by Jeff Tuzik It’s not every day that you get to sit with a legend to ruminate on the state of your segment of the industry. Interface Journal editor Bob Tuzik was able to do just that—to sit down for a fireside chat of sorts with Gary Wolf the industry’s …
by Jeff Tuzik Statistically speaking, any wheel failure is an uncommon occurrence. But when it happens, the AAR hears about it. The specific cause of failure is categorized by Why Made (WM) codes and catalogued in AAR car repair billing (CRB) data, and in AAR mechanical defect (MD115) reporting. When …
By Jeff Tuzik Sometimes it’s easy to tell that a rail needs maintenance. Excessive rail wear, surface damage, profile degradation, and other issues are unsubtle, if severe enough. But knowing that rail grinding is in order isn’t the same as knowing where to start. Developing and implementing a grinding program …
By Jeff Tuzik In India, rail freight traffic is increasing rapidly. To accommodate the growth, the government has funded and overseen the ongoing construction of dedicated freight corridors in high-traffic-density regions. For the two corridors now in operation, there is a new focus on developing and implementing an optimal rail …
by Jeff Tuzik Noise and vibration-related issues may not be the first concern that comes to mind in considering wheel/rail interaction. But in the rail transit industry, noise and vibration are king. Complaints about noise, in particular, can put immense political and financial pressure on transit agencies, so mitigating these …
by Jeff Tuzik Noise and vibration mitigation have been driving forces in the design and maintenance of Seattle’s Sound Transit light rail system. Controlling wheel/rail-generated noise experienced by riders and tenants living and working near the track is one challenge; transit agencies around the world must contend with it. Mitigating …
by Jeff Tuzik The track system is a remarkable feat of engineering. To the uninitiated, it can appear simple, mundane. But those charged with constructing or maintaining it know that it’s a marvel of design, that has been continuously updated since its inception roughly 200 years ago. “We take loads …
by Jeff Tuzik Vehicle stability is of paramount concern in the rail transit environment. It affects safety, ride quality, and wear and damage on the track, wheels, trucks, and suspension. In turn, stability is largely defined by the interplay of track characteristics, wheel and rail profiles, and truck and suspension …
by Jeff Tuzik It’s not every day that you get to sit with a legend to ruminate on the state of your …
by Jeff Tuzik Statistically speaking, any wheel failure is an uncommon occurrence. But when it happens, the AAR hears about it. The …
By Jeff Tuzik Sometimes it’s easy to tell that a rail needs maintenance. Excessive rail wear, surface damage, profile degradation, and other …
By Jeff Tuzik In India, rail freight traffic is increasing rapidly. To accommodate the growth, the government has funded and overseen the …
by Jeff Tuzik Noise and vibration-related issues may not be the first concern that comes to mind in considering wheel/rail interaction. But …
by Jeff Tuzik Noise and vibration mitigation have been driving forces in the design and maintenance of Seattle’s Sound Transit light rail …
by Jeff Tuzik Part 1 of this article looked at the track, vehicle, and the contact patch — some of the core …
by Jeff Tuzik (Click here for Part 2.) Your phone rings on a Tuesday morning. There are a couple of double-stack well …
by Jeff Tuzik The track system is a remarkable feat of engineering. To the uninitiated, it can appear simple, mundane. But those …
by Jeff Tuzik A lot of derailments happen at switches and turnouts. Many are low-speed, low-energy derailments that happen in yards and …