HEAVY AXLE LOADS ON SHORT HEAVY AXLE LOADS ON SHORT LINES AND REGIONAL RAILROADSLINES AND REGIONAL RAILROADS

Georgia Railroad AssociationGeorgia Railroad Association

55thth Annual Transportation Conference Annual Transportation Conference

June 8 – 10, 2003June 8 – 10, 2003

Young Harris, GAYoung Harris, GA

Heavy Axle Loads and North American Heavy Axle Loads and North American Railroad NetworkRailroad Network

• North American Class 1 Railroads are moving to heavier cars and higher North American Class 1 Railroads are moving to heavier cars and higher axle loadsaxle loads– Double stack cars operate at up to 39 ton axle loadsDouble stack cars operate at up to 39 ton axle loads– Bulk commodity cars operate at 286,000 lb. gross weight on railsBulk commodity cars operate at 286,000 lb. gross weight on rails

• 36 ton axle loads36 ton axle loads

• Significant operating savings for:Significant operating savings for:– Class 1 railroadsClass 1 railroads– ShippersShippers

• Serious potential impact for Short Lines & Regional RailroadsSerious potential impact for Short Lines & Regional Railroads– Potential impacts on short lines and regional railroads Potential impacts on short lines and regional railroads

• SafetySafety

• Maintenance of Way costsMaintenance of Way costs

Effects of Heavy Axle Load TrafficEffects of Heavy Axle Load Traffic

• Heavy axle load studies on Class 1 railroads show HAL most strongly Heavy axle load studies on Class 1 railroads show HAL most strongly effects MoW costs foreffects MoW costs for

- Rail and joints- Rail and joints

- Ties and fastenings- Ties and fastenings

- Ballast and surfacing- Ballast and surfacing

- Turnouts and special track work- Turnouts and special track work

- Bridges- Bridges

Effects of Heavy Axle Load Traffic on Effects of Heavy Axle Load Traffic on Short Lines & RegionalsShort Lines & Regionals

Effects of HAL traffic on Short Lines and Regional RailwaysEffects of HAL traffic on Short Lines and Regional Railways

• Increase in surface degradation at joints, particularly cross-levelIncrease in surface degradation at joints, particularly cross-level– Need for ongoing monitoring programNeed for ongoing monitoring program

• Increased degradation at turnoutsIncreased degradation at turnouts

• Increase in surface spalling of railIncrease in surface spalling of rail

• Potential for increased rail defects, particularly at jointsPotential for increased rail defects, particularly at joints– Potential for broken rail derailmentsPotential for broken rail derailments– Need for ongoing monitoring programNeed for ongoing monitoring program

• Increase in tie degradation at jointsIncrease in tie degradation at joints

• Potential capital costs for bridgesPotential capital costs for bridges– Particularly bridges marginal at 263,000 lb.Particularly bridges marginal at 263,000 lb.

Heavy Axle Load Damage FactorsHeavy Axle Load Damage Factors

*Based on 286,000 lb. car

Damage* Damage* Damage*Damage* (per axle) (per axle) (per MGT)(per MGT)

Rail WearRail Wear +9% +9% 0% 0%

Rail Fatigue(internal)Rail Fatigue(internal) +29% +29% +19%+19%

Rail Fatigue (surface)Rail Fatigue (surface) +16% +16% + 7%+ 7%

Rail JointsRail Joints +32% +32% +21%+21%

TiesTies +13% +13% + 4%+ 4%

Good BallastGood Ballast +9% +9% 0% 0%

Poor BallastPoor Ballast +60% +60% +47%+47%

TurnoutsTurnouts +29% +29% +19%+19%

HAL EffectsHAL Effects

• Using ZETA-TECH HAL analyses models, following effects were predicted for Using ZETA-TECH HAL analyses models, following effects were predicted for operation of 286,000 lb. HAL carsoperation of 286,000 lb. HAL cars

• If If all (100%)all (100%) traffic is converted to HAL cars: traffic is converted to HAL cars:– Increase in rail and turnout maintenance costs (to include capital costs Increase in rail and turnout maintenance costs (to include capital costs

associated with rail and turnout replacement):associated with rail and turnout replacement): 28% 28%– Increase in tie costs:Increase in tie costs: 12% 12%– Increase in surfacing costs:Increase in surfacing costs: 23%23%

Overall increase in maintenance costs associated with rails, ties, Overall increase in maintenance costs associated with rails, ties, ballast, and turnouts:ballast, and turnouts: 17%17%

Study MethodologyStudy Methodology

• A sample of railroads from ASLRRA’s membership A sample of railroads from ASLRRA’s membership

