railroad timber

structures is a topic that is not even mentioned in typical collegiate timber design classes.

Once again, I needed to expand my knowledge in a new area of responsibility; AREMA Committee 7: Timber Structures provided the answer and I joined Subcommittee 3 Construction, Maintenance & Inspection of Timber Structures. It was me volunteering for the leadership roles on these committees that opened the opportunity to serve on the AREMA Board of Directors. In 2017, I joined the Board as a Director in the Structures Functional Group and then became the Group’s Vice President in 2020. Now as I start my term as AREMA Senior Vice President, I am humbled to follow in the footsteps of those great railroad engineers that I grew up admiring for their leadership and drive to make the Associations better prepared to answer the industry’s needs. My goal is to continue that work. There are a number of exciting projects underway; these are just the highlights: Codifying Sustainability and Resiliency principles in our manuals and publications; Invigorating the seminar and symposium offerings; Modernizing the Annual Conference; Advancing outreach to underrepresented engineers and engineering specialties in our industry; Growing the Educational Foundation (which supports scholarships for the next generation) and its impact; Redeveloping the Strategic Plan so AREMA remains relevant well into the future.

January 2024 // Railway Track & Structures 11

A DEEPER LOOK

A DEEPER LOOK: WHERE THE WHEEL MEETS THE RAIL

T

rains are the most efficient means of ground transportation ever developed for moving large volumes of heavy materials.

Loaded railcars in North America can weigh up to 143 tons. On a given railcar this weight is distributed among its eight wheels, giving a wheel load of about 18 tons. The amazing efficiency of trains derives in large part from the low rolling resistance of hard steel wheels on hard steel rails, even under such heavy loads.

Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of a loaded railway wheel pressing onto a rail. The highest demand in the steel of the wheel and rail is concentrated in the vicinity of the contact. Under 18-ton wheel loads, the demand is high enough to generate dangerous fatigue defects during use, even in the best quality wheel and rail steels. A full fatigue cycle occurs in loaded wheels with each revolution. A full fatigue cycle occurs in rail with each loaded wheel passage. Let’s take a deeper 12 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

look at the demand placed on the steel where the wheel meets the rail.

Where a wheel and rail meet in contact, the steel in both components deforms resulting in contact over an area rather than at a single point—much like pressing the tips of your index fingers together.

This area of contact between a lightly worn wheel and a lightly worn rail can be quite small—around 0.3 square inches.

In such a case, the average surface pressure between a fully loaded wheel and a rail is nearly 120,000 pounds per square inch (psi).

In reality, however, the distribution of surface pressure between a wheel and rail is not uniform. The pressure is zero-valued around the edges of the contact area and maximal at the center of contact—roughly 140,000 psi at its peak.

Given that the yield strength of modern wheel and rail steels is roughly 110,000 psi, how is it possible that wheels and rails last as long as they do in a heavy axle load

railway?! Before jumping into the details, there is some interesting historical background to consider.

The German physicist Heinrich Rudolph Hertz is credited as being the first person to derive a complete mathematical description for the region of contact between elastic solids. (This is the same Hertz who proved the existence of electromagnetic waves and for whom the frequency unit, cycles per second, is named.) At the time, Hertz was a postdoctoral researcher studying the optics of glass lenses that were stacked on one another. He determined that the glass deformed locally where the lenses made contact, which he believed measurably affected the results of his experiments.

Over a winter holiday break at his lab, the 23-year-old Hertz completed a mathematical analysis of his lens contact problem and resolved the issues he was having in his tests.

Hertz published the solutions that he rtands.com

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

By Gary T. Fry, Ph.D., P.E.

A DEEPER LOOK

Photo Credit: Gary T. Fry

derived for his contact problem (Hertz 1882), and history marks this work as the origin of the modern field of contact mechanics. Over the intervening 140 years, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, contact mechanics advanced considerably resulting in powerful techniques for analyzing contact problems—including nonlinear three-dimensional problems involving ductile metals that yield (see for example, Gladwell 1980 and Johnson 1985). Even with this advancement, Hertzian contact analysis is considered an essential technique for investigating components in contact such as railway wheels and rail. To illustrate the essential features of the wheel-rail contact problem, we will use a simple Hertzian contact analysis combined with a numerical approach for solving two-dimensional boundary value problems in elasticity (Fry and Robinson 1999).

Hertzian Contact Analysis To a useful engineering approximation, the problem of a lightly worn wheel in contact with a lightly worn rail in tangent track can be modeled as a Hertzian contact problem. We will assume the running band of the worn wheel to be a right circular cylinder of radius 18 in. pressing into contact with the narrow (say ½-in. wide) running band of the worn rail. The Hertzian contact analysis technique allows us to separate the components and represent their conditions of contact with surface pressure distributions. Figure 2 is a close-up schematic view of the separated wheel and rail with Hertzian contact pressure distributions applied to each. As illustrated in Figure 2, the assumptions developed by Hertz result in the pressure distribution in our problem being a semi-ellipse of width 2a and peak pressure P 0 .

Let P denote the force per unit length across the running bands of the worn wheel and rail. This can be calculated as the wheel load divided by the effective width of the worn rail’s running band (½-in.) For a maximally loaded wheel in North America, the result is P = 35,750 lb / 0.5 in. = 71,500 lb/in. The peak Hertzian contact pressure, P 0 , and contact width, a, are then calculated using Equations 1 to 3 below. Table 1 lists values for the basic variables of the problem and numerical results from the calculations. rtands.com

FIGURE 1. Schematic drawing of a railway wheel and rail in contact.

(Courtesy: Gary T. Fry)

FIGURE 2. Wheel (blue) and Rail (orange) separated from one another with Hertzian pressure distributions applied to represent conditions of contact. (Courtesy: Gary T. Fry)

Plane-Strain Stress Analysis— General Solution Using the semi-elliptical contact pressure distribution from the Hertzian contact analysis, we can create a general solution for the local stresses in the wheel and rail.

A thick-plate solution strategy published

by Fry and Robinson (1999) was adapted to perform the analysis. This general

solution will be used later to calculate numerical values for the demand in the steel under a loaded wheel for the problem variables in Table 1.

