Introduction to Railroading

Gil Wilson Rail Operations Specialist

TxDOT Rail Division

Why Rail??? • Freight rail carries 16% of national tonnage • Current rail freight volumes equate to 92 billion

truck vehicle miles of travel (VMT) on U.S. roadways

• 20 year investment of over $64 billion in highway improvements necessary to handle this traffic if no rail

• Would cost shippers an additional $1.6 trillion to ship this tonnage by truck over the 20 year timeframe

Regulatory Environment • U.S. Surface Transportation Board (DOT)

– Licenses construction & operation – Authorizes abandonments – Arbitrates rail disputes

• Federal Railroad Administration – Regulates rail safety

• State participation program – Administers DOT rail grants – Research & development

• FTA – Light rail transit

Infrastructure Basics

Design Goal: “Transform the wheel load on the rail

head to a moderate, distributed pressure that the ground underneath can sustain under all weather conditions without settling.”

Track Components • Bottom Up

– Subgrade – Sub ballast – Ballast – Ties – Rail & securement

• Drainage • Alignment & Profile

Structure Schematically

Rail & Securement Head

Web

Base Spikes

Or clips

Ties:Timber, Concrete, Composite

Turnouts

Definition: A turnout is an arrangement of track

components – commonly known as a switch & a frog – that enables rolling stock to be diverted from one track to another.

Turnout Schematically

Frog Switch Points

Straight Stock Rail

Bent Stock Rail

Straight Closure

Rail

Switch Mechanism

Bent Closure

Rail

Turnout Graphically

Signals

Train Control Signals Crossing Signals

Train Control

• Track Warrant Control • Automatic Block System • Centralized Traffic Control • Positive Train Control

Wayside Signal Aspects

Bridges & Structures

Bridges & Structures

Locomotives • Steam

– Wood Fired – Coal Fired – Fuel Oil

• Diesel - Electric • Electric

– Catenary – 3rd Rail

• Hybrids

Locomotive Components

Fuel Tank Truck Assembly Frame – Wheels – Axles

Brake Rigging – Traction Motors

Truck Assembly Frame – Wheels – Axles

Brake Rigging – Traction Motors

Air Compressor

Diesel Engine Radiators

Cooling Fans

Water Tank

Batteries

Main Generator

Auxiliary Generator

Dynamic Brakes

Cab

Drawbar

Freight Cars “The Basics”

Car Body

Truck Assembly

Frame – Wheels – Axles Brake Rigging

Truck Assembly

Frame – Wheels – Axles Brake Rigging

Brake Cylinder

Air Reservoirs

Brake Valve

Drawbar

Hand Brake

Train Make-Up & Operations

Passenger Rail Services Trolley,

Light Rail, Commuter Rail,

Intercity Passenger Rail, Long Distance,

And….

High Speed Rail

HSR

Rail Division - Operations

• Oversight of state rail facility leases – South Orient – Bonham Subdivision

• Oversight of other state rail investments – NETEX line – Heartland Flyer

Rail Division - Operations • Oversight of state &

federal rail projects – South Orient – Chihuahuita – Fort Worth Sub signals

(BNSF – HF) – Tower 55 – Port of Beaumont

• Technical assistance – With developing PSE – Facility inspection,

condition assessments, etc

Hi-Rail Inspections

Questions?

Gil.Wilson@txdot.gov

TxDOT RAIL SAFETY INSPECTION PROGRAM

Gil Wilson

Rail Operations Specialist TxDOT Rail Division

Why Rail Safety???

