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 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 – …
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 Hans-Georg Wagner • July, 2008 The transmission of noise and vibration associated with the close proximity of rail lines to houses and office buildings has become a significant issue in metropolitan areas. The operators of rail transit systems have begun turning to measures that mitigate noise and vibration and the …
By Bob Tuzik • January, 2008 All railways must deal with operating/engineering and vehicle/track interaction issues. But rail transit systems, which operate under the microscope of the urban environment, face special, often unique, challenges. Speakers at Rail Transit ’07, Advanced Rail Management and Interface Journal’s third seminar devoted to wheel/rail interaction on rail …
By Mark O’Hara • October 2007 The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) began as a collection of street railway companies in the 19th century. Teams of horses pulled “streetcars” through the streets of Boston, transporting groups of people more quickly and comfortably than they could ever travel by stagecoach. By today’s …
By Edgar Fischmeister, Markus Ossberger, Roman Pongracz and Paul Mittermayr • April, 2007 Measurement is an essential aspect of optimizing wheel/rail interaction on urban transit systems. After extensive research and development work, Wiener Linien, the Vienna (Austria) Urban Transit System, implemented an integrated wheel/rail measurement system that enabled the railway to closely monitor …
By Bob Tuzik • January, 2007 Friction control plays a major role in reducing wear, noise and vibration, and managing wheel/rail interaction on rail transit systems. Controlling friction has become more achievable with the advent of engineered friction modifiers and improvements to wayside and onboard application systems for both traditional lubricants …
By Roy E. Smith • March, 2006 The introduction of new, low-floor vehicles into existing North American transit systems has provided an attractive means of meeting current operating requirements. By the same token, their introduction has created a number of vehicle/track compatibility issues—particularly when these modern cars are introduced into older …
by Bob Tuzik • April 10, 2005 Rail Grinding has been used to solve a host of problems on transit systems. It recently was used in Boston to remove a new wrinkle. A specialized grinding program was initiated in 2002 on the heels of a series of light-rail derailments on the …