Railway Interchange 2019

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Remediation of Untestable Rail Due to Surface Conditions (Room Auditorium)

23 Sep 19
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Tracks: AREMA Technical Sessions By Date- Track, AREMA Technical Sessions By Functional Group- Track, Technical Sessions By Day- Monday

SSC (Shelly, Spalling, or Corrugation) rail defects are locations where the rail surface is rough enough to interfere with ultrasonic testing for internal rail defects. Internal defects that occur in those locations go undetected and when left in the track can cause a broken rail. Frequency of ultrasonic testing may be set for as frequent as every 31 days, where the railroad wants to detect any defects developing inside the rail in order to prevent rail breaks which can cause a derailment. Addressing these locations as part of a preventive grinding program is difficult with shrinking maintenance windows. CSX has been able to reduce the total combined length of SSC rail defects on the CSX network from 27.0 miles to 9.1 miles in 2016, and from 9.1 miles to 3.1 miles in 2017, and 3.0 miles in 2018. Every mile of rail unable to be ultrasonically tested can be considered an area of risk. Through strategic capital planning, data sharing, and new technologies and grinding techniques developed by Loram and CSX, the risk is being reduced. This session will not just share the technology and techniques that have resulted in the reduction of these rail surface conditions that interfere with ultrasonic testing, but look at the factors that create these conditions and program changes made to prevent their occurrence. *Missed this Session or want to view it again? Stop by the VirtualAREMA kiosk located in the Registration area to purchase this product today!