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Wheel/Rail Interaction
Protected: The Theory & The Praxis: An Introduction to Wheel/Rail Interaction. Part 2.
The Theory & The Praxis: An Introduction to Wheel/Rail Interaction. Part 1.
by Jeff Tuzik (Click here for Part 2.) Your phone rings on a Tuesday morning. There are a couple of double-stack well cars on the ground. That’s the kind of wakeup call a derailment investigator typically gets when something has gone badly awry, and the search for what happened and …
Christopher Barkan is the Recipient of the 2026 Worth Award
By Jeff Tuzik Wheel Rail Seminars named Christopher Barkan, Professor of Railway Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) as the recipient of the 2026 Worth Award. Professor Barkan also serves as the George Krambles Director of the UIUC Rail Transportation and Engineering Center (RailTEC) and Director and of …
Leveraging the Potential of Autonomous Inspection Data on Canadian National
By Jeff Tuzik Autonomous track inspection technologies play a large and growing role in the maintenance and monitoring strategies of freight railroads in North America. While the technologies are relatively new, they have already evolved, along with the goals and overall capabilities of track inspection. On Canadian National, Automated Track …
The How and Why of L/V-based Thresholds
by Jeff Tuzik The L/V ratio is a ubiquitous measurement in the world of wheel/rail interaction. It is typically combined with the Nadal limit, functioning as shorthand for wheel climb derailment risk for a given set of conditions. But the L/V ratio and the various formulae used to set risk …
30 Years of Evolution in the Field of Wheel/Rail Interaction
by Jeff Tuzik What do 30 years of advances in wheel/rail interaction look like? Thirty years ago, the field of wheel/rail and vehicle/track interaction was largely unknown outside a coterie of specialists and researchers. Railroads operated within confined departmental siloes with vehicles on one side of the ledger, track on …
Taking Stock of 30 Years of Wheel/Rail Interaction
by Jeff Tuzik As Wheel Rail Seminars prepares to host it’s 30th annual Wheel/Rail Interaction Conference in Kansas City, it’s worthwhile to look back on how the “narrow” field of wheel/rail interaction has broadened and matured over the decades. The field of wheel/rail interaction is highly targeted; focusing on the …
Better Track Geometry Through Better Ballast Maintenance
Fabian Hansmann, Head of Marketing at Plasser & Theurer, discussed the challenges of maintaining track geometry amidst limited resources. He emphasized balancing speed, performance, and quality in maintenance practices. Proper ballast management is vital, as defects can accelerate deterioration. Effective tamping techniques significantly influence track stability, underscoring the importance of optimal maintenance strategies.
Assessing the Findings of a Derailment Investigation: Was the Right Cause Found?
by Jeff Tuzik The Great Dismal Swamp. An ominous name. And in June of 2019, it was the site of a Norfolk Southern derailment. At NS, all derailments are investigated to determine the cause(s) and to provide data that could help prevent future incidents. Brad Kerchof, formerly Director of Research …