Track Performance under Heavy-axle-loads at the Eastern and Western Mega Sites

An update of heavy-axle-loads (HAL) revenue service testing program at the eastern and western mega sites is presented in this article. The eastern mega site is located in Bluefield, West Virginia and the western mega site is located near Ogallala, Nebraska. Both of these mega sites are on mainlines that predominantly see loaded 286,000-pound coal car traffic with an estimated 55 million gross tons (mgt) at the eastern mega site and approximately 220 to 250 mgt at the western mega site. This testing program provided the industry with a good understanding of HAL effects and causes of track-related problems that are associated with HAL operations in revenue service. These mega sites have provided for new designs, track materials and improved technologies and maintenance practices that are intended to improve operational safety and also to mitigate the adverse effects of HAL on railroad track degradation.