AGENDA ITEM 10-D
CONSENT AGENDA ITEM
TO:
CHAIRMAN MILDE AND THE VRE OPERATIONS BOARD
FROM:
DALE ZEHNER
DATE:
JANUARY 15, 2010
RE:
AUTHORIZATION TO ISSUE A TASK ORDER FOR THE
INSTALLATION OF ELECTRONIC BELLS
________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
The VRE Operations Board is being asked to authorize the Chief Executive
Officer to issue a task order to STV, Inc., under the MEC IV contract, for the
design, installation and testing of electronic crossing bells on 20 cab cars in an
amount not to exceed $189,549.
BACKGROUND:
The crossing bell is a federally mandated safety device required for train
operation in both a locomotive and cab car. The twenty-one original Gallery IV
cab car design included a pneumatically operated crossing bell located on the
underside of the car. The location of the crossing bell exposes the pneumatic
ringer to the elements, causing frequent crossing bell failures and resulting in
operating delays. The location of the bell cannot be changed and is an industry
wide problem.
The railroad supplier community has provided a solution by manufacturing a
solid-state electronic bell (E-Bell). VRE installed one E-Bell on cab car V711 on
September 1, 2009 and validated the improvement in reliability. The E-Bell has
become standard equipment on new cab car orders throughout the industry and
will be a feature on VRE’s new locomotive order.
This task order includes purchase of the bells, installation design, actual
installation, testing, and incorporation of new specifications into the railcar
manuals. Once the units have been received and are ready for installation, work
is expected to take approximately six months to complete.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding for this project is available from the rolling stock modifications line item
of the FY 2009 capital budget.
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TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
CHAIRMAN MILDE AND THE VRE OPERATIONS BOARD
DALE ZEHNER
JANUARY 15, 2010
AUTHORIZATION TO ISSUE A TASK ORDER FOR THE
INSTALLATION OF ELECTRONIC BELLS
RESOLUTION
10D-01-2010
OF THE
VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS
OPERATIONS BOARD
WHEREAS, VRE has twenty-one Gallery cars, each equipped with a
pneumatically operated crossing bell located on the underside of the car; and,
WHEREAS, the location of the crossing bell exposes the pneumatic ringer to the
elements, causing frequent crossing bell failures and resulting in operating
delays; and,
WHEREAS, a pilot project testing an E-bell proved successful from both a
maintenance and operating perspective; and,
WHEREAS, VRE has a contract with STV, Inc. for mechanical engineering
consulting services to perform this work.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the VRE Operations Board
authorizes the Chief Executive Officer to issue a task order to STV, Inc., under
the MEC IV contract, for the design, installation and testing of electronic crossing
bells on twenty cab cars in an amount not to exceed $189,549.
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