[IMAGE]Track.jpg[/IMAGE]What do transit agencies want when they're looking into track maintenance? According to the following manufacturers and contractors, trends in maintenance equipment include more efficient machines and multipurpose equipment to finish up projects in a shorter time frame, specialized equipment for specific projects, and basic equipment such as tampers and ballast regulators.
In addition, with complete PTC (positive train control) installation targeted for December 2015, agencies may need to look to contractors for assistance in completing the federally mandated installations.
Plasser American Corp.
Plasser American Corp., based in Chesapeake, Va., designs and manufactures track maintenance equipment, and the company emphasizes the importance of regular maintenance procedures, which also prevent the risk of derailments and ensure rider comfort and safety.
Routine maintenance equipment includes a tamping machine, which lifts the track and packs ballast underneath the ties to level out uneven surfaces, an optional track stabilizer that settles the track and compacts the ballast to create stability, and a ballast regulator that profiles and redistributes ballast moved during track use.
According to Plasser, tonnage, train frequency and speed going over a particular area and geography or climate of track location are factors that influence the frequency of maintenance cycles. Internal policies of rail systems also determine maintenance cycles, which can range from several times a year to once every few years.
One of Plasser American's most popular machines is its Metro 4x4, a heavy-duty tamping machine specifically designed for transit and commuter railway systems. The Metro 4x4 can travel up to 45 miles per hour and comes standard equipped with fully automatic, computer-controlled (AGGS) lifting, leveling and lining systems.
The company also produces multi-tie tampers that can tamp two, three or four ties at a time. This increases productivity, as more track can be tamped in the allotted time frame. Multi-tie tampers are also equipped with automatic systems such as the ATLAS (Automatic Tie Locating Analyzing System), which locates each tie as the tamper travels along, for automatic tamping. This automation reduces fatigue as the operator does not have to work as hard to accurately position the tamper, and reduces tie damage because the tamper will always be placed in the right location.
As rail budgets tighten and agencies are looking to get more for their limited funds, Plasser has seen more requests for specialized equipment such as multipurpose vehicles that incorporate several functions into one machine. Northeastern commuter lines such as Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and MTA Metro-North are considering larger machines that have more productivity, according to Plasser. The ability to purchase larger equipment depends mostly on budget, but more frequent use of trains in the Northeast due to population size also means more maintenance requirements.
The company works with clients to provide specialized equipment. One example is with Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH), servicing New York City and New Jersey. Plasser is currently developing its VM-30, a vacuum machine capable of vacuuming ballast between ties and in the crib areas. Specifically designed for PATH, the VM-30 works well in a tunnel environment that can't accommodate large machines, as it can fit in tight areas to vacuum ballast and mud out without having to do it manually. Still in production, the machine is expected to be fully operational later this year.
Continual technological developments are being incorporated into Plasser equipment, with a few new technologies being installed in its tamping machines that make them more productive, faster and more accurate. Electronic systems have been incorporated into some machines that allow them to work automatically, taking strain off the operator.
In addition, PLC control systems are installed in every machine, making it more user-friendly for the operator and allowing for easier operator training. It also includes a built-in diagnostics system that helps operators and mechanics easily find and troubleshoot problems.
Harsco Rail
West Columbia, S.C.-based Harsco Rail designs and manufactures track construction and maintenance equipment and offers service contracts for rail grinding, track renewal, track undercutting and tie pad change-out systems.
"As the demand for high-speed rail increases in the U.S., we are being asked to find ways to build high quality track in a short time frame and at reasonable costs," says Garner Regenovich, director of sales for transits and high-speed rail. The NTC (new track construction) machine, which installs new track on a previously prepared roadbed, addresses this need. It is capable of building one to 1.5 miles of new track per day with a crew of less than 10.
On the maintenance side, Regenovich says, "We are also seeing a need for advanced rail grinding machines that are able to quickly get out on the track and re-profile the rail." Rail grinding results in a quieter, smoother ride, reduced rail and train wheel wear, and improved train fuel economy, he says.
In 2009, Harsco introduced the Drone tamper, an unmanned chase tamper programmed to tamp the ties skipped by the lead tamping machine. According to the company's Website, the operator records a short section of track while both machines are in operation and coupled. The recording synchronizes the encoder wheels and tie finders of each machine, mapping out sections of the track. When uncoupled, the lead tamper moves ahead while the Drone tamper behind moves independently of the lead tamper, tamping skipped ties. If needed, the accessories found on the Drone can be manipulated from the lead machine through a wireless Ethernet communication system.
"This unmanned machine is the first tamping machine anywhere in the world to succeed in autonomous operation regardless of conditions," says Regenovich. This includes tamping of unevenly spaced or skewed ties. He adds that the maximum operation speed is maintained even on slick, oily rails, in rain, and on any grade. The machine is capable of tamping over 10,000 ties per day.
Regenovich stresses the importance of track maintenance and its role in extending the life of track components. "Routine maintenance such as rail grinding, track surfacing and tie inspection will help ensure that both freight trains and passenger trains operate on structurally sound track," he says.
