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Wheel/Rail Interaction
Smart Rocks, Smart Tamper: Investigating the Mechanics of Ballast Tamping
by Jeff Tuzik There are many forces that work to deteriorate track geometry over time. These forces don’t begin and end at the wheel/rail interface, they are transmitted to the vehicles and their components, and into the track structure and its components. On ballasted track, ballast absorbs these forces; and …
Squats and Studs: Emergent Damage Mechanisms on Rail Transit Systems
By Jeff Tuzik The unforgiving environment of the wheel/rail interface creates many damage mechanisms. These manifest in defects as varied as corrugations, rolling contact fatigue, and gage-corner cracking, to name only a few. Among the most vexing defects that commuter, transit and high-speed rail lines contend with are squat-type defects …
Measuring and Designing Rate of Change in Track Alignment
by Jeff Tuzik In order to solve a problem, you have to be able to measure it. And while there are generally no new problems in railroading, tools and techniques of measurement continue to evolve. Over the years, engineers at the Union Pacific Railroad have noticed a deficit in traditional …
MRS Logística: A History of Innovation and Optimization
by Jeff Tuzik Some challenges in the railroad industry are local, some are universal. Brazil’s MRS Logística has met its share of both. Their efforts to maintain, modernize, and optimize their network over the past 30 years highlight the importance of approaching all challenges from a system-wide perspective, and of …
Quantifying Rail Life Extension with Infinite Rail Grinding Pattern Control
by Jeff Tuzik Preventive rail grinding is a well-established practice for extending rail life. And by optimizing wheel/rail interaction and controlling the development and growth of surface damage like rolling contact fatigue, rail grinding has proven itself to be one of the industry’s best tools for managing one of its …
Gary Wolf is the recipient of Wheel Rail Seminars’ 2023 Worth Award
by Bob Tuzik Gary Wolf, president of Wolf Railway Consulting, is the recipient of the 2023 Worth Award. The award, presented by Wheel Rail Seminars at the annual Wheel/Rail Interaction conference in June, is named for Art Worth, who was Manager of Standards and retired as Senior Manager – Advanced …
Under-Tie Pads: Resilient Materials Make an Impact
by Jeff Tuzik Areas of track that are subject to high impacts and dynamic loadings, such as turnouts, diamond crossings and other special trackwork, bridges and bridge approaches, high-degree curves, and highway/rail grade crossings are challenging to manage. Maintenance requires attention, resources, and significant ongoing investment. With more than 30,000 …
Managing Slack in Trains with Cars Equipped with Hydraulic End-of-Car-Cushioning Devices
by Jeff Tuzik Among the most significant forces that freight railroads contend with in daily operations are buff and draft (or compressive and tensile) forces between cars within train consists. These forces are mediated by various damping technologies, braking and acceleration practices, and by train make-up. When these forces aren’t …
Sound Transit Studies Wheel/Rail Interaction Differences Between Vehicle Types
by Jeff Tuzik Seattle’s Link Light Rail, operated by Sound Transit, is a fairly young system. And by most standards, a small system. But it’s also a sophisticated system, and it’s growing fast. The system currently operates 25 miles of track and is in the midst of expanding to 50 …