By Jeff Tuzik Maintaining a state of good repair (SGR) weighed heavily on the minds of those in attendance at the 2015 Rail Transit Wheel Rail Interaction Conference, as transit properties will be required to meet requirements established by the Federal Transit Administration as early as next year. SGR – …
by Jeff Tuzik The 20th annual Wheel/Rail Interaction Conference drew a record number of attendees and speakers from around the world. They came to contribute to and draw from the growing body of knowledge on wheel/rail interaction. Since the conference began 20 years ago, the industry has come a …
Part 2. Friction Management, Vehicle Suspension and Measurement Systems By Bob Tuzik, April 2014 Part 1 of this article explored advances in metallurgy, wheel/rail profile design and maintenance practices. Part 2 continues the theme, examining the technologies and techniques that have shaped our understanding of wheel/rail interaction. While the practice of …
By Jude Igwemezie, Ph.D., P.Eng. Over the years, rail grinding has become more the norm than the exception as the rail industry has recognized that damaged materials on the rail and wheel contact surfaces must be addressed before they become a bigger problem. The art of rail grinding has also progressed …
by Bob Tuzik, January, 2008 The wheel/rail interface must be managed in order to increase the life of rail and rolling stock components and to reduce in-service failures. This was one of the primary messages delivered at the Association of American Railroads/Transportation Technology Center, Inc.’s 14th Annual Research Review. The research …
By Jeff Tuzik • October, 2008 Part 1 of this article examined efforts to optimize vehicle and track component performance through various testing, monitoring and simulation programs. Part 2 continues on the theme of “data to information,” further exploring such programs and the operational benefits they engender. Maintaining a Safe Neutral Temperature (SFT) on …
By Bob Tuzik • January, 2007 Friction control plays a major role in reducing wear, noise and vibration, and managing wheel/rail interaction on rail transit systems. Controlling friction has become more achievable with the advent of engineered friction modifiers and improvements to wayside and onboard application systems for both traditional lubricants …
by Bob Tuzik, January 1, 2005 Any problem affecting the New York City Transit is by default a big problem. The process of transporting more than four million passengers per day in 6,000 vehicles on more than 700 miles of elevated, underground at-grade mainline tracks, on a system that operates 24 hours …
by Bob Tuzik February 1, 2005 There are two primary approaches to friction management on rail transit systems: onboard and wayside. The most effective method depends upon the demands of the system. A relatively small system with consistent degrees of curvature, for example, might lend itself to onboard application. A system with …
By Bob Tuzik • November 4, 2004 If the first unwritten rule in optimizing the wheel/rail interface on rail transit is: Know your system; the second rule should be: Recognize that the w/r interface is a system. “No single department can attack the issues in isolation and expect to get very far,” Joseph Oriolo, Senior …