Transverse defects (TDs) pose significant challenges for freight railroads, causing 31% of broken rails. CSX has enhanced its rail grinding program since 2016, reducing non-testable locations by 98% and TD occurrences by 37%. Effective grinding mitigates the risks of TDs, improves ultrasonic detection, and balances defect removal with rail profile maintenance.
by Jeff Tuzik Stuart Grassie, Principal, Rail Measurement Ltd and Stuart Grassie Engineering Ltd, is the recipient of the 2024 Worth Award. The award, presented by Wheel Rail Seminars at the annual Wheel/Rail Interaction conference in May, is named for Art Worth, who was Manager of Standards and retired as …
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has successfully implemented a rail grinding program to address surface defects like corrugation and rolling contact fatigue. Operating 390 km of track, DMRC’s corrective and preventive measures have improved rail conditions significantly since 2009, leading to reduced wear rates and enhanced wheel/rail dynamics.
The article discusses advancements in wheel condition monitoring technologies, particularly by Mermec and MxV Rail. Various methods, including optical and strain gauge systems, gather data on dynamic forces and out-of-roundness. Enhanced systems promise improved predictions of hunting behavior and overall wheel integrity, increasingly complementing traditional inspection techniques in railways.
The article discusses the significance of wheel/rail interaction in railroading, emphasizing the importance of both wheels and tracks. Advances in monitoring technologies, such as continuous wheel condition monitoring and load detectors, enhance safety and maintenance. It highlights challenges and improvements in measuring forces effectively, contributing to efficient railroad operations.
by Jeff Tuzik Rolling contact fatigue (RCF) affects railroads and transit systems globally. The effects of RCF damage range from poor ride quality and excessive noise, to shelling and spalling so deep and widespread that rail sections must be replaced. Over time, the railroad and transit industries have developed tools …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …