Publication: Progressive Railroading.com
Byline: Katie Berk, Assistant Editor
For Class Is, employing a preventative grinding strategy helps minimize potential for derailments and extend rail life. To register the most bang for their grinding programs, large roads focus production grinding operations on high-traffic and high-priority routes.
For example, Union Pacific Railroad operates four grinders year-round along heavy tonnage lines from Wyoming coalfields to Kansas City, Mo., then north to Chicago, says Director of Track Maintenance Mike Gilliam.
UP is trying to improve data management to boost productivity and optimize scheduling along the routes.
"We're really pushing to manage more with the data that we have, trying to keep better track of how often we're getting to the [high-priority] areas and flag it to try to get around there quicker," Gilliam says.
