Rail Maintenance

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

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 Corrugation: A Problem Solved?

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

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.

Squats and Studs: Emergent Damage Mechanisms on Rail Transit Systems

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 …

Measuring and Designing Rate of Change in Track Alignment

by Jeff Tuzik In order to solve a problem, you have to be able to measure it. And while there are generally no new problems in railroading, tools and techniques of measurement continue to evolve. Over the years, engineers at the Union Pacific Railroad have noticed a deficit in traditional …

Joe Kalousec (left) and Gordon Bachinsky (right)

Steel Hardness and Wear at the Wheel/Rail Interface: Perception vs Reality

By Jeff Tuzik Railroads around the world have many standards for wheel and rail hardness, with varied theories regarding the interaction of harder and softer steels. And while it is intuitively apparent that harder materials should wear less, last longer and generally provide a net benefit to systemic resilience, the …

A First Look at Rail Milling in North America

By Richard Stock Rail Milling technology, which was introduced by Linsinger about 25 years ago, has been widely used in Europe, Asia, and Australia. It was recently introduced in North America. Unlike other maintenance technologies, rail milling is a non-abrasive cutting process where material is cut from the rail surface …

Modelling Success and Predicting Failure at the Wheel/Rail Interface

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 …

WRI 2015: Transit — Maintenance and the State of Good Repair

By Jeff Tuzik Maintaining a state of good repair (SGR) weighed heavily on the minds of those in attendance at the 2015 Rail Transit Wheel Rail Interaction Conference, as transit properties will be required to meet requirements established by the Federal Transit Administration as early as next year. SGR – …

Measuring With Eddy Current: Gage Corner Cracking and the Magic Wear Rate

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 …