Blog

The first rule of Fight Club was, “You don’t talk about fight club.” The first rule of State of Good Repair/Asset Management (SGRAM) is; you DO talk about SGRAM!  If you do not have an inventory of your assets how do you know if they are in a state of good repair?  This would include all track, bridge, tunnel, electrical, 3^rd rail or Catenary, PTC/ATC, signals, switch and crossing assets.  Having a correct asset inventory is essential in a properties SGRAM journey.

In building your asset inventory be sure to brainstorm and capture important data fields…

Railroaders number one priority each and everyday is the safety of their railroad for their customers, commodities, and the general public. Through the growing economy, rail shippers have been able to move more loads and grow their business. The number of trains running over tracks, through crossings, and over railroad bridges draws attention to the need to regularly inspect these assets per the Federal Railroad Association (FRA) regulations. Many railroads today still conduct these inspections using paper forms. No one needs to be told that railroading is an older industry but even still it is…

The Federal Railroad Association (FRA) makes it a strong priority to know when employees are on the clock working on the movement or function of a train and when they are not. These regulations and time tracking fall into Hours of Service. In 1907 the government first set in writing the limitations on working significant hours on the railroad to promote better safety. The rules have been reconfigured over time as the industry has become more aware of the best practices for employees; the amendments to the law were carried out in 1969…