Railway Track & Structures - August 2008 - (Page 21)

Choosing the best Photo courtesy Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc. m/w machinery Productivity and reliability are still high priorities for m/w machinery, according to chief engineers, but safety of both operating and maintenance personnel is still the Number One requirement. by Tom Judge, editor T he times they are a changin’, and engineering departments have to be able to deal with the changes, whether they are budgetary, technological or personnel. Even with all the new technologies being adopted, railroaders still want the basics, including safety, efficiency, reliability and productivity. Our annual survey lists more details on exactly what chief engineers want in m/w machinery. Main factors 2008 What features do you look for when in the market for m/w machinery? For example, is it safety, reliability, speed of operation, ease of getting on and off 1. track, ease of maintenance, cost, productivity or something else? “Once a determination is made to procure equipment based on our program requirements, the key drivers for machinery selection are as follows: Operator safety and ergonomic features, reliability, cycle time of equipment, on/off track capabilities, maintenance, life-cycle costs, reliability and fleet commonality,” said Steven Falkenstein, deputy chief engineer maintenance for Amtrak. “As to operator safety and ergonomic features offered by manufacturers or re-engineered upgrades, i.e., operator access, visibility, vibration and noise isolation, our specifications and pre-delivery inspections ensure these requirements are met. “With regard to speed of operation as work windows shrink, cycle times for surfacing and tie equipment should be maximized. Cycle times for set up include on/off track,” Falkenstein noted. “Life-cycle costs and fleet commonality also play a role in our selection process. Fleet commonality eases training requirements for operators and mechanics and also reduces repair parts inventory costs.” “The features that we continually look for are safe work environments for the operator and maintenance personnel,” said John Upward, general director roadway equipment for BNSF. “Reliability is also very important to us as equipment down time is a wasted opportunity. This is very costly in www.rtands.com Railway Track & Structures August 2008 21 http://www.rtands.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Railway Track & Structures - August 2008

Railway Track & Structures - August 2008 Contents On Track Industry Today Supplier News AREMA News NRC News TTCI R&D Wish List: What Chief Engineers Really Want in M/W Machinery Keeping Ballast in Shape Amtrak Turns to Sophisticated System to Manage NEC Assets Supplier Profiles Products and Literature People Calendar Sales Representatives Website Directory Advertisers Index Professional Directory Classified Advertising Chicago Perspective

Railway Track & Structures - August 2008

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