There is an important takeaway from the analysis. Local to the contact area, the wheel and rail experience a multiaxial stress state. There are four significant nonzero components of stress: σxx, σyy, January 2024 // Railway Track & Structures 13

A DEEPER LOOK

FIGURE 3. General Plane Strain Solution. Nondimensional plots of a yield stress function based on the von Mises yield criterion. The yield stress function is normalized against peak contact pressure, P0. The coordinates are normalized against the contact halfwidth, a. The maximum value of the yield stress function is 0.65P0 occurring at 0.7a below the plane of contact. (Courtesy: Gary T. Fry) 14 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

σzz, and τxy. Notably, the stress components interact in a way that hampers the steel’s ability to deform plastically (or yield). This is because the stresses combine to establish a considerable hydrostatic condition of loading. As a result, one must use a multiaxial expression for the demand in the steel. The von Mises equivalent stress function is widely accepted as a multiaxial yield stress criterion for ductile metals even when hydrostatic stress conditions are prevalent. We will use this function to quantify the multiaxial demand in the steel.

The plots in Figure 3 illustrate the von Mises yield stress function for the general nondimensional solution to this problem.

The plot on the left is a two-dimensional contour plot showing equipotential lines for the local yield stress values in the vicinity of the contact. The plot on the right is a graph of the values along the vertical line through the center of contact. The yield stress function values are normalized against peak Hertzian contact pressure, P0 . The coordinate values are normalized against the half-width of contact, a. The maximum value of the yield stress function is 0.65P0. This value occurs along the vertical line through the center of the contact at 0.7a from the contact surface.

Figure 4 shows the distributions of the four nonzero components of stress rtands.com

A DEEPER LOOK

FIGURE 4. Plots of distributions for the nonzero stress components across two different depths: y=-0.7a and y=-3a. (Courtesy: Gary T. Fry)

across depths of y=-0.7a and y=-3a. When compared to their values at 0.7a, all four stress components have diminished in value to half or less before reaching the 3a depth.

Plane-Strain Stress Analysis— Specific Solution Using the general solution shown in Figure 3 and the values from Table 1, numerical results for the problem can be obtained.

The results are provided in Figure 5. The peak yield stress value in the wheel and rail is 92,000 psi and occurs 0.22 in. from the contact plane: above for the wheel and below for the rail. The peak von Mises stress value of 92,000 psi is below the 110,000-psi yield strength of the wheel and rail steels. Hence, once the wheel and rail rtands.com

become lightly worn, yielding of the steel is not expected to occur. This peak stress level, however, is expected to cause fatigue damage in the steel of the wheel and rail as fatigue cycles accumulate.

Note that although the P0 stress component, i.e. σyy, is 142,000 psi at the surface— 30% greater than the uniaxial yield strength—yielding does not occur there.

The hydrostatic loading conditions from the multiaxial stresses prevent it. This is one of the reasons that the steel can last under this severe loading environment.

New-Wheel/New-Rail Behavior Figure 6 shows results from a rigorous, nonlinear three-dimensional wheel-rail contact model solved numerically using

the finite element method. The geometry of the wheel and rail represent new, unworn conditions. In this case, local yielding of the steel is expected to occur.

The von Mises stress values exceed the nominal yield strength of the material by over 20%. These values indicate that substantial work hardening of the material is expected to occur at least until narrow, flat running bands form in the wheel and rail that increase the contact area.

In summary, on a heavy axle load railway, the local demand where the wheel meets the rail is substantial, especially when wheels and rails are new and unworn. Yielding and work hardening are expected to occur.

Even after the wheels and rails are wornin, the peak stress levels are expected to January 2024 // Railway Track & Structures 15

A DEEPER LOOK

cause fatigue damage accumulation in the “hot spots” of the wheel and rail roughly ¼-in. above and below the contact plane respectively. Nevertheless, wheels and rails are extremely durable in one of the most demanding environments in all of engineering. They are reliable and enduring— but not everlasting. They require regular inspections and eventual replacement.

References 1. Fry, Gary T., and Arthur R. Robinson.

1999. “Asymptotic Expansions in Numerical Evaluations of Integral Transforms,” Communications in Numerical Methods in Engineering. Vol. 15, pp. 901-909.

2. Gladwell, G. M. L. 1980. Contact Problems in the Classical Theory of Elasticity.

Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands: Sijthoff & Noordhoff International Publishers B.V. 3. Hertz, H. 1882. “Über die Berührung Fester Elastischer Körper (On the Contact of Elastic Solids).” J. Reine und Angewandte Mathematik. Vol. 92, pp. 156-171. (For an English translation, see Miscellaneous Papers by H. Hertz. Eds. Jones and Schott. London: Macmillian, 1896.)

4. Johnson, K. L. 1985. Contact Mechanics. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

FIGURE 5. Plots of a yield stress function showing numerical results for the wheel and rail in contact based on the problem values from Table 1. (Courtesy: Gary T. Fry)

FIGURE 6. Plots of the von Mises stress function showing results from a nonlinear, threedimensional new-wheel/new-rail contact model. (Courtesy: Gary T. Fry)

16 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

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

His research, publications, and consulting have advanced the state of the art in structural health monitoring and structural impairment detection. rtands.com

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CHANGE IN TRACK ALIGNMENT

Measuring & Designing Rate of Change in

I

n order to solve a problem, you have to be able to measure it. And while there are generally no new problems in railroading, tools and techniques of measurement continue to evolve. Over the years, engineers at the Union Pacific Railroad have noticed a deficit in traditional methods of measuring track alignment. Based on case studies, field work, and hard-won experience, they’ve focused-in on measuring the rate of change in alignment over 31 feet. Their investigation includes curve spirals, connecting tracks, turnback curves, reverse curves, and turnouts.

Experts from the Union Pacific presented their findings at the 2023 Wheel/Rail Interaction

20 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

Heavy Haul Conference, and posed an open question to the room and to the industry on how best to further develop techniques to measure alignment.

Following some difficult-to-explain incidents at various locations on Union Pacific’s network, a team of in-house experts began looking deeper into the root-cause. They quickly zeroed-in on track-alignment deviation as the likely culprit.

Spike line alignment tends to be more difficult to detect and remedy.

Within the industry there are effectively two types of alignment generally considered, said Mark Montoya, Manager of Track

Maintenance & Engineering at the Union Pacific’s Southern Region. The first is track shift alignment wherein the entire track structure, the ties, the ballast — everything, moves.

The second type is spike line alignment. This is a condition in which track alignment shifts in reference to the track structure — often (but not always) in such a way that causes a gauge change issue, as well. Track shift alignment issues can generally be fixed by a tamper coming through and correcting the issue, Montoya said, but the industry currently lacks the technology to automatically find and fix spike line alignment issues, he added.

Compound curve geometry can be rtands.com

Photo Credit: Mike Yuhas

TRACK ALIGNMENT

CHANGE IN TRACK ALIGNMENT

Blake Smith and Mark Montoya, of the Union Pacific, presented jointly at WRI 2023.

Spike line alignment tends to be more difficult to detect and remedy.

By Jeff Tuzik Compound curve geometry can be particularly challenging.

particularly challenging.

Alignment issues appear in both tangent track and in curves, although detecting them in curves is more difficult, sometimes significantly so. In the traditional geometry of a curve coming out of tangent track, a curve begins at the point of spiral (PS), transitions into the point of spiral in the curve (PSC), and then into the curve body. Between the PS and PSC, the track is also transitioning from level to full superelevation. Compound curves complicate matters by adding in a change in the degree of curvature and/or superelevation within the greater curve.

Inspectors must also bear in mind that an rtands.com

extreme rate of change in alignment over 31 feet can be an “engineered” track condition, i.e., one that is built-in during track installation and / or maintenance.

Under Federal Railway Administration (FRA) minimum safety standards (part 213.55), there are specific limitations on alignment deviation in curved and tangent track.

In practice, and from a regulation standpoint, uniformity is measured over 248 ft, said Blake Smith, Compliance Manager on Union Pacific’s Southern Region. The FRA also gives clear guidance on how to measure curve alignment.

These measurements are based on 62-foot cord measurements taken at multiple stations

along the curve. But the FRA doesn’t specify a minimum spiral length concerning alignment uniformity, Smith said.

This becomes relevant in cases like compound curves and turnouts that may not be long enough for even a single 62-foot cord measurement, Smith said, creating a situation in which the ability to measure alignment against its uniformity requires an additional metric: the rate of change in alignment.

This No. 8 1/2 crossover design has engineered specifications that may be problematic under specific conditions.

One such complicated piece of trackwork is Union Pacific’s No. 8 crossover. Based on January 2024 // Railway Track & Structures 21

CHANGE IN TRACK ALIGNMENT

This No. 8 1/2 crossover design has engineered specifications that may be problematic under specific conditions.

the engineered design for this crossover, the longitudinal distance between the two frogs is roughly 45 feet, he said. This means that when a 62-foot-long car passes through, the distance between the trucks is longer than the distance between the frogs, leaving the car “straddling” two tracks. “A car by itself can negotiate the crossover, but add in the complications of cars on either end of that long car, and issues can arise,” Smith said. At a certain point, situations like these can generate lateral/vertical forces (L/Vs) that are high enough to cause a wheel-climb derailment. “The exact point of

that threshold is part of what we’re trying to determine,” he said.

One site became a focal point for the development of a rate-of-change in alignment measurement methods and specifications.

According to design specifications, this particular turnout was perfectly within spec, Union Pacific’s Mark Montoya said. Yet, after multiple incidents occurred at the site, the turnout was eventually replaced – again to specification. “We didn’t find the root-cause, so we didn’t solve the problem,” he said.

In order to reduce derailment risk, the

engineering team had to deviate from the standard design-spec of this curve.

The engineering team then focused-in on the sharp curve coming out of the turnout — and the very high rate of change in alignment — as the culprit. The solution in this case was to model and then redesign the curve’s spike alignment — in fact taking it out of its theoretically ideal position. This proved to be the solution to the problem. “This goes against orthodoxy, manipulating the spike line behind the frog, but it was the right thing to do in this case,” Montoya said.

In order to reduce derailment risk, the engineering team had to deviate from the standard design-spec of this curve.

22 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

rtands.com

CHANGE IN TRACK ALIGNMENT

What could be considered an alignment deviation is built into the No. 7 turnout design specifications.

Part of the problem is that designs exist within Class 1 standards for some lower-speed turnouts that include a rate of change in alignment that would be deemed unacceptable if measured anywhere else, Blake Smith said.

And when it comes to derailment risk, high rates of change in alignment can cause issues whether the condition is an actual defect or is part of the designed track.

The No. 7 turnout is an example of this. Its design specifies roughly 16-degrees of curvature, which is effectively 16 inches of alignment deviation, he said. That 16 inches of change in alignment — from tangent track to a 16-degree curve — over 16.5 feet, is a design feature that is generally accepted in the industry, Smith said. But a 16-inch alignment deviation over 16.5 feet anywhere else, would be taken out of service. “This raises the question: Why are some conditions allowed in an ‘engineered’ design, but not anywhere else,?” Smith asked.

This type of scenario also further confuses the issue of defining uniformity and deviation from it, he said.

What could be considered an alignment deviation is built into the No. 7 turnout design specifications. rtands.com

These cases and others like it suggest the need for another way to measure rate of change in alignment, particularly for field inspectors. “We need measurables and thresholds,” Montoya said. Ideally, this should include criteria that inspectors can measure in the field to identify potential alignment issues that fall outside the normal operating environment.

The ability to make such measurements could allow inspectors to detect locations that might be non-problematic most of the time, but represent a high derailment potential under a worstcase wheel/rail interaction scenario, he added.

While the standard methods for measuring alignment have served and continue to serve the industry well, it’s clear that there are outlier cases requiring additional finesse and engineering to navigate. These issues aren’t unique to any one railroad, and it therefore seems to be an issue ripe for industry collaboration; the development of a rate-of-change in alignment measurement techniques that can be used by field inspectors could save the industry significant time and effort.

“I think this needs to be a focus for track geometry design going forward,” Matt Dick, Chief of Strategy and Development at ENSCO

Inc., added during a post-presentation discussion session.

And if “engineered” changes in the rate of change in alignment at some types of turnouts or other fixed points in track are here to stay, then, perhaps, changes to operating procedures should be made to accommodate and account for them.

“Rather than assessing the issue at derailment sites,” Montoya said. “I’d like to see the industry become proactive about this.”

