Railroad Maintenance 8-19-24

Railroads use a variety of methods to maintain their tracks, including machines, regular inspections, and predictive maintenance:  

Machines

Modern machinery can help a small group of workers maintain large stretches of track. Machines can remove and replace ties, tamp ballast, clean ballast, spike rail, tighten bolts, and align the track. Some machines can perform multiple tasks, such as tamping ballast and leveling the track at the same time. 

Regular inspections

Railroads perform thorough inspections before and after each season to identify potential issues. 

Predictive maintenance

Railroads use technology to predict and prevent track failures before they happen. 

Corrective maintenance

When something goes wrong with the tracks, railroads use corrective maintenance to identify and fix the issue as quickly as possible. Corrective maintenance can include repairing broken rails or ties, replacing damaged parts, realigning tracks, and fixing drainage issues. 

Rail grinding and welding

Rail grinding can restore the rail profile, remove flaws, and reduce noise and vibration. Welding rail joints can ensure the track's integrity and stability. 

Rehabilitation and renewal projects

Continuous usage can lead to wear and tear, so railroads periodically perform rehabilitation and renewal projects. These projects can involve extensive repairs or even complete replacements. 

Railroads also need to address seasonal challenges, such as winter weather. For example, Union Pacific has a 24-hour Weather Command Center staffed with experts to address service interruptions as quickly as possible. 

The Challenges of Railroad Track Maintenance

 In the United States and Canada, railroads own the tracks and rights-of-way that their trains run on. This includes about 140,000 miles of track in the U.S.. Railroads are responsible for maintaining and improving the tracks to ensure freight can move smoothly across North America. 

In the U.S., most freight railroads are privately owned and operated. The federal government only owns a small portion of the tracks, such as Amtrak's Northeast Corridor between Boston and D.C.. Amtrak also leases tracks from private companies to operate other railways.

Railroad corporations also own the land that extends up to 50 feet on either side of the tracks. 

Many hazardous wastes can be recycled safely and effectively, while other wastes will be treated and disposed of in landfills or incinerators. Recycling hazardous waste has a variety of benefits including reducing the consumption of raw materials and the volume of waste materials that must be treated and disposed. Apr 11, 2024

Comments

Railroad construction began 200 years ago in the Northeast. The intercontinental railroad was built 150 years ago. All heavy equipment is shipped by rail. Maintenance and Track Replacement will continue.

Oil and Natural Gas pipelines should be built to allow transport costs to be reduced.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader