Dr. Shane Farritor, Principal Investigator

1
On Board Measurement of Vertical Track Modulus

• Dr. Shane Farritor, Principal Investigator
• Dr. Richard Arnold, Chris Norman, Brian McVey
• Department of Mechanical Engineering
• University of Nebraska Lincoln
• Mahmood Fateh, Magdy El-Sibaie
• Federal Railroad Administration
• Presented to
• AREMA
• September 27, 2005

2
Sensitivity of Track Deflection to Changes in
Modulus
d
x
Deflection Relative to wheel contact point
3
Proposed Approach

• Distance between lasers, d, changes as car
  encounters soft track

4
Linear (Winkler) Model
5
Field System
6
Movie from BNSF Testing
7
Relative Deflection to Modulus

• Relative Deflection is Related to Modulus using
  the Winkler (or other) Models
• Relative Deflection is Measured Along Track
• Embedded Odometery, GPS, Time

8
Movie from UPRR Testing 4/05
Movie
9
Calibration

• Wayside LVDT measurements are done with a 4
  stake driven into the ground 6 from the
  railhead.
• A lever mechanism is used to amplify motion and
  keep sensor below top of rail
• Use white paint on rail

10
Previous Tests

• A. UPRR Marysville-35 mi. (4/19/05)
• B. UPRR South Morrill-240 mi. (4/19/05)
• C. BNSF Lincoln to Ashland-80 mi. (9/15/05)
• D. OPPD Arbor Line-10 mi. (7/9/04)
• E. BNSF Lincoln to Tecumsch-110 mi. (scheduled
  10/18/05)
• F. BNSF Hastings (9/17/04)

11
Bridge on Class I Track (OPPD)

• Support At
• Center of
• Span

12
Bridge on Class I Track (OPPD)
13
Repeatability (OPPD-5 mph-Uncalibrated)
Left Rail
Right Rail
14
Variation of Modulus with SpeedBerks, NE 9/17/04
(BNSF)
5 mph
10 mph
40 mph
30 mph
20 mph
Hastings
Lincoln
15
Variation of Modulus with SpeedBerks, NE 9/17/04
(BNSF)
Lincoln
Hastings
16
Variation of Modulus Between RailsBerks, NE
9/17/04 (BNSF)
Lincoln
Hastings
17
Longer Distances 4/9/05, UP Marysville Sub
18
Location 1 4/9/05, UP Marysville Sub - IJ
19
Pictures Location 1 6/28/05

• Track 1 Insulated rail joint
• Joint sits on tie and is supported between ties
• Ties are in good condition
• Insulation is expanding out of the joint slightly

20
Location 13 4/9/05, UP Marysville Sub A lot
going on
BEGIN SIDING BELVIDERE 209.6195 40.251474310 -97.5
53247440 1501.279 EXCEPTION 209.6293 40.251510440
-97.553360820 WHISTLE POST FACING
X WP 209.6544 40.251653640 -97.553865470 1501.7965
21
Pictures Track 26/28/05

• Turnout from siding, insulated rail joint, then a
  movable point frog
• Pumping near the insulated rail joint and the
  movable point frog
• Cracked and broken ties near the insulated rail
  joint
• New ties 150 ft after the movable point frog

22
Location 14 Long Stiff Location Near New IRJ
CROSSOVER SWITCH 209.3706 40.250196420 -97.5488
43580 1494.767 EXCEPTION 209.3793 40.250211602 -
97.548870739 MOVEABLE POINT FROG
209.4001 40.250348060 -97.549366110 1495.4409
23
Pictures Track 26/28/05

• Track 2 Movable point frog and then an
  insulated rail joint
• Broken tie at the movable point frog, possible
  pumping
• Insulated rail joint installed on 1-6-05

24
Location 15 Long Sinusoidal Soft Spot
CULVERT 209.15 FOCULV 209.1074 40.249128470 -97.54
4079280 1493.7517 EXCEPTION 209.1749 40.24930221
2 -97.545241997 POINT OF SPIRAL LEN707.70 FT
209.2121 40.249436030 -97.546015170 1493.3813
25
Pictures Track 26/28/05

• Track 2 Pumping at 7 separate spots along curve
• At the third spot of pumping there is a blown tie
• Five or six French drains along this section

26
Location 18 Cut to Fill Soft Spot?
BACKWALL CONC BD HR RS BRIDGE 206.0804 40.25824222
0 -97.489575890 1468.1793 EXCEPTION 206.1496 40.2
58377513 -97.490921627 RELAY BOX RELAY 206.3069 4
0.258682780 -97.493822390 1467.78
27
Pictures Track 26/28/05

• Track 2 Section of track with pumping

28
Future Work

• Modify Hopper Car
• Calibration
• Real Time Processing
• More Data
• Trending
• Correlate with Safety / Maintenance

29
Thanks

• Bill GeMeiner, UPRR
• Dwight Clark, UPRR
• Mike Oliver, BNSF
• John Leeper, BNSF
• Hank Lees, BNSF
• Mo Fateh, FRA
• Magdy El-Sibaie, FRA

30
Questions
31
Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System
(NDGPS)
Shane Farritor Principal Investigator Department
of Mechanical Engineering
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Mechanical
Engineering Dept. N104 WSEC Lincoln, NE
68588-0656
Phone [phone] Fax (402)
472-1465 sfarritor_at_unl.edu Web www.engr.unl.edu