But Union Pacific is not waiting for that to happen. It already has begun working with the Vehicle/Track Interaction Research program at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, B.C., to compile data and perform simulations on expected L/Vs in certain situations to determine “how much is too much,” Blake Smith said. The project will help identify potential risks associated with how car types and various car-type combinations respond to a high rate of change in alignment and other track conditions in real-world situations.

Jeff Tuzik is Managing Editor of Interface Journal.

This article is based on a presentation made at the 2023 WRI Heavy Haul conference.

January 2024 // Railway Track & Structures 23

TIE HANDLING

KRR offers real-time data analysis and logistics management.

IT’S HANDLED From plugging to replacing to reusing, tie handling is necessary work

24 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

ties, and railcar management, from field to processing plant. These sustainable and economical solutions for the collection and processing of scrap crossties for supplemental uses and energy recovery embrace the principles of the circular economy and position Koppers with the capability of supporting every part of the railroad crosstie lifecycle, from sourcing, treating, and supplying, to maintaining and offering proper end-of-life solutions. Class I railroads continue to increase their utilization of the innovative recovery and repurposing options made available through Koppers and its KRR group, reaping important operational and sustainability benefits.

Using data scans from Aurora to identify which ties are most in need of replacement, Loram Technologies works with customers to build a replacement plan based on current tie condition and budget allocation.

With this finalized plan, an automated tie marking system marks each tie planned for replacement and the Tie Set Out team places new ties at the point of use by the marked tie. This eliminates the need for someone to walk the track and physically mark where to set out ties ahead of a tie distribution team.

The Tie Set Out Software allows users to know exactly where to set out ties and how

many are required for each drop as the team travels along the track. As well as making any edits needed to the tie count. The result is ties that are much closer to where they need to be installed, allowing for increased productivity for the tie replacement teams as less time is spent moving ties around and along the track to the appropriate install locations. Loram Technologies collects data on thousands of miles annually. This information and the use of the software effectively and safely helps increase tie life and reduce fouling conditions.

To drive sustainability, TiEnergy recycles old railroad ties and repurposes them for secondary use as TIEROC, a substitute made of shredded ties and post-consumer wood waste. Its team provides point-ofservice removal of discarded crossties with environmentally consistent disposal of materials to provide clean energy. Railroad ties can stack up and become a safety hazard if not removed regularly. Class I, Class II, and Class III railroads need ways to remove railroad ties safely. In addition to helping railroads meet safety requirements, TiEnergy also helps railroads meet their sustainability goals by giving railroad ties new life. In fact, TiEnergy recycles using a no-burn solution, and railroads save 3.06 rtands.com

Photo Credit: (L) Koppers; (Top R) Loram Technologies; (Mid R) WVCO; (Bottom R) WVCO

B

ack in our October issue, RT&S featured vendors who specialized in offerings regarding crossties.

For January, we go back to that area of track maintenance and take a look at tie handling, plugging, and removal.

After millions of ties are purchased, installed, maintained, and removed, those ties are often placed into landfills which is not a sustainable option.

In today’s sustainability-driven world, the traditional option of landfilling is no longer an ideal solution. Koppers Recovery Resources (KRR) offers strategically designated processing facilities for tie reclamation, repurposing, and energy recovery. Through KRR, millions of tons of end-of-life crosstie products are annually diverted from landfills into fuel resources for energy. Each year, KRR processes an average of five million ties, working with railroads nationwide to reduce waste.

Built on the concept of repurposing endof-life treated wood materials for new uses and value, KRR supports customer sustainability efforts. In addition, KRR offers real-time data analysis and logistics management, which translates into greater productivity for customers through faster railcar placement, rapid loading of scrap

By Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor

TIE HANDLING

lbs. of carbon per retired tie.

The Willamette Valley Company’s SpikeFast® wood & composite tie plugging material is specifically designed to remediate wood and composite railroad ties, anchoring spikes with comparable strength to un-spiked hardwood ties. It is a patented, dual-component, non-foam 100% solid polyurethane product engineered to anchor cut-spikes or screw-spikes. SpikeFast® is dispensed from hand-held canisters, or 200-gallon returnable steel totes through a uniquely designed, pressure/temperaturecontrolled meter and can be applied in a wide range of outdoor conditions. It is known for saving time for MOW workers. It is easy to apply with minimal equipment maintenance and clean up. Its quick cure time allows for high production rate, or ties per minute, and delivers excellent gauge holding and dynamic rail roll over for existing wood crossties.

Excellent gauge holding properties translates into reduced re-gauging efforts by MOW workers, allowing them more time for other maintenance activities. This fast-setting material is ideal for use in high-production rail replacement and is equally productive in spot repairs with our handheld cartridge system. This allows customers a great option for a quick return to service when laying rail.

Encore offers tie plugging equipment such as the RTP Ride-On Tie Plugger and the EnduraPlug Tie Plugging Compound.

Formulated for both hand applicators and on-track equipment, the EnduraPlug was developed in labs, tested in the field, and has been proven for decades. Its performance helps maintain track gauge and ensures the longest life for your crossties. It expands in the spike hole to fill cracks and other voids, and it displaces water. Additionally, the EnduraPlug is engineered to match tie density hardness, so customers will not risk damage to the tie-like products with greater hardness. EnduraPlug outperforms pull pressure of specified new wood ties with an extraction strength of 650 psi and keeps track in gauge. Encore’s tie plugging equipment, which includes the RTP Ride-On Tie Plugger, offers a range of technology and superior operator comfort to the tie plugging process. Along with a wide range of equipment for lease, including Ride-On, Walk-Behind, and SkidMounted pluggers, Encore also offers a variety of hand applicators. Encore’s field support teams are ready to help with recurring training needs, safe equipment operation, and the maintenance and repair of a customer’s application equipment. rtands.com

Loram Technologies’ Tie Set Out Software allows its users to know where to set out ties and how many are required for each drop.

WVCO’s SpikeFast has a quick cure time.

WVCO’s SpikeFast wood & composite tie plugging material anchors cut-spikes or screw-spikes.

January 2024 // Railway Track & Structures 25

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

CLEARING UP

If left overgrown, vegetation can damage tracks

Solutions for environmental clean-up on and around the track

U

nsurprisingly, overgrown trees, weeds, and other environmental hazards make maintaining a visible line of sight more difficult.

