Next Generation Rail Supply Chain

                    Connecting rail OEMs and manufacturers interested in
                       becoming suppliers to support intermodal transportation in the U.S. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) recently formed a partnership to leverage agency capabilities to ensure the development of a domestic supply base to support intermodal transportation in the United States. A Request for Proposal (RFP) will be released in the first quarter of 2012.

The objective of the Next Generation Rail Supply Chain Connectivity Forums is to bring large carbuilders and OEMs together with smaller, capable and interested U.S. manufacturers to facilitate reaching the goal of 100% domestic content in railcars that will be funded by state and federal dollars. The forums provide a venue for smaller manufacturers to learn what products are needed and find out more about investments they need to consider when entering the rail industry. The Forums facilitate connections between rail industry Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and a broader domestic supply base, to include both traditional and non-traditional rail suppliers.

Click here for more information about the program on the NIST website.

Buy America Supplier Opportunity
Deadline - November 7, 2012

The U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Railroad Administration have released five new supplier opportunities for Buy America Supplier Scouting, in conjunction with Next Generation Rail Service in the U.S.  If you are a manufacturer that is currently making these (or similar items), or have the capability and capacity to make these items, please contact CMTC for more information at contact@cmtc.com.  The deadline is November 7, so act quickly!  Continue reading to see the item descriptions.

Note:  A Railroad OEM is seeking a U.S. Manufacturer to make the following assemblies/parts that are currently manufactured overseas by Schwihag. We are seeking interested, capable manufacturers with capacity to make these items.  Detail specifications are not currently available, just seeking interested companies to begin discussions.

Here is the Schwihag web site for the railroad switch roller item with a pretty cool video of what it does.

http://www.schwihag.com/en/products/switch-roller.html

Here is a video from Schwihag describing the device:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_sDXEzBm7k

Item One: Schwihag double roller assembly and plate, part of the 32.75 turnout. Item materials include: cast iron plate, forged steel clip, steel roller cartridge, bronze and plastic rollers.
  • Summary of Technical Specs: The Schwihag plate, clip and roller are a proprietary design. The cast plate, clip and double roller assembly are shipped from Switzerland to Nortrak in the US. There are 58 Schwihag plates, some of which contain roller assemblies, which are assembled on the concrete ties on the 32.75 turnout. The stock rail is placed into position, and the clip is applied to hold down the gage side of the stock rail, allowing the ZU1‐60 switch point to operate over the raised portion of the plate. Because the Schwihag plates are necessary, Schwihag rollers are used because of their bolt‐in capability.
item 1 item 1 item 1

Item Two: Schwihag switch roller assembly, part of the 32.75 turnout. Item materials include: the cartridge of the roller assembly is machined out of steel, and the rollers are assembled out of steel, bronze, and plastic.
  • Summary of Technical Specs: The Schwihag roller assembly is a proprietary design. The roller assemblies are shipped from Switzerland to Nortrak in the US. Schwihag rollers are used because Schwihag plates are necessary due to their positive gage side holding feature. The Schwihag roller assemblies are made to bolt into the Schwihag plates. Two Schwihag double roller assemblies, one on each side, are installed on the domestic hollow steel ties at the first switch machine location on the 32.75 turnout.

item 2 schwihag switch roller assembly item 2 schwihag switch roller assembly 2 item 2

Item Three: Vee Point Moveable Point Frog Forging Machined. Item materials include: forged cast manganese steel made in Germany.
  • Summary of Technical Specs: This long moveable frog point is needed to provide a continuous wheel path, allowing for the faster diverging speed through the turnout.

item 3 item 3 item 3


Item Four: Schwihag plate, part of the 32.75 turnout. Item materials include: cast steel plate, forged steel clip, made in Switzerland.
  • Summary of Technical Specs:The Schwihag plate is a proprietary design. The cast plate and clip are shipped from Switzerland to Nortrak in the US. There are58 Schwihag plates that are assembled on the concrete ties on the 32.75 turnout. The stock rail is placed into position, and the clip is applied to hold down the gage side of the stock rail, allowing the ZU1‐60 switch point to operate over the raised portion of the plate.

item 4 item 4 item 4

Item Five: Switch point rail machined ZU1-60, both left hand and right hand, part of the 32.75 turnout. Item materials include: rail steel, rolled in Austria to specific unique rail shape.

  • Summary of Technical Specs: The ZU1‐60 rail is needed to make the switch point because of its unique shape. It has a shorter rail cross section which allows the switch point to be moved from the open to closed position over its long length, and allows for positive hold down of the stock rail on the gage side.

item 5 switch point rail machined ZU1 60 item 5 switch point rail machined ZU1 60 2 item 5 3

   

For more information about this Buy America opportunity or other supplier scouting opportunities, contact Cheryl Slobodian, slobodian@cmtc.com or 310-263-3017.