RIC is under contract to provide on-call surveying and engineering services to Kansas City Southern (KCS) Railway. In 2015, KCS requested RIC through Purchase Order No. 5800012796, to assist with a specific track problem within the entrance service track for the IFG facility located within the Richards Gebauer Airport in south Kansas City.
The existing entrance lead track existed on a 7‑degree curve and was partially located on a typical ballast section and partially on the paved airport runway section. The track’s wood ties on this curved portion that were on the airport runway section did not create enough friction with the pavement to hold the track position or gage when trains moved through the curved track.
RIC performed a 3D scanned survey for the incoming track, a profile analysis, and a sliding analysis of the track system. Based on our analysis we devised a solution to create enough friction to keep the track in place. Keeping the track in service with minimum disruption was critical to the project. The profile and sliding analysis revealed that developing higher friction between the pavement surface and the track system would solve the sliding problem. A lower profile steel tie system was utilized so KCS did not have to remove any of the existing pavement to accomplish the installation, which reduced operational disruption and construction time.
RIC proposed a new track system which included the use of concrete barriers on each side of the track, with a new ballast and steel tie system to reduce the possibility of track movement in the future. The ballast section and steel tie system placed between the concrete barrier curbs would reduce lateral movement when inbound and outbound trains dynamic acceleration forces while turning through the curve.