For Promersberger, Loftness offers Battle Ax™ mulching heads for both lowand high-flow skid steers and compact track loaders. These models feature a unique rotor with built-in depth gauges, which function similarly to raker teeth on chain saws to prevent the attachments from engaging too much material at one time. This design is more ideal for managing the amount of material being fed into the attachment than ring-style rotors. Also unique to the Battle Ax is the Loftness-exclusive two-stage cutting chamber which allows it to process material more thoroughly than competitive mulching heads, since it has the ability to process material on two separate shear bars.

The Battle Ax Skid Steer line includes the L Series for low-flow skid steers weighing up to 10,300 pounds with 15 to 35.9 GPM and 30 to 70 hydraulic horsepower. It comes with a fixed-displacement gear motor for reliable performance. The 13.5-inch-diameter rotor can be equipped with Quadco planer blades, four-point beaver teeth, or double carbide cutting teeth. Also available is the S Series for high-flow skid steers with 28 to 62.9 GPM and 50 to 150 hydraulic

26 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

horsepower. Customers can choose between a fixed-displacement gear motor or a V-Drive variable-displacement piston motor, which automatically shifts the rotor RPM from the highest speed to a lower range for increased torque, as needed. The 17-inch diameter rotor on the S Series can be equipped with Quadco planer blades, hard-surface Quadco blades or standard carbide cutting teeth. Promersberger also manufactures the VMLogix line of vegetation management equipment.

Industry-Railway Suppliers offers Supertrak, a 30-year CAT authorized OEM building custom machines for vegetation management, heavy-duty trenchers, custom utility trucks, cable retrieval equipment, and monorail work tractors. Supertrak specializes in small footprint yet highperformance, upfitted machines. The Supertrak SK170RR Hi-Rail Excavator is based on a CAT313 hi-rail platform. It has a single 170-horsepower engine, dedicated high flow with reversing fans and multi-functionality.

The hi-rail is equipped with 4-wheel drive and 4-wheel brakes. The SK170RR maintains huge power in a small package with zero permit required for transportation due to its compact size, making it well suited for land clearing and vegetation management in remote places. When the SK170RR

is upfitted with the heavy-duty hydraulicpowered Bull Hog mulcher, it becomes a powerful machine for quickly clearing large trees and heavy brush along railways or in preparation for new track. The low-maintenance design of the mulcher supports tool durability with optional knives or carbide teeth, and also offers a custom variable displacement motor and three rotor choices to match application needs.

Vancer’s hi-rail excavators, available in a variety of models to accommodate horsepower needs, have multiple tool functionality and can be paired with various attachments to remove large branches, trees and brush. The mower deck handles grass and weeds easily while the drum style mulching heads cut and grind trees and stumps. When it’s time to clear branches, the chainsaw attachment with a grapple system gets the job done quickly.

Plus, branches can be moved in bulk with a tow cart. When maneuverability is needed, skid steers and multi terrain loaders are outfitted with tools for removing brush, mowing, and mulching to clear rail line paths. Additionally, the Huddig 1260/1370/1370T allows for efficient vegetation management with its articulating center pivot system and its ability to run multiple attachments. rtands.com

Photo Credit: Vancer

By Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor

RAIL FLAW DETECTION

DETECTING FLAWS ENSCO Rail’s Ultrasonic Rail Flaw System (URFS) ensures precise flaw detection.

Inspecting rail and uncovering hidden defects

By Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor

W

hile a common phrase, “the best offense is a good defense” rings true for this month’s spotlight on rail flaw detection. Flaws in rail can remain hidden and left undetected until such time frequently passing heavy loads can cause these defects to spread. An ever-growing field of rail maintenance, rail flaw detection technology tries to find these defects before a more catastrophic accident can occur, such as a derailment.

The products and services offered by vendors included here provide railroads with a solid defense in uncovering rail flaws.

For nearly a century, Sperry Rail Inc. has been pivotal in helping railroads worldwide

28 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

reduce the risk of rail failure through comprehensive rail condition assessments. Among Sperry’s recent technological advancements is Sperry® SurfaceView™, which revolutionizes rail maintenance by measuring, mapping, and prioritizing rail surface conditions with unparalleled precision. Sperry SurfaceView takes much of the guesswork out of capital expenditure planning. This essential platform enhances safety and operational efficiency, mitigating future risk. Sperry has also introduced Sperry Edge™, which combines its bestin-class RFD technology with a subscription to proprietary software, AI-enabled analytics, and remote analysis. This innovation offers railroads the flexibility to conduct testing on

their own schedule, leveraging the quality of Sperry’s data analysis. The benefits are multifold: lower per-mile testing costs, reduced operating expenses, and improved testing efficiency. These groundbreaking platforms are all supported by Sperry’s best-in-class Analysis, including Elmer® AI, named in honor of Sperry founder Dr. Elmer Sperry.

As the industry’s first artificial intelligence solution for automatic, autonomous defect detection, Elmer AI represents a significant leap in rail safety technology and reduces analyst fatigue and on-track verification time by consistently and competently marking suspects, leveraging Sperry’s massive data lake of historical rail scans. Sperry Rail told RT&S: rtands.com

Photo Credit: Left: ENSCO Rail, Top Right: Orgo-Thermit, Bottom Right: Plasser American

RAIL FLAW DETECTION

“Sperry’s innovations not only honor its rich legacy but also firmly position the company at the forefront of rail safety and efficiency in the modern era. With these advancements, Sperry continues to shape a safer and more efficient future for rail transportation across the globe.”

ENSCO Rail addresses rail flaw testing needs with inspection services and products. In the dynamic rail technology landscape, ENSCO Rail’s Ultrasonic Rail Flaw System (URFS) is a game-changing system that ensures precise flaw detection and streamlined inspection processes, making it a standout in the rail flaw products industry. Along with the URFS product, ENSCO’s 24/7 support provides customers the peace of mind that their critical inspection will have ENSCO’s support no matter the time.

In response to industry demands, ENSCO’s URFS integrates with vision inspection technology and thermal imaging systems offering a comprehensive track assessment.

