Research today at TTCI making a difference on tomorrow’ s railroad
Future Tracks
Research today at TTCI making a difference on tomorrow’ s railroad
The Transportation Technology Center, Inc., spans 52 square miles in a remote area near Pueblo, Colo. There, TTCI accomplishes isolated testing for all categories of freight and passenger rolling stock, vehicle and track components and safety devices.
On a remote swath of land near Pueblo, Colo., the future of modern railroading is undergoing test after test by engineers and doctors dressed not in white lab coats, but jeans and Polo shirts. Locomotives run again and again over stressed bridges; railcars zip around tight curves; and safety devices are put through repetitive, rigorous testing.
Railroads from Class Is to shortlines ultimately benefit from the trial-and-error processes that are part of the daily lives of some 270 employees, including about 100 researchers, at Transportation Technology Center Inc.( TTCI). The next test could ultimately extend the life of a freight car and save the industry millions of dollars.
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TCI, committed to safety, reliability and efficiency, manages extensive track and state-of-the-art laboratory facilities; and some of the industry’ s top engineers and support staff to research and test railroad equipment, track, components and safety devices. The 52-square-mile secure site; which operates under con-
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Variables from Page 3
and BNSF has received the honor every year since 2005.
Several variables may impact a railroad’ s performance, including weather, interchange with other railroads or trucking firms, and service interruptions resulting from track or equipment issues. When
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shipments are delayed or problems arise, customers who subscribe to the customer service portal on BNSF. com and whose freight movement will be affected for a specific location and time period receive notifications.
“ We send out an email to subscribers that have trains in a specific area where we have a service interruption; any customer who has freight going through that location within a 24-hour window will get an email,” Arita said.“ Instead of sending everybody an email, we are specific to subscribing shippers. That reduces the number of phone calls and emails.
“ We want to keep our customers informed and stay one step ahead.”