RT&S September 2019

FORCED OUT TECHNOLOGY AND EFFICIENCIES ARE ALLOWING CLASS 1 RAILROAD COMPANIES TO CUT PERSONNEL

MAINTENANCE ON A 110-YEAROLD BRIDGE

Monitoring eyebar performance on a Connecticut rail bridge

BRIGHTLINE CONSTRUCTION SEPTEMBER 2019 | WWW.RTANDS.COM

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With Phase 1 complete in Florida, focus shifts to next stages

February 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 1

contents

September 2019

FEATURES

12

Eye strain Researchers monitor eyebar performance on 110-year-old bridge in Connecticut.

20

Workin’ on the Railroad—man or machine?

Technology and precision scheduling are taking over the industry and taking away jobs.

28

20 NEWS

4

Streamlining The face of one of California Northern Railroad Company’s locomotives getting ready for a daily run.

46

Columns

3

Cover photo credit: BART

56

On Track This bridge should be carted off Last Stop CREATE success

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) workers set track. Photo courtesy of BART. See jobs story on p 20.

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34

DEPARTMENTS

6

52 55

Stealth mode Surveying and monitoring play key role in Long Island Rail Road’s main corridor track addition.

Expanding on success Brightline project in Florida takes advantage of previous construction, value engineering and accelerated schedule.

TTCI TTCI provides a steel railway bridge test update.

AREMA News A message from the new president, closing remarks from the past president, Railway Interchange schedule.

38

Better to be safe Safety products sole aim is to protect workers on the rail.

Classifieds Advertising Advertisers Index

40

Follow Us On Social Media @RTSMag

Flooring it at the Interchange Exhibitors are ready for the largest show in the rail industry.

September 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 1

On Track

This bridge should be carted off Vol. 115, No. 9 6 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 Bill WILSON Wilson Editor-in-Chief wwilson@sbpub.com David KyraC. Senese Lester Managing Editor ksenese@sbpub.com dlester@sbpub.com Bob Tuzik Consulting Editor btuzik@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 Nicole D’Antona Art Director Hillary Aleza Leinwand Coleman Graphic Designer Maureen Cooney Circulation Director Michelle Zolkos Conference Director Customer Service: 800-895-4389 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

I

am not sure if the officer asked the driver of the golf cart to raise both hands and slowly exit the vehicle.

Yes, that’s golf cart, as in something you would most likely see on a golf course. In my neighborhood they are all the rave, and I’m nowhere near a scenic 18 holes. People are actually buying carts (some can go as fast as 24 mph) and zipping around streets and trails. Of course, with the craze there are the crazies who just feel left out. On the first day of school one of the homeowners carried her kids in a golf cart and dropped them off, then proceeded to get pulled over by a cop. No word if flashing lights and a loud siren were used in the pursuit, but that would have been a sight to see. Apparently someone in the hood called about golf cart activity, so you had the 5-0 sting.

I am always floored at the money thrown around my neighborhood. Thanks to the bragging adrenaline produced by social media, namely Facebook, I’m learning of all the purchases and vacations people take every year. Most homes only bring in one income, and I am still wondering where all the $500,000-a-year jobs are out there.

They must be giving them out with every purchase of something.

The people of Bismarck, N.D., apparently are living the golf cart lifestyle and have money to throw at objects of affection.

A group of them want to see the BismarckMandan Railroad Bridge, a 136-year-old span that spans the Missouri River, to outlive their family and other future generations. However, according to BNSF the cost might be too much to bear. I’m mean, we are not talking about four wheels and a country club look here. The Class 1 railroad company says due to the risk of flooding, building a new structure, favored by BNSF, and preserving the old would impact at least 500 structures and cost another $8 million

on top of the $6.9 million price tag determined by a North Dakota State study aimed at saving the aging structure and turning it into a pedestrian/bike trail. The historic bridge also is non-redundant, leaving it vulnerable to collapse, and since the existing span would be just 30 ft from the new one there is the risk of derailment and flying debris from trains hitting the pedestrianfriendly route.

Friends of the Rail Bridge, one of the bridge-hugging groups who want to see the Bismarck-Mandan thrive instead of die, used $10,000 in grant money for the North Dakota State feasibility study, which indicated keeping a old/new combo across the Missouri River is, well, feasible. The public appears to be serious ... perhaps even picket-sign-and-strap-yourselves-to-therail serious. However, the one thing it has yet to generate is cash.

BNSF wants the old bridge to be demolished. I’m the first guy who will gush over something in an antique store and marvel at its history, but sometimes you just need to let go. Plus, doesn’t the railroad own this bridge? It should be entirely their call.

A public agency would make an exploding spectacle of it. Think about it, if it is indeed a safety risk, and there could be a threat of a lawsuit down the line (I’m thinking a chunk of something hitting a walker in stride), there is just no way a town in it’s right mind would let that threat just hang there. So I am surprised Bismarck is allowing groups to push for the old bridge’s continued existence. Even though the city will not be the official owners of the bridge, why do you want that kind of press? Come visit Bismarck! Just don’t walk on our old, rickety bridge! You probably do not want to drive a golf cart over it, either.

Bill Wilson 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, 55 Broad St. 26th Floor, New York, NY 10004. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices.

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COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2019. 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.

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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Railway Track & Structures, PO Box 1407, Cedar Rapids, IA. 52406-1407.

September 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 3

First Notch Streamlining

FAce FORWARD A locomotive from the California Northern Railroad Company, which is owned by Genesee & Wyoming, is ready to pull a load on a short line route in mid-August.

For the latest industry news, go to www.rtands.com.

If you would like to contribute a photo to the Streamlining section please send a high-res version to Bill Wilson at wwilson@sbpub.com.

Photos must be no more than a month old.

4 Railway Track & Structures // September 2019

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TTCI r&D

Steel railway bridge test update from FAST Engineers continue to study aging spans with aim toward assessing service life

FAST state-of-the-art bridge, shown in Figure 1. This is now the fifth riveted steel DPG span installed at FAST.1 The span is in a 5° curve with 4 in. of superelevation. For this installation, the span was installed level while the deck ties are superelevated (see Figure 2).

By Duane Otter, Ph.D., P.E.

B

ridge engineers at Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) continue to test aging steel railroad bridges with an aim toward assessing the safe service life of these infrastructure assets. Recent test installations at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST) include an additional riveted steel deck plate girder (DPG) span, more than 100 years old, plus various innovative bridge deck components.

New 30-ft steel DPG span and deck tests

In late 2017, TTCI installed an open-deck 30-ft DPG span in place of a ballasted-deck prestressed concrete box girder span in the

tonnage over the tangent glue-laminated ties is 1,363 million gross tons.

This contrasts to the previous installation1, where two spans were installed in a superelevated position.

The 30-ft span dates to 1912, originally built for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad.

It served until late 2016 on a busy main line carrying significant unit train traffic including coal and grain. Annual tonnage ranged from 70 to 100 million gross tons (MGT) during the past 20 years. The span was

originally 32 ft in length. In order to fit the available opening at FAST, TTCI crews shortened the span by 2 ft. The excess length was all removed from one end of the span. The end diaphragm and top lateral brace had to be moved as part of the shortening process. The resulting span is a bit asymmetrical. Removing the excess length from both ends equally would have necessitated moving both end diaphragms and additional top lateral bracing, basically twice as much work.

As with the other riveted steel DPG spans at FAST, this one is being heavily loaded to provide additional data in support of the fitness-for-service effort for steel spans. The span rating is approximately Cooper E-61. The FAST train loading on this span (including unbalanced superelevation) is approximately E-72.

The superelevated glue-laminated deck ties are the first known installation of their type.

Normally, superelevation in deck ties is provided either by dapping or blocking. This also is the first known installation of gluelaminated deck ties in a curve. These ties are not dapped.

The steel span has a smooth top with no protruding rivet heads to imbed in the ties.

Resistance to lateral movement is provided only by friction and the hook bolts.

The hook bolts used are a new style installed between the ties, rather than

Figure 1: Recently installed 30-ft open-deck riveted steel deck plate girder, dating to 1912.

6 Railway Track & Structures // September 2019

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Figure 2: Top side view of between-the-ties hook bolt system on FAST 30-ft open-deck steel girder span.

through the ties (see Figure 3). This is the first known installation of this style of hook bolt on a curve, with a smooth top span, and ties with no daps.

This installation provides a good test of the lateral restraint capabilities of the between-the-ties hook bolt system.

The 30-ft riveted steel DPG span, the superelevated glue-laminated ties, and the between-the-ties hook bolt system have accumulated 235 MGT since installation at

FAST. The span, ties, and hook bolts are all performing well. There has been no noticeable lateral movement of the deck ties on the span. Maximum measured stresses are about 7 ksi.

As with the other riveted steel DPG spans at FAST, the measured stresses are somewhat lower than values calculated theoretically using simple beam models. Normal FAST train operations are at 40 mph. Balanced speed for this curve is about 34 mph, so the

girder on the high rail side normally experiences higher stresses than the girder on the low rail side.

The FAST train normally consists of three six-axle locomotives and about 110 freight cars with gross rail load of 315,000 lb per car.

Update on redundancy testing In 2015, researchers from Purdue University and TTCI installed three

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Figure 3: Stresses in girder under normal FAST train operations.

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notches in the tension flange of the opendeck 32-ft DPG span of the FAST West Steel Bridge, as described previously.1 As of this writing, the induced cracks have grown out of the notches in all three cases, each one about 0.1 in. beyond the notch.

The notches and cracks are inspected daily prior to train operations. Magnetic particle inspections have been performed weekly. Thus far, crack growth has been very slow. Since the notches were cut into the tension flange, this span has accumulated 516 MGT (3.3 million load cycles) of heavy axle load traffic. All the safety systems and precautions previously described1 are still in place.

Overall the two open-deck riveted steel spans in the FAST West Steel Bridge have accumulated 631 MGT (4 million cycles) of heavy axle load traffic at FAST. They continue to perform well with no defects noted aside from the three notches intentionally installed.

Additional bridge deck testing on FAST East Steel Bridge In mid-2016 the 121-ft-long East Steel

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Bridge received a new bridge deck. The East Steel Bridge is located in tangent track. The 65-ft span now has solid-sawn Douglas fir ties, standard hook bolts, and large premium tie plates with elastic fasteners. Previously it had solid-sawn red oak ties, standard hook bolts, and standard tie plates with rubber under-plate pads, and cut spikes.

The 55.5-ft span has a combination of new solid-sawn southern yellow pine ties, as well as older glue-laminated ties and fiberreinforced foamed urethane ties as described previously.2 Between-the-ties hook bolts are used.

On this span, a smaller version of the premium tie plate is installed. Previously this span had the glue-laminated ties, the fiber-reinforced foamed urethane ties, and a variety of solid sawn ties, with standard hook bolts, standard tie plates, and cut spikes.

The train-operating crews at FAST report that the premium tie plates result in much quieter train operation over this bridge as compared to the previous deck with standard tie plates and cut spikes.

FAST tonnage over the new solid sawn

ties, hook bolts, and the premium fasteners is 383 MGT. Tonnage over the tangent track glue-laminated ties is 1,363 MGT. Tonnage over the fiber-reinforced foamed urethane ties is 1,183 MGT. Both the glue-laminated ties and the fiber-reinforced foamed urethane ties have remained dimensionally stable with no twisting or warping.

Acknowledgements TTCI gratefully acknowledges the support of the railroad bridge community, including the various suppliers, for their contributions and donations of spans and materials to this effort.

References 1. Otter, D. (2016). “Old steel spans for new bridge research at FAST.” Railway Track & Structures, June 2016, p 10-13.

2. Otter, D., Patton, R., and Joy, R. (2012) “Developments in Alternative Bridge Ties for Open Deck Steel Bridges,” Proceedings, 2012 AREMA Annual Conference, Chicago.

September 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 11

Bridge Maintenance

EYE STRAIN Researchers monitor eyebar performance on 110-year-old bridge in Connecticut

A

n eyebar is a structural member, generally a rectangular crosssection bar, with two enlarged rounded ends. The rounded ends have circular holes (eyelets) for connecting to other structural members or other eyebars, with solid circular pins.

Eyebars have historically been used as tension members, primarily in older truss bridges. Occasionally they also have been used as chain links supporting suspension bridges, as well as cable anchorages embedded in concrete for suspension bridges.

Eyebars are used either singularly, or in 12 Railway Track & Structures // September 2019

groups as high as 10 to 12. Use of eyebar chains for suspension bridges have the advantage of being able to vary the cross sectional area (i.e., the number of bars side by side) proportional to the maximum load at that point of the chain. In a wire rope suspension system, the cross-sectional area of the cable is constant throughout, and designed for the maximum load on the cable, regardless of where it occurs.

From the earliest days of railroad bridge design and construction in the 1830s until the mid-20th century (1950s), use of eyebars was common, primarily because

they had three significant advantages (Gasparini & Simmons 1997). First, they were easier to detail and mass fabricate than built-up members. Second, they were easier to assemble, as their connections required only a pin through the eyelet, rather than expensive and labor-intensive gusset plates and rivets. This made field and shop fabrication faster. And third, because they are freer to rotate at joints, they minimized or eliminated secondary bending stresses due to changes in the geometry of the truss under live load. Early eyebars were made of wrought iron, but by the late 1800s, rtands.com

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Research reconfirmed that in an old pin-connected eyebar truss railroad bridge, individual bars within a set of bars do not in many cases take equal proportions of dead and live load. Devon Bridge not pictured. Photo by Nathan Holth and Luke Gordon.

The Devon Bridge spans the entire Housatonic River between Milford and Stratford, Conn. The total river crossing consists of six fixed spans and one Scherzer rolling bascule span. All research was performed on the easternmost span (span 7). This span is 217 ft 7 in. long, 40 ft deep and 30 ft 10 in. wide.

In many old truss bridges, including the Devon Bridge, some of the diagonal members exhibit loss of material at either the pins or eyelets so great that a few individual eyebars take practically no dead load. This was evidenced at Devon Bridge by the ease by which they could be vibrated by hand, compared to other stiffer diagonals in the group under dead load alone.

When live load was applied, these loose bars exhibited excessive vibration laterally about their weak axis, thus creating bending.

Since these members are actually counterdiagonals, they are designed to perform in tension only.

Load pushed on the others Beginning in 2014, researchers at the University of Connecticut began a detailed study of bridge response under live load on the two-track, through truss, open deck, 110-year-old historic Devon railroad bridge. The Devon Bridge, owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT), lies on Metro-North Railroadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (MNR) main line between New York City and New Haven, Conn., and also is a part of Amtrakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Northeast Corridor (NEC) between Washington, D.C., and Boston.

Train strain Figure 1 shows an elevation drawing of the Devon Bridge, span 7 (easternmost).

The floor beam hangers from middle nodes labeled M1 to M13 (odd numbers) do not form joints at the lower chord, but are connected to intermediate floor beams only. Thus, odd-numbered lower nodes L1 to L13 indicate the rigid connection of the hangers with lateral floor beams, not with the bottom chord.

End posts L0-U2 and U12-L14, as well as the entire top chord spanning from U2 to

engineers began specifying alloy steels.

Past research found, and recent research reconfirmed, that in an old pin-connected eyebar truss railroad bridge, individual bars within a set of bars do not in many cases take equal proportions of dead and live load. This characteristic has been known to bridge engineers for many years, as has its causes. The major cause is due to uneven wear of the bearing surface on both the pins and of the eyelets. Several papers have been published dealing with this condition: BDI (2001), Hardesty & Hanover (2010).

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ONE BATTERY. FLEXIBLE CHOICE OF MACHINERY. U12, are continuous members. The joints shown on these members are pin connections for the other truss members (hangers, diagonals and verticals) framing into the end posts and top chord at those points.

Truss end posts, top chord, diagonals M1-L2, L2-M3, M11-L12 and L12-M13, and open deck floor system stringers and floor beams are built-up members. All other members are eyebars.

Live-load strain readings were recorded using strain gages attached to five members of the south truss: L4-M5 (one bar), M5-L6 (four bars), L6-M7 and M7-L8 (two bars), and L6-L8 (10 bars). These members are shown highlighted in Figure 1. A combination of foil gages and larger clamp-on strain gages were used, depending on available working space. Response measured by the strain gages was sent to a data logger and then displayed and recorded on a laptop computer at the site.

Four types of train sets were used to record member responses. These trains had different axle spacings, axle weights and vehicle suspension systems, thus providing structure response data under as many varying conditions as possible. The four train sets used were: • Amtrak Acelas—electric engine at each end, coaches in between; • Amtrak Regionals—electric engine at head end, standard coaches following; • Metro-North M8 multiple unit (MU) commuter cars (usually six to eight cars); • Waterbury Branch trains—diesel engine (usually at the west end) in push-pull mode, and standard coaches (usually three) following.

construction and assembly. This was necessary because of small discrepancies in material fabrication and construction tolerances.

Examination revealed several characteristics of the behaviors under live load of the two parallel bars. The inside bar was shown taking a significantly greater share of the live load. This was evident from the strain magnitudes of the two bars in tension from the same trains.

For example, the difference in maximum strain between the two bars for the MetroNorth M8 cars at 42 mph is approximately 20 microstrain.

The same phenomenon, the inside bar taking greater strain than the outside bar, is shown for the other train as well, although of different magnitudes. The ratios of inside bar to field side bar strains for the two train types are, respectively, 1.8 and 2.5. Another interesting characteristic of the behavior of these bars is how often they go into compression, although for short duration.

The problem of unequal pin and bar eyelet wear causing unequal sharing of load (dead and live) was noted in a report of field tests performed by the American Railway Engineering Association (AREA) and published in 1947. That report found that pins and pin holes were subject “to a high rate of wear.” It stated in the Conclusion section, that “Many eyebars in old pin-connected trusses are not taking their proper proportion of load in the panel, and in some cases one bar of a two-bar member has carried as much as 97 percent of the total load in the member.” Similar uneven load distribution phenomenon was observed on the Devon Bridge.

Tests were performed at various speeds within the maximum allowable speed limit of 40 mph. They included: approximately 5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 mph).

Diagonal M5-L6 (South truss) This diagonal consists of a set of four eyebars.

The maximum strain values in each of the four eyebars forming diagonal M5-L6 under an Amtrak Regional train traversing westbound on track 1 (south track) at 42 mph when the train’s engine and coaches were nearest to the diagonal are presented in Table 1. Also shown is the percentage of strain from live load taken by each bar. The data clearly shows a non-uniform distribution of strain, taken by the four bars.

This load non-uniformity in the diagonal bars shown in Table 1 is consistent for both the heavy load of the Amtrak Regional’s engine and the eight coaches. Further, the percentage of load taken by each bar is approximately consistent for both the engine and the coaches. The north-center bar (b) assumes the lowest percentage of

Typical findings The following are samples of typical findings from our data. Presentation of complete data from all trains on all members gaged is not included.

Diagonal L6-M7 (South truss) Diagonal L6-M7 is a group of two eyebars.

The turnbuckles on the bars of diagonal L6-M7 (and L4-M5) were not installed as a repair or to shorten the bars, but were part of the original design and installation. Their purpose was to give the builder the ability to make final adjustments to the truss design dimensions and dead-load stresses at final

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Truss bridges using eyebars as tension members have several advantages, including reduced costs. Devon Bridge not pictured. Photo by Nathan Holth and Luke Gordon.

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live load, while the bar adjacent to it, the northern most bar (a) which is closest to the track, assumes the greatest.

AREA reported comparable data from their tests performed on eyebar truss bridges ranging in overall length from 129 ft to 518 ft. In the 1947 AREA test study, there were two bridges that had spans closest to the Devon Bridge (217 ft 7 in). The spans were 197 ft and 247 ft.

In truss panels with four eyebars tested in these bridges, percentage of total live load carried by each bar was 26.4, 20.8, 25.4, 27.4 for the shorter span, 197-ft bridge, and 30.2, 25.6, 26.4 17.7 for longer span, the 247-ft bridge. The non-uniform load distribution in the bars may be explained as follows.

Upon application of live load, the bars with the least wear carry most of the load until they sufficiently elongate to eventually have other bars with greater wear pick up a share of the load. Also, in nine out of 10 four-bar groups in the AREA tests, the innermost bar carried the most load. These phenomena are consistent with what were observed on the Devon Bridge.

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Bridge Maintenance

Diagonal bar vibration On the Devon Bridge, unlike other eyebar groups, when the bars of counter diagonal M7-L8 (Figure 1), in the bridge’s center lower panel, it was observed that they exhibited significant lateral vibration, clearly visible to any observer, while a train was traversing the bridge. There are at least two possible explanations either each acting alone or in combination for the vibrations of both bars constituting diagonal M7-L8: (a) lateral movement of the relatively unrestrained intermediate node M7 south because of looseness caused by wear and tear of the pin and/or eyelet of the bar, and (b) lateral movement of lower nodes L8 (south and north) from horizontal movement of the floor beams.

Nothing is equal It has long been recognized by structural engineers that truss bridges using eyebars as tension members have several advantages, including reduced costs of fabrication and construction, and elimination of secondary stresses. Pin and eyelet wear, however,

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One must understanding the critical nature of warning signs of excessive material wear.

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September 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 17

Bridge Maintenance

Figure 1: An elevation drawing of the Devon Bridge, span 7.

result in uneven load distribution between the several bars constituting the diagonal or member between two joints. The pin and eyelet wear can eventually cause overstress in the bars with less section loss from wear, and in certain extreme circumstances, cause significant vibration of the bar(s) under live load.

In the analysis of strain readings from diagonals and lower chords, it was apparent

that as live load was taken by sets of eyebars, the load was neither taken simultaneously by all bars in the set, nor in many cases, equally distributed within the group. Field studies from both this and other similar tests demonstrate that section loss from wear in the pins and eyehole may result in the excessive lateral vibrations of diagonals in truss railroad bridges. This is especially evident in diagonal counters when

subjected to trains, which induces lateral movement of the floorbeams.

It also was observed that in large eyebar diagonal groups, the inside bar, closest to the track, seems to assume the largest percentage of load over time.

Since old eyebar truss bridges are, in many cases, non-redundant, understanding the critical nature of warning signs of excessive material wear, such as excessive vibration and uneven load carried by bars in a set, must be a high priority to those engineers and managers responsible for railroad bridge safety.

Acknowledgments The authors wish to acknowledge and thank the following organizations whose support (financial, material, and/or in-kind) assisted in this research.

• The U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Transportation Research Board Rail Safety IDEA program (Grant RS-25). The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors. The findings, conclusions or

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recommendations either inferred or specifically expressed herein do not necessarily indicate acceptance by the academies or by U.S. DOT FRA; • The Connecticut Department of Transportation; • Metro-North Railroad and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak); • Bentley Systems, Inc., of Exton, Pa.; • STRAAM Group, Inc. of New York City and Trans-Tek Inc. of Ellington, Conn.; • The University of Connecticut, its Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the Connecticut Transportation Institute.

References AREA (1947). “The Shortening of Eyebars to Equalize the Stress–Preliminary Report of Committee 15.” Proceedings of the American Railway Engineering Association, 48, Chicago, Ill. 969-986.

BDI (2001). “Load Test and Rating Report, Puget Sound & Pacific Railroad Bridge, Steel Through-Truss Bridge—MP 1.7, Centralia, Wash.” Final Report. Bridge

Table 1: The maximum strain values in each of the four eyebars forming diagonal M5-L6.

Diagnostics, Inc. (BDI), Boulder, Colo.

Gasparini, D. & Simmons, D, (1997).

“American Truss Bridge Connections in the 19th Century. I: 1829-1850 & II: 1850-1900.”

ASCE J. of Performance of Constructed Facilities, 11(3). 119-140.

Hardesty & Hanover (2010). “Special Detail Design, Inspection and Rating of Bridge 49.73, Connecticut River, Windsor Locks, Connecticut.” Main Report Volume 1, Hardesty &

Hanover, LLP, New Haven, Conn.

Malla, R.B., Jacobs, D.W., Dhakal, S., and Baniya, S. (2017). “Dynamic Impact Factors on Existing Long Span Truss Railroad Bridges.” Final Report, Rail Safety IDEA Project 25, Transportation Research Board (TRB), Washington, D.C., <http:// onlinepubs.trb.org /onlinepubs /IDEA / FinalReports/Safety/Safety25.pdf> (July 01, 2019).

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Rail Employment

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ince shortly after World War II, the number of people employed by the railroad industry has trended downward. Several years saw increases in rail employment. One example was the 2014 traffic boom, led by the explosion of crude-by-rail, which left freight trains sitting on mainlines because there were no crews to run them. Overall, however, rail employment has decreased from approximately 1.5 million in 1947 to

20 Railway Track & Structures // September 2019

By David C. Lester, Managing Editor about 140,000 today.

One prime factor in the decline of rail employment was the change of motive power from steam to diesel. The number of shop forces and operating personnel required to support the general use of steam locomotives was significantly higher than the numbers needed to service and operate diesels.

Other advances contributed to the decline of rail employment as the nation passed the

mid-20th century. New signaling systems, modern communication systems, improvements in track and mechanical equipment to replace workers in track repair are just a few. Computers also played a significant role in reducing rail employment.

Historical employment levels cannot be discussed in the abstract, however.

Advances in technology have enabled railroads to work more efficiently and achieve higher productivity. Ton-miles, length of rtands.com

Photo Credit: David C. Lester

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The U.S. economy’s shift toward high-value consumer goods has reduced the demand for traditional rail moves of long-haul, heavy, lower value freight.

that could impact employment levels in the coming years.

The health of the U.S. and world economies As most readers know, the demand for freight transportation is derived demand.

In other words, the demand for transport relies on the need for industrial goods and other products that ship by rail. Without a need for commodities, the railroads would have nothing to move. Of course, the demand for products rises and falls based on the overall health of the domestic and

world economies.

It is almost impossible to predict economic performance beyond the short to medium term. The determinants of how the economy is doing and will do are too numerous and complex to do much more than track data, run computer models, and make educated guesses. The Policy & Economics department at the Association of American Railroads recently reported that “Continuing economic uncertainty, fueled in great measure by ongoing trade disputes and worrisome economic weakness around the globe—combined with low

Photo Credit: David C. Lester

haul, and train length, to name a few, have all increased as the industry has become more efficient. Railroads are doing more work with fewer people, a trend that many other industries have experienced, as well.

How will railroad employment trend over the next 25 to 50 years? No one can say for sure, but as automation becomes more prevalent, management thinking around employment levels will change. It’s easy to assume that the historical trend of employment decline of the last 70 years will continue, but that may not be correct. We can, however, consider some of the factors

22 Railway Track & Structures // September 2019

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Rail Employment

natural gas prices and the shift from coalfired electricity in the United States” has resulted in another monthly U.S. rail traffic decline in 2019.

Precision scheduled railroading (PSR) Few rail industry changes have garnered as much attention and debate as has precision scheduled railroading, or PSR. The five tenets of PSR are asset utilization, cost control, service, recruitment, and safety.

Asset utilization covers doing more with fewer resources; cost control does not necessarily mean cost-cutting—just prudent management of expenses; service refers to setting commitments and delivering on them; recruitment refers to recruiting the right people and teaching them how and why the railroad needs to run a certain way, then letting them run the railroad, and have as much localization of decision making as possible; finally, safety speaks for itself— railroads involve big, heavy, and dangerous equipment. Employing unsafe practices and having injured employees quickly results in significant declines in industry fortunes.

Underlying the implementation of PSR is the need to reduce the operating ratio to meet the demands of Wall Street. Despite this, one railroad industry veteran says, “Implementing PSR is not pandering to Wall Street, except on the operating ratio.

“

If rail employment is going to rise, the industry must grow.

PSR is not necessarily bad, but implementation is often a problem. It needs to be done within a proper time frame, and not within a few weeks. Implementing it too quickly can give PSR a bad rap.” When the late Hunter Harrison worked with hedge fund managers at CP and CSX to implement PSR as quickly as possible, the result was confusion, frustration, anger, and job losses at

those roads.

Running longer trains as part of PSR is somewhat controversial within the industry, but it’s clear why the railroads are doing this. Since most rail mileage in the U.S. is single track, longer trains reduce the number of meets, as well as passing operations. Besides, if you can combine two “traditional” trains into one, the number of crew starts is cut in half.

Another operating component of PSR is moving traffic when it’s ready to roll. For example, in the old days, the strategy was often to “wait for tonnage.” In other words, wait until there were enough cars collected in the yard to build a good-sized train. With PSR, say 25 coal cars are sitting in a yard, and local officials believe they are not yet worth running as a separate train. However, if an intermodal train comes along headed to the same general destination as the coal, stop the intermodal train long enough to couple on the coal cars and continue moving. The coal cars will arrive at the customer’s destination early, or at least on time.

