By Jeff Tuzik (Continue to Part 2) Proper management of the wheel/rail interface is a daunting process. It involves elements of design and planning, automated and manned inspection, corrective and preventive maintenance and data management, to name only a few. Managing the systemic health of a railroad means understanding processes that range from the …
by Brad Kerchof and Huimin Wu Railroad track people know that track degradation is a complex and constant problem. Because so many variables affect track strength, correcting problems when they arise, and correcting them effectively, is no easy task. Norfolk Southern’s Research and Tests Department recently concluded a series of tests …
By Arthur Clouse Part 1 of this article examined the mechanisms that cause rail seat abrasion on concrete ties. Part 2 looks at existing standards for concrete ties and the systems that can be used to measure their performance. The Federal Track Safety Standards prescribe minimum track geometry and track structure requirements for specific track …
by Bob Tuzik, January, 2009 Rail seat abrasion on concrete ties has plagued railroads for nearly two decades, now. Abrasion ranging from less than 0.02 inches to more than 1 inch began appearing on curves on several of the major North American user railways in the early 1990s. The problem, which …
By Arthur Clouse • October, 2008 In response to accidents, unregulated causal factors and the National Transportation Safety Board’s recommendation (NTSB R-06-19), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Safety together with the Office of Research and Development initiated a study to identify and evaluate the safety of concrete crossties. …
by Peter Klauser • October 2005 Cant deficiency has a significant effect on curving performance of vehicles in both passenger and freight service. The forces due to centrifugal acceleration through a curve must ultimately be reacted at the wheel/rail interface. Curve lateral acceleration and the compensating effect of track superelevation can …