In February and March 2004, Amtrak conducted a high-speed rail-grinding operation on its 1,015 miles of track on the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston. The key objectives of this program were to remove the minor fatigue cracking that typically develops on the high rail between normal grinding cycles and to apply rail profiles that promote improved wheel/rail interaction with the mixed traffic that operates over them. By regularly maintaining rail through grinding, Amtrak inhibits rail fatigue failure, increases asset life and improves ride quality for passengers. Poor transverse profiles on the rail will lead to increased wear in curves, hunting in tangent track, and rail surface cracks (Figure 1). Amtrak grinds the rail to specific profiles designed by the National Research Council of Canada that control wear and simultaneously reduce the wheel and rail contact stresses. In combination with regular rail grinding programs, these profiles increase the life of the rail, increase the life of the wheels on the rolling stock and improve the ride quality of trains and, therefore, increase the comfort level of passengers.
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