The flip side of this scenario is that if

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September 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 23

Rail Employment

railroaders at the coal’s destination are expecting a separate train, they may need the locomotives on that train. If the coal cars do not move separately, but instead, are attached to the intermodal train, those expecting the engines at the destination will have to make other arrangements.

Industry observers and experts, however, are concluding that PSR does improve service and efficiency. “Most customers of a particular Class 1 road will tell you that customer service has improved significantly since the implementation of PSR,” notes one rail consultant.

However, the relentless focus on the operating ratio is not a growth strategy, but a cutting strategy, and does not promote the expansion of the industry. Yes, the railroad may run more efficiently and profitably, but the industry must also grow. If rail employment is going to stay at its current level, or even increase, traffic volume will have to rise. If railroads employ a strategy of raising prices on existing business for increasing revenue and profitability, this will drive traffic to other modes, especially trucks.

Technology and crew size Two additional factors can have a considerable impact on rail employment—technology and crew size regulations. Moreover, these factors are directly or indirectly related to one another. Two recent advances—positive train control (PTC) and locomotive

“

can technology effectively replace one person in the locomotive?

fuel management systems—could have a significant impact on staffing.

Most readers are likely very familiar with positive train control. PTC is a very complex system of locomotive-based and back office computers, satellites, wayside devices, and wireless communication equipment

designed to prevent some accidents. Trainto-train collisions, derailments caused by excessive speed, accidents that can occur if trains are routed down the wrong track, and unauthorized train movements on tracks undergoing maintenance are preventable with PTC. As the industry has continued to develop and test the system, it’s generally working as designed, and the expectation is that the railroads will meet the final deadline of Dec. 31, 2020. The primary challenge at the moment is interoperability among roads.

Interoperability is needed when locomotives from, say, Norfolk Southern, can travel on BNSF and the PTC computers on the NS locomotives can fully integrate with the BNSF PTC system. This work, though, is expected to be implemented, tested, and ready to go on the last day of 2020.

Besides PTC, the Class 1 roads have installed locomotive fuel management systems that will make recommendations to the engineer around the best throttle and brake settings. These systems will help move the train over the road with the

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best possible fuel efficiency, and minimize in-train forces that can cause operating problems. There are two systems in use today. New York Air Brake manufactures one, called LEADER—Locomotive Engineer Assist/Display & Event Recorder. The other is from General Electric’s Transportation Division (now Wabtec) and is known as Trip Optimizer. These systems also can operate the throttle and braking settings automatically if the engineer chooses.

One of the most contentious debates in the industry today is around whether trains should run with a minimum of two people, or if one is sufficient. Management wants to operate trains with one person, while the unions believe that two people are required.

Management says operating with one person is safe, while the unions say it is not safe for their members, as well as the general public.

The debate centers on safety, and rail management says that the great strides in automation, particularly PTC and fuel management systems, can effectively replace one person.

Rail management and some regulatory agencies point out that there has been no evidence of safer operation of trains with two crew members vs. one. In May 2019, the Federal Railroad Administration withdrew from its notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on the issue. “In withdrawing the NPRM, FRA is providing notice of its affirmative decision that no regulation of train crew staffing is necessary or appropriate for railroad operations to be conducted safely at this time.” Several states have passed laws mandating a minimum of two crew members in recent months, and later in its notice of withdrawal, the FRA says “ ... this notice of withdrawal provides FRA’s determination that no regulation of train crew staffing is appropriate and that the FRA intends to negatively preempt any state laws concerning that subject matter.”

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLE-T) reported in its June 2019 news journal that it was pleased with the passage of laws in some states mandating two-person crews. Dennis Pierce, president of the BLE-T, said, “These two-person crew laws represent significant legislative victories for all railroaders, especially our hard-working engine and train crews. In the event of an emergency situation, a lone crew member cannot properly assess the situation, secure the train, notify all necessary emergency responders and take other steps to mitigate the emergency in a timely manner.” rtands.com

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STEALTH mode Surveying and monitoring play a key role in Long Island Rail Road’s much-anticipated main corridor track addition

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movement after startup, these facets can be as important to a design-build team as the project itself. In an ongoing project to add a third track to a 10-mile segment on the main corridor of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), Bronx, N.Y.-based Vibranalysis is undertaking that effort throughout the length of the $1.8 billion project.

Utilizing an arsenal of total stations, optical prisms, and an abundance of geotechnical, structural and environmental monitoring

sensors, the company is helping ensure that the “before” picture is documented and any “after” events can be quickly identified and mitigated.

Working on the railroad The LIRR’s main line, which runs the length of the island from Long Island City, Queens, to Greenport, Suffolk County—roughly 95 miles—carries about 40 percent of the railroad’s current 308,000 daily ridership. rtands.com

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Vibranalysis is using total stations, optical prisms and other monitoring sensors.

A third track has been a subject of discussion since the 1940s but, for reasons ranging from fiscal concerns to resident complaints and everything in between, could never

reach approval. Until this time around.

“More than a hundred thousand people depend on the LIRR’s main line on a daily basis—people who are affected by any

interruption in train traffic along that 10-mile stretch,” said Howard Jameson, Vibranalysis’ vice president. “The expansion will be huge for improving service reliability on the line. However, this project covers a lot more than just the additional track, and we are providing instrumentation and monitoring services in several of those areas as well.”

Indeed, the list of improvements covered under a larger $2.6 billion cost umbrella is sizeable. It currently includes the elimination of seven grade crossings; seven bridge replacements and modifications; improvements at five passenger stations; replacement of seven electrical substations; improvements to existing parking facilities and construction of an entirely new parking ramp; and 7.5 miles of sound/ retaining walls.

“Using monitoring gear on a job like this is essential,” said Jameson. “Anytime you are conducting an extensive scope of work adjacent to structures that are remaining active, you need to ensure that those structures react in the manner in which the way

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Site Monitoring

they are designed. And if they don’t, you need to be able to quantify that change and mitigate it immediately. We provide that level of information.”

While extremely complex in practice, the science behind monitoring movement is actually rudimentary. A semi-permanently mounted total station measures angles and distances to optical prisms affixed to the structures being monitored.

Software, bundled with the monitoring system, applies statistically weighted adjustments to the measurements and outputs spatial coordinates for each prism.

If the system notes a change in those coordinates, more than likely movement of the monitored subject has occurred. By comparing current and initially gathered coordinates, the degree and direction of the movement can be determined.

Locking on target To gather the data needed to determine if construction is having an adverse effect on nearby assets, Vibranalysis is equipping each of the seven main line stations with

a fully Automated Deformation Monitoring System (ADMS) from Topcon Positioning Systems. The system is centered around a Topcon MS05AXII total station which provides angular accuracies of 0.5 in.; reliable distance accuracy at 0.5 mm; customizable 2-D monitoring; and an autocollimation accuracy of 1 in.. Unlike conventional total stations that simply lock on to the nearest targets, the autocollimation system chosen allows the instrument to lock on to targets that are closest to the center view of the instrument, providing long-range precision and accuracy even in low light conditions.

The ADMS also includes a Topcon Delta Link controller, which provides support for autonomous operation of the total station in the field, and offers communications options that include Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and a globally approved integrated cellular modem (data SIM provided by third parties).

To ensure uninterrupted operation and data transfer during any short power outages, Jameson’s team added a solar panel

at each monitoring station installation to complement the 110/240 VAC standard power supply and internal battery backup.

Data from the total station is handled via Topcon Delta Watch software, which can process and analyze it individually or as a network-adjusted solution.

The total package Seven individual stations along the line— Floral Park, New Hyde Park, Merillon Ave., Mineola Ave., Carle Place, Westbury and Hicksville—also are undergoing major renovations as part of the project, including construction of longer station platforms to accommodate full-length trains. Vibranalysis will have monitoring station packages located at each major work location, positioning components in a number of ways (on pedestals, poles, rooftops, abutments, etc.), depending on the specific need.

“This protocol will allow us to monitor the adjacent receptors to determine whether there is any construction-related movement or vibration that could potentially cause damage,” said Jameson. “We are conducting

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similar work near the Mineola station at the site of a new five-level, 550-space parking garage. There, we’ve mounted a pair of [monitoring] stations in enclosures atop stout, 10-ft-high poles (for added security) and we will install optical prisms to monitor both the adjacent structures and the excavation’s SOE (support of excavation) wall.”

Efforts paying off Since upping its game, Vibranalysis has been involved in some truly high-profile projects throughout the NYC metro area, including work associated with The High Line, a former elevated railway that has been repurposed into a 1.45-mile pedestrian greenway.

“We’ve worked hard to build this facet of the business and have been steadily seeing the fruits of those labors,” said Jameson.

“In fact we recently landed several projects in the Los Angeles area which is not only a huge step forward for us, it’s an excellent opportunity to showcase our expertise to an entirely new market. We’re landing some great projects, we have outstanding people

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Monitoring station packages will be located at each major work location.

working for us—some of who have been with the company for well over a decade— and our equipment has been effective. On [another] project, we will be doing things that I think only three or four other firms

like ours in the world can do. And we’re proud to be a part of projects like the LIRR expansion, which will have a real, positive impact on so many people. I’d say we’re positioned exactly where we need to be.”

September 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 33

Track construction

Expanding on success

W

ork with what is there.

That usually is the calling following one of two things: an awful haircut or a bad paint job. Workers on Florida’s Brightline project, however, never felt more empowered being the second one in, and so far the private venture, the first of the passenger rail variety in the U.S. in over 100 years, cannot get enough of expansion.

Brightline, which uses track from Florida East Coast Industries, ripped the seal off its first project in December 2018, and currently Phase 2, which links West Palm Beach to the Orlando International Airport, is in full swing while a third project, Orlando to Tampa, is almost ready to see action.

The opener was the West Palm Beach-toMiami route, and that is where crews benefitted the most from past work. According to Joe Walshe, a project manager with HNTB Corporation working with Brightline, the route between Jacksonville to Miami was double-tracked just 50 years ago, so not a 34 Railway Track & Structures // September 2019

whole lot of the rail had to be touched.

“The worry about the subgrade, the worry about the track failing was not there so we saved a great deal of money putting the track back the way we found it,” Walshe told RT&S. On average, crews were replacing one out of every three railroad ties on the West Palm Beach-to-Miami line, and the stage also was set at most of the 186 at-grade crossings.

Florida East Coast and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) work together to rotate railroad crossing work every five years. FDOT also has a strong design manual in place when dealing with the construction or rehabilitation with crossings, allowing Brightline construction to follow a series of steps that have experienced past success.

Florida East Coast also had detailed records on the type of track that was out there, so older rail and lighter rail could be easily targeted. There have been spots where 115-lb rail was found, and that rail needs to be upgraded to 136 lb.

Savings everywhere Saving time and saving money on the project has been going hand in hand for almost two years now. In Cocoa Beach (Phase 2) a turn has to be made on S.R. 528 and I-95, so during the design process bridges were drawn up to get over various highway on and off ramps. Adding complexity is the fact that this stretch of I-95 is one of the most congested and dangerous corridors in the country. The contractor, Archer Western, suggested shifting construction to the south, saving the erection of two structures and in upwards of $20 million. Crews also do not have to deal with the maintenance of traffic and construction staging.

“It required a little more property to buy but as it handles with the schedule and the value engineering, it was a no-brainer,” said Walshe.

In Phase 1 a total of 14 rail bridges were designed to use prestressed concrete Florida I-beams with cast-in-place decks. The team found an alternative in accelerated bridge rtands.com

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Brightline project in Florida takes advantage of previous construction, value engineering and accelerated schedule Bill Wilson, Editor-in-Chief

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Florida they could be molded all year long.

A steel tie experiment at the West Palm Beach Yard, where there is now a small maintenance facility, also dropped the speed on the cash flow. According to Walshe, steel ties lock in tight and do not require as much ballast.

Dealing with a private owner also eliminates the middleman, resulting in quicker decisions and less frustration. HNTB Corporation and the prime contractor have a direct and open line to leadership.

“I have spent most of my career working for agencies, and those folks once they get going things work out well,” remarked Walshe, “but it is sometimes tough to get a decision made, especially with middle management.

“I am working with the leadership group for Brightline. I find it refreshing that the decision makers are in the room.”

In Phase 1 a total of 14 rail bridges were constructed using thicker top flanges on the prestressed concrete Florida I-beams.

construction that involved thicker top flanges on the I-beams. The extra thickness was used to form the bridge deck with small 8-in. closures between the beams.

The closures were formed with ultra highperformance concrete.

Walshe also thought he was going to have to get his concrete rail ties from either Georgia, somewhere on the West Coast or even as far northeast as Delaware, but with Rocla building a plant in Ft. Pearce, Fla., ties were always close by, and because it was

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Track Construction

and wireless transponders to communicate with the onboard speed control unit. ITCS, on the other hand, makes use of wireless data radios spread out along the line to transmit information.

Four types of rail track, Class 4, Class 5, Class 6 and Class 7, are being used throughout the Brightline network. Class 5 is for trains traveling at lower speeds, and on those rails PTC has been wired.

However, moving north out of West Palm Beach trains can go as fast as 110 mph and wireless radio frequencies must be used.

An issue that has cropped up involves curve design. Walshe said there is not a PTC speed for 45 mph, only at 35 mph and 50 mph.

“I could not get a curve to 50 so we had to drop the train speed down to 35,” Walshe said. “There were not enough breaks between the different speeds that they were setting codes at.”

Working on an active freight railroad track also required enough breaks in service to get the work done. On average 14 to 16 trains ranging in size from 9,000 to 12,000 ft long move through a day between Ft.

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Lauderdale and Miami. Work windows varied week to week, and Walshe said UPS and FedEx trains had to get through without interruption. Sometimes crews were able to work six hours at a time with Phase 1

“

I am working with the leadership group for brightline. it is refreshing that the decision makers are in the room.

work, and the window increased significantly during at-grade crossing construction on weekends.

“Dealing with the local community, the FDOT, the local city, the local county and

getting police support [for crossing work] ... that was a massive undertaking,” Walshe said.

To and from Disneyworld Phase 2 work started in May and requires new track between Cocoa and Orlando, so crews will not be able to take advantage of already established lines. Ballast is not available in Florida, which contains no granite, so material needs to be shipped in from Georgia. The line will run from West Palm Beach to the Orlando International Airport. A major maintenance facility on airport property is currently being constructed.

Conceptual designs are being worked on for Phase 3, which will connect Tampa and Orlando along the I-4 corridor.

“People are really jazzed about the idea of coming down I-4,” said Walshe.

In total, Phase 2 will include the laying of 490,000 ties and transporting 2.35 million tons of granite and limestone by 20,000 railcars. Additionally, approximately 2 million spikes and bolts will be hammered and put in place over the next 36 months.

September 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 37

safety

better to be

safe Safety products sole aim is to protect workers on the rail

S

afety needs to be seen. Whether it is the required safety vest or the correct and safe way of doing a particular job, the worker needs to have the right tools and equipment for his or her protection out on the jobsite, and it needs to be visible. Visibility not only makes it easier to see a worker, but it helps spread the message that working safely is paramount in railroading.

The following are a few safety products offered in the railroad industry.

Orgo-Thermit Orgo-Thermit, Inc. has brought a unique safety product to the North American market that meets the requirements of an intertrack barrier and complies with the Adjacent Track Rule.

38 Railway Track & Structures // September 2019

The TrackSafe Barrier helps provide a safe work environment for all railroad employees when working near live adjacent tracks.

Recent innovations have expanded the barrierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use beyond providing protection simply from adjacent tracks. Now, for those systems powered by a third rail, protection from the hazards of working in close proximity to it can be achieved for all personnel.

Product evaluations are currently taking place in Canada and in the U.S. Initial reception from all has been favorable in regards to the ease of use as well as ingenuity. Safety requirements are being met and all of the workers are appreciative of the additional protection.

The TrackSafe Barrier for Third Rail can establish a safe work area in a matter of minutes and does not require the use of

any tools for installation or dismantling.

This safety equipment is fully customizable and can be adapted to work with all track configurations. Orgo-Thermit has multiple samples available for demonstration and trial periods, and is actively encouraging and promoting the use of additional measures of protection to keep roadway workers safe from the countless hazards they face every day.

Miller Ingenuity ZoneGuard, Miller Ingenuityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electronic roadway worker protection system, was engineered to meet the need for improved track worker safety within the rail industry.

The system uses a patented combination of detection technologies to warn rail maintenance crews of track vehicles entering an rtands.com

Photo Courtesy of Orgo-Thermit

By Bill Wilson, Editor-in-Chief

safety

active work zone. ZoneGuard uses diverse and redundant sensors—LiDAR, radar, infrared camera, and accelerometer—that work together to ensure that track vehicles will always be detected consistently and accurately and in all conditions. Once a detection is made, an audible and physical (vibrating) alert is sent to each roadway worker’s wearable devices.

Depending on their operating environment, customers can use either the ZoneGuard fixed or portable detection system.

The portable kit is durable and lightweight enough (just under 5 lb) to easily transport the equipment from jobsite to jobsite and can be set up in minutes. The fixed system is permanently installed and provides 24/7 train-tracking capabilities while being continuously online and ready to be used by any number of roadway workers, at any time, with no configuration or setup required.

ZoneGuard’s detection technology also helps eliminate the chance of false alerts, that when occurring frequently, can give a false sense of security or wrongfully establish complacency among work crews.

The system’s flexibility allows it to

perform within high-noise urban environments, under high power lines, on bridges, within tunnels, and across multiple tracks giving maintenance crews the ability to provide safer work zones wherever they need to operate.

Focused Technology Solutions Focused Technology Solutions, a Marmon/ Berkshire Hathaway Company, has been specializing in transportation safety products since April 2018.

Since the company’s inception, they have found tremendous success with their flagship product, the SpikeEase, a battery-operated spike remover. This disruptive product increases production efficiency, as it can remove a spike in as fast as three to seven seconds while boasting over 400 spike pulls per charge.

The SpikeEase has been noted for its ability to reduce injuries. Weighing in at under 30 lb, the tool offers a lightweight solution when compared to its competitors.

Perhaps the most groundbreaking attribute of the SpikeEase is the elimination of the claw bar and the need for hydraulics,

making it one of the most environmentally friendly spike-removal alternatives on the market. There are not any gas-powered generators, 50-ft hydraulic hoses or hazardous and dangerous fluids. This allows the SpikeEase to operate easily and access spikes in remote areas, such as bridges and tunnels.

Reflective Apparel Factory, Inc. Reflective Apparel Factory has expanded the selection and features of its popular Systems Gear—interchangeable sweatshirts, jackets, rainwear and pants in hi-vis colors.

The outer waterproof, breathable parkas and liners are available in H or X back patterns. Double YKK zippers accept various weight sweatshirts or jacket liners to meet any weather or budget condition. Sizes range from X-Small to 7X to accommodate petites to big and talls.

The apparel are crafted for optional fall protection and clear credential pockets—for maximum safety and identification. Even the pants have optional liners for the winter season. High visibility for all the seasons of the year for workers in passenger rail, Class 1s and everyone in between.

