The major RRs seem to be running full speed ahead in track capacity expansions. Even though CSX has announced a minor increase in CAPEX; are the RRs at a limit of work ? Our experts are invited to pitch in. Will try to cover various items in some kind of order.
1. More ballast. Appears to be a plentiful supply. The ballast dispensing cars also seem to be plentiful especially with Hertzog and new RR rapid dispensing cars ?
2. Cross ties. It has been reported that cross tie manufacturing and orders are slightly down for the 1st quarter of this year. . This may be because for the last few years more Ballast has been dropped there by keep ties dryer so they last longer ? But in my corner of the world CSX has been timely in dropping regular wood ties just before track work. Hardwood crossing ties have been delivered quicker as a rule.
3. Rail -- Have not observed much replacement rail on present routes but more resurfacing and rail grinding seems to have extended present rail life ? New rail especially premium may be at a supply limit ? Is CF&I ( new name escapes ) at its production limit ? Any other producers ? Is CSX, UP, NS, especially BNSF waiting for rail ?
4. Switch machines, frogs, and other equipment readily available ?
5. Signals, - Bungalows, signals, masts, PTC and ABS equipment ? ?
6. Is there enough specialized construction equipment?
7. Capable management available to supervise proper construction techniques ?,
8. Other items ? Any of these items might slow construction ?
blue streak 1 The major RRs seem to be running full speed ahead in track capacity expansions. Even though CSX has announced a minor increase in CAPEX; are the RRs at a limit of work ? Our experts are invited to pitch in. Will try to cover various items in some kind of order. 1. More ballast. Appears to be a plentiful supply. The ballast dispensing cars also seem to be plentiful especially with Hertzog and new RR rapid dispensing cars ? BALLAST CAR FLEETS ARE STRETCHED TO THEIR LIMITS 2. Cross ties. It has been reported that cross tie manufacturing and orders are slightly down for the 1st quarter of this year. . This may be because for the last few years more Ballast has been dropped there by keep ties dryer so they last longer ? But in my corner of the world CSX has been timely in dropping regular wood ties just before track work. Hardwood crossing ties have been delivered quicker as a rule. This may be because for the last few years more Ballast has been dropped there by keep ties dryer so they last longer ?-Wishfull thinking? 3. Rail -- Have not observed much replacement rail on present routes but more resurfacing and rail grinding seems to have extended present rail life ? New rail especially premium may be at a supply limit ? Is CF&I ( new name escapes ) at its production limit ? Any other producers ? Is CSX, UP, NS, especially BNSF waiting for rail ? EVRAZ- Rocky Moubtain Steel Mills/PUEBLO - Running full out producing 115/132/136/141 Rail 4. Switch machines, frogs, and other equipment readily available ? See 5 5. Signals, - Bungalows, signals, masts, PTC and ABS equipment ? ? ....There is a little competition from the transit/ toy train side of the fence - RSSI is reporting a banner year. Just like everywhere else, qualified workforce has aged and next generation is late in arriving. Institutional memory is retiring faster than it can be replaced. 6. Is there enough specialized construction equipment? Never enough and how do you pay for it in the winter months when only about a third of it can work? 7. Capable management available to supervise proper construction techniques ?, See 5 - The brain drain is reaching critical mass. 8. Other items ? Any of these items might slow construction ? You have to have qualified people to do the work. They and their expertise just don't come off the shelf at a drop of the hat. Those damned shiny things that run on top of the rail interfere with production and eat into the track maintenance budget. The operating departments are slowly coming around to the fact that investing in physical plant is vital and just leaving the yellow machines in the hole is wasteful and counter-productive. (some never will get it, sadly - some never cooperate w/ M/W and it shows) The naiive comments that it somehow is a quick, easy fix ignores generations of deferred maintenance and failed government & corporate administration. Staggers happened at least 30 years too late. Preconceived notions die hard deaths and never go away ( seem to show up here daily on the forum as espoused by some of the legends in their own little minds). It's also plenty obvious that the public transit side wnting to use freight rail for their narrow minded purposes are clueless about corridor capacity and long term sustained maintenance. (Colorado is at the front of the pack there)
BALLAST CAR FLEETS ARE STRETCHED TO THEIR LIMITS
This may be because for the last few years more Ballast has been dropped there by keep ties dryer so they last longer ?-Wishfull thinking?
