Rail Transit Track Inspection Practices (2013)

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25 APPENDIX A Survey Questionnaire The Transportation Research Board has chosen Track Guy Consultants (TGC) for a data collection project pertaining to Railroad Track Maintenance Practices. The purpose of this survey is to simply collect information about how Transit Authorities maintain their track. This is a very important document for the success of the project. Please give it careful consideration. Only about 30 minutes of your time is required to complete this survey and it will be greatly appreciated. This survey can be completely anonymous. Just say so and it will not go further than me. You have my personal guarantee that your agency will not be published or named to anyone else. John Zuspan, President, TGC. ComPlEtINg thE SurvEy: There are several ways to complete the survey; you can open the Word file and use the yellow highlight function to choose your response and type in any comments. You could also print the pdf or Word file and circle your answers. You could also give me a call and we can do it over the phone. As a memento for filling out the form, I will send you a slice (about ¼” thick) of a piece of pear shaped rail rolled in 1845. It was the first “T” section rolled in the USA and was made from pig iron, not steel. It also was the section used in the Trans-Continental Railroad. I found a 30 foot piece while walking track in New Jersey in 1998 and have been cutting slices ever since. I am down to 8 feet. oPtIoNAl INformAtIoN Name of Transit Agency: Address of Agency: Contact Person with contact Information: Date Completed: how to gEt thE SurvEy bACk to mE: snail mail to: John Zuspan, 934 Royal Ct., Canonsburg, PA 15317 e-mail: zuspan@trackguy.com fax: 724-873-5733 phone: 973-222-1300 I do not tweet 1. About how many total miles of track is incorporated in your system (not route miles)? Do not include storage yards. a. Less than 10 b. 11–50 c. 51–100 d. 101–200 e. More than 200 Comments: _____ 2. What year was the first segment of track opened within your system? _____ Comments: _____ 3. What is your top speed on mainline track? a. <35 mph b. 45 mph c. 55 mph d. 60 mph e. >60 mph Comments: _____

26 4. What is your vehicle power system? a. Overhead Catenary b. Third-rail System c. Fourth-rail System d. Linear Induction e. Diesel Power Comments: _____ 5. About how many miles of Embedded Track are in your system? a. Zero b. 1–3 c. 4–10 d. 10–50 e. More than 50 Comments: _____ 6. About how many miles of Direct Fixation Track do you have? a. Zero b. 1–3 c. 4–10 d. 10–50 e. More than 50 Comments: _____ 7. About how many miles of Ballasted Track? a. Zero b. 1–3 c. 4–10 d. 10–50 e. More than 50 Comments: _____ 8. How many Track maintenance workers do you employ? a. <10 b. 10–30 c. 31–50 d. 51–100 e. >100 Comments: _____ 9. Is your system standard gage 56½”? Yes No a. If “No,” what is it? _____ Comments: _____ 10. Do your vehicles have tapered (conical) wheels? a. Yes b. No c. Some do, some don’t d. Don’t know Comments: _____ 11. Are your wheel flanges: a. ¾” b. 1” c. AAR 1B Narrow Flange d. Other _____ e. Don’t know Comments: _____

27 12. Is your wheel tread: a. 3” b. 3½” c. 4” d. 4½” e. 5” f. Something else _____ g. Don’t know Comments: _____ 13. What minimum Track Safety Standard (TSS) is used for Track Maintenance? a. FRA b. APTA c. CA Utilities Commission d. FTA e. Canadian f. We don’t use any g. Other _____ Comments: _____ 14. Do you have your own Track Maintenance Standards? a. Yes b. No c. If “Yes,” are they stricter than the Track Safety Standards? Yes No Comments: _____ 15. Do you have a priority system related to track defects? a. Yes b. No c. If “Yes,” does it have a speed restriction assigned based on severity of defect? i. Yes ii. No Comments: _____ 16. Does a Track Inspector have the authority to shut down the railroad? a. Yes b. No c. Depends Comments: _____ 17. Do Track Inspectors file reports? a. Yes b. No c. Only if a defect Comments: _____ 18. Does the Track Supervisor set priorities and develop a maintenance schedule? a. Yes b. No c. If “No,” who does _____ Comments: _____ 19. How often do Inspectors perform a walking inspection of the mainline? a. Twice weekly b. Once weekly c. Once per month d. Twice per year e. Once per year f. Something else: _____ g. Never perform walking inspections Comments: _____

28 20. How often do Inspectors do a walking inspection of mainline turnouts? a. Twice weekly b. Once weekly c. Once per month d. Once per year e. Something else: _____ f. Never perform walking inspections Comments: _____ 21. How often do you run a geometry car on the mainline? a. Once per month b. Twice per year c. Once per year d. Every 2 years e. Never Comments: _____ 22. How often do you run a rail flaw detector car on your mainline? a. Once per month b. Twice per year c. Once per year d. Every 2 years e. Never Comments: _____ 23. Is your system governed by the FRA? a. All trackage is b. About half is and half is not c. Most of the track is not d. No track is governed by the FRA Comments: _____ 24. Do you sub-contract any track maintenance? a. Yes b. No c. If “Yes,” <10%, 10% to 50%, >50% Comments: _____ 25. Do you sub-contract any inspections? a. Track Inspection b. GRMS c. Track geometry d. Rail flaw detection e. Bridge inspection f. We sub-contract nothing g. Other: _____ Comments: _____ 26. Are all procurements under “Buy America”? a. Yes b. No Comments: _____ 27. Does the agency ONLY accept lowest bid when procuring material and services? a. Yes b. No Comments: _____

29 28. Do you have a CWR Plan? a. Yes b. No c. Don’t have any CWR Comments: _____ 29. Does your agency utilize a formal track inspection/track foreman written qualification process? a. Yes b. No c. If “Yes,” does it include a written exam? i. Yes ii. No Comments: _____ 30. Do track maintenance workers have training requirements? a. Roadway Worker once per year b. Roadway Worker once only c. Roadway Worker never d. Track Maintenance Standards (TSS) once per year e. TSS once only f. TSS never g. TSS twice per year h. Equipment Training i. Other Training, please list: _____ Comments: _____ 31. What is the predominant type of railroad ties used in your track? a. Wood b. Concrete c. Steel d. Rubber e. Tropical Hardwoods f. Other: _____ Comments: _____ 32. What is the predominant type of rail used in your track? _____ Comments: _____ 33. Are your railroad track maintenance and inspection employees represented by a trade union? a. Yes b. No Comments: _____ 34. Do you use computer hand-held devices for recording track defects? a. Yes b. No Comments: _____ 35. Do you have any future plans to: a. Update or change existing standards b. Write a maintenance standard c. Write a CWR Plan d. Nothing, we are good Comments: _____

30 36. Can you share your Maintenance Standards with John Zuspan ONLY ? Yes No If yes: Please e-mail a pdf file to zuspan@trackguy.com. All will be anonymous. Thank You. 37. Comments about anything: _______________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________