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Life is about being able to see around corners. Understanding that railways are a capital-intensive industry, with the primary irreplaceable asset being the track structure helps us to understand system changes, plan strategic upgrades, ensure on-track safety, and move toward predictable service intervals for track.
Life is about being able to see around corners. Understanding that railways are a capital-intensive industry, with the primary irreplaceable asset being the track structure helps us to understand system changes, plan strategic upgrades, ensure on-track safety, and move toward predictable service intervals for track.
I feel like Track Reliability Services, LLC is a natural outgrowth of my work to advance track inspection and safety. The same technology that provides safety insight can be used to more efficiently manage track performance and maintenance. And, it does not have to be labor intensive. Much of the processing has been automated and machine learning is based on correlation, likely eliminating the need for excruciating hours on Excel in the future. There is still work to do to realize this vision, but there is low hanging fruit too.
About Ted
Rail, Farm, Construction, Education
I got my start in railway track engineering at the bottom of a hole investigating subgrade performance problems and documenting site conditions in conjunction with the demonstration of an on-track cone penetration test vehicle. Luckily, I was resilient having grown up on a farm and serving in the Air National Guard. I had worked construction mainly as a truck driver and sometimes as a laborer or equipment operator before moving into basic surveying and layout. This gave me insight that helped make our site investigations efficient and precise. This data helped identify differences between sites, which supported advancement of the cone penetration test including identifying a subgrade squeeze, for which my pic is a textbook example.
Subgrade squeeze with lime slurry injection hole visible
I previously worked in railway track mechanics at a high level on problems related to track performance, inspection systems, and safety thresholds. I had the opportunity to investigate derailments, assess failures, and lead a forensic investigation. One consequential investigation was a series of 3 derailments in part due to ballast. This incident brought my attention to issues related to supply chain reliability as the derailment affected coal shipments for several weeks. Since that time, I have worked to ensure track reliability and not just safety.
A number of years ago, I had the opportunity to serve on a panel about the future of the transportation workforce with Volpe Center Director Curt Tompkins that opened my eyes. Soon after, I transitioned into a faculty role first at a technical college and currently at the University of Hartford. These roles provided the opportunity to teach practical skills and motivate students with the goal of having each student find their path in our industry. I teach students about careers in research and innovation as well as the critical need for reliable basic mechanics and problem solving including developing practical industry standards. I also ensure students understand the critical importance of trades and crafts with several students pursuing careers in trades and as craftsman to start their careers.
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