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September 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 39

Exhibitors are ready for the largest show in the railroad industry

By Bill Wilson, Editor-in-Chief

FLOORING IT AT THE INTERCHANGE

Herzog Railroad Services Inc., Indoor Booths 2029 and 4627

Recent flooding in the Midwest has taken its toll on rural communities and impacted Class 1 railroad operations. Since late March, several of Herzog’s Automated Conveyor Trains (ACT) have been working around the clock to restore operations in 40 Railway Track & Structures // September 2019

areas of heavy washouts.

“Herzog is experiencing an increased demand for ACT units because of the machine’s high distribution rate and flexiibility,” said Ryan Crawford, manager of Ballast Operations for Herzog.

The ACT can discharge a variety of materials in one consist, from yard ballast up to 5-in. minus.

An operator simply specifies which cars to unload through the ACT’s patented automated programming feature and then monitors the distribution. As it moves along the track, the ACT can unload approximately 2,800 tons of material in two hours, averaging 4 minutes per car.

Another advantage of the ACT is its ability to distribute rock in curves and S-curves. The 35-ft boom can unload material 50 ft from track center and its automated plow strikes off material built up in the center of the track.

Knox Kershaw Inc., Outdoor Booth 400

Knox Kershaw Inc. is proud to unveil its newly redesigned KBR 925 Ballast Regulator in Minneapolis this September. The KBR925 Ballast Regulator is a robust machine designed for ballast work on all types of track. The 925’s plow and wing work together to transfer ballast from shoulder to shoulder in one pass while leaving one rtands.com

Photo Credit: Herzog

R

ailway Interchange will have the railroad industry buzzing towards the end of September.

For those attending the show, RT&S offers up the following directory of some of the exhibitors and what they will be showcasing.

SEND US YOUR BEST

FOR 2020, RT&S MAGAZINE

will be honoring some of the best projects in the industry dealing with Class 1s, passenger/transit trains and short line railroad companies. Projects can be nominated in the following categories: » » » » »

Nominations due

by January 20th

New Construction (Rail) Maintenance (Rail) New Construction (Bridges) Maintenance (Bridges) Best Use of Technology on a Project

Winning projects will be featured in the May 2020 issue of RT&S and awards will be distributed during a live event held in Chicago.

http://bit.ly/rtstopprojects

will feature four distinct hubs dedicated to its fastening solutions, its aluminothermic welding, its range of track equipment, and a hub dedicated to the latest product innovations.

The “innovation hub” will feature Pandrol’s latest developments designed to maximize railroad uptime and extend the life of rail infrastructure including:

The Pandrol stand at Railway Interchange will feature four distinct hubs dedicated to its fastening solutions, welding, track equipment and innovations.

released 2019 Models of our KSF940 Snow Fighter, KKA1050 Kribber Adzer, and the KTR450 Tie Replacer.

Pandrol Track Systems, Inside Booth 2351

The Pandrol stand at Railway Interchange

In addition to the main booth, an outdoor run of track will showcase Pandrol’s efficient and ergonomic track machinery and welding equipment.

Photo Credit: Pandrol

shoulder profiled. The insulated broom box has excellent service life, and the standard reversing valve allows ballast to be swept away from switches and road crossings.

Other machines that will be displayed in the Knox Kershaw Inc. booth are the newly

• Pandrol Q Track, which is a continuously supported and fastened-embedded ballastless track system; • The Rail Clamp, an innovative temporary rail joint clamp used prior to welding and to safeguard rail defects prior to repair; • Under-Ballast Mats, which are continuous resilient mats for ballasted tracks; • The Vortok Measure and Detect System, recently deployed as part of a track condition monitoring system for Metro North and Long Island Railroad.

42 Railway Track & Structures // September 2019

rtands.com

Photo Credit: L.B. Foster

L.B. Foster Company, Indoor Booth 2007 L.B. Foster Company plans to introduce several new products at Railway Interchange.

The next-generation Protector X trackside friction management system has been completely redesigned and includes a state-of-the-art product compartment with the industry’s lowest cavitation level and true first-in, first-out product utilization.

A new remote asset-management platform also will be on display, which has been completely redesigned to give immediate, intuitive insight into the performance of friction-management assets and includes new toolsets to maximize system uptime.

L.B. Foster also is introducing several products focused on enhancing railroad safety and remote monitoring to the North American market. The Grade Crossing Monitoring system uses LiDAR to accurately detect an object’s location, size and direction in the crossing.

L.B. Foster also has developed a Rockfall monitoring system that can not only detect

L.B. Foster Company plans to introduce several new products at Railway Interchange, including the next-generation Protector X and safety products.

that a rock has fallen, but also whether it remains an obstacle on the track, how large it is, and what type of damage the track has sustained so the railroad can take appropriate action.

Loram Maintenance of Way and GREX, Indoor Booth 1619, Outdoor Booths 210 and 306

Georgetown Rail Equipment Company’s (GREX) 3,500-sq-ft indoor booth and

The Leader in Autonomous Inspection Reduce Risk. Increase Network Safety. Inspect More Track at Lower Cost. www.enscorail.com

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September 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 43

outdoor booths will speak to GREX’s entire suite of track inspection and rail maintenance solutions.

These technologies include the DumpTrain and DumpTrain for Curves ballast delivery systems; Aurora Xiv comprehensive inspection platform that grades ties, analyzes internal structures of track components, and identifies ballast deficiencies; and the SlotMachine and Self-Powered Slot mobile work platforms.

The indoor booth and outdoor booths also will highlight Loram’s full lineup of rail solutions and services, including rail grinding, friction management, ballast cleaning, specialty excavating, and equipment manufacturing.

Ballast Tools Equipment, Indoor Booth 1029

Ballast Tools Equipment (BTE) will shine the spotlight on the diverse solutions it provides at Railway Interchange 2019.

BTE engineers railroad track maintenance equipment, hi-rail machines, versatile attachments, and innovative solutions.

BTE will feature new video and exclusive looks at its equipment hard at work across the country, from clearing culverts in the Northwest to storm recovery in the Midwest and concrete/tie work in the Southeast.

Vossloh, Indoor Booth 1407 Vossloh’s latest maintenance solution for rails and turnouts, the Multi Purpose Milling machine (The Vossloh MPM), will make its market entry in North America later this year.

The relatively small versatile milling unit is tailored for the highest possible flexibility, and at the same time is capable of an impressive material removal rate of 2 mm, thereby avoiding a renewal.

Small and flexible, the MPM machine was designed to costeffectively correct serious damage to shorter stretches of track and turnouts on both Class 1s and urban rail transit systems. Highly efficient, the MPM can operate on ballasted, slab tracks, tunnels or bridges for both standard T-rail and grooved rails.

Plasser American, Outdoor Booth 219 Plasser American will have the GRM 3D Tamping Simulator on display at Railway Interchange. The simulator will be in operation, so make sure to stop by and test your skills as a tamper operator.

The 3D Tamping Simulator is modeled after the GRM 3000T. It uses the PLC program of a “real” machine and virtually simulates all necessary actuators such as hydraulic cylinders, tamping units, measuring buggies, rail clamps, etc.

Particular importance has been placed on the three-dimensional external view of the virtual machine. At any time, the trainee can switch from cockpit view to external view to take a close look at the machine and the position of the components.

Orgo-Thermit, Inc. and PortaCo., Inc. Indoor Booths 2037 and 2136

Stop by our booth # 1951 at the Railway Interchange in Minneapolis

44 Railway Track & Structures // September 2019

Orgo-Thermit, Inc. and PortaCo, Inc., members of the Goldschmidt-Thermit Group, will have a joint booth at Railway Interchange. Each company will be showcasing new products being introduced to the North American rail industry for the first time.

These new products and services include a battery-powered rail drill, road and rail vehicles with hydrostatically driven hi-rail gear, Eddy Current measurement equipment capable of detecting and analyzing rolling contact fatigue in the gauge corner and running surface of the rail, and a safety barrier designed to protect roadway workers from the hazards of third-rail environments. rtands.com

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Message From The President

Edward D. Sparks, II, P.E. AREMA President

I

2019-2020

t is an honor and a privilege to be president of the great association that is AREMA. Our industry has an impressive past and a bright future.

As it currently exists, AREMA dates back only to 1997. But as is so common in our industry, AREMA is made up of many fine predecessor organizations. They include the Communication and Signals Division of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) which dates to 1960, the American Railway Engineering Association to 1899, the Railway Signal Association to 1895, the American Railway Bridge & Building Association to 1891, the Telegraph and Telephone/Communications Association to 1882, and the Roadmaster’s and Maintenance of Way Association of America to 1882.

AREMA is an international association as well. While the bulk of our membership is from Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., we are grateful to have members from all over the world.

Many of you reading this will be taking part in Railway Interchange in Minneapolis, Minn., from Sept. 22-25. This is the largest railway exhibition and technical conference in North America and AREMA plays an integral role along with our partners at the Railway Supply Institute (RSI), the Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA), and the Railway Systems Suppliers, Inc. (RSSI).

This is an unparalleled opportunity to learn about new advancements in our industry, to network with other railway professionals, and enjoy what this interesting event has to offer. I strongly encourage you to attend and make the most of it.

46 Railway Track & Structures // September 2019

There are 76 AREMA technical presentations covering all aspects of railway engineering and maintenance on Monday, Tuesday, AND Wednesday (do not forget Wednesday!). If you cannot find several items of interest, you’re just not looking.

In addition, the Railway Interchange exhibition will have 675 exhibits split between indoor and outdoor venues on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Tools, equipment, and materials from small to huge will all be there for your inspection and viewing pleasure. Have you ever sat at the controls of a production tamper or locomotive? Have you ever torqued a structural bolt? Well, here’s your chance.

Another highlight is the panel discussion during the Meet the Next Generation Event.

