A First-Class Job for a Class I Railroad

February 2011
TODAY
A monthly newsletter for employees of
RailWorks Corporation and its subsidiaries
A First-Class Job for a Class I Railroad
INSIDE LINE
Our experience with
KCS over the past few
years was a big factor
in getting this project.
They knew our people
and were confident
we could do the work,
meet the schedule
and keep the yard
operational.
RailWorks Track Systems – Texas, installed new turnouts, changed out ties and surfaced yard tracks in Kansas
City Southern Railway’s Deramus Yard in Shreveport, La. All work was completed in 48-hour work windows
over three consecutive weeks last November and December.
When it came time for Kansas City Southern
Railway to update its strategically important
yard in Shreveport, La., the Class I railroad
turned to a trusted partner. RailWorks Track
Systems had proven itself before on several
KCS capacity expansion and track rehabilitation projects and was ready for the challenge.
Deramus Yard is a 257-acre switching yard
with 75 miles of track. Located at the crossroads of KCS’ east-west and north-south rail
corridors, the yard is the heartbeat of the
railway’s overall operations. The new project
called for replacing 12 turnouts on the ladder
track and surfacing all 30 yard tracks and
18 existing turnouts on the north end of the
yard. All work had to be completed during
48-hour-windows held on three consecutive
Monday-through-Wednesday periods beginning on November 29.
Preparations began well in advance of the
on-site work. RailWorks’ team, based out of
the Houston division office, held two meetings with KCS engineering and operations
representatives to coordinate the required
manpower and equipment as well as logistics
related to the actual yard outages.
Superintendent Carl Rhodes developed a
detailed plan to ensure all work would be
completed in the designated windows. Superintendent Victor Munoz executed the plan
and oversaw all work on site, beginning with
pre-building and welding four turnouts prior
to each outage.
During each of the three, 48-hour track outages, RailWorks dedicated up to 50 people
at a time, comprised of a full-time safety
manager, two welding crews, two production tampers and three track crews. Despite
unseasonably cold and wet weather during
each of the outages, the RailWorks team
completed all work within the designated
Continued to page 2
Pete Harris
Construction Manager
When KCS released
Darrin Pouncy
their original bid pack- Project Manager
age last summer, we declined to bid on it
because of some of the detail and logistical requirements. We came back with an
alternate proposal to perform work later
in the year. Our approach allowed us more
time to better plan the work resulting in
less required manpower.
We knew from prior experience what it would
take in terms of manpower and equipment to
meet the challenges the project presented.
After we explained our approach to KCS,
they awarded us the contract. They
trusted us to follow and deliver on our plan
because we had done it many times before
on previous projects.
Our on-site superintendents – Carl Rhodes
and Victor Munoz – were instrumental
in the success of the project. They had
already built many sidings and turnouts on
KCS’ mainline in limited work windows.
Their experience with planning and supervising previous KCS work helped us win
the business and successfully manage the
team to execute our plan.
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February 2011
A First-Class Job for a Class I Railroad
from page 1
RailWorks Values In Action
INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP
INTEGRITY
Leaders make decisions, take action and achieve, which is exactly what
PNR RailWorks’ Signals & Communications (S&C) division did in pursuing
and attaining ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System certification.
During each of the three, 48-hour track outages, RailWorks dedicated up to 50
people at a time, comprised of a full-time safety manager, two welding crews,
two production tampers and three track crews.
windows. By the end of the project, RailWorks crews had performed
240 on-site welds, installed 2,200 crossties and placed 15,000 tons
of ballast.
As a result of its impressive past and recent performance at Deramus
Yard, RailWorks will be busy at work elsewhere on KCS property in
2011. During January crews constructed a 9,000-foot siding along
KCS’ mainline in Whitfield, Miss. Early in March, RailWorks will mobilize a team to KCS’ High Oak Yard in Jackson, Miss., to realign and
relay the mainline track and construct a siding. Afterward, RailWorks
will return to Shreveport and install seven new turnouts as part of
phase II of the yard updates.
Months back, PNR RailWorks’ S&C division came up short on a couple of
bids for business due to a perceived lack of a “quality plan.” The division
realized that meeting the specifications of the International Organization for
Standardization would give them the edge.
So the team pursued a plan and months of work to assess and strengthen
its existing quality processes, and document its work according to ISO’s
exacting standards. The team succeeded and was awarded the quality
management certificate in January.
It turns out that doing things the ISO way has provided a framework for
showing customers, in a more evident manner, the ways the S&C division
honors its commitments. It’s now easier to demonstrate that what it says it
will do on the job is exactly what gets accomplished.
Doing things according to ISO standards has required adjustments that
came with a cost. But committing to the effort and expense was an easy
choice. It was simply the right thing to do.
Attaining this distinction doesn’t mean PNR RailWorks will rest on its laurels.
