APRIL 2019 VOL 137 PART 2
Permanent Way Institution The Institution for Rail Infrastructure Engineers
PWI Practical Trackwork Challenge GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY LEICESTERSHIRE
Richard Spoors, Malcolm Pearce and Andy Packham TECHNICAL ARTICLE PAGE 12 CALIFORNIA: FROM DOUBLE AN EXPLORATIVE CASE STUDY INNOVATIVE APPLICATION OF RAIL TRACK TO TRIPLE TRACK COLLABORATIVE WORKING AND FASTENINGS FOR HS2 INTEGRATED DATA MANAGEMENT IN TRACK RENEWAL PROJECTS
AS PUBLISHED IN Page 16 Page 22 Page 42
PWI Journal APR 2019.indd 1 25/04/2019 14:41 The Journal April 2019 Volume 137 Part 2
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AUTHOR:
Phil Kirkland What in Head of Maintenance Delivery Nexus the world…? Tyne and Wear Metro PWI Vice President for England (North)
An occasional look at some significant rail infrastructure developments overseas with the intention of ‘inspiring and exciting’ both today’s and tomorrow’s railway infrastructure engineers.
California. A prominent rock formation in the elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet, while California pass, where the Mormon trail and the railway also reducing the curvature. Trains today merge, near Sullivan’s Curve), is known as travel at speeds of 60 and 70 mph (97 and 113 Mormon Rocks. See image 2. km/h) on the straighter track away from the pass, but typically ascend at 14 to 22 mph (23 Following its completion, Cajon Pass provided to 35 km/h) and descend at 20 to 30 mph (32 to the Santa Fe with a through corridor to Los 48 km/h). See image 3. From double Angeles and San Diego, cities which would transform into major ports and commercial The Class I Railroad BNSF, spent $90 million centres a century later. Today, the BNSF to build 16 miles of triple track on a portion track to triple (Burlington Northern and Santa Fe) Railroad of the Los Angeles to Chicago “Transcon” continues to utilise the pass, as does the intermodal route. During the project, more than UPRR (Union Pacific Rail Road). For many 300 BNSF employees and contractors worked track years UPRR leased the Santa Fe line until on the triple-track project. Crews moved more predecessor SP (Southern Pacific acquired by than 1 million tons of earth, installed about CAJON PASS, SANTA FE’S CROSSING UPRR in 1996) completed the nearby Palmdale 42,000 concrete sleepers and laid more than BETWEEN THE SAN BERNARDINO AND Cut-off in the 1960s. 30 miles of rail. The new third track enables SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS a capacity of 150 trains per day on the BNSF The UPRR operates and owns one track lines. Each intermodal train on these tracks Cajon Pass (pronounced, “KA-HOAN,” through the pass, on the previous Southern can take more than 250 long-haul road trucks which means box in Spanish) is, indeed, a Pacific Railroad Palmdale cut off, opened in off of the region’s local highways. Additionally, box canyon, located just northwest of San 1967. The BNSF Railway had two tracks and freight trains are more fuel efficient than trucks Bernardino, California and less than 65 miles began to operate the third main track in the and can move one ton of freight more than 400 from downtown Los Angeles. It is the result summer of 2008. The railroads shared track miles on one gallon of diesel fuel. of the San Andreas Fault, which splits two rights through the pass, ever since the Union mountain ranges; the San Bernardino and Pacific gained track rights on the Santa Fe Throughout the development process, San Gabriel. In 1885 the California Southern portion negotiated under the original Los BNSF worked closely with at least 17 public Railroad opened the first usable and efficient Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad. agencies and six utility companies, as transportation corridor through the region, well as the community on issues ranging which later became the Atchison, Topeka & The 3.0% gradient for a few miles on the south from enhancement and protection of the Santa Fe’s (AT&SF) main line. The project was track is challenging for long trains, making the environment, to improved grade crossings, spearheaded during the 1880s under AT&SF’s westbound descent potentially dangerous, as drainage structures, as well as preservation of most influential and important leader, William a runaway can and has occurred on several historical and cultural resources. Barstow Strong. He outmanoeuvred Southern occasions. The second track, built in 1913, is Pacific’s Collis P. Huntington for access into 2 miles (3.2 km) longer in order to maintain a The triple-tracking will expand BNSF’s capacity the Golden State and eventually established lower 2.20% gradient. At one time the route to meet the growing demand for goods service to all of its major cities. contained two tunnels (roughly 500 feet in movements and will make this entire segment length), since “day lighted”, (removed), as of the Transcon run smoother. Line speeds will In 1851, a group of Mormon settlers travelled part of improvements undertaken over the also be improved, and efficiencies gained both through the Cajon Pass in covered wagons years to reduce curves and grades. Railroad for transportation and maintenance activities. on their way from Salt Lake City to southern improvements in 1972 reduced its maximum Such sustained traffic volumes didn’t provide
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an adequate cushion to allow recovery from broken up and hauled away. A temporary down track speed were installed strategically unanticipated events. They also placed a strain by-pass track was installed around Tunnel No. at Summit, Silverwood, Alray, Cajon and on maintenance resources attempting to get 1 so as not to impede daily train operations Keenbrook. time to work on the track – sometimes resulting while it was dismantled. The second track was in trains having to stop. See images 4a & 4b. then constructed on a parallel alignment with A new signalling control system was installed the original track through a large cut where the along with some bridges, while others were The route up and over the San Bernardino tunnels have stood since 1913. The removal modified to take the increased loads and Mountains has two tunnels: No. 1 (about 400 of the tunnels allow for more efficient track stresses. Wherever possible, technology feet long) and No. 2 (about 500 feet long) near maintenance as well as providing improved upgrades were installed. Complete track Alray just east of the I-15 Freeway. Tunnel access to support train operations. Nine high- renewals with concrete sleepers and 141lb FB No. 2 was eliminated, with the earth over it speed crossovers allowing trains to switch CWR were undertaken everywhere except removed first and then its concrete linings from one track to another without slowing on bridges and under turnouts. “This project moved about 1 million cubic yards of spoil.” See images 5 & 6.
FACTS AND FIGURES
Length: 15.9 miles Workforce: More than 200 BNSF and contract workers Number of public agencies involved: 17 Number of public utilities involved: 6 Bridges rebuilt or new: 16 Culverts: 77, 30 requiring modification Grade crossings rebuilt: One public, 14 private Tunnels: 2, both removed Retaining walls: 13 walls built, equalling 7,600 linear feet Grading: 925,000 cubic yards cut, 261,000 filled Permits required: 5 Price: $90 million of private investment
Image 2: Union Pacific Rail Road train descending at Mormon Rocks, Cajon Pass
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Image 3: BNSF Rail Road train climbing at Alray, Cajon Pass (note named after Al Ray, PWay Section Supervisor)
Image 4a: NTC laying temporary alignment around Tunnel No.1 Cajon Pass, prior to demolition
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Image 4b: Temporary by-pass track around Tunnel 1
Image 5: S&C installation (Yikes!) Cajon Pass
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Image 6: Harsco Tamper working at the foot of Cajon Pass
Image 7: Track and bridge fire damage, Blue Cut, Cajon Pass
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Image 8: Triple track main line, summit, Cajon Pass
Image 9: Your author (left) with best TRT Buddy, John Glenn 111 (right) and the TRT 909, USA
WILDFIRES THREATENED Precautions, such as stopping all cutting/ Once the fires were contained, freight traffic CAJON PASS PROJECT clearing as well as all welding and grinding and the Cajon Pass construction quickly activities were taken, and Maintenance of resumed. Way and Transportation teams were on site The project was not without its challenges. to continuously monitor the danger. All the Again this was a significant permanent However, one of the biggest was from the construction workers, with the exception of way project that attracted little worldwide notorious California wildfires, prevalent in some supervisors, left the site. In addition to attention, but nevertheless was delivered in this part of the world. Bone-dry conditions, the construction coming to a temporary halt, harsh conditions by dedicated engineers in gale-like winds and sparks from downed power the wildfires resulted in delayed or suspended some of the USA’s most challenging railway lines triggered a fire near Cajon Pass, next to freight train services at different times over a environments. the transcontinental line. The fire was one of See image 8. three-day period through Cajon Pass. more than a dozen that burned in Southern In concluding this article, I would particularly California, damaging or destroying more than With no hydrants in the remote area to feed wish to thank both UPRR and BNSF for site 700 square miles of property and 1,600 homes. their water supply, firefighters were challenged. access, but also for my good friend John Even before the first signs of smoke, BNSF So BNSF, which had water trucks on hand Glenn 111, Captain of the Harsco TRT 909 crews at the Cajon Pass construction site were for controlling dust during the construction, who facilitated the necessary introductions and prepared, as a fire plan was in place, a normal quickly mobilised and supplied water to the fire certification during my exchange visits ahead operating procedure for this arid region. See trucks. The water trucks were also used to wet of TRT operations in the UK. image 7. down the wood sleepers, preventing them from burning. Photo credits: UPRR, BNSF and P Kirkland
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