Railway Track & Structures - September 2007 - (Page 25) Choosing the best m/w machinery Times and conditions in the field may change what chief engineers specify when they order m/w machinery, but safety remains a constant as the highest priority no matter what other features are desired. by Tom Judge, editor C hief engineers know the basics, but they also know they have to deal with changing times and conditions. In today’s world, track time is getting harder and harder to come by. Experienced track workers are retiring in large numbers, so track people tend to be relatively new to the job. What does this mean when engineers are specifying their needs and desires in m/w machinery? We surveyed them to find out and the results follow. Main factors 2007 What 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 track, ease of maintenance, cost, productivity or something else? “Our key drivers continue to be safety, productivity and total cost of operation,” said John Upward, general director www.rtands.com 1. roadway equipment for BNSF. “We are continually looking at our work processes and trying to become more efficient in all that we do. Track time is at a premium and we must have equipment that will maximize the amount of work we are able to accomplish in the shortest time possible.” “Our objectives are to ensure minimum track time is required for track renewal and the safety of crew operations while performing our renewal of the infrastructure,” said Vernon Graham, vice president engineering services for Canadian Pacific Railway. “In order to achieve this, we must look for the equipment that will achieve productivity rates that are cost effective, that may be achieved through the ease of operations, while not sacrificing the ergonomic suitability to the operator. Equipment reliability is constantly measured on CPR. In order to achieve the service commitments, we must know that the equipment will withstand the working environment that this equipment is subjected to. These railway objectives will be achieved by the manufacturing quality and the timely delivery of the equipment committed to by the supplier.” “The obvious answer is that the machine does the task for which it was purchased,” said Don Bagley, vice president engineering for CSX Transportation. “Over the years, the manufacturers have spent a lot of time, money and resources to perfect that aspect of the machine. In today’s world, it needs to go beyond the initial task requirements to include safety, ergonomics and the ability to M/W machinery at work on Metra UP North Line in Chicago. Railway Track & Structures September 2007 25 http://www.rtands.com
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