By A. J. Reinschmidt & Semih Kalay Railroad Technology Development AAR’s Research Planning Process and Current Program By A. J. Reinschmidt & Semih Kalay TTCI is a subsidiary of the Association of American Railroads Pueblo, Colorado

AAR Strategic Research Program TTCI conducts the Strategic Research on behalf of the AAR and its member roads Research program addresses current and future strategic issues relating to the North American Rail Industry. Research Objectives are: Improve productivity and reduce costs Better utilize assets Extend life of major assets Improve Safety Reduce track and equipment-related derailments through technology development and implementation Increase capacity and improve efficiency Relieve capacity constraints Improve service and reliability Reduce Stress State of the Railroad De-stress Track, Structures and Freight Car

Research Planning and Conduct Trend Analysis and Research Needs Development of industry consensus on priorities Review of existing plan Analysis of RR spending trends Analysis of RR safety trends Railroad business outlook Meetings with individual railroads Emerging technologies at AAR affiliated labs Review of FRA five-year plan AAR research Committee prioritization Cost/benefit analysis and implementation plans Establish partnerships and cooperative arrangements

AAR Committee Structure

SOMC RTWC Research Committee Roles, Responsibilities, and Accountabilities SOMC Policy Long term goals Regulatory Relations Funding Program Direction Budget Allocation and Control Program Prioritization Post Audits RTWC Strategic Research Technical Guidance Technology Scanning Recommended Priorities Implementation Coordinator Reports Research Committee FRA R&D

2003 Capital Expenditures and Operating Expenses Total Spending = $37.3 Billion Note: Spending includes depreciation expense.

Track & Right-of-Way Spending Total = $4,534 Million Note: Track & Right-of-Way spending is generated with 2003 Class I railroad (R-1) capital and operating expenditures for specific accounts.

Equipment Expenses Operating = $6.26 B: Capital = $1.3 B: Freight Cars: $3,251 M Operating = $6.26 B: Other Equipment $530 Locomotives: $2,476 M Locomotives: $954 M Capital = $1.3 B: Other: $213 M Freight Cars: $130 M

Freight Car Labor Expense Inspection $270.0 Repair & Maintenance $331.5

Cooperative Research Programs Cooperative FRA Railroad Research Highly successful co-funded programs undertaken by TTCI FAST/Heavy axle loads HAL revenue service monitoring Improved rail flaw detection Improved rail steels TOR friction control Wheel defect prevention and axle research Low impact track FAST automation International Cooperative Research UIC JRP1, JRP2, and JRP3 Committees

Strategic Research Vehicle-Track System Mechanical Heavy Axle Loads Wheel / rail asset life extension Vehicle track performance Train condition monitoring Mechanical Advanced freight train equipment Advanced freight car truck HAL axle design Improved car components Improved car performance Heavy Axle Loads Heavy axle load implementation FAST/HAL operations HAL revenue service monitoring Engineering Track integrity Special track work Bridge asset life extension Track components Improved performance track

Mechanical Research Objectives: Reduce the stress state on the railroad, improve safety and productivity Reduced wheel/rail forces and operating costs with improved truck suspensions and better car designs Reduced component failures with fatigue resistant knuckles, longer lasting CCSB materials, improved bearing performance & detection Improved car performance by reducing sticking brakes & variability in truck warp stiffness, by providing remedies for poor curving, and providing an economic basis for alternative maintenance practices

Equipment Advanced Freight Car Truck Problem definition Heavier cars with conventional suspensions increase infrastructure degradation and operating costs A new industry standard for 286,000-pound service — performance per M976 truck spec Requires suspension performance not achievable with conventional suspensions Improved suspensions rely on frictional interfaces for increased warp restraint and on new components to reduce curving forces, wheel and rail wear, and fuel consumption Long-term reliability validated in service to realize benefits

Equipment Performance Evaluation & Standards Problem Definition Requirements for increased car capacity have driven the car performance envelope. Design and retrofit guidelines are needed. Increasingly, wayside monitoring devices (particularly TPD’s) are identifying cars with poor performance. Currently, maintenance inspection does not always focus on or reveal unacceptable component conditions. This leads to inadequate maintenance as well as cars that re-enter service with no improvement in performance. This leads to increased maintenance costs for both car and track.