This is a phenomenal opportunity to satisfy your curiosities and questions if you are considering a railway-industry career.

Starting the Friday before Railway Interchange and running through the Friday after it, there are AREMA seminars and AREMA committee meetings. Sign up for one of these insightful seminars and broaden your knowledge of current and relevant railroad engineering and maintenance topics. If you are not yet a member of one of the committees meeting before or after the conference, but you are curious, plan to attend. Just look up one of the committee leaders on our website www. arema.org and request permission to attend as a guest. They would love to have you and you will be certain to learn something during your time there. You may even find your new committee home.

That’s a great deal of activity packed into one week. If you cannot attend this year, consider purchasing VirtualAREMA. This platform provides 24/7 access to the presentations at the conference, PDF copies of the speaker’s slides with audio, as well as video of the keynote speaker. There is even a possibility of earning Professional Development Hours from the comfort of your home or office.

Also, whether you attend this year or not, be sure to mark your calendar for the AREMA 2020 Annual Conference & Expo in Dallas, Texas, Sept. 13-16.

Ours is an association that provides far more than just a phenomenal conference.

There is value to be gained in many different aspects. Discussion panels and seminars have already been mentioned. But there also

are webinars, this magazine, and committee participation to name just a few more.

Committees offer the opportunity to work with railroaders, suppliers, engineers, academics, researchers, regulators and more, both experts and aspiring experts in focused areas of the industry. Nowhere else in North America, or possibly planet Earth, can you participate in or witness heated debate and discussion about details that prior to joining you had no knowledge of.

One thing is for certain; you’ll gain a new respect for that detail and be able to educate others as to why our industry chose to adopt that particular design detail.

One theme you are sure to hear over the coming 12 months is value. The value you and your employer get out of AREMA is largely dependent upon you. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the substantial offerings Railway Interchange provides as well as the surrounding AREMA activities. Maximize this opportunity to develop yourself, advance your employer, and grow this railroad industry that is so vital to modern life.

FYI

S e e yo u i n M i n n e a p o l i s, M i n n ., fo r the AREMA 2019 Ann ual Conference being held in conjunction with Railway Interchange, Sept. 22-25. AREMA badges will be honored for full access into the exhibition halls during operating hours. For more information on Railway Interchange, please visit conference.arema.org.

O rder the 2019 Manual for Railway Engineering now. With more than 50 new or revised Parts, it’s the perfect time to get the 2019 Manual. Order online now at www.arema.org or contact mbruins@ arema.org for more details.

Leverage the power of your trusted association’s Railway Careers Network to tap into a talent pool of job candidates with the training and education needed for long-term success. Visit www.arema. org/careers to post your job today. Use code RAILCAREER to receive a discount.

Not an AREMA Member?

Join today at www.arema.org rtands.com

Getting to Know Edward D. Sparks, II, P.E. RT&S: Why did you decide to choose a career in railway engineering?

Sparks: I’m a first-generation railroader who grew up in Erlanger, Ky., which is a Cincinnati suburb at the top of the Southern Railway’s climb out of the Ohio River valley. My interests in construction, engineering, and transportation all seemed to fit well with the railway industry.

The University of Kentucky held an Engineers Day for high school seniors considering an engineering major. It was there I asked, ‘What was the best way to get into the railroad industry?’ Dr. Vince Drnevich advised that civil or mechanical engineering were the best routes, with likely more opportunities in civil (he was right!). With that, my major was selected. I ensured that I took whatever railroad courses Dr. Jerry Rose provided, along with the customary engineering curriculum. Getting hired in an era of industry contraction wasn’t easy.

But it was worth it. Railroad engineering provides meaningful work with results that long outlast most other industries. The railroad industry provides a vital, but often

behind-the-scenes, service to the public.

Being a part of something meaningful that truly lasts is why I decided to choose a career in railway engineering.

RT&S: Outside of your job and the hard work you put into AREMA, what are your hobbies?

Sparks: My current hobbies revolve around my family. I’m blessed to have my wife, Jennifer, and our two sons, Danny and Matt, in my life. I coach youth basketball. In addition, Jennifer and I are proud spectators and chauffeurs for cross country, soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. We also enjoy traveling.

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

Sparks: While in college, fellow civil engineering student Kevin Cox and I spent countless hours in the geology library photocopying old topo maps of the entire Louisville & Nashville network for publication in L&N Historical Society map books.

Mr. Ralph Gunter took our map copies and

compiled them into spiral bound books.

He added milepost locations, siding names, and we hand-colored the rail lines. Looking back it was a ridiculous amount of work, but for a good organization.

Bonus fact: I was an honorary backup singer in the garage band 3 Cows Jammin’.

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

Sparks: Be persistent and flexible. This industry is cyclical. If you’re trying to break into the industry during a contraction or hiring freeze, like I did, do not give up!

When an opportunity does arise, seize it.

Rare is the case when a position will be in an ideal location. I remember back to my initial railroad application. The first two questions were “Are you willing to travel?” and “Are you willing to relocate?” Then they asked for your name. You’ll likely work longer and harder than your friends outside the industry, but you’ll be working on things that matter and last. After 25 years I can attest, it is a great industry to be a part of.

Upcoming Committee Meetings Sept. 21 Committee 27 - Maintenance of Way Work Equipment* Sept. 21-22 Committee 24 - Education & Training* Sept. 22 Committee 5 - Track* Committee 6 - Building & Support Facilities* Committee 10 - Structures, Maintenance & Construction* Committee 11 - Commuter & Intercity Rail Systems* Committee 12 - Rail Transit* Committee 14 - Yards & Terminals* Committee 16 - Economics of Railway Engineering & Operations* Committee 17 - High Speed Rail Systems* Committees 11 & 17 Joint Meeting*

Committee 18 - Light Density & Short Line Railways* Committee 33 - Electric Energy Utilization*

Oct. 16-17 Committee 37 - Signal Systems Pittsburgh, Pa.

Committee 40 - Engineering Safety*

2020

Committee 41 - Track Maintenance*

Jan. 1 Committee 10 - Structures, Maintenance & Construction Albuquerque, N.M.

Sept. 23 Committee 13 - Environmental* Sept. 25-26 Committee 8 - Concrete Structures and Foundations* Committee 38 - Information, Defect Detection & Energy Systems* Committee 39 - Positive Train Control* Oct. 14-15 Committee 30 - Ties Tucson, Ariz.

Oct. 15-16 Committee 36 - Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems Pittsburgh, Pa.

Jan. 23-24 Committee 8 - Concrete Structures and Foundations New Orleans, La. Jan. 28 Committee 9 - Seismic Design for Railway Structures Spring, Texas June 1 Committee 10 - Structures, Maintenance & Construction New York, N.Y.

*Committee meetings happening at the AREMA Annual Conference in conjunction with Railway Interchange

rtands.com

September 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 47

Kessler reflects back on successful run

N

ow that James K. Kessler’s run as AREMA president is over, he sat down to talk about his accomplishments and the future of the association.

AREMA: How did your day job prepare you for your role as AREMA’s president?

Kessler: When asked to consider the opportunity to serve as AREMA’s president, I considered it a great honor and thought about the responsibilities that come with the position. The role of president of AREMA requires a broad understanding of the railroad and rail transit engineering industry. Prior to my current role as vice president – Engineering of the North Carolina Railroad Company, I worked many years for a railroad and rail transit consulting firm. With that firm I worked on projects for clients that included rail transit authorities, state DOT rail divisions, Class 1 railroads and short line and regional railroads. Over the past 40 years I have been able to meet and work with leaders in the railroad and rail transit engineering community and learn from their experience and wisdom. This experience has enabled me to make decisions that have the goal of benefiting all of the members of AREMA. My current and former employers have been supportive of membership in AREMA and participation in committee activities.

They have seen value in continuing education and in the relationships developed by active participation in AREMA. AREMA: What are your thoughts on the past year as president of AREMA? Kessler: This year has been a great experience and, as most past presidents would probably say, much too short! It has been very rewarding to have the opportunity to work with AREMA’s talented staff, especially Beth Caruso, executive director/ 48 Railway Track & Structures // September 2019

CEO. Beth and I have had weekly calls to discuss the operations of the association and the issues that arise and must be dealt with on a continuing basis. There is much more that goes into the association’s operations that I think most members are aware of.

Just organizing and managing the annual conference and the board meetings is a huge task. A big thanks goes to the AREMA staff!

I also could not have completed my term without the wonderful support of the Board of Governors and the Functional Group Board of Directors.

AREMA: Have you reached all the goals you set?

Kessler: Certainly I have not accomplished all of the goals that I set a year ago.

Finding the right balance between the ‘day job’, AREMA commitments and family can be a challenge.

The major activity that I wish that I could have accomplished was to become more involved with student chapters and to visit some of the chapters and their members. I feel that involvement with young people in engineering who have a desire to become engaged with the railroad and rail transit industry is critical to our future. The guidance and encouragement that we can provide them will benefit us all. The Young Professionals Experience and the student activities at the annual conference are a great step in accomplishing this.

AREMA: What did you accomplish during your term in office? What accomplishment are you most proud of?

Kessler: We were able to accomplish several important initiatives this year including implementation of AREMA’s Strategic Plan, updating the association’s bylaws and clarifying the requirements for Life Membership. The Life Membership category has been improved to encourage many of our long-standing members to remain active in AREMA and to provide the benefit of their knowledge to committees.

However, I am most proud of being able to get to spread the message about the many wonderful people who contribute to AREMA and make this the pre-eminent railway engineering organization that it continues to be. My feeling had been that many members are not aware of the extensive activities that go on behind the scenes to keep the association moving along in a

positive direction and the dedication of staff and AREMA members that makes it happen.

