Railway Track & Structures - January 2009 - (Page 8)

AREMA NEWS President’s Column I n September, I wrote briefly about the need for the Class 1s to encourage new employees to join AREMA and the importance of getting these employees involved in the committee work of our association. As we move into 2009, I would like to reemphasize the critical need for this involvement. The AREMA Technical Committee structure is an essential part of the mechanism that our association uses to help fulfill its mission. AREMA’s committees are the industry’s method for establishing consensusbased standards and recommended practices. Within our six functional groups, we currently have 29 active technical committees. A new committee on Positive Train Control was recently added. Each committee is charged with the continuous review of practices and policies related to its specific field of interest and with the development of new standards and recommended practices in that specific technical area. AREMA’s Board of Directors, which Committee involvement helps AREMA, of course. The sale of our Manuals and other publications helps to generate the funds needed to support AREMA. We appreciate the work of all of the AREMA members who devote their time and effort to the work of the AREMA technical committees. If you are not currently involved we need you. All committee appointments require the approval of the committee chairman. Please check the list on the AREMA Website or in the Directory and contact the chairman of a committee in your area of interest. They will be happy to hear from you and welcome your participation. Best wishes to everyone for a safe and prosperous 2009. - Robert J. Boileau Committee involvement – critical to AREMA’s future oversees the organization’s technical activities, may also assign specific tasks to committees. An example of one of these specific assignments is the recent development and publication of the new AREMA Bridge Inspection Handbook, which was a product of AREMA Committee 10 in collaboration with the other Structures Group committees. A summary of current assignments and the overall committee charge is provided in the current AREMA Membership Directory and REMSA Buyer’s Guide. AREMA is pleased to announce a new committee: Committee 39 will go under C&S Functional Group with James Barrett as temporary chairman. This brings AREMA to a total of 29 committees. To join this committee, complete a committee application online at www.arema.org. Committee 39 – Positive Train Control Why get involved? Robert J. Boileau AREMA® President 2008-2009 Serving as an active member of one of the technical committees is a major contribution to the industry. The standards and recommended practices produced by AREMA committees are used and referred to around the world. Involvement in a technical committee is part of the professional development process for all of us, and this is particularly important in the case of the younger engineering personnel, who are the future of our industry. Active committee participation offers an opportunity to network and brainstorm with experts in the profession. 8 Railway Track & Structures January 2009 www.rtands.com http://www.arema.org http://www.arema.org http://www.rtands.com

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Railway Track & Structures - January 2009 Contents On Track Industry Today Supplier News AREMA News NRC News TTCI R&D Railroads Continue to Budget Major Capital Projects Battling Brush and other Vegetation Steel Mills Increasing Metallurgical Quality of Rail Steels Products and Literature People Calendar Advertisers Index Sales Representatives Website Directory Professional Directory Classified Advertising Chicago Perspective

Railway Track & Structures - January 2009

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