Christopher Barkan is the Recipient of the 2026 Worth Award
DALLAS, Texas –– Professor Chistopher Barkan of UIUC has been awarded the 2026 Worth Award by Wheel Rail Seminars.
Author: Jeff Tuzik
Derailment Mitigation at Switches and Turnouts: Three Perspectives
A lot of derailments happen at switches and turnouts. Many are low-speed, low-energy derailments that happen in yards and sidings. But they’re still costly and disruptive. Evaluating and optimizing wheel/rail contact conditions
Studs: Squat-Type Defects that are Misunderstood and Mismanaged
Squats and studs (squat-type defects) are a topic of discussion and debate in the world of wheel/rail interaction. Their similarity in appearance leads many experienced track people to misidentify them, and the
Implementing Rail Grinding and Wheel/Rail Interface Optimization Programs on Heavy Haul and Transit Systems: Lessons Learned
ATLANTA – Railway Track and Structures July 2025 issue features an article from Jeff Tuzik on a Wheel/Rail Interaction Conference presentation.
Mike Roney Receives the 2025 Worth Award
KANSAS CITY, Mo. –– Wheel Rail Seminars named Mike Roney, Principal of Iron Mustache Consulting, and retired General Manager, Track and Structures and Chief Engineer with Canadian Pacific, the recipient of the 2025 Worth Award.
Management and Maintenance: Capitalizing on Friction Modifiers
ATLANTA – From the June 2025 issue of Railway Track & Structures, Interface Journal Managing Editor Jeff Tuzik writes about friction modifiers based on a presentation made at the Wheel/Rail Interaction conference in 2024.
Better Track Geometry Through Better Ballast Maintenance
ATLANTA – From the May 2025 issue of Railway Track & Structures, Jeff Tuzik writes about track geometry based on a Wheel/Rail Interaction presentation.
A Culture of Change: How the Railroad Industry Can Embrace an Evolving World
ATLANTA – From the March issue of Railway Track & Structures, Jeff Tuzik writes about Corina Moore, Executive VP of Transportation and Infrastructure at WSP Canada.
Rail Grinding and Milling: How They Work, Where They Work
ATLANTA – From the February 2025 issue of Railway Track & Structures, Interface Journal Managing Editor Jeff Tuzik writes about rail grinding and milling.
Vehicle/Track Inspection from a Car Design Perspective
ATLANTA – From the January 2025 issue of Railway Track & Structures, this article from Jeff Tuzik is based off a presentation at Wheel Rail Interaction 2024.
Examining the Role of Wheel/Rail Interaction in a Unit Train Derailment
ATLANTA – From the December 2024 issue of Railway Track & Structures, this article looks at the role of wheel/rail interaction in a unit train derailment.
Mitigating Transverse Defects and Reducing Non-Testable Areas: Grinding Strategies at CSX
ATLANTA – From the October 2024 issue of Railway Track & Structures, this article from Jeff Tuzik is based on a WRI presentation on grinding strategies at CSX.
Using Digital Twin Simulations of Automated In-Train & Vehicle/Track Dynamics to Reduce Derailment Risks
ATLANTA – From the October 2024 issue of Railway Track & Structures, this article from Jeff Tuzik is based on Cory Hogan’s WRI presentation on derailment modeling and simulation.
An Introduction to Rail Grinding on the Delhi Metro
Rail transit properties around the world all contend with the same general issues. The corrugation on track in San Francisco is the same as corrugation on track in New Delhi. There may
Stuart Grassie Receives Wheel Rail Seminars’ 2024 Worth Award
CHICAGO –– Stuart Grassie, Principal, Rail Measurement Ltd and Stuart Grassie Engineering Ltd, is the recipient of the 2024 Worth Award.
Smart Rocks, Smart Tamper: Investigating the Mechanics of Ballast Tamping
ATLANTA – Railway Track & Structures, April 2024 Issue: There are many forces that work to deteriorate track geometry over time. These forces don’t begin and end at the wheel/rail interface; they are transmitted to the vehicles and their components and into the track structure and its components. On ballasted track, ballast absorbs these forces, and its maintenance is critical to preserving and correcting several types of track geometry defects.
Squats & Studs: Emergent Damage Mechanisms on Rail Transit Systems
ATLANTA – Railway Track & Structures, March 2024 Issue. The unforgiving environment of the wheel/rail interface creates many damage mechanisms. These manifest in defects as varied as corrugations, rolling contact fatigue, and gage-corner cracking, to name only a few.
Under-Tie Pads: Resilient Materials Make an Impact
RAILWAY TRACK & STRUCTURES –– NOVEMBER 2023 –– WRI 2023 CONFERENCE
Quantifying Rail Life Extension with Infinite Rail Grinding Pattern Control
RAILWAY TRACK & STRUCTURES, OCTOBER 2023 ISSUE:Preventive rail grinding is a well-established practice for extending rail life. And by optimizing wheel/rail interaction and controlling the development and growth of surface damage like rolling contact fatigue, rail grinding has proven itself to be one of the industry’s best tools for managing one of its most valuable assets.
Developments in Top of Rail and Gauge Face Friction Management Consumables
RT&S AUGUST 2023 ISSUE – MINNEAPOLIS – Friction management works. Whether at the gauge face or top of rail, the benefits are widely known and widely quantified.