by Jeff Tuzik Measurement is the foundation of design, optimization, and maintenance. No system functions without accurate measurement, and the railroad is no exception. But measurement systems used in the industry have a come a long way since the days of the string line and protractor; the contemporary array of …
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 Understanding and improving wheel/rail interaction requires unwavering attention to the little details that can have a big effect. It’s what we do here at Interface Journal and what we talk about at the annual Wheel/Rail Interaction conferences that we participate in. But every now and then, it’s …
by Jeff Tuzik A lot of derailments happen at switches and turnouts. Many are low-speed, low-energy derailments that happen in yards and sidings. But they’re still costly and disruptive. Evaluating and optimizing wheel/rail contact conditions at these locations is different than it is on open track. It requires specific tools, …
by Jeff Tuzik Rail transit systems collect a lot of data. This is data collected from many sources—wheels, rail, track, and vehicles—and from many types of measurement devices. Some of the data must be collected per regulatory requirements, but much of it is collected because it’s valuable. Transit systems use …
by Jeff Tuzik Track condition is about more than rails and ties. It includes everything below the rail and ties, too. Track components, ballast, and subgrade are all part of the package; they all affect overall track condition. And, as Brazil’s MRS Logística’s track renewal programs have shown, improving track …
by Jeff Tuzik The benefits of friction management are well known and often touted. But one benefit in particular—fuel savings—receives far less attention than the others. But as railroads race to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets and ultimately net-zero goals that they have set for themselves, fuel savings have become …
by Jeff Tuzik A well optimized wheel/rail interface is a quiet wheel/rail interface. In the rail transit environment, there are many technologies and strategies to reduce wheel/rail-generated noise, and they tend to focus on reducing rail roughness. Standard rail grinding, acoustic rail grinding, rail milling, and specialized acoustic grinding machines …
by Jeff Tuzik Measurement is the foundation of design, optimization, and maintenance. No system functions without accurate measurement, and the railroad is …
by Jeff Tuzik Vehicle stability is of paramount concern in the rail transit environment. It affects safety, ride quality, and wear and …
by Jeff Tuzik (This article was previously published in the December 2025 issue of Mass Transit) One of the most vexing, and …
by Jeff Tuzik Understanding and improving wheel/rail interaction requires unwavering attention to the little details that can have a big effect. It’s …
by Jeff Tuzik The L/V ratio is a ubiquitous measurement in the world of wheel/rail interaction. It is typically combined with the …
by Jeff Tuzik A lot of derailments happen at switches and turnouts. Many are low-speed, low-energy derailments that happen in yards and …
by Jeff Tuzik Rail transit systems collect a lot of data. This is data collected from many sources—wheels, rail, track, and vehicles—and …
by Jeff Tuzik What do 30 years of advances in wheel/rail interaction look like? Thirty years ago, the field of wheel/rail and …