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Rail Grinding

SkyTrain: Moving from Reactive to Preventive Rail Maintenance Toward a State of Good Repair

April 1, 2025 | Filed under: Bob Tuzik, Noise and Vibration, Rail Grinding, Rail Transit

by Bob Tuzik This article was originally published in Mass Transit (February 2022). SkyTrain, Vancouver’s iconic rail transit system, is a system in motion. Since the opening of the original Expo Line, named and timed to coincide with Expo 86, SkyTrain, which moves more than 115 million commuters per year pre-covid, …

How Sound Transit Controls Train-Borne Noise

March 31, 2025 | Filed under: Bob Tuzik, Noise and Vibration, Rail Grinding, Rail Transit

by Bob Tuzik This article was originally published in Mass Transit (June 2023). Challenges abound in the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of light rail lines in urban areas. Chief among them is controlling track- and vehicle-born noise, an important part of maintaining the support of an agency’s various stakeholders, …

Implementing Rail Grinding and Wheel/Rail Interface Optimization Programs on Heavy Haul and Transit Systems: Lessons Learned

March 27, 2025 | Filed under: Noise and Vibration, Rail Grinding, Rail Maintenance

Rail grinding has evolved significantly since the 1980s, with preventive grinding becoming key for rail maintenance. Eric Magel shares insights from global experiences, highlighting failures due to improper grinding methods and the importance of maintaining optimal rail profiles. Recent advancements in technology and strategies continue to alter rail grinding practices for efficiency and effectiveness.

Rail Grinding and Milling: How They Work, Where They Work

December 10, 2024 | Filed under: Milling, Rail Grinding

Rail grinding and milling are essential rail maintenance practices, with grinding being more established and milling gaining popularity, especially in Europe. While both processes can achieve similar rail profiles, they differ in technique, productivity, and byproducts. Grinding produces heat and sparks, while milling offers a cleaner operation. Understanding these differences is crucial for optimal rail maintenance strategies.

Rail Corrugation: A Problem Solved?

October 15, 2024 | Filed under: Rail Grinding, Rail Maintenance, Wheel/Rail Profile

Stuart Grassie discusses rail corrugation, a prevalent issue in rail systems, highlighting advancements in understanding its causes and mitigation strategies over 45 years. Key mechanisms include P2 resonance, trackform-specific resonance, pinned-pinned resonance, and rutting. Successful corrugation management was achieved on Kuala Lumpur’s Kajang Line, marking a significant milestone.

Mitigating Transverse Defects and Reducing Non-testable Areas: Grinding Strategies at CSX

August 6, 2024 | Filed under: Measurement Systems, Rail Grinding, Rail Maintenance, WRI Conference

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.

An Introduction to Rail Grinding on the Delhi Metro

June 21, 2024 | Filed under: International, Rail Grinding, Rail Transit, WRI Conference

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.

Mitigating Rolling Contact Fatigue: An Overview for 2023

March 5, 2024 | Filed under: Friction Management, Rail Grinding, Wheel/Rail Interaction

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 …

Squats and Studs: Emergent Damage Mechanisms on Rail Transit Systems

November 25, 2023 | Filed under: Rail Defects, Rail Grinding, Rail Maintenance, WRI Conference

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 …

Modelling Success and Predicting Failure at the Wheel/Rail Interface

January 18, 2017 | Filed under: Heavy Haul, Rail Grinding, Rail Maintenance, Track Geometry, Vehicle/Track, Wheel/Rail Interaction

WRI 2016, Heavy Haul Part 2 See Part 1 By Jeff Tuzik   The worst time to explore the complexities of contact mechanics, lubrication, metallurgies, carbody behavior or other aspects of wheel/rail interaction is at a derailment site. But it’s often the most instructive. As George Fowler, Senior Investigator at …

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