The Need

• Safety, environmental and security concerns call for extensive oversight

• Compliance with federal and state regulations is critical

• Major rail accidents and grade crossing accidents must be investigated

• Assist the public with complaints related to rail operations

Federal Regulation • 1893 - Congress passed 1st rail safety

legislation • Legal challenges & delays prevented

full implementation for 30 years • Subsequent legislation in 1903, 1907,

1908, 1910, 1911, 1937 • 1970 Congress granted FRA specific

authority over rail safety

Rail Safety, Environmental & Security Issues

• Track • Locomotive and Equipment • Highway-rail grade crossing operation • Rail Employees compliance • Hazardous material shipments • Agency Coordination

Texas’ Rail Safety Program • Federal Regulations authorize State

Participatory Programs • State programs supplement the FRA • Inspectors must receive FRA certification • 68th Texas Legislature authorized the

Railroad Commission (RRC) to implement a rail safety program – 1983

• Today Texas has one of the nation’s largest Rail Safety programs

Rail Safety Program Funding • FRA provided partial grant funding for State

programs until 1988 • 1988 until 2003 RRC program was funded by

state general revenue • 78th Texas Legislature (2003) created a rail user

fee for each railroad operating in Texas • Fee on annual gross ton miles (GTM) for all

railroads required to report them to the Service Transportation Board, based upon total annual cars interchanged for others

TxDOT Rail Safety • 79th Texas Legislature transferred all

power and authority over railroads from the RRC to TxDOT

• Effective date was October 1, 2005 • 16 full time employee positions transferred • TxDOT assigned Rail Safety Program to

TPP

Rail Division & Rail Safety

• Rail Division established December 2009

• Bill Glavin was chosen as the first Director

• Leonard Gray was selected as the Rail Safety Section Director

TxDOT Inspection Program

• Five categories of Investigator “disciplines”: – Hazardous Materials (HazMat) – Motive Power & Equipment (MP&E) – Operating Practices (OP) – Track Safety Standards (TSS) – Highway-rail grade crossing (Signal)

Investigator Qualifications

• HazMat – hazmat or rail experience required • MP&E – experience in locomotive or car

maintenance or construction • OP – train operations experience; managerial

or operational • Track – experience in track construction or

maintenance • Signal – experience in highway-rail grade

crossing construction and/or maintenance

TxDOT Investigator Locations • Austin – 1: OP (Supervisor) • Cedar Park – 2: MP&E, OP (Lead Investigators) • Tulia – 1: HazMat • McKinney – 2: Track, OP • Saginaw 1: Track • Paris 1: MP & E • Houston – 3: HazMat, OP, MP&E (Vacant) • Snyder – 1: OP • Mount Pleasant – 1: OP • San Antonio –1 Signal • Stephenville- 1: Track

DAILY RESPONSIBILITIES

• On call 24/7 to respond to rail accidents or complaints

• One Investigator designated weekly for after hour accident or complaint calls

• Investigate all accidents resulting in one fatality or two injuries

• Maintain database of all accidents, complaints or requests

Reportable Accident Overview

Texas January to December 2010

821 Total Accidents/Incidents 213 Highway-Rail Incidents 56 Total Fatalities

26 Total Highway-Rail Fatalities 28 Trespassing Fatalities 2 Employee on Duty Fatalities

Source-FRA Data

FRA Reportable Accident Overview Texas-January to June 2011

344 Total Accidents/Incidents 90 Highway-Rail Incidents 23 Total Fatalities

6 Total Highway-Rail Fatalities 17 Trespassing Fatalities 0 Employee on Duty Fatalities

Source-FRA Data

FRA Reportable Accident Overview Texas-2005 to 2010

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

AccidentsFatalities

Source-FRA Data

Texas Accidents & Complaints 131 ACCIDENTS IN 2010

53 ACCIDENTS IN 2011

INCLUDES:

DERAILMENTS

HAZMAT INCIDENTS

CROSSING COLLISIONS

TRESPASSERS

168 COMPLAINTS IN 2010

58 COMPLAINTS IN 2011

INCLUDES:

ROUGH CROSSINGS

BLOCKED CROSSINGS

NOISE

VEGETATION

MALFUNCTIONING SIGNALS

Future Directions • Continue cooperative program with FRA • Enhancing TxDOT’s goals through routine

inspection efforts; • Reducing rail congestion • Enhancing rail safety • Expand economic opportunity • Improving air quality • Increasing the value of rail transportation assets

Questions? Leonard Gray Rail Safety Section Director Rail Division

E-mail:

LEONARD.GRAY@TXDOT.GOV 24 hour Emergency Hotline

512-416-2376