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Wheel/Rail Interaction
Norfolk Southern Embarks On a New Approach to Rail Defect Repair
by Jeff Tuzik Internal rail flaws and defects are an unfortunate but unavoidable part of railroading. All railroads have them. All railroads have to repair them. Defect remediation, which involves cutting out the affected rail and replacing it with plug rail, is a necessary, but costly and time-consuming process; it’s …
Total Friction Management on CPKC’s Thompson Subdivision and Beyond
by Jeff Tuzik In the railroad industry, friction management takes many forms. Managing friction through the application of lubrication and friction modifier products is a key component of maintaining an optimized wheel/rail interface. North American railroads typically use some combination of gage-face lubrication and top-of-rail (TOR) friction modifiers on various …
Autonomous Inspection on CPKC and the Future of Track Inspection
by Jeff Tuzik Track geometry inspection has always been an intrinsic part of railroading. That hasn’t changed and never will. But the way inspections are performed and the data they yield is changing rapidly. Automation is one of the biggest factors in the change, but the sophistication of inspection technologies …
Studs: Squat-Type Defects that are Misunderstood and Mismanaged
by Jeff Tuzik Squats and studs (squat-type defects) are a topic of discussion and debate in the world of wheel/rail interaction. Their similarity in appearance leads many experienced track people to misidentify them, and the urgency with which they need to be addressed. As previously reported in Squats & Studs: Emergent …
Mike Roney Receives the 2025 Worth Award
by Jeff Tuzik Wheel Rail Seminars named Mike Roney, Principal of Iron Mustache Consulting, and retired General Manager, Track and Structures and Chief Engineer with Canadian Pacific, the recipient of the 2025 Worth Award. The award, presented at the annual Wheel/Rail Interaction Heavy Haul conference, is named for Art Worth, the …
Digging Into Cause Codes for Track-Related Derailments
by Jeff Tuzik Derailments have many causes. Some are fairly simple and straightforward, others involve a complex combination of factors and circumstances. Determining the root causes is what keeps derailment investigators busy, and what helps railroads avoid such derailments in the future. Over the years, and over the course of …
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 …