[PAGEBREAK]
Railworks Corp.
RailWorks Corp. specializes in construction and maintenance services for track and transit systems. The company develops an inspection regimen and frequency based on the geography and operating requirements of specific transit systems.
A thorough track inspection requires evaluating the subgrade, rail, ties, ballast, switches and turnouts. The inspection team will also routinely ride the rails to evaluate the smoothness of the ride, and irregularities are noted for further measurement and testing.
RailWorks and its operating subsidiaries have worked on transit projects for more than 50 years and have experience with every major transit authority in North America.
Herzog Companies
Herzog Companies, based in St. Joseph, Mo., is a construction and operating company that builds, operates and maintains railroad systems, and offers equipment leasing for rail maintenance and construction projects.
According to Gerard Di Ioli IV, western region manager of railroad services, one of the trends he's noticed in rail maintenance is that more than ever, agencies are looking for equipment and services that are efficient and finish the job in a timely manner. "We're finding that...there really is less and less tolerance for low orders or work windows," he says. He states that whereas in the past, they would get a weekend for a project, the work window may now be shortened to just eight hours. Because of this, equipment must be relatively new and in top shape.
Herzog's Multi Purpose Machine (MPM) is one example of the efficiency required by transit agencies. Designed for all types of rail systems, the MPM is operated by one person via remote control and can be used in construction as well as maintenance projects. It has a rotating arm with a 27-foot reach for cleanup, removal or redistribution of track material, as well as for cleaning out drainages and removing brush and debris.
Di Ioli adds that he's noticed existing laws on maintenance and regulations are now more strictly enforced, with government agencies looking closely into safety procedures and documentation.
Another popular piece of equipment that Herzog offers for lease is the Programmable Linear Unloading System, or PLUS train. Used before the tamping process, the ballast train is pre-programmed before each run to dump new rock onto the track structure. A computer survey file is created for each assignment, and the PLUS machine uses GPS coordinates to determine the locations where ballast needs to be spread. The train's computer opens and closes the ballast doors according to pre-specified computer mandates, spreading the exact amount of ballast needed. The machine can function up to 20 mph.
Herzog recently won an operations and maintenance contract with Austin, Texas-based Capital Metro Transit, which had been working on the opening of a new commuter system. The 120-mile-plus track had originally been used only for freight trains, but 30 miles of it was converted for dual use in the downtown Austin area. According to Di Ioli, Herzog was able to help with the opening of the commuter line, which took place only three months after the company was contracted.
Di Ioli stresses the importance of a regular inspection and maintenance schedule as well as working with a reputable company with proven technologies and proven equipment. "You assess the inspections and then determine the schedule of repairs, but if these repairs aren't done in time, then an unsafe condition will arise," he says. Something as small as a plugged drainage facility, if flooded, can lead to a derailment and the loss of lives. "We really believe that infrastructure maintenance is the beginning and heart of operating a safe system," Di Ioli says.
[PAGEBREAK]
Complying with PTC Regulations
With the complete installation of Positive Train Control (PTC) systems targeted for December 2015 on all tracks used by intercity and commuter rail systems, agencies are struggling to find funding and complete installation of the safety systems.
According to Chuck Baker, president of the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association, "PTC is the big legislative mandate out there right now that is affecting how railroads have to use their limited capital dollars."
PTC installation is mandated by the 2008 Rail Safety Improvement Act. Projected to cost more than $2 billion for the commuter rail industry and more than $10 billion including the private freight rail system and the intercity trains that operate on freight tracks, Baker says the only funding that has been made available is a $50 million grant from the FY2010 Transportation Appropriations Bill, which is "not even enough to be considered a drop in the bucket." With most agencies already in fiscal trouble, "to force them to swallow a big new cost that doesn't provide any near-term capacity or service improvements is a tough situation," Baker says.
However funding is attained, PTC systems must still be installed. Using GPS technology and wayside computer control systems to track and control train movements, PTC is designed to prevent collisions, speeding violations and trains running over misaligned switches by automatically stopping trains not operating safely. Equipment is installed on the train, and signal and communication equipment also needs to be installed in-ground.
RailWorks Systems Inc., based in New York City, operates as a contractor to provide track and systems construction and maintenance services, including installing PTC solutions. According to Mike Holt, president of RailWorks, while many rail lines have historically performed their own construction and maintenance work, new PTC requirements present contractors, such as RailWorks, the opportunity to assist with installing new PTC systems and/or do construction work for signals and crossings.
"RailWorks offers the expertise to complete these projects in accordance with the system design so they can comply with PTC regulations," says Holt. "We regularly collaborate with systems manufacturers to ensure proper installation."
One of the company's current PTC projects is with GE, which has a contract with Amtrak to install PTC on their lines in the Northeast. Railworks is working on construction of wayside houses and installation of communication equipment.
media brand
0 Comments
See all comments