Maintrainenance: Keeping Heavy Rail Maintenance on Track

Abstract

Infrastructure management is an important aspect of transportation engineering. Contrasting views have emerged on feasible best practice in asset management for various transportation modes. The differences in current practice can provide insight into best practices and lessons learned. This paper focuses on heavy rail maintenance state of practice in the United States and compares the maintenance practices, strategies, and procedures implemented by four transit agencies across the country. The objective of the paper is to provide guidance and examples for other transit agencies in the United States to meet the short-term challenges they face and provide recommendations to improve services nationwide. This paper examines rail maintenance practices at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), and the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). The paper found that out of the four agencies studied, MARTA has the highest maintenance to operations budget ratio, and most of the maintenance expenditure is on labor. WMATA found that automation of inspection improved maintenance efficiency, and BART is working toward adopting more automated processes. New York City’s MTA shows an example of the importance of clear governance in effective budgeting.