Citation

Webb HG. Transp. Res. Rec. 1991; 1289: 78-82.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1991, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Santa Fe Railway has been successful in controlling continuous welded rail thermal stresses that could lead to stuctural stability failures. The railroad's maintenance engineers take the company rules and guidelines seriously and follow them to the best of their ability. The railroad depends on the first-line supervisors to know the rules, know their territories in relation to possible thermal stresses in the rail, and to ensure that all who work on the welded rail follow the rules when the rail or ballast section is disturbed. Other contributing factors to Santa Fe's success are the adherence to territorial laying temperatures, anchor maintenance, ballast shoulder maintenance, scheduling of maintenance work, ballast compaction, slow order instructions, hot weather patrolling, management allowance of cutting of the rail, and train operation training and handling.

Language: en

Keywords

Prevention; Railroad tracks; Stability (Mechanics); Derailments; Maintenance of way; Buckling; Continuous welded rail; Lateral track stability; Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company; Thermal stresses