EVRAZ- Rocky Moubtain Steel Mills/PUEBLO - Running full out producing 115/132/136/141 Rail
4. Switch machines, frogs, and other equipment readily available ? See 5
5. Signals, - Bungalows, signals, masts, PTC and ABS equipment ? ? ....There is a little competition from the transit/ toy train side of the fence - RSSI is reporting a banner year. Just like everywhere else, qualified workforce has aged and next generation is late in arriving. Institutional memory is retiring faster than it can be replaced.
6. Is there enough specialized construction equipment? Never enough and how do you pay for it in the winter months when only about a third of it can work?
7. Capable management available to supervise proper construction techniques ?, See 5 - The brain drain is reaching critical mass.
You have to have qualified people to do the work. They and their expertise just don't come off the shelf at a drop of the hat. Those damned shiny things that run on top of the rail interfere with production and eat into the track maintenance budget. The operating departments are slowly coming around to the fact that investing in physical plant is vital and just leaving the yellow machines in the hole is wasteful and counter-productive. (some never will get it, sadly - some never cooperate w/ M/W and it shows) The naiive comments that it somehow is a quick, easy fix ignores generations of deferred maintenance and failed government & corporate administration. Staggers happened at least 30 years too late. Preconceived notions die hard deaths and never go away ( seem to show up here daily on the forum as espoused by some of the legends in their own little minds). It's also plenty obvious that the public transit side wnting to use freight rail for their narrow minded purposes are clueless about corridor capacity and long term sustained maintenance. (Colorado is at the front of the pack there)
Insulting remarks and showing utter contempt for others is not going to help you. Nor is highlighting your remarks in blood red.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
MC, I found it hard to read your remarks when I first saw your reply, in my Email. When I came to the site, they were easier to read (apparently larger font, perhaps?)--but, please, use a more contrasting color.
I saw nothing insulting or any contempt in your remarks; all I saw was information.
Johnny
Thanks. It is good to hear from those that are actually on the front lines of railroading.
Deggesty MC, I found it hard to read your remarks when I first saw your reply, in my Email. When I came to the site, they were easier to read (apparently larger font, perhaps?)--but, please, use a more contrasting color. I saw nothing insulting or any contempt in your remarks; all I saw was information.
Information only? Conclusions, opinions and name-calling:"Preconceived notions die hard deaths and never go away ( seem to show up here daily on the forum as espoused by some of the legends in their own little minds). It's also plenty obvious that the public transit side wanting to use freight rail for their narrow minded purposes are clueless about corridor capacity and long term sustained maintenance. "
Mudchicken is normally highly knowledgeable and very polite. Maybe he's having a bad day, but if any of us non-railroaders referred to railroaders using similar terms, there would be a flurry of nasty insults.
schlimm Deggesty MC, I found it hard to read your remarks when I first saw your reply, in my Email. When I came to the site, they were easier to read (apparently larger font, perhaps?)--but, please, use a more contrasting color. I saw nothing insulting or any contempt in your remarks; all I saw was information. Information only? Conclusions, opinions and name-calling:"Preconceived notions die hard deaths and never go away ( seem to show up here daily on the forum as espoused by some of the legends in their own little minds). It's also plenty obvious that the public transit side wanting to use freight rail for their narrow minded purposes are clueless about corridor capacity and long term sustained maintenance. " Mudchicken is normally highly knowledgeable and very polite. Maybe he's having a bad day, but if any of us non-railroaders referred to railroaders using similar terms, there would be a flurry of nasty insults.
I would appear only Legends would be insulted and none were identified until they came forth to do it for Mc.
Some individuals need to get over themselves.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
schlimm Insulting remarks and showing utter contempt for others is not going to help you. Nor is highlighting your remarks in blood red.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
To corrupt the old saying -
Why be thought of as a fool, when you can open your mouth and prove it beyond any doubt.
Personally I find it wonderfully refreshing that so many different people on the forum are now putting Schlimm in his place.
mudchicken 5. Signals, - Bungalows, signals, masts, PTC and ABS equipment ? ? ....There is a little competition from the transit/ toy train side of the fence - RSSI is reporting a banner year. Just like everywhere else, qualified workforce has aged and next generation is late in arriving. Institutional memory is retiring faster than it can be replaced.
Many of us have been talking for two decades about the "Institutional Memory " departing, and the lack of replacement (due to many accounts). The gap, is not perceived, but real. I hope Zug shares his observations on this.
I saw no contempt. I did see someone creating a problem where none existed.
RRKen mudchicken 5. Signals, - Bungalows, signals, masts, PTC and ABS equipment ? ? ....There is a little competition from the transit/ toy train side of the fence - RSSI is reporting a banner year. Just like everywhere else, qualified workforce has aged and next generation is late in arriving. Institutional memory is retiring faster than it can be replaced. Many of us have been talking for two decades about the "Institutional Memory " departing, and the lack of replacement (due to many accounts). The gap, is not perceived, but real. I hope Zug shares his observations on this.
Part of the 'Congestion Problem' that the carriers are currently experiencing is because of the lost Institutional Memory, with the 'Powers in Charge' never having had to deal with this situation (that has occurred from time to time over the years) and having to reinvent the wheel to come up with solutions. Added to that is the internal politics of computer derived numbers (or metrix); in many cases todays managers only know how to manage the numbers - not how to manage the moving objects and manpower that moves the objects that generate the numbers.
One bad operational decision can take a day or more to recover from. A derailment or other form of resource denial can take a week or more to recover. You can't just turn off the lights like you can on a Christmas Garden train layout - you have to work through that bad decision or happening and strive to get the operation back to being fluid. It is not neat, it is not clean, it is not easy and it requires utilization of all the resources that are available - power, manpower, tracks.
mudchicken . Staggers happened at least 30 years too late. Preconceived notions die hard deaths and never go away ( seem to show up here daily on the forum as espoused by some of the legends in their own little minds). It's also plenty obvious that the public transit side wnting to use freight rail for their narrow minded purposes are clueless about corridor capacity and long term sustained maintenance. (Colorado is at the front of the pack there)
.
Staggers happened at least 30 years too late. Preconceived notions die hard deaths and never go away ( seem to show up here daily on the forum as espoused by some of the legends in their own little minds). It's also plenty obvious that the public transit side wnting to use freight rail for their narrow minded purposes are clueless about corridor capacity and long term sustained maintenance. (Colorado is at the front of the pack there)
Yes, Staggers (deregulation) happened At Least 30 years too late. The economic regulation put the US railroads in a survival mode and left them unable to serve their market efficiently, including expanding and growing with the economy. They're still playing catch up.
I'd say Staggers was more like 60 years too late.
Spent day at hospital so wow
MC: HOT BUTTON EH ? Mudchicken has hit the nail on the head of items this poster was concerned. Ballast trains had not been used here lately so can see why did not know they were in short supply. I certainty was not offended. In fact it is important that we know that is a major problem. Appears this is a very important fact of what can be accomplished this year ? Why has Trains not seen this coming on ? Fred Frailey you need to investigate these limitations ?
Institutional knowledge and supplies are very important from what has been posted on this thread. Why has others on this forum not seen that this problem exists ? Maybe we can divert our observations to this construction problem ?
blue streak 1 I certainty was not offended.
Man, all that drama for nothing!
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
blue streak 1 Institutional knowledge and supplies are very important from what has been posted on this thread. Why has others on this forum not seen that this problem exists ? Maybe we can divert our observations to this construction problem ?
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
dehusman Depends if you see it as a problem or not. The question not asked is why is there a "shortage" of these trains? Engineering capital budgets are the highest they have even been. This isn't a matter of not being able to do the normal work it 's a matter of how much additional work can they do above the "normal" plan compared to the last decade or so.
Depends if you see it as a problem or not. The question not asked is why is there a "shortage" of these trains? Engineering capital budgets are the highest they have even been. This isn't a matter of not being able to do the normal work it 's a matter of how much additional work can they do above the "normal" plan compared to the last decade or so.
The red made for tough sledding, but when MC squawks, I listen (and learn)! Content >> tone.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
If the context - background - over shadows the message, it becomes the message, and the intended message is frequently lost. If one wants to say something meaningful, the message should always trump the context.
The purpose of communication is to influence the thoughts and behavior of the person(s) for whom the message is intended. If the intended recipients are turned off by the background, or if the message is overly complex, the sender will have failed irrespective of how pure his or her motives.
If I know who is sending the message, and he or she has established credibility with me in particular, or his audience in general, I am more likely to pay attention. If I don't know the sender, and the background overwhelms the message, I am likely to move on.
Would like to address one item noted in replies. That is limitations of availability of new rail.
11 RAIL MILL -- What is the production capacity of the rail mill ?. Is it tons, feet of rail, rail weight or combination ,? does rail size effect total output, Are rail weights outputs interchangeable or is there a set rate or minimum of each weight ?
12. Any idea what the order back log is at the mill ?
13. Noted new rail dropped 2 - 5 days before installation. Have others so noted ?
14. Have seen posts noting pick up of dropped rail for use elsewhere. Any posters so noting.?.
15. What is the desired maintenance interval for rails such as grinding ? Is it so many gross tons
16. Is the extra traffic causing rescheduling of rail replacement. or is it just being worn more or a combination.?
17. Main track replaced rail can go where ? Yards, spurs, etc ? What did UP's new yard get ? NS? North Baltimore ?
18. What kind replacement criteria for various rail weights ?
19. Are commuter and light rail installations using over weight rail. ?
20. Does rail need more maintenance as it wears ?
EDIT; At one time SOU RR had a welding plant at Inman yard in Atlanta ( 1970s ? ). Not only did they weld new rail but had old stick rail come in; have joint bar ends cropped; and would then weld the sticks to make relay on secondary lines. Do any of the RRs now do this or is what ever stick left not worth welding for yards, sidings, and other very low density. Or might sell to some short line ??
At one time SOU RR had a welding plant at Inman yard in Atlanta ( 1970s ? ). Not only did they weld new rail but had old stick rail come in; have joint bar ends cropped; and would then weld the sticks to make relay on secondary lines. Do any of the RRs now do this or is what ever stick left not worth welding for yards, sidings, and other very low density. Or might sell to some short line ??
note; added to post about rail
blue streak 1 At one time SOU RR had a welding plant at Inman yard in Atlanta ( 1970s ? ). Not only did they weld new rail but had old stick rail come in; have joint bar ends cropped; and would then weld the sticks to make relay on secondary lines. Do any of the RRs now do this or is what ever stick left not worth welding for yards, sidings, and other very low density. Or might sell to some short line ?? note; added to post about rail
CSX still has a rail plant at Raceland, KY that welds reclaimed stick rail as well as welding up new rail.
I'm kinda wondering what the problem is, its July, over half way through the 2014 year and no projects I have seen have been delayed, everything is on time or better with regards to construction.
As just a quick partial reply to blue streak 1's comprehensive list of questions above:
From Norfolk Southern's STB R-1 report for 2013, dated March 2014 (141 pages, 2.0 MB) at:
Table 723. says that 701.58 'rail-miles' of new welded rail was installed [takes 2 'rail-miles' for each 'track-mile'].
Another 258.96 rail-miles of 'relay" [used] rail was reinstalled elsewhere [Line No. 6, columns (b), (d), and (f); and Schedule 726., Line No. 6, column (f) ].
Notably, more than 1/4 of the rail replaced was the used or second-hand rail [258.96 / 987.64 rail-miles = 26.22 %].
From NS' 2013 "Sustainability Report" for 2012, "Recycling Railroad Materials" at: http://nssustainability.com/2013_sustainability_report/environmental_performance/recycling_railroad_materials_and_crossites_for_energy.html
There are two, sometimes three, CWR assembly yards on the grounds of Ervaz/RMSM (CF&I) working full time. One of those lines was Santa Fe's CRWP that is now Progress Rail's. Very common, almost daily, to see rail trains headed east or north out of Minnequa/ Pueblo along with dozens of modified 89' TOFC flats w/ bathtup bulkheads hauling 80 ft sticks of new blank rail, probably to mobile flash but welders along with CWR plants that are still functioning. There are more rail-trains and mini-rail trains out there then there are threader and ramp cars. Follow the threader/ramp cars to see where the next unloading/loading operation is probably at.
Rail going into yards is almost always cascaded down from main track rail relays, rarely ever new rail -except in certain switching leads. NS is running out of backtracks to put the secondhand CWR into, especially without suitable sized OTM (especially tie plates) to work with.
What can you stick on a tie plate for 5 1/12 base width (112-115, 119# and certain 100, 101, 105,110 sections) versus a 6 inch base (130-141#)....things start getting strange. 122 or 127, 155, crane rail? - good luck, oddball. (have fun getting switch material frogs, points & stockrails, too!)
Over sized rail? (Please explain. If you mean 132# or 136# rail because it's cheaper on the spot market than 115# at times???, especially some of the Japanese, European and Russian rail dumped on occasion in the US) Market forces create strange bedfellows.
mudchicken . NS is running out of backtracks to put the secondhand CWR into, especially without suitable sized OTM (especially tie plates) to work with.
. NS is running out of backtracks to put the secondhand CWR into, especially without suitable sized OTM (especially tie plates) to work with.
MC::: how many different dimensions of tie plates are there ?s
1. Guess it will depend on rail base width ?
2. Tie plate length and width ?
3. thickness ?
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