This empowers maintenance teams to make informed choices by combining technologies effectively. Software engineers can integrate rail surface imaging and rail profile measurement into URFS, enhancing accuracy while remaining cost-effective. By harnessing Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (ML/AI), it leads the charge in technology-driven rail solutions. ML/AI expertise enhances URFS, showcasing its commitment to top-quality products.

URFS is essential for railroads and is typically mounted on hi-rails and rail-bound vehicles, detecting, and preventing safety risks to avoid derailments. It integrates with technologies like machine vision and rail profile measurement, offering benefits such as pinpoint defect detection and streamlined controls. When combined with ENSCO Rail’s machine vision solutions like Rail Surface Imaging and Joint Bar Imaging, URFS enhances rail integrity assessment, while giving operators the ability to make detailed rail assessments without stepping foot onto the track. Despite the shift to continuous testing, ultrasonic rail flaw inspections remain crucial. URFS adds value by reducing false-stops, enhancing automation-driven productivity, improving true-positive detection, and predicting/preventing rail flaws.

Orgo-Thermit showcases its Eddy Current Measurement service which inspects the rail running surface and more importantly, the gauge corner of the rail for instances of rolling contact fatigue (RCF) damage. The technology encompasses both an onboard train mounted system designed for continuous rtands.com

Orgo-Thermit’s Eddy Current Measurement service inspects the rail running service and the gauge corner of the rail for instances of RCF damage.

Plasser American offers Enhanced Ultrasonic Rail Inspection services utilizing different truck-based platforms.

recording during revenue service hours as well as a manual operated trolley with eight probes strategically located to identify underlying conditions of defect prone areas of the rail surface. The Eddy Current method is based on the principle of generating circular electrical currents in a conductive material. These electrical currents are able to identify abnormalities in the rail surface and can indicate the depth of surface defects, such as head checks, up to 0.106 inches (2.7 mm). By identifying the scope of the RCF, customers will be better informed to take preventive actions such as either rail grinding or rail replacement in extreme cases. This technology is extensively used in Europe

on multiple railroads and is poised to be a disruption in the rail measurement arena in North America as it has the potential to bring awareness to rail deficiencies that were previously overlooked. Orgo-Thermit tells RT&S that it “is proud to offer this technology both as a service, separately, or in conjunction with our rail grinding service. We also have customers who have purchased this technology as the need to understand what happens just below the surface of the rail has been recognized as the next step in effective asset management of the rail.”

KinetiX Inspection Technologies, the newest division within Wabtec Digital Intelligence, is a comprehensive portfolio of January 2024 // Railway Track & Structures 29

RAIL FRICTION FLAW DETECTION CONSUMABLES

solutions that provides proactive monitoring of both rolling stock and track conditions. Spanning key components – including wheels, brakes, bearings, air hoses, cross keys – and extending to full train and track inspection, it combines machine vision with remote sensing technology, ultrasonic rail flaw detection and AI-driven analytics to optimize inspection for increased asset availability and reduced operational costs. KinetiX Inspection Technologies for Track brings Nordco Inspection Technologies’ long history of ultrasonic rail flaw detection into a growing portfolio of solutions for overall track inspection. Using AI/ML-enhanced data processing and pattern recognition in conjunction with rolling search unit (RSU) wheel probes, the Nordco system recognizes and classifies defects in real- time, allowing railroads to undertake appropriate and timely corrective and preventive actions.

Nordco’s core ultrasonic technology can be integrated into a host of platforms to optimize application suitability, including FLEX systems for hi-rail vehicles, the RB560 for railbound measurement cars or the OnePass portable test unit.

Plasser American offers state-of-the-art Enhanced Ultrasonic Rail Inspection services utilizing different truck-based platforms tailored to the requirements of customers. All services are performed by experienced Chief 30 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

Operators that are all UT Level II certified or higher. Customers have the option of continuous data collection with post-processed analysis or real-time stop/verify service. The system can perform testing while maintaining a pulse density at a fixed 4mm distance at speeds up to 70kph. Plasser American can enhance the service offering by equipping the vehicle platform with a line scan camera or joint bar inspection systems. The test system has Enhanced Pattern Recognition with adaptive learning capabilities and can make realtime or post-processed decisions on suspect indications. The system has a full suite of native Windows 10/11 64bit applications that support GPS tagging of vehicle movements and defect locations, redundant data storage, and dual inspection modes for decision making and defect detection.

Test platforms can also be equipped with its Patented Linear Phased Array unique firing and data acquisition, which allows a full scan per test pulse. The Linear Phased Array system is designed to inspect the rail and find defects in the presence of surface conditions such as Deep Rolling Contact fatigue cracks, Horizontal Split Heads, and Squats, which would mask Transverse Defects originating from these conditions.

Herzog’s 7000 series rail flaw detection vehicles are built on a 1-ton truck platform

and maintain a low profile with 4x4 capability for versatile operation in all weather conditions, both on and off rail. The electrical control system has undergone an upgrade to improve lifespan and serviceability. This promises enhanced operational efficiency benefitting an already high uptime of 98%.

The ultrasonic testing system received changes to eliminate connection points and ensuring data transmission for robust defect identification. Upgraded test computers equipped with the latest hardware and operating systems enhance the performance of rail flaw detection software, ensuring a smoother inspection process. These advancements, coupled with historical record-keeping and pattern recognition, showcase Herzog’s forward-looking approach. Machine learning algorithms automatically identify and classify anomalies. Continuous testing analysts track defect growth across survey runs, prioritizing based on severity. “With over 30 years of inspection expertise, our clients trust Herzog to deliver. We’ve dedicated substantial resources to advance monitoring and inspection solutions. While our development teams push the boundaries of CT technology, our skilled operators consistently provide exceptional customer service, ensuring a legacy of excellence year after year,” Max Lafferty, Vice President of Rail Testing, told RT&S. rtands.com

Photo Credit: Sperry Rail

Sperry offers rail flaw detection platforms supported with Elmer AI.

Message From The President

A

RAY VERRELLE AREMA President 2023-2024

s all railroaders know, “Safety is of the first importance in the discharge of duty.” This phrase or a similar phrase has been the lead-in to many a railroad safety or operating rule book. This is not at all by chance as the railroad is an inherently dangerous environment that requires the utmost vigilance when it comes to the safety of the operation and the railroad personnel. The wrong decisions could result in disastrous consequences and a railroad’s safety and operating rules are an important resource to guide the decisions of employees.

