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FEATURE STORY

Why We Inspect

by Marc Hackett, Director Ballast and Grade

How many times have you been asked to inspect a section of a
machine, or even an entire machine? Have you ever wondered
why? Have you ever viewed the request as a waste of time? Do
you wonder what happens to the information you provide once
you have completed your inspection? Inspections are a large part
of Loram’s culture and for good reason. I will cover several rea-
sons why we inspect and hopefully inspire you to become in-
volved in the inspection activities taking place on your machine.
I recently visited two machines for the purpose of inspecting car
frames. The cars were nearing the end of their service life and we needed to understand the future potential for the
two cars. I have experience inspecting frames and so was delegated the task of confirming whether the cars were to
be scrapped or refurbished. In the case of car one, an earlier inspection had found a suspect area. The frame welds
were at ground level so my job was easy; be a second set of eyes and verify what someone else had found. The in-
spection was straightforward, I confirmed the car needed to be scrapped. The second inspection was a bit trickier. It
was the end of the day, it was cold and windy, the sun was setting, and it was tough to see the welds.
As I inspected car two it was tough keeping myself enthused given the environment I was in. Staying engaged in the
inspection became a mental game, I knew this was important, I knew I could do it, I pushed on and discovered welds
that were cracked. This car was condemned and could no longer be interchanged. I realized at that time how the
work being done had affected not only Loram, but also our customer. I had found what could have been catastrophic
if this car were allowed to go into a train consist and travel on the network. This is why we inspect, we do it to pro-
tect our co-workers, the company, our customers and even the general public.
When you are asked to perform an inspection make sure you understand what you are being asked to do. If you are
not clear on your responsibilities, ask for help. I did not inspect cars on my own when I first started working at Lo-
ram, I had some great mentors as well as professional instruction.
Our suppliers also supply key measurements and describe what
good looks like so we can compare our equipment to industry
norms. This help has been critical in developing my inspection
skills. I trust others, I have contact information in my phone that I
can use to call for help, I am not alone when I inspect, my virtual
support team is always close.

