American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association
October 18, 2023
The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) is a North American railway industry group. It publishes recommended practices for the design, construction and maintenance of railway infrastructure, which are used in the United States and Canada.
AREMA is headquartered in Lanham, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. As stated in their mission statement, AREMA promotes "The development and advancement of both technical and practical knowledge and recommended practices pertaining to the design, construction and maintenance of railway infrastructure." AREMA recognizes outstanding achievements in railway engineering with the annual William Walter Hay Award.[1]
Beth Caruso was appointed as AREMA's Executive Director/CEO in September 2015. Prior to this appointment, she served as AREMA's Director of Administration. Ray Verrelle is the AREMA President and Chairman of the Board of Governors for 2023-4.[2]
HistoryEdit
AREMA was established on October 1, 1997, by the merger of four engineering associations:[2]
the American Railway Engineering Association
the American Railway Bridge and Building Association
the Roadmasters and Maintenance of Way Association
These four organizations have devoted a total of over 400 years of service to the rail industry prior to merging into AREMA.
American Railway Engineering AssociationEdit
Formed in 1899, it began publishing the Manual for Railway Engineering in 1905 and established many technical committees which are still functioning today in AREMA. It was headquartered in Chicago until 1979, when it moved to Washington, DC.
American Railway Bridge and Building AssociationEdit
Formed in 1891 in St. Louis, Missouri, as the American International Association of Railway Superintendents of Bridges and Buildings, the Association initially represented 40 railroads. The name was changed in 1907 to the American Railway Bridge and Building Association. The group provided a forum to exchange information and create solutions to problems that confront the railway industry.
Roadmasters and Maintenance of Way AssociationEdit
The oldest of the groups was organized in 1883 by 61 roadmasters representing 24 railways. The Association provided a means for maintenance officers to meet and discuss their mutual problems. Rail joints, switches, frogs and ties were among the subjects studied, leading to the standardization of maintenance practices.
Communications and Signal Division of the Association of American RailroadsEdit
In 1885, the Association of Telegraph and Telephone Superintendents was formed by the telegraph superintendents of the major railroads. In 1895, the Railway Signaling Club was organized at a meeting in Chicago, Illinois, and created a code of rules governing the operation of interlockings. In 1919, the Signaling Club became the Signal Division of the newly created American Railway Association (ARA) and the Telegraph Superintendents became its Telegraph and Telephone Section. The ARA became the Association of American Railroads (AAR) in 1934; the Signal Division was renamed the Signal Section and the Telegraph and Telephone was renamed the Communications Section. The two sections merged in 1961 to become the Communications and Signal Division of the AAR, which has now been merged into AREMA.
Technical committeesEdit
AREMA has 29 technical committees, organized in six functional groups. The committees, whose volunteer members come from the railroad industry, meet on a regular basis and use their expertise to come up with the best methods to maintain a railroad.[2]
Structures
Timber Structures (Committee 7)
Concrete Structures & Foundations (Committee 8)
Seismic Design for Railway Structures (Committee 9)
Structures Maintenance & Construction (Committee 10)
Steel Structures (Committee 15)
Clearances (Committee 28)
Passenger & Transit
Commuter & Intercity Rail Systems (Committee 11)
Rail Transit (Committee 12)
High Speed Rail Systems (Committee 17)
Electric Energy Utilization (Committee 33)
Track
Roadway & Ballast (Committee 1)
Rail (Committee 4)
Track (Committee 5)
Maintenance of Way Work Equipment (Committee 27)
Ties (Committee 30)
Engineering Services
Track Measuring and Assessment Systems (Committee 2)
Building & Support Facilities (Committee 6)
Environmental (Committee 13)
Yards & Terminals (Committee 14)
Economics of Railway Engineering & Operations (Committee 16)
Light Density & Short Line Railways (Committee 18)
Education & Training (Committee 24)
Communications & Signals
Scales (Committee 34)
Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems (Committee 36)
Signal Systems (Committee 37)
Information, Defect Detection & Energy Systems (Committee 38)
Positive Train Control (Committee 39)
Maintenance
Engineering Safety Steering Team (Committee 40)
Track Maintenance Steering Team (Committee 41)
Signals Maintenance Steering Team (Committee 43)
Recommended practicesEdit
AREMA publishes recommended practices in nine separate documents.[2] Manual for Railway Engineering, Communications and Signals Manual, Practical Guide to Railway Engineering, and the Bridge inspection Handbook are four of AREMA's prime publications.
Manual for Railway EngineeringEdit
The AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering contains principles, data, specifications, plans and economics pertaining to the engineering, design and construction of the fixed plant of railways (except signals and communications), and allied services and facilities.[3]
21 chapters are contained in four volumes, updated annually by the technical committees.
Consultants use the manual's recommendations as a basis for design. Many railroads use the manual as a basis for their track standards and may add to it to describe their specific needs.[4]
Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended PracticesEdit
The AREMA Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices contains recommended practices for railway communications and signaling.
24 sections are contained in five volumes, written and updated by the AREMA committees.[5]
An electronic version of AREMA's Procedures and Proceedings is available to members. The extensive library includes over 65 years of technical proceedings taken from the Roadmasters & Maintenance of Way Association proceedings and the American Railway Bridge and Building Association proceedings.[6] Earlier Proceedings of the Annual Convention are available as digitized books.[7]
ReferencesEdit
^Barkan, Christopher P. L.; Franke, Michael W. (2022). "William W. Hay Award for Excellence honors legacy of CEE rail professor". CEE. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (Summer): 34–36.
^ abcd. Archived from the original on 8 December 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
^ abKeller, Richard (2002). "Railway Track and Structures, What is the value of AREMA? (October 2002)". Railway Track and Structures. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
^AREMA Communications & Signals Manual of Recommended Practices - Table of Contents 2008-01-07 at the Wayback Machine
^AREMA Electronic Document Library 2008-12-11 at the Wayback Machine
^AREMA Publications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
External linksEdit
AREMA website
October 18, 2023
american, railway, engineering, maintenance, association, arema, north, american, railway, industry, group, publishes, recommended, practices, design, construction, maintenance, railway, infrastructure, which, used, united, states, canada, contents, overview, . The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association AREMA is a North American railway industry group It publishes recommended practices for the design construction and maintenance of railway infrastructure which are used in the United States and Canada Contents 1 Overview 2 History 2 1 American Railway Engineering Association 2 2 American Railway Bridge and Building Association 2 3 Roadmasters and Maintenance of Way Association 2 4 Communications and Signal Division of the Association of American Railroads 3 Technical committees 4 Recommended practices 4 1 Manual for Railway Engineering 4 2 Communications amp Signals Manual of Recommended Practices 5 Proceedings online 6 References 7 External linksOverview EditAREMA is headquartered in Lanham Maryland a suburb of Washington D C As stated in their mission statement AREMA promotes The development and advancement of both technical and practical knowledge and recommended practices pertaining to the design construction and maintenance of railway infrastructure AREMA recognizes outstanding achievements in railway engineering with the annual William Walter Hay Award 1 Beth Caruso was appointed as AREMA s Executive Director CEO in September 2015 Prior to this appointment she served as AREMA s Director of Administration Ray Verrelle is the AREMA President and Chairman of the Board of Governors for 2023 4 2 History EditAREMA was established on October 1 1997 by the merger of four engineering associations 2 the American Railway Engineering Association the American Railway Bridge and Building Association the Roadmasters and Maintenance of Way Association the Communications and Signal Division of the Association of American RailroadsThese four organizations have devoted a total of over 400 years of service to the rail industry prior to merging into AREMA American Railway Engineering Association Edit Formed in 1899 it began publishing the Manual for Railway Engineering in 1905 and established many technical committees which are still functioning today in AREMA It was headquartered in Chicago until 1979 when it moved to Washington DC American Railway Bridge and Building Association Edit Formed in 1891 in St Louis Missouri as the American International Association of Railway Superintendents of Bridges and Buildings the Association initially represented 40 railroads The name was changed in 1907 to the American Railway Bridge and Building Association The group provided a forum to exchange information and create solutions to problems that confront the railway industry Roadmasters and Maintenance of Way Association Edit The oldest of the groups was organized in 1883 by 61 roadmasters representing 24 railways The Association provided a means for maintenance officers to meet and discuss their mutual problems Rail joints switches frogs and ties were among the subjects studied leading to the standardization of maintenance practices Communications and Signal Division of the Association of American Railroads Edit In 1885 the Association of Telegraph and Telephone Superintendents was formed by the telegraph superintendents of the major railroads In 1895 the Railway Signaling Club was organized at a meeting in Chicago Illinois and created a code of rules governing the operation of interlockings In 1919 the Signaling Club became the Signal Division of the newly created American Railway Association ARA and the Telegraph Superintendents became its Telegraph and Telephone Section The ARA became the Association of American Railroads AAR in 1934 the Signal Division was renamed the Signal Section and the Telegraph and Telephone was renamed the Communications Section The two sections merged in 1961 to become the Communications and Signal Division of the AAR which has now been merged into AREMA Technical committees EditAREMA has 29 technical committees organized in six functional groups The committees whose volunteer members come from the railroad industry meet on a regular basis and use their expertise to come up with the best methods to maintain a railroad 2 Structures Timber Structures Committee 7 Concrete Structures amp Foundations Committee 8 Seismic Design for Railway Structures Committee 9 Structures Maintenance amp Construction Committee 10 Steel Structures Committee 15 Clearances Committee 28 Passenger amp Transit Commuter amp Intercity Rail Systems Committee 11 Rail Transit Committee 12 High Speed Rail Systems Committee 17 Electric Energy Utilization Committee 33 Track Roadway amp Ballast Committee 1 Rail Committee 4 Track Committee 5 Maintenance of Way Work Equipment Committee 27 Ties Committee 30 Engineering Services Track Measuring and Assessment Systems Committee 2 Building amp Support Facilities Committee 6 Environmental Committee 13 Yards amp Terminals Committee 14 Economics of Railway Engineering amp Operations Committee 16 Light Density amp Short Line Railways Committee 18 Education amp Training Committee 24 Communications amp Signals Scales Committee 34 Highway Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems Committee 36 Signal Systems Committee 37 Information Defect Detection amp Energy Systems Committee 38 Positive Train Control Committee 39 Maintenance Engineering Safety Steering Team Committee 40 Track Maintenance Steering Team Committee 41 Signals Maintenance Steering Team Committee 43 Recommended practices EditAREMA publishes recommended practices in nine separate documents 2 Manual for Railway Engineering Communications and Signals Manual Practical Guide to Railway Engineering and the Bridge inspection Handbook are four of AREMA s prime publications Manual for Railway Engineering Edit The AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering contains principles data specifications plans and economics pertaining to the engineering design and construction of the fixed plant of railways except signals and communications and allied services and facilities 3 21 chapters are contained in four volumes updated annually by the technical committees Consultants use the manual s recommendations as a basis for design Many railroads use the manual as a basis for their track standards and may add to it to describe their specific needs 4 Communications amp Signals Manual of Recommended Practices Edit The AREMA Communications amp Signals Manual of Recommended Practices contains recommended practices for railway communications and signaling 24 sections are contained in five volumes written and updated by the AREMA committees 5 Administrative amp General Railroad Signal Systems Highway Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems Yard Systems Defect Detection Systems Relays Signals Track Circuits Power Supply Wire amp Electrical Cable Circuit Protection Switches Mechanical Electrical Devices Foundations Hardware Materials Materials Vital Circuit amp Software Design Quality Principles Inside Plant Electrical Protection Inductive Interference Data Transmission Radio Communication based Signaling Positive Train Control These practices are required for railroads in the United States by the Federal Railroad Administration and in Canada by Transport Canada 4 Proceedings online EditAn electronic version of AREMA s Procedures and Proceedings is available to members The extensive library includes over 65 years of technical proceedings taken from the Roadmasters amp Maintenance of Way Association proceedings and the American Railway Bridge and Building Association proceedings 6 Earlier Proceedings of the Annual Convention are available as digitized books 7 References Edit Barkan Christopher P L Franke Michael W 2022 William W Hay Award for Excellence honors legacy of CEE rail professor CEE University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Summer 34 36 a b c d AREMA web site Archived from the original on 8 December 2007 Retrieved 2007 12 15 Technical Information Center Reference Library Catalog permanent dead link a b Keller Richard 2002 Railway Track and Structures What is the value of AREMA October 2002 Railway Track and Structures Retrieved 2007 12 15 AREMA Communications amp Signals Manual of Recommended Practices Table of Contents Archived 2008 01 07 at the Wayback Machine AREMA Electronic Document Library Archived 2008 12 11 at the Wayback Machine AREMA Publications at the University of Illinois at Urbana ChampaignExternal links EditAREMA website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association amp oldid 1178566132, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