When I started my railroad career in the early 1990’s, safety rules and attitudes were much different than they are today. While we had and followed safety and operating rules, the Roadway Worker Protection regulation, as we know it today, was still in the process of being written. As a frontline manager in my early twenties, making critical safety decisions was an integral part of the job.

There were times when I was unsure of the right decision and was able to seek advice from more seasoned employees.

These conversations enabled me to see what I was missing from my point of view, identify gaps in my safety knowledge, and most importantly, eliminate any risk to the employees under my supervision.

Over the years, I’ve seen vast improvements in the rules, regulations, and culture towards safety. New technologies like positive train control, collision avoidance for maintenance of way rtands.com

equipment and enhancements to automatic train control systems to further protect employees on out-of-service tracks, have all contributed to a much safer environment. The common theme in many of the safety improvements has been collaboration between front line leadership and upper management.

Bringing diverse perspectives and different skillsets to the table to achieve the common goal of improved safety will yield a more thorough product whether it is a new safety procedure or an advancement in safety technology.

The key to improving safety is engagement from the front line and knowledge sharing amongst employees and railroads. These different perspectives from technical and hands-on experiences are key to thoroughly vetting new safety rules and procedures.

AREMA values the frontline employees and is looking for ways to increase engagement in our organization and add value to the frontline employees. In these times with less experience in the industry, there may not be that seasoned employee as readily available to that new frontline manager. In the absence of these resources, we owe it to the next generation of railroaders to have the tools they need to be successful.

AREMA has recognized that in addition to the technical content generated in the Manual for Railway Engineering, there needs to be recommended practices geared toward frontline personnel.

In 2016, the Functional Group Board of Directors elevated the Teams formed in the Maintenance-of-Way Functional

“

Group in 2005 to full Committee status.

This was to allow for the development of technical material and provide emphasis on maintenance, safety, and the needs of these frontline employees. One of the four Technical Committees in the Maintenance-of-Way Functional Group is Committee 40 – Engineering Safety & Training. This Committee’s mission is to “compile, promote and communicate the value of recommended practices in support of an enhanced safety culture for the railroad community which is free of injury and fatality.” One of their focuses is to move away from a “Rules Compliance” mindset to a focus on understanding and properly applying the rules. They have three Subcommittees currently working on assignments: • Subcommittee 1: Bridge Worker Safety • Subcommittee 2: Track Safety Standards • Subcommittee 3: Safety Briefings The Subcommittees are creating the recommended practices for those safety topics mentioned above. There are also other activities like hazard recognition and mitigation, root cause analysis and the application of safety regulations like Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and how they impact railroad operations. I believe the work produced by Committee 40 will provide the most value for frontline employees and those technical staff whose work product needs to conform to the latest recommended practices for railroad safety. Working through these

AREMA HAS RECOGNIZED THAT IN ADDITION TO THE TECHNICAL CONTENT GENERATED IN THE MANUAL FOR RAILWAY ENGINEERING, THERE NEEDS TO BE RECOMMENDED PRACTICES GEARED TOWARD FRONTLINE PERSONNEL.

January 2024 // Railway Track & Structures 31

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Get PDHs At Your Own Pace With Arema’s On Demand Education Access to important professional development content is just a few clicks away with AREMA Education. Our On Demand content spans many disciplines of PDH accredited courses that allow you to get your PDHs by learning from experts online without leaving your office.

recommended practices with a diverse group of people with different areas of expertise is critical to creating a product that both meets the intent of the regulations and is reasonable for employees to follow. When these recommended practices are complete, it is likely the primary users will be frontline employees, so it is critical to have that perspective written into the practices.

This is a call to all frontline leadership.

AREMA needs your input to make our recommended practices thorough and practical. If you have an interest in contributing to the development of these, go to the AREMA website and complete the online Committee application.

In closing, I know there will be some of my colleagues out there that may have doubts about me putting in a hard day’s work in the field so I have included a picture for proof…..

BENEFITS OF LEARNING ONLINE 1. LEARN MORE Studies show that participants learn more while taking On Demand courses as you can skim through the material you understand and take more time in the more challenging areas.

2. GET INSTANT ACCESS With AREMA On Demand courses, you don’t have to wait to learn and get your PDHs as they’re available instantly after purchase.

3. CONVENIENT AND FLEXIBLE Above all things, On Demand education is meant to take at your own pace and on your time.

Study from anywhere in the world, whether from your office or the convenience of your sofa.

4. COURSE VARIETY AREMA On Demand education offers a wide variety of topics for all studies of the railway engineering community.

Register and Start Learning today at www.arema.org.

BECOME A MEMBER AND SAVE Not an AREMA member? Join today at www.arema.org and get discounts on all AREMA Educational Offerings, from Virtual Conferences to our Webinars.

32 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

rtands.com

FYI Save your seat for the AREMA 2024 2024 Sustainability & Resiliency Symposium in Tampa, Florida, February 5-7. Show your company’s alignment with sustainability practices by sponsoring today: https:// srs24.arema.org/ Secure your recognition for the AREMA 202 4 An n ual Conf e re n ce & E xpo by purchasing your booth and sponsorship.

Contact us today for the best available options for the event in Louisville, KY, September 15-18.

Did you know we have a wide variety of On Demand education for learning on your time? Browse our most popular webinars, seminars, and Annual

Conferences to earn your PDH credits on the go. Visit www.arema.org to start your On Demand learning today.

D on’t m is s o ut on th e conve rsation i n A R E M A’s M e m b e r F o r u m . T h e Member Forum connects you with other Members, allowing you to send m es sa g es, s ta r t co nve rsatio n s, a n d m o re. S e e wh at eve r yo n e is ta l ki n g about today: https://community.arema. org/home.

Leverage the power of your trusted association’s Railway Careers Network to tap into a talent pool of job candidates with the training and e d u c a t i o n n e e d e d f o r l o n g -t e r m success. Visit www.arema.org/careers to post your job today.

NOT AN AREMA MEMBER? JOIN TODAY AT WWW.AREMA.ORG CONNECT WITH AREMA ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

If you’re looking for a podcast to binge, listen to ARE MA’s Platform Chats. It features guests from ever y aspect of the railway industry. Available on all of your favorite listening services.