I used the president’s monthly column in RT&S to highlight the AREMA staff, the boards, standing committees and functional groups. I hope that the information provided was helpful in giving a greater understanding of AREMA. AREMA: Where do you see the organization going from here?

Kessler: In the very short run, AREMA is in great hands with Ed Sparks of CSX assuming the role of president for 2019-2020 and Vic Babin of NICTD becoming senior vice president. Both of these gentlemen will do a great job in leading the association over the next two years.

I see AREMA as continuing to be the preeminent railway engineering organization that it is today.

AREMA will continue to evolve to meet the needs of the industry and its members.

When I joined in 1981, I joined the American Railway Engineering Association (AREA).

There have been many major changes along the way that have evolved into today’s AREMA. These changes have brought diverse railway engineering and maintenance organizations together and have made the association and industry stronger. With continuing changes in the railway industry, I see further discussions about the relationships between the Class 1s, regionals and short lines, consultants and suppliers. I also see a greater effort to include younger members in meaningful roles in the association such as working with student chapters and the Young Professionals.

AREMA: What do you see in the future for AREMA? Kessler: I see AREMA as continuing to play a leadership role in the railway engineering community. Many of the discussions that we have been having during this past year revolve around making sure that AREMA continues to be relevant to its members and provide value. How can the association improve functions and benefits to it members?

This is a time of a changing landscape in the railroad and rail transit industry and AREMA must be nimble enough to adjust to these changes. For example, we have been having significant discussions this year on how to deliver web-based programs to our members. rtands.com

Developing and presenting webinars is a time-consuming effort, which has been largely completed by our members. The members who develop and present these webinars are often those who also are actively involved in committee activities

such as developing manual material.

AREMA needs to continue its focus on railway engineering education and the development of recommended practices that are current to the industry.

We also need to focus on the younger

members of AREMA and encourage them to become more involved in AREMA’s committees and to assume greater responsibility in committee leadership and beyond to association leadership roles. I see a bright future for AREMA in the years ahead.

AREMA 2019 Annual Conference in conjunction with Railway Interchange Schedule-At-A-Glance Friday, Sept. 20 Registration Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering Seminar (Day 1) Separate Registration Required Saturday, Sept. 21 Registration Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering Seminar (Day 2) Separate Registration Required Committee Meetings 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 22 Introduction to Practical Railway Engineering Seminar (Day 3) Separate Registration Required Registration Student Program Headshot Lounge Outdoor Exhibits Open • Lunch Indoor Exhibits Open • Rail Learning Lab • Reception Young Professionals Event Committee Meetings 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Committee Members Lounge 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 23 Registration Continental Breakfast AREMA General Session & Technical Presentations Indoor Exhibits Open • Breakfast • Lunch • Rail Learning Lab • Oktoberfest Reception Coffee Break Outdoor Exhibits Open • Breakfast • Lunch Railway Interchange Main Stage & LRW Woman of the Year Award • Keynote Speaker: Vernice Armour, America’s First African American Female Combat Pilot Rail Learning Lab Headshot Lounge Meet the Next Generation Event Committee Meetings 2 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

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September 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 49

AREMA 2019 Annual Conference in conjunction with Railway Interchange Schedule-At-A-Glance Tuesday, Sept. 24 Registration Continental Breakfast Functional Group Technical Sessions Indoor Exhibits Open • Breakfast • Lunch • Rail Learning Lab Outdoor Exhibits Open • Breakfast • Lunch Coffee Break Rail Learning Lab Annual Committee Chairs Luncheon (Ticketed Event) • Keynote Speaker: John C. Hellmann, Chairman, President & CEO, Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. LRW Reception Committee Members Lounge 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 25 Registration Continental Breakfast Closing General Session & Technical Presentations • Keynote Speaker & Industry Update: Anthony “Tony” Hatch, Transportation Industry Analyst, ABH Consulting Coffee Break Track Alignment Design Seminar (Day 1) Separate Registration Required Committee Meetings 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Committee Members Lounge 7 a.m. - Noon Thursday, Sept. 26 Track Alignment Design Seminar (Day 2) Separate Registration Required Committee Meetings 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 27 Track Alignment Design Seminar (Day 3) Separate Registration Required

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PAGE # 32 25 14 23 16 32 43 39 Cover 4 29 31 5 42 18 37 13 7 30 8 26-27 19 25 22 9 33 24 10 17 11 44 35,36 15 Cover 2 2 21 Cover 3

Advertising Sales MAIN OFFICE Jonathan Chalon Publisher 55 Broad St., 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 (212) 620-7224 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jchalon@sbpub.com AL, KY, Jonathan Chalon 55 Broad St., 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 (212) 620-7224 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jchalon@sbpub.com

CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA, WV, Canada – Quebec and East, Ontario Jerome Marullo 55 Broad St., 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 (212) 620-7260 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jmarullo@sbpub.com AR, AK, AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, In, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, NM, ND, NV, OK, OR, SD, TN, TX, UT, WA, WI, WY, Canada – AB, BC, MB, SK Heather Disabato 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 (312) 683-5026 Fax: (312) 683-0131 hdisabato@sbpub.com The Netherlands, Britain, France, Belgium, Portugal,

Switzerland, North Germany, Middle East, South America, Africa (not South), Far East (Excluding Korea / China/India), All Others, Tenders Louise Cooper International Area Sales Manager The Priory, Syresham Gardens Haywards Heath, RH16 3LB United Kingdom +44-1444-416368 Fax: +44-(0)-1444-458185 lc@railjournal.co.uk Scandinavia, Spain, Southern Germany, Austria, Korea, China, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Russia, Eastern Europe Baltic States, Recruitment Advertising Michael Boyle International Area Sales Manager Nils Michael Boyle Dorfstrasse 70, 6393 St. Ulrich, Austria. +011436767089872 mboyle@railjournal.com

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.

Italy, Italian-speaking Switzerland Dr. Fabio Potesta Media Point & Communications SRL Corte Lambruschini Corso Buenos Aires 8 V Piano, Genoa, Italy 16129 +39-10-570-4948 Fax: +39-10-553-0088 info@mediapointsrl.it Japan Katsuhiro Ishii Ace Media Service, Inc. 12-6 4-Chome, Nishiiko, Adachi-Ku Tokyo 121-0824 Japan +81-3-5691-3335 Fax: +81-3-5691-3336 amkatsu@dream.com CLASSIFIED, PROFESSIONAL & EMPLOYMENT Jeanine Acquart 55 Broad St., 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 (212) 620-7211 Fax: (212) 633-1325 jacquart@sbpub.com

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

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September 2019 // Railway Track & Structures 55

Last Stop

CREATE Success Lillian Yan, HNTB Corporation

T Lillian Yan

“

the teamwork that moves create forward stands as a model for other complex, urban rail programs.

56 Railway Track & Structures // September 2019

he Chicago Region Environment and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) program is one of the largest, most complex rail improvement programs in the country.

With nearly half of its 70 interrelated projects complete since kickoff in 2003, a look at what’s driving the success of the program is useful to anyone involved with delivering a massive, capital-intensive rail infrastructure project.

CREATE is a first-of-its-kind partnership between the U.S. DOT, FHWA, state of Illinois, Cook County, city of Chicago, Metra, Amtrak, and the nation’s Class 1 freight railroads. It is investing billions in critically needed improvements to increase the efficiency of the region’s passenger and freight rail infrastructure and enhance the quality of life for Chicago-area residents.

It is an enormous, decades-long undertaking fraught with the risk that comes with changing politics, uncertain funding and competing interests. But its participants have valued partnership and engagement.

the CREATE Advocacy Committee, the HNTB team meets with all stakeholders on a regular basis.

Maximum value The biggest challenge, of course, is funding.

As CREATE program manager for Illinois DOT, HNTB works closely with the agency and potential funding sources to determine how to leverage available funds strategically and maximize every dollar. This work includes developing innovative funding strategies, conducting detailed design oversight to minimize construction issues, and performing detailed controls in tracking projects within budget and schedule.

With successful implementation of funded CREATE projects, IDOT is able to plan ahead and demonstrate the CREATE partners’ commitment to propose more projects eligible for additional federal, state or local funding.

Collaboration Collaboration is key in any project, but it is remarkable to see what happens when all parties see real, operational benefits in a successful outcome. Unclogging the nation’s largest rail chokepoint delivers mobility and community benefits. It means better bottom lines for freight railroads that can move goods faster and more efficiently. It means safe, more accessible communities that can attract jobs and economic development in impacted project areas. All partners are investing, solving problems and completing projects together, incentivized by making CREATE a success.

A great example of this collaboration is last year’s $132 million grant from U.S. DOT for the program’s 75th Street corridor improvement project. CREATE partners had committed significant funding for the project. When it still fell short of what was needed, all of the partners stepped up and bridged the gap.

Community CREATE is delivering a much-needed catalyst to strengthen many Chicago communities adjacent to the city’s rail infrastructure.

The elimination of roadway-rail crossings and viaduct improvements make it safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.

Demand for contractors opens doors to growth and job creation for local disadvantaged business enterprises. Improved rail and road traffic decreases train and vehicle idling, reducing pollution and energy consumption and improving air quality in surrounding neighborhoods. New education initiatives funded by the CREATE partners are leveraging nearby jobsites to introduce local students to STEM and transportation career fields.

A lot of investment and hard work remains, but at its figurative halfway point, the teamwork that moves CREATE forward stands as a model for other complex, urban rail programs. The project is streamlining rail traffic through the nation’s busiest hub and improving quality of life in surrounding neighborhoods.

Communication Effective collaboration would not happen without transparent communication and coordination among CREATE partners and surrounding communities. Along with

Yan is a senior project manager with HNTB Corporation and manages the CREATE program for the Illinois Department of Transportation. rtands.com

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