MONTANA RAIL LINK Missoula Yard Missoula Yard Missoula

MONTANA RAIL LINK Missoula Yard

Missoula Yard Missoula area has a total of 35 miles of Main and Yard tracks from East to West Missoula

Missoula Yard • There are personnel permanently assigned in Missoula consisting of Section (Track), Signal & Communications, and Bridge & Building positions to take care of maintenance in the area • Additional personnel are used to install rail, ties, turnouts, ballast, etc. during the summer work season

Missoula Yard State of the art technology is used to switch railroad cars on the switching lead of the classification yard – New technology enhances the safety of the operations – Switching accidents reduced by over 40% since implementation

Missoula Yard • Remote Control Locomotives – Coordinated effort between MRL, FRA, and Unions – Implemented in Missoula in 2002 – Engineer on ground instead of in locomotive – Engineer carries belt pack with numerous safety features while controlling locomotives – Able to see where he is switching cars to

Engineer with remote equipped caboose

Belt Pack that Engineer uses to control remote locomotive

Remotely operated locomotive

Missoula Yard • Hydra-switch (power-assisted switch) – 25 Installed in 2003 in Missoula on the main switching lead of the classification yard – Can be individually controlled at each switch – Or remotely controlled from panel

Hydra switch machine – push button control

Switching Lead

Signal light indication of switch direction

Panel button control of switches

FRA REGULATIONS • MRL has to comply with Federal Railroad Administration regulations • MRL has minimum requirements to follow in track and signal maintenance • FRA frequently visits MRL to check for compliance

Track Inspections • MRL has assigned track inspectors that inspect track across the system including Missoula yard • Walking inspections of the yards are required once per month by regulation • MRL’s inspectors walk tracks more often than required by regulation in a number of highly used tracks – two to three times per month

Internal Rail Flaw Detection • Most of the yard tracks are 10 mph in Missoula • No internal rail flaw inspections are required by FRA regulations in tracks where speeds are 25 mph or less.

Internal Rail Flaw Detection • MRL contracts with Sperry rail services to do internal rail flaw inspections in all high volume tracks in Missoula Yard at least once per year. A number of tracks are done every time the detector is run on the Main Track(5 times annually) • MRL spends over $450, 000 annually to test MRL system for internal rail defects

Sperry internal rail flaw detector

Missoula Yard Maintenance and Capital money allotted to Missoula yard annually

Missoula Yard • Annual installation of a minimum of 2000 hardwood ties • New and second hand rail also installed on an annual basis

Missoula Yard In 2007 over two million dollars committed to Missoula Yard

Missoula Yard • 2007 – 18, 300 lineal feet of new 115# CWR rail – 15, 800 lineal feet of second hand CWR rail – Two yard tracks extended 1800 ft – 13 new turnouts installed – 2, 500 new hardwood cross & switch ties – Over 4 miles of track surfaced

Missoula Yard • 2008 – 2, 500 hardwood cross & switch ties – 12, 000 feet of second hand CWR rail – Two new turnouts – One track to be extended 1600 feet

Montana Rail Link is committed to providing a safe track structure for the safe operation of trains not only in Missoula, but throughout its entire system.

Missoula Yard Training and Hazardous Materials

Montana Rail Link • • Operating Department Engineering Department Mechanical Department Administrative Department

MRL Training Overview…. • • • General Safety Rules Departmental Specific Operating Rules Job Specific Technical Training Haz. Mat Awareness Training Security Awareness Training CPR/1 st Aid Training

MRL Community Involvement…. • LEPC meetings …. . 17 counties • MT State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) • TRANSCAER • MRL Haz. Mat Team Outreach – X-training with local emergency response agencies – X-training with other local industries – Field exercises

Train Engineer Simulator

Montana Rail Link 24/7 emergency contact …. . 1 – 406 523 - 1463 …Transportation Center 1 – 800 498 - 4838…Dedicated Emergency Hotline

MONTANA RAIL LINK Missoula Yard