UPCOMING COMMITTEE MEETINGS 2024 MEETINGS

MARCH 6

APRIL 14-16

FEBRUARY 7

Committee 6 - Rail Facilities, Utilities and Buildings Virtual Meeting

Committee 17 - High Speed Rail Systems Orlando/Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Committee 6 - Rail Facilities, Utilities and Buildings Virtual Meeting *Tampa, FL - Meeting in conjunction with the AREMA 2024 Sustainability & Resiliency Symposium

FEBRUARY 8-9 Committee 7 - Timber Structures

APRIL 3 Committee 6 - Rail Facilities, Utilities and Buildings Virtual Meeting APRIL 14

Committee 8 - Concrete Structures & Foundations

Committee 11 - Commuter & Intercity Rail Systems Orlando, FL

Committee 9 - Seismic Design for Railway Structures

APRIL 14-16

Committee 10 – Structures Maintenance & Construction

Committee 12 - Rail Transit Orlando, FL

MAY 1 Committee 6 - Rail Facilities, Utilities and Buildings Virtual Meeting MAY 13-15 Committee 5 - Track Pueblo, CO JUNE 5 Committee 6 - Rail Facilities, Utilities and Buildings Virtual Meeting

Committee 15 - Steel Structures

Join a technical committee

Committee 28 - Clearances

Joining a technical committee is the starting point for involvement in the Association and an opportunity for lifelong growth in the industry. AREMA has 30 technical committees covering a broad spectrum of railway engineering specialties. Build your network of contacts, sharpen your leadership skills, learn from other members and maximize your membership investment. If you’re interested in joining a technical committee or sitting in on a meeting as a guest, please contact Alayne Bell at abell@arema.org.

FEBRUARY 16 & 17 Committee 24 - Education & Training Fort Worth, TX FEBRUARY 27-28 Committee 4 - Rail Miami, FL

rtands.com

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

January 2024 // Railway Track & Structures 33

RT&S Committee Chair Interview Chair: Matthew Albanese, Assistant Chief Engineer, Metro North Railroad

Committee: Maintenance of Way Work Equipment and the need to enhance safety through new products, preventive maintenance, training, Committee 27 provided the professional stimulus and pathway.

4. Outside of your job and the hard work you put into AREMA, what are your hobbies?

I have a few. Learning how to dance all tango, salsa and bachata in my sixties is the toughest and most gratifying of the hobbies. Needless to say, no one from AREMA will ever see me dance.

A very close second is rebuilding and repairing stereo equipment from the 50s through the late 70s. Tubes, discrete circuitry and classic equipment clutter my workbench. But the end product is well worth the work.

CHAIR: MATTHEW ALBANESE, Assistant Chief Engineer, Metro North Railroad

1. Why did you decide to choose a career in railway engineering?

Two reasons: first, my father was a Trackworker in NY Central in the 1930’s. He was in a special projects gang installing switches in Central NY during the Depression. Like father, like son. Second, I have always enjoyed large civil projects. With track/component replacement, you need to be able to plan projects around multiple constraints, reverse engineer, and crew/equip accordingly. It is a professional highlight to ride on work that you have completed.

2. How did you get started?

After working in various jobs in the private sector, I applied to NYC Transit, and was able to experience multiple jobs in their MOW Department, culminating with roughly 15 years in the Track department.

34 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

3. How did you get involved in AREMA and your committee?

I have had various mentors and associates in various railroads (Class 1s and Passenger/Transit) and railroad industries, and they always extolled the virtue of AREMA as an organization that provides our industry with education and information/guidelines for all aspects of Maintenance of Way. I wanted to be part of the process. I applied and have not looked back. My goal is to give back to the industry as much as I have been able to take and utilize in my various positions.

Committee 27 - Maintenance of Way Work Equipment was my committee of choice.

In the rail industry, equipment enhances the safety and productivity of the maintenance and capital programs.

With the constant change of regulations

5. Tell us about your family!

My wife and I have four adult children (all out of the house) spread out over the northeast. We presently live in NY’s Hudson Valley, which has access to multiple forms of rail transportation and is central to the two major cities in eastern NY. None of them show any interest in following me in their professional careers.

We have one grandson, Lorenzo, who is a big fan of trains. I will start him young.

Start with some HO model trains, and transition him into railway engineering.

6. What is your biggest achievement?

Maintaining and replacing railroad trackage in one of the hardest and harshest urban environments to work in, New York City.

If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere.

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

Join AREMA! Get involved with professional organizations that have youth/student chapters. Start networking early. Pursue as many programs and symposia for the railroad industry as possible.

Never give up if you are committed to joining and growing within the industry. rtands.com

The Railway Educational Bureau Track Resources NEW !

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AD INDEX

COMPANY

PHONE #

E-MAIL ADDRESS

PAGE #

AREMA

301-459-3200

marketing@arema.org

17,C3

Herzog

816-901-4038

amcclain@hrsi.com

7

Next-Gen

212-620-7224

www.railwayage.com/ngfr

18-19

Plasser American Corp

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C2

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bbrundige@sb-reb.com

35

RELAM Inc

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9

Sperry Rail Services

203-791-4507

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2

WVCO Railroad Solutions

541-485-9621

wvcorailroadsolutions@wilvaco.com

C4

Reader Referral Service This section has been created solely for the convenience of our readers to facilitate immediate contact with the RAILWAY TRACK & STRUCTURES advertisers in this issue. The Advertisers Index is an editorial feature maintained for the convenience of readers. It is not part of the advertiser contract and RTS assumes no responsibility for the correctness.

Products & Services MARKETPLACE SALES

JEROME MARULLO P: 212-620-7260 jmarullo@sbpub.com

●

● -

● -

●

ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

RTS_Classified_3.4092x2.259in.indd 1

36 Railway Track & Structures // January 2024

4/26/22 11:29 AM

rtands.com

February

5-7 Tampa, FL

Expand your professional network Connect with other sustainability and resiliency experts Featured presentations from Class I Railroads, Transit Agencies, and more Earn Professional Development Hours (PDH) Deepen your understanding of the latest trends in the rail industry

REGISTER TODAY SRS24.AREMA.ORG