For this industry leader, good enough is never good enough. Going forward,
the S&C division will continually polish its processes, ensuring its quality
management system continues to shine.
Read more about the new certification for PNR RailWorks’ S&C division on
www.railworks.com and www.pnrrailworks.com.
On-site superintendents Carl Rhodes (l) and Victor Munoz (r) were
instrumental in the success of the project.
Calendar Notes
February 26-March 1
GEAPS Expo Exchange
Portland, OR
February 27-March 1
PNR RailWorks Annual Management Meeting
Vancouver, BC
Annual Safety Training
February 23-25
March 3-4
March 28-29
April 4-5
RailWorks Track Services – St. Louis, MO
RailWorks Track Systems – Alpharetta, GA
RailWorks Track Systems – Houston, TX
RailWorks Track Systems – Houston, TX
Our Values: Customer Focus, Employee Focus, Industry Leadership, Integrity
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February 2011
RAILWORKSMART RAILWORKSAFE
Hands-On Highlight of Annual Safety Training
RAILWORKSMART
RAILWORKSAFE
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
RailWorks’ Safety team took a lesson from an old Chinese proverb
when planning the year’s annual Track safety training:
This year’s sessions feature a day of hands-on training where participants spend at least an hour at each of four to five work stations.
After first learning about potential job hazards, employees see demonstrations of the proper tools and techniques to complete the work
and then try it out for themselves. Work stations vary at each division
but may include spiking, lifting, building a panel, using a rail saw and
torch, welding, applying a derail, and fuel considerations.
to evaluate how we teach employees to make sure we’re providing
the proper instructions.”
The annual safety sessions also include these classroom modules:
general track orientation, FRA Roadway Worker training, Respect in
the Workplace training and DOT vehicle regulation updates.
So far the response has been positive.
“We had a great day of training and got everyone involved,” said Vice
President and Regional Manager Bill Dorris, who leads RailWorks
Track Services’ Minooka, Ill, division. “Each employee got involved at
each stage. Everyone cut a rail. Everyone drilled holes. Everyone set
and used a rail bender and everyone learned the proper use of basic
hand tools.”
Stewart Hoffman, safety director for the central region of RailWorks
Track Systems, said the training has generated a lot of good discussion among peers about how to properly use tools. “Besides giving
our employees the chance to try out new skills, it gives us a chance
(l to r) Equipment Operator John Parks, Laborer Justin Ricketts, and Foreman Richard
“Butch” Litzinger learn how to properly install joint bars and drill corresponding
holes. RailWorks Track Services employees participated in hands-on training at the
annual safety training session in Youngstown, Ohio, on January 26.
News Across the Line
PNR RailWorks
As the temperature warms up to the north,
so will business levels. Here’s a brief
roundup of some new developments and
business awards across Canada.
The Quebec division recently negotiated
a $2 million amendment to their QNS&L
Railway contract. Starting in June, PNR
Coyle will add 22,000 feet of siding and
backtrack to four different existing sidings
along the Sept-Iles and Labrador corridor.
Supervisor Christian Brossard will lead
this project.
The Eastern division just won a $700,000
project for the Toronto Transit Commission
(TTC) in Ontario to construct a temporary
track diversion on the Newmarket subdivision. This work is part of a larger project
required to construct a new underground
station and tunnels for the TTC Toronto-
York Spadina Subway Extension. Project
Superintendent Les Petroczi will manage
phase 1 and 2 the project, which will be
completed in November.
The Prairie division has opened up a new
branch office in Regina, Saskatchewan,
to help develop and support the growing
volume of work in the province. Foreman
Adam Melito now resides in Regina and is
leading the charge to develop a customer
base in the surrounding area. Superintendent Pat Russett is mentoring Adam while
addressing new business opportunities.
Pat will get busy this spring preparing for a
project for Poplar River Mine, in Coronach,
Sask. Work begins in May to replace 4,000
ties and surface, re-ballast and cut the
shoulder along a 25-km. stretch of track.
The Pacific division won a $600,000
project for Southern Railway of British
Columbia. PNR RailWorks’ production gang
will kick off the season with this project to
change out 10,000 ties, surface 40 miles
of track and spread 5,500 tons of ballast.
Superintendent Roy Watson will direct the
work supported by on-site Foreman Dan
Frost. This is the tenth consecutive year
PNR RailWorks has won this contract, with
intensifying competition each year. PNR
RailWorks is gratified by the trust SRY has
placed in it to deliver in their best interests.
Project Manager Al Stevens will direct a
new $450,000 project for BC Hydro Power
Authority on Ruskin Hydro Dam, about 40
miles north of the Abbotsford headquarters.
Foreman John Lima will oversee on-site
work to replace the gantry crane rail used
to open flood gates on the dam and supply
and replace 1,360 lineal feet of direct fixation track.