By David C. Lester The mileage of individual Class 1 railroad networks presents a challenge to inspectors and engineers to inspect frequently enough to keep the track in good shape and minimize the frequency of track-related derailments. Traditional inspections done by railbound geometry cars and flexible hi-rail trucks, with the …
By Jeff Tuzik The railroad is a system. The holistic approach is the optimal approach. This is a maxim often repeated at the Wheel Rail Interaction (WRI) conference, and at railroads around the world. It’s a simple concept but it belies great complexity. At WRI 2017, a number of …
By Jeff Tuzik It’s easier now than ever to collect data on wheel/rail interaction. The number of measurement tools, the number of parameters that can be measured, and the accuracy of those measurements have changed the way wheel and rail systems are designed, monitored and maintained. While all of …
By Jeff Tuzik (See Part 1) The benefits of taking a proactive approach to wheel/rail interface management are well known. Year after year at Wheel Rail Interaction conferences, speakers have extolled the benefits of moving away from costly reactive maintenance strategies. The “firefighting” method of moving from one critical exception to …
by Jeff Tuzik It wasn’t so long ago that measurement technology referred to calipers, gauges, or other tools. And it wasn’t so long ago that the data railroads collected on their properties was measured in pages instead of gigabytes. Now, the data flows constantly. Automated measurement technologies, both vehicle- and …
WRI 2014 Heavy Haul: Part 1 by Jeff Tuzik A lot has changed since the early days of wheel/rail interface management. New technologies present new opportunities and challenges, while legacy systems are continually honed and adapted to new practices. Automated inspection technologies and data management are only the latest in …
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 …
By Ryan McWilliams and Eric Eberius Gage corner cracking (GCC) of the rail from rolling contact fatigue (RCF) is a dangerous and costly form of rail damage. Unfortunately, it’s also notoriously difficult to measure. And as GCC becomes more prevalent on rail systems around the world, accurate measurement is an …
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 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 …