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Track Geometry

Measuring and Designing Rate of Change in Track Alignment

November 24, 2023 | Filed under: Rail Maintenance, Track Geometry, Vehicle/Track, WRI Conference

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 …

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 …

WRI EU 2015, Part 2: Theory to Practice, Laboratory to Track

June 20, 2016 | Filed under: Rail Grinding, Track Geometry, Vehicle Design, Wheel/Rail Interaction, Wheel/Rail Profile

By Jeff Tuzik See Part 1 A thorough understanding of the forces contributing to wheel/rail interaction requires a grasp of both theoretical concepts and operational practices. Speakers at the 2015 Wheel Rail Interaction Conference, European Union (WRI EU) addressed both, presenting findings from the lab and operating environment of vehicles …

Controlling Rail Cant and Lateral Forces by Managing the Wheel/Rail Interface

May 20, 2014 | Filed under: Rail Cant, Rail Maintenance, Track Geometry

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 …

Taking the Long View: 20 Years of Wheel/Rail Interaction (Part 2 of 2)

April 22, 2014 | Filed under: Friction Management, Gary Wolf, Heavy Haul, Measurement Systems, Rail Maintenance, Track Geometry, Vehicle/Track, Wheel/Rail Interaction

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 …

Taking the Long View: 20 Years of Wheel/Rail Interaction (Part 1 of 2)

January 8, 2014 | Filed under: Gary Wolf, Rail Grinding, Track Geometry, Wheel/Rail Interaction, Wheel/Rail Profile

Part 1. Metallurgy, Wheel/Rail Profile Design and Maintenance. by Bob Tuzik, January 2014 Ask a group of railroaders, researchers or suppliers what the essential aspects of understanding wheel/rail interaction have been over the past 20 years, and you’ll get a host of answers. But among them, major categories consistently emerge: …

Using Performance-Based Assessment of Reserve Gauge Strength to Enhance Tie-Replacement Planning

January 4, 2014 | Filed under: Track Geometry

By Robert Madderom Technology has changed the ways in which railroads plan most of their maintenance programs over the past 30 years. But one aspect of maintenance planning has remained static. Railways still select ties for replacement and plan a significant portion of their maintenance budgets based on visual inspections by …

Understanding the Effects of Track Gauge, Wheel/Rail Geometry and Friction on Stresses at the Wheel/Rail Interface

January 4, 2014 | Filed under: Friction Management, Track Geometry, Wheel/Rail Interaction, Wheel/Rail Profile

By Jude Igwemezie, Ph.D., P.Eng. Over the years, rail grinding has become more the norm than the exception as the rail industry has recognized that damaged materials on the rail and wheel contact surfaces must be addressed before they become a bigger problem. The art of rail grinding has also progressed …

Rail Cant Measurement of Concrete Crossties (Part 2 of 2)

January 4, 2014 | Filed under: Measurement Systems, Rail Cant, Track Geometry

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 …

Rail Seat Abrasion: In-Track Repair

January 4, 2014 | Filed under: Measurement Systems, Rail Cant, Track Geometry

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 …

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