• Calculation of track miles requiring new rails, ties, ballasting, and Calculation of track miles requiring new rails, ties, ballasting, and bridge upgrade/replacementbridge upgrade/replacement

• Site Interviews performedSite Interviews performed

• Information quantified specific capital requirements as a function of:Information quantified specific capital requirements as a function of:– operating speedoperating speed– annual traffic volumeannual traffic volume– rail weightrail weight– tie conditiontie condition– ballast conditionballast condition– bridge conditionbridge condition

Study SampleStudy Sample

• 46 railroads of approximately 550 in the industry46 railroads of approximately 550 in the industry

• 4,742 track miles of an estimated total of 49,9854,742 track miles of an estimated total of 49,985

• Average annual tonnage per mile ranging from 0.1 MGT to 16 MGTAverage annual tonnage per mile ranging from 0.1 MGT to 16 MGT

• Operating speed ranging from 10 mph to 50 mphOperating speed ranging from 10 mph to 50 mph

• FRA track class from “excepted” to Class 5FRA track class from “excepted” to Class 5

• Large regional railroads (Wisconsin Central, Florida East Coast) Large regional railroads (Wisconsin Central, Florida East Coast) excluded from the analysis to avoid skewing the sampleexcluded from the analysis to avoid skewing the sample

Findings of the AnalysisFindings of the Analysis

Component Component ActionAction

RailRail 22% of track miles must be replaced22% of track miles must be replaced

TiesTies 43% of track miles require at least 43% of track miles require at least somesome ties, ties, depending on current tie conditiondepending on current tie condition

BallastBallast 23% of track miles require additional ballast; 23% of track miles require additional ballast; surfacing will also be required when ballast is surfacing will also be required when ballast is

addedadded

BridgesBridges 22% require replacement; 27% require upgrading22% require replacement; 27% require upgrading

CostsCosts

• The total cost of this required investment was calculated by use of standard The total cost of this required investment was calculated by use of standard railroad industry unit costs for:railroad industry unit costs for:– Rail installationRail installation– Tie installationTie installation– Ballasting and surfacingBallasting and surfacing– Turnout replacementTurnout replacement– Bridge replacement (cost per track foot for timber, steel, concrete bridges)Bridge replacement (cost per track foot for timber, steel, concrete bridges)

• Costs were based on use of new components, since a track rehab program Costs were based on use of new components, since a track rehab program of this size would quickly exhaust supplies of secondhand rail, secondhand of this size would quickly exhaust supplies of secondhand rail, secondhand ties, and turnoutsties, and turnouts

Conclusions: Required InvestmentConclusions: Required Investment

ComponentComponent RequiredRequired Total CostTotal Cost Total CostTotal CostInvestmentInvestment (Sample)(Sample) (Industry)(Industry)

Rail and TurnoutsRail and Turnouts $ 75,106$ 75,106 $356,150,175$356,150,175 $3,754,182,002$3,754,182,002

TiesTies $ 16,372$ 16,372 $ 77,636,048$ 77,636,048 $ 818,362,236$ 818,362,236

Ballast/SurfacingBallast/Surfacing $ 2,657$ 2,657 $ 12,597,440$ 12,597,440 $ 132,789,720$ 132,789,720

TurnoutsTurnouts $ 7,882$ 7,882 $ 37,377,454$ 37,377,454 $ 393,996,056$ 393,996,056

TotalTotal $137,253$137,253 $650,847,006$650,847,006 $6,860,583,787$6,860,583,787

Track MileageTrack Mileage 4,742 49,985 4,742 49,985

ConclusionsConclusions• US Railway industry is moving towards heavier axle loadUS Railway industry is moving towards heavier axle load

– Overall economic benefit to Class 1 railroads and shippersOverall economic benefit to Class 1 railroads and shippers

• Short Lines & Regional will be required to accept HAL equipmentShort Lines & Regional will be required to accept HAL equipment

• Increase in maintenance of way costsIncrease in maintenance of way costs– Projected increase of the order of 5 to 17%Projected increase of the order of 5 to 17%– Potential large need for capital; particularly for rail and bridgesPotential large need for capital; particularly for rail and bridges

• ASLRRA is implementing a program to develop tools for members ASLRRA is implementing a program to develop tools for members to:to:– Assess the potential impact of HAL traffic on their operationsAssess the potential impact of HAL traffic on their operations– Manage their rail condition and rail assets under HAL Manage their rail condition and rail assets under HAL

operationsoperations– Assess the overall economics of HAL operations on a railroad Assess the overall economics of HAL operations on a railroad

specific basisspecific basis