Conquering Rolling Contact Fatigue and Gage Corner Cracking

Eddy Current inspection may be a technology whose time has come.

Gage Corner Cracking (GCC) of rail and wheel from Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) has been historically difficult to measure due to technology limitations in quantifying the length and depth of such cracks. Even though ultrasonic inspection of rail takes place on a daily basis in North America, the technology of ultrasonics is limited to internal rail defects and does not lend itself to detect surface defects in most cases. Other technologies for detecting surface defects have been trialed with little real world success due to implementation limitations, accuracy concerns, and scaling issues.

CN accelerates frac sand branch upgrade

CN is accelerating work on a $33 million upgrade of its Whitehall Subdivision in Wisconsin to increase carloading capacity and train velocity for the growing frac sand supply chains of Badger Mining Corp., Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC, Atlas Resin Proppants LLC, and Taylor Frac LLC.

Edmonton taps Axion for rail ties

Axion International Holdings, Inc. said May 22 that it has received a purchase order for ECOTRAX specialty rail ties from Edmonton Transit System, to be applied on the Albertan capital’s light rail transit system.

RSI, REMSA to co-host USA Pavilion at Brazilian trade show

The Railway Supply Institute (RSI) and Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA) will be co-hosting the USA Pavilion at the Business on Rails trade show, Nov. 5-7, 2013, in São Paulo, Brazil.

AREMA offers Private Rail Technology Tour

The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) is offering the third of its successful railroad technology tours, to be held Sept. 4-14, 2013.

CHSRA selects joint venture as best in value

The California High-Speed Rail Authority has selected the Tutor Perini/Zachry/Parsons joint venture’s bid as the “apparent best value” for the design-build contract to construct the first section of its new high-speed rail system.

New Mexico offers BNSF fuel break

A new law in New Mexico will provide a tax break to lower the cost of locomotive fuel for the BNSF Railway Co., the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

CP reopens line after Minnesota oil spill

Canadian Pacifc on Thursday said it had resumed service in western Minnesota after a derailment spilled up to 30,000 U.S. gallons of oil.

A refined grind

Elbow grease was the main driver of track maintenance a century ago; today, it’s technology. When it comes to the grinding process, everything from close cooperation with railroads to continued study of rail deterioration and grinding stone movement is analyzed in order to push the process toward continued advancement.

Invensys given subcontract for NYCT signals

Invensys Rail says it will serve as a subcontractor to Five Star Electric Corp. in a project to replace two rail interlockings for MTA New York City Transit.

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