Railway Track & Structures - November 2008 - (Page 34)

Railroads automating m/w planning this year. This recent study showed that the basic shape of the Forest Products Laboratory degradation curve remains the same, but the effect of today’s heavier axle loads and higher traffic densities results in ties being taken out earlier than in previous decades. “The usefulness of this forecasting approach can be seen in one recent analysis of tie condition, on data from an approximately-200-mile subdivision on a major Class 1 railroad,” he said. “Figure 1 presents the forecast 30-year tie requirements, by year. As can be seen in this figure, there is a large initial tie requirement, corresponding to the need for an immediate tie gang on several miles of track in this segment. In addition, there are two additional tie requirement peaks, corresponding to future tie gang cycle requirements. “Figure 2 shows these future needs in a more specific format, showing forecast tie gang dates for each of the 200 miles of track in the segment, including the next and second (following) tie gang cycles,” Zarembski pointed out. “Note that these results are based on scheduling a tie gang at 1,000 bad ties per mile. For example, the projected date for the next tie gang for MP 204 is in year 2010. “Thus, it can be seen that the availability of comprehensive and accurate tie condition data such as through the use of an effective hand-held-computerbased tie condition recording system, which can be supplemented by track strength condition measurement systems such as GRMS, allows for the effective planning of future tie needs and future tie gang schedules,” he said. References 1. Zarembski, A.M., Parker, L.A., Palese, J.W., “Use of Comprehensive Tie Condition Data in Cross-Tie Maintenance Planning and Management on the BNSF,” American Railway Engineering Maintenance-of-Way Association Annual Technical Conference, September 2002. 2. ZETA-TECH report to The Railway Tie Association, “Comparison of Tie Requirements as a Function of Inspection Technique,” July 2008 3. Depending on criteria, isolated individual bad ties can be left in track when surrounded by acceptable ties. 4. Zarembski, A.M., Gauntt, J.C., Grissom, G.T., Palese, J.W., “Field Demonstration of the Use of Track Strength Data to Optimize Tie Replacement Requirements,” AREMA 2007 Annual Conference & Exposition, Chicago, September 2007 5. MacLean, J. D., “Percentage Renewals and Average Life of Railroad Ties,” Forest Products Laboratory, USDA Forest Service Report No. 866, November 1957 (Reaffirmed 1965). 6. ZETA-TECH report to The Railway Tie Association, “Validation of the Traditional USDA Forest Products Laboratory Tie Life Curve Using Recent Data from U.S. Class 1 Railroads,” September 2008 7. Zarembski, A.M., Parker, L.A., Palese, J.W., Bonaventura, C., “Computerized Tie Condition Inspection and Use of Tie Condition Data in Cross-Tie Maintenance Planning,” International Heavy Haul Conference, May 2003. 34 Railway Track & Structures November 2008 www.rtands.com http://www.rtands.com

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Railway Track and Structures Contents On Track Industry Today Supplier News AREMA News NRC News TTCI R&D TrainingVvital in Shaping Future of Railroad Industry Switch Stands, Switch Machines Automation Offers Improvements in M/W Planning AREMA 2008 Conference Report Products and Literature People Calendar Advertisers Index Sales Representatives Website Directory Professional Directory Classified Advertising Chicago Perspective

Railway Track & Structures - November 2008

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