February_2022 - 18

Vancouver, B.C.
Jack Lindquist
BCRTC and its consultant SLR
Consulting spent two years investigating
these noise-mitigation
measures. In each, BCRTC performed
in-track prototype testing.
" We weren't just investigating
a theory, " Vesik said. " We
collected data from actual field
investigations into each of these
measures to prove that they were,
indeed, effective. "
For switch maintenance, for
example, BCRTC replaced switches
and monitored and compared
impact levels to those from the
previous
are exposed to high noise levels
and where other noise mitigation
measures may not be effective.
For the friction management
tests, BCRTC installed a wayside
top-of-rail friction modifier system
and monitored its performance
for six months.
" We used the data collected at
the site to measure friction levels
and their effect on rail corrugation
and noise with respect to a
dry rail baseline, " said Vesik.
Data has also shown that the
installation to see if
it could reduce and maintain a
low-impact level. Investigation
showed that replacing worn
switches reduced noise levels by
at least 10 dBA and possibly more.
As a result, BCRTC implemented
a program to replace turnouts that
are approaching the end of their
designed service life. On average,
10 of the 123 turnouts on the system
will be replaced per year.
Rail dampers installed in
areas with corrugated track reduced
noise levels by up to six
dBA. BCRTC is planning to use
rail dampers to treat a total of 3.2
km (approximately two miles) of
track in areas where residents
need for maintenance grinding
correlates well to rail hardness.
The softer 260-Brinnell
(Bhn)
rail that was laid when the Expo
Line was built tends to corrugate
and flatten out and lose its profile
faster than harder 350-Bhn to 370Bhn
rails that are being installed
on the system today.
" We found that while highstrength
rail will still corrugate,
we can extend the grinding cycles
because it doesn't corrugate as
quickly, " Vesik told delegates at the
annual Rail Transit Wheel/Rail
Interaction conference in 2021.
The use of 370-Bhn replacement
rail is expected to reduce
noise levels by five dBA on the
Expo Line.
18 | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | FEBRUARY 2022
SKYTRAIN STATION.
BCRTC has also developed
" Building
on our extensive
30-plus-year
experience,
starting from a
demonstration
project to being
one of the longest
automated systems
in the world, we
generally have an
idea of what hasn't
provided value. "
- GEOFF MORBEY
Bob Tuzik is publisher
of Interface, the
Journal of Wheel/
Rail Interaction
and executive
co-program director
of Wheel/Rail
Seminars.
guidelines for acoustic assessment
and design of new residential
developments along the
SkyTrain lines.
" The new development guidelines
encourage and provide
guidance to city planners and
developers to design buildings
around the transit system appropriately,
and ensure dwellings
are comfortable " Vesik said.
" We're working on the things
that we can control, such as
source noise, but designers also
must be responsible. "
" Building on our extensive
30-plus-year experience, starting
from a demonstration project
to being one of the longest
automated systems in the world,
we generally have an idea of what
hasn't provided value, " added
Geoff Morbey, BCRTC's director
of railway infrastructure. " This
knowledge is very helpful as we
transition from our previous reactive
maintenance methodologies
to one that entails a holistic
asset management approach,
balancing between the life cycle
of the assets, the state of good
repair and the overall customer
experience. "
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