Track Doctor
If, during your annual physical, your doctor finds something he doesn’t like, he takes a closer look. If he confirms that something is wrong it is noted in your file and followed up with treatment to help get your body back on track.
The same can be said for the year-round check up Guilford Rail performs to monitor the health of its tracks. Just like going over a patient CAT-scan, Guilford Rail’s Track Inspection Hi- Rail Car slowly runs over 1500 miles of rail each year detecting even the smallest flaw in a track’s structure.
The vehicle sends an ultrasonic pulse through the rail, which hits any gaps and responds with a signal up to a status monitor. The track inspector then stops the vehicle to perform a hands-on test. Since a variety of elements could possibly give a false reading to the test car, hand tests are made to verify potential defects. The hand test appears to have the inspector checking for a pulse, what he is actually doing is coupling sound waves to the rail and monitoring his scope for an indication of any flaws.
Detected defects are marked on the rail and on the daily defective rail report as to location, type of defect, estimated size and by numbering sequence assigned by the maintenance of way representative. A follow up inspection and repairs are then done long before a small flaw grows into a large problem. Sort of like killing a cold before the first cough.
"You know that by finding these flaws and reading them properly you are keeping the lines as safe as possible." said Louis Macisaac, Guilford Rail Testing Supervisor. "I get a lot of satisfaction out my job."
The SYS-300 Ultrasonic Inspection System Test Car is equipped with an advanced Solid State Ultrasonic System using a minimum of twenty four channels of information (12 per rail) with the following capabilities:
Two "0" degree channels per rail, designed to detect bolthole cracks, head and web separations, vertical split head and other web defects.
Six 70 degree array channels per rail designed for the detection of transverse fissures and other defects located in the head area.
Two 38 degree channels per rail designed for the detection of centrally located transverse defects, and inspection of welds.
All data is presented to the operator on a video screen.
The Car was purchased in 1995 and has already paid for itself several times over when compared to the cost of outsourcing the track inspection to an outside contractor, not to mention the savings in potential derailments the Car may have prevented.
The year-round testing is done at an average speed of 7 to 12 mph with a two-man crew consisting of an area track supervisor driving and track inspection supervisor.
Macisaac, who can’t help but display a great deal of pride in his work and the maintenance of his vehicle, stressed that his job is done only as well as his equipment is maintained.
"If you don’t keep things clean and inspect them frequently then you shouldn’t be surprised when it doesn’t work for you."
Sounds like something a doctor would say.
Guilford Rail Testing Supervisor Louis Macisaac hand tests a section of rail for defects while Guilford’s Materials and Welding Manager Phil Corder explains the process to Engineers John Amrol and Stanley Prescott of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation.