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Rail News Home Short Lines & Regionals April 2017 Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals

The transformation of the New Jersey hub from a hump to a flat yard included the installation of electric, remote-control switch machines (as shown in foreground).Photo – Conrail By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing EditorTake a tour of Conrail’s Pavonia Yard and to the naked eye, there isn’t much that appears different compared with other switching yards. But there are certain aspects — some not-that-noticeable yet noteworthy ones — that separate the Camden, N.J., facility from the rest.Pavonia is the only flat switching yard in North America that employs true one-person remote-control operations, without any assistance from utility field personnel, Conrail leaders claim. Moreover, the 1.5-mile-long facility is the only yard that employs wireless GPS devices to monitor all static and mobile assets in real time, they say.Just five years ago, there wasn’t anything unique about Pavonia, which at the time operated as a hump yard. Built in 1883 by the Pennsylvania Railroad’s Camden & Amboy Railroad, Pavonia since has undergone a transformation into a highly automated flat switching facility that employs a host of technologies, with the aim of enhancing efficiency and boosting safety.The metamorphosis included a thorough physical redesign of the traditional electro-pneumatic gravity hump and re-engineering of the yard’s processes. Now, with the project nearly complete, Pavonia operates with significantly higher productivity, lower safety risks and fewer assets, and meets service requirements with less variability, says longtime Conrail leader Ron Batory.“We realized we would not see more volume growth at the yard with single-car switching,” says Batory, who retired March 31 as the railroad’s president and chief executive officer. “So, we began to look at one-man crew operations and what we needed to do to get rid of the hump.”Prior to launching the $5.3 million makeover project in 2012, Conrail officials also started to explore the possibilities of leveraging the railroad’s information technology (IT) systems. A service-provider subsidiary of CSX and Norfolk Southern Corp., Conrail since the late 1990s has developed and employed IT systems that operate independently from the Class Is’ IT systems.Conductor Rich Haynes switches cars at Pavonia Yard as a one-person crew using a remote-control locomotive device, and control systems and TV monitors housed in a nearby kiosk.

4/12/2017    

Rail News: Passenger Rail

4/12/2017    

Rail News: Passenger Rail

4/12/2017    

Rail News: Canadian Pacific

4/7/2017    

Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN

4/7/2017    

Rail News: Passenger Rail

3/27/2017    

Rail News: MOW

3/27/2017    

Rail News: Security

3/22/2017    

Rail News: Rail Industry Trends

3/22/2017    

Rail News: MOW

3/22/2017    

Rail News: Rail Industry Trends

3/21/2017    

Rail News: MOW

3/21/2017    

Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN

3/16/2017    

Rail News: Mechanical

3/16/2017    

Rail News: Passenger Rail

11/8/2016    

Rail News: Supplier Spotlight

Rail News Home CSX Transportation November 2016 Rail News: CSX Transportation

Photo – CSX — By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing EditorTo say sagging coal volumes have been a drag on CSX’s finances the past five years is an understatement. Coal revenue losses that have been mounting since 2011 are expected to reach a total of $2 billion by 2016’s end.The Class I’s coal fortunes aren’t expected to turn anytime soon, either. Low natural gas prices figure to keep compelling domestic utilities to favor that power-plant fuel source for the foreseeable future and tectonic shifts in the global coal market are forecast to keep abating U.S. exports. So, a change in strategic direction is necessary to deal with coal’s steep fall from its longtime perch as the railroad’s top revenue producer.Last year, the senior executive team met to develop a strategy framework that could address the changing customer base and shifting business portfolio. Ultimately, the team considered two options: continue to chase ways to help overcome the coal losses in the short term or develop a plan to change the structure and operation of the coal-dominant railroad for the long term. They opted for the latter.A 40-member cross-functional group that included leaders from each department then helped flesh out the idea and shape specific supporting initiatives, and CSX’s board reviewed and approved the chosen strategy in early 2016. Now, if it ushers the Class I into a new era as hoped, the “CSX of Tomorrow” will dawn in the not-too-distant future.Formally launched in late April, the CSX of Tomorrow (CoT) strategy calls for the company to:
• realign its network to de-emphasize coal traffic and optimize the volume-growth potential of the more promising intermodal sector and solid merchandise segment;
• deploy more high-tech equipment and information systems to forge a highly automated railroad that can support safety, service-performance and efficiency efforts;
• pursue service excellence to help prompt volume growth and better meet customers’ needs; and
• develop a workforce of the future with the right tools and skills to drive productivity and innovation.Expected to take a number of years to implement, the strategy will help spur volume growth and increase profitability in the intermodal and merchandise franchises, and yet preserve the business value of coal as it becomes a smaller part of the company’s portfolio, says CSX Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Ward.“We’ve got to adapt; the world has changed. Coal has gone from one-third of our annual revenue to about 15 percent,” he says. “We have been a more cyclical company, one that was a slave to the vagaries of the general economy. Now, we can be more nimble and flexible.”CSX will benefit by controlling the things it can control: service, safety and productivity, says Ward. In addition, the strategy can help the company attain its long-term goal of a mid-60s operating ratio.CSX plans to carry out the CoT in part by operating two networks: a primary one accommodating longer and heavier trains along the “Iron Triangle” mainlines between Chicago, New York City and Jacksonville, Fla.; and a local one comprising other lines and territories that don’t require the same train speeds and resource intensity. Each network will essentially have the same route mileage, and the local network would retain the same level of safety and customer service as the primary one.CSX also aims to extend sidings or build new ones to accommodate longer trains; triple the amount spent each year on technology adoptions; and provide better quality-of-life benefits and more modern equipment to hone a stronger workforce.Operational performance a prime componentService execution is the most critical aspect of the CoT, says Ward. To win over and best serve shippers of truck-competitive freight, CSX needs to align operating capabilities to customers’ expectations and provide consistently higher levels of reliability.“If we want to grow our other businesses, the service has to be there,” says Ward.He believes the CoT initiative aligns well with the company’s vision to be the safest, most progressive North American railroad, one that relentlessly pursues customer and employee excellence. It lines up with CSX’s core values, too, says Ward. That means continually striving to be fact-based, ensuring people make the difference, stressing safety as a way of life and getting the right results the right way.“It’s how we behave and who we are. It still fits,” says Ward. “The biggest difference [with the CoT] is being more intentional in deploying technology.”CSX strategists performed a lot of modeling exercises to ensure the strategy could be carried out, and the team plans to tweak and refine it as CoT implementation continues.“The way we see it is: OK, we have a path now, and we see where we’re going,” says Ward.A new terminal under construction in Pittsburgh, which is slated to open next year, figures to help boost intermodal business. CSX

Rail News Home Internet-Digital October 2016 Rail News: Internet-Digital

At InnoTrans 2016, held Sept. 20-23 in Berlin, 12 U.S.-based railway supply companies showcased their goods and services at the USA Pavilion.Photo – REMSA By Michael PopkeInnoTrans 2016 — the world’s largest biennial international showcase for transport technology — set a new record by attracting nearly 3,000 exhibitors from 60 countries to Germany’s Berlin Exhibition Grounds in late September. What’s more, 144,470 visitors from more than 140 countries walked the 1.2 million square feet of floor space at the biennial event, and an outdoor display featured 127 vehicles. “You hear about how big it is, but until you actually go, it’s hard to have perspective,” said Tim Francis, vice president of marketing for Herzog Railroad Services Inc., who experienced InnoTrans for the first time. “I still don’t think I saw the whole thing, because it’s just so big.” It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at InnoTrans, which is why the Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA), Railway Supply Institute and Railway Systems Suppliers Inc. (RSSI) sponsored the USA Pavilion. The three industry associations also sponsored it in 2014 and 2012. “The exclusive USA Pavilion allows U.S.-based railway supply companies and organizations a unique opportunity to highlight their goods and services at InnoTrans," said REMSA Executive Director David Tennent. This year, 12 organizations took advantage of that opportunity: AIC Rail, Emerson Process Management-TopWorx, Herzog, IEM Corp., Loram Maintenance of Way Inc., Railway Interchange, Rocla Concrete Tie Inc., ROV Railway Industry, ThermOmegaTech Inc., TransCore, Transportation Technology Center Inc. and Williams-Hayward Protective Coatings Inc.For example, Herzog showcased its array of maintenance-of-way equipment, including the Automated Conveyer Train (A.C.T.). The A.C.T.'s entire consist (15 cars minimum) can unload in a curve of up to 13 degrees with a super elevation of up to five inches. Each car within the consist can carry 97 tons of material up to five inches in diameter and as small as a particle of sand.“The international market holds great promise for North American railroad suppliers, and the USA Pavilion showcases companies interested in marketing their products globally,” said RSSI Executive Director Mike Drudy.There was plenty of showcasing outside the USA Pavilion, as well. GE Transportation, in collaboration with Intel Corp., introduced a “superbrain” platform solution for locomotives that transforms them into mobile data headquarters and interacts with GE’s existing GoLINC platform.The outdoor display at InnoTrans 2016 featured 127 vehicles. Photo – REMSA

Rail News Home People October 2016 Rail News: People

"You can't solve all of your problems with the same information from year to year ... You've got to get out there if you really want to improve things," says Metro-North's Bonilla.Photo – MTA Metro-North Railroad By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Associate EditorAnamaria Bonilla doesn't wait for solutions to fall into her lap. She actively seeks them out.In her role as assistant chief engineer of track and structures at MTA Metro-North Railroad, Bonilla led the effort to introduce new bridge and track inspection technology. One way she learns about the latest technological advances is by taking continuing education courses and attending rail conferences. And when her employer wasn't able to cover the cost of attending those conferences, Bonilla paid her own way. For her, the opportunity to network and glean new insights is invaluable. "You can't solve all of your problems with the same information from year to year, otherwise you're just going to repeat the same mistakes," she says. "You've got to get out there if you really want to improve things."Her commitment to finding solutions hasn't gone unnoticed. Earlier this month, Bonilla received the League of Railway Industry Women's "Outstanding Woman of The Year" award, which honors women who are making a positive impact on the rail industry. One accomplishment of note: Bonilla reached out to HNTB Corp. to develop the RailAdvise® bridge management system, which keeps an inventory of all of Metro-North's bridges. The technology, which was the first of its kind at Metro-North, has provided a way for the railroad's employees to access vital data with a few clicks, she says."You don't have to ask three different people for the latest inspection report. It's all right there on your desktop," Bonilla adds. "It puts information in everyone at Metro-North's hands so they can help us address problems."Metro-North rolled out RailAdvise following the Federal Railroad Administration's 2010 safety standards, which required railroads to adopt more stringent bridge inspection procedures.Bonilla also helped increase the number of staffers working on Metro-North's bridges. When she first started, the railroad had one bridge repair crew, but she brought that number to eight. To do that, she worked closely with MTA's long range planning department. She's also lobbied for more money from the capital program for bridge replacement and other rehab projects.In addition, Bonilla managed the procurement of Metro-North's first track inspection machine and oversaw the creation of an inventory tracking system of all rail joints — two measures that Metro-North officials say helped boost safety.Bonilla played a key role in the development of Metro-North's RailAdvise bridge management application.

Rail News Home Rail Industry Trends October 2016 Rail News: Rail Industry Trends
— by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., editor
Pat Foran