Equipment Detector-based Predictive Maintenance Problem Definition Existing wayside technologies Raw data — no trending Sharing of data between RRs Need for continental network Different alarm thresholds Need to develop and implement strategies to perform maintenance on equipment identified by detectors Partnership between the railroads and car owners Working together to take advantage of condition-based maintenance opportunities Scheduling of the equipment/component for replacement and maintenance Getting the car back in service with as little disruption as possible

Vehicle Track Systems Research Objectives: Reduce the stress state on the railroad, improve safety and productivity Increase the life of wheels and rails by achieving better control of wheel and rail profiles Reduce curving forces, system wear and energy by controlling friction Develop and implement automated performance-based track inspection systems and maintenance procedures Foster rapid deployment of wayside detectors to monitor performance and condition of rolling stock

Vehicle/Track Systems Wheel Rail Asset Life Extension Problem Definition Inappropriate profile shapes and dry rail operations lead to: Rail and wheel wear Rail surface fatigue Tie degradation Special track work damage Fuel consumption Derailments Vehicle instability AAR-1B wheel profile may need to be updated for current practices Conventional flange lubrication alone lowers rail wear but not lateral loads Existing TOR application systems are not reliable and consistent

Vehicle/Track Systems Vehicle/Track Performance — Problem definition Increased tonnage and HAL increase stress state Current track inspection methods Repair & maintenance are reactive not predictive Certain car types are highly sensitive to track geometry defects High vertical and lateral loads Spring bottoming Wheel unloading Derailments Measurement and determination of the vehicle/track interaction parameters

Vehicle/Track Systems Train Condition Monitoring — Problem Definition Railroad technology has changed, but not inspection of equipment Repair & maintenance are still reactive, not predictive Unscheduled train delays Increased asset demands Increased tonnage and HAL increase stress state of equipment Leading to substantial increase in industry investment in maintenance and repair Need to detect and report potential safety problems and poorly performing equipment before they result in accidents and undue rail damage

Engineering Research Objectives: Extend the life of assets, improve safety and productivity and reduce the stress state of the railroad Improve the performance of rail flaw inspection, reducing service failures and derailments Improve the performance of special track work under HAL service Extend the life of steel and timber bridges. Develop information on the effects of HAL and failure modes on concrete bridges. Evaluate new rail steels. Create the analysis tools to allow more efficient development of improved performance rail. Improve field weld performance

Infrastructure Heavy Axle Load Implementation Problem Definition Heavier axle loads increase stress state and track costs, but decrease operating & equipment costs Railroads are under constant pressure to increase axle loads to remain competitive Bulk traffic accounts for more than 2/3 of all rail tonnage About 1/3 of the tonnage is handled by cars in excess of 263,000 lbs Heavy coal route on on a western RR carries 90% 286-k cars HAL requires component design/material changes for safety and productivity Rail, turnouts, ties & fasteners, bridge components, & rail joints Improved maintenance procedures needed to reduce stress state

Infrastructure Engineering Research Program Problem Definition: Increased tonnage and HAL will cause increased wear and tear on track structures Despite major improvements in rail performance, RCF resistant steels are needed for heavy haul operations Field welds account for 1/3 of all rail defects on some RRs Turnouts and crossing diamonds are the most costly and maintenance intensive elements of track structure. Insulated joints have become a significant problem. Bridges are the largest track asset. They have been identified as potential economic barriers to axle loads above 286 k Rail base defects, rail weld defects and certain transverse rail defects masked by shells are difficult to detect. Substantial train delay due to maintenance & repair of special track work, bridge components, broken rails and welds

Heavy Axle Load Implementation Objectives: Determine the effect of heavy axle loads on track performance and degradation Thirty-nine ton axle loads at FAST Thirty-six ton axle loads in revenue service Develop safe and economical methods for the operation of heavy axle load cars Quantify the performance of new and improved track components and maintenance procedures Demonstrate use of effective solutions to reduce the stress state under HAL Demonstrate use of improved track components to counteract high stresses under HAL

2005 SRI Model

2005 SRI Program – Accelerated Projects No Project Name 1 Rail Flaw Inspection 2 HAL Effects on Insulated Joints 3 Cracked Wheel Detection 4 HAL Implementation - FAST/HAL Operations 5 HAL Axle Design 6 Car Inspection and Maintenance 7 Cracked Axle Detection* *Project funded under TTCI IR&D Program

1. Improved Rail Flaw Detection System Operation

1. Improved Rail Flaw Detection System Components Laser Power Supply 120 Hz Laser Head System Control Rack Detection Unit Computer System

2. Bonded IJs - Build and test prototype insulated joints: Ongoing, Angle cut will reduce max. epoxy stress by 62% Objective Feature Status Result Deflection Hi Mod bars In test @ FAST 50% reduction Wrap around bars In test @ FAST, BNSF Deflection similar to open track Multi-tie plates In service on UP, FAST Supported joint Larger ties 60% reduction Frame ties Fully supported IJ Impacts TTCI Angle cut 2 prototypes in development FAST test: lower forces, stresses Damped Foundation In test on UP, FAST FAST test: lower forces Durable Epoxy Two part Epoxy In test on UP, BNSF, FAST Allows more deflection in epoxy Durable Insulator High strength insulator In test on BNSF To prevent shear in insulator

2. Bonded IJs - Revenue Service & FAST Tests Two part epoxy/ liner Reduces max epoxy stress by 2/3 Angle cut mock-up Reduce Impacts More Durable Components Frame tie & multi-tie plate Wrap around bar Supported Foundation Reduce Deflections

3. Cracked Wheel Detection Rapid and efficient development in 2005 Four wheel detection of shattered rim and tread and flange cracks Conventional Ultrasonic Detection

Designed to test for shattered rim and tread cracks at 5 MPH DAPCO System for Wheel Crack Detection Designed to test for shattered rim and tread cracks at 5 MPH Four stations each testing one complete wheel in a four set pattern Test heads will travel through three zones, acceleration, data collection and deceleration/return to home position. Give an overview of the DDS operation Track Sensors Flange Bearing Track Section

DAPCO- WHEEL TO DATA CORRELATION

4. FAST/HAL Operations Accumulate additional 40-50 MGT traffic at FAST: Light-weight trucks Rail performance tests Axle Crack Growth Quantify growth rates under HAL operations Polymer Center Bowl Liners Reduce rotational friction Constant Contact Side Bearings Improved curving/hunting Bridge testing HAL effects and inspection 150 MGT tonnage in ‘05 High-hardness rail steel wear tests completed – 477 MGT Improved insulated rail joint tests. Ten improved IJs in test Steel and concrete bridge tests – AE and new tie types in test Special trackwork - Super TO Rail welding – Slot welds, RCEFB

5. HAL Axle Program Progress in 2005: OTR test completed in cold temperatures Some damaging stress cycles measured Defects likely erase ‘Infinite’ life status for 286K axles Laboratory testing of full size axles Lab testing of six axles completed Determined crack initiation and crack growth rate for axle with severe defect Radial Defects Electro-Discharge Machining (EDM) Notch Considerable micro-cracking No work hardening 0.02” 0.01” 0.13” Circular Defect - King Brinell Machine 0.13” 0.13” Practical Defect - King Brinell Machine – “cats eye”

5. HAL Axle Program Defect Failed Axle End View of Failure Next: Continue testing of current axles to provide statistically significant results (6 to 10 more axles) Develop new axle designs Consider testing of axles with new material properties (improved axle characteristics without weight penalty) Develop new inspection criteria for axles based on depth, severity, and orientation of defects (for 286K axles)

6. Car Inspection and Maintenance Procedures Truck Performance Detectors to identify poorly performing trucks 2005 Acceleration Truck teardowns and performance tests at TTC Guidelines for inspection an maintenance of “Bad actors: by TPDs Detection and inspection of cars identified by Truck Hunting detectors TPD Teardowns 11 WOW’s & 4 BOB’s inspected Major Issues: High wedges, Body twist, Bolster twist, Binding CCSB. Truck / car body interface plays a major role on truck curving. Hunting Detector Teardowns 14 teardowns, Older cars, S-2 trucks, High wedges, Roller s/b’s, Loss of CCSB preload and melted SBs; More inspections and tests scheduled

7. Cracked Axle Detection Plate Wave T1 T2 Capacitive Air-Coupled Transducer Laser Laser and optics set up to excite at the center of the axle from the track. Air coupled transducers located just inside the wheel plates, and below the head of the rail, to detect the lamb or plate waves.

7. Cracked Axle Detection – System Concept Air-Coupled Transducers Mirror Slide Laser Heads Beam Steering Mirrors Completed analysis and selection of ultrasonic transducers Completed laboratory testing and determined that body and wheel seat can be done with similar hardware but journal area is not feasible at this time using current configuration Completed basic system design capable of inspecting entire circumference of every axle at speeds approaching 20 mph Optimized sensor location and data collection hardware Began installation of partial system test facility at FAST in August 2005, will complete in September Procured outside safety review of laser application and system design review by laser industry experts Example of mirror movement for a truck passing through the inspection station

7. Cracked Axle Detection – System Components Direct Wave Reflected Wave Sliding Mirror Transducer Mount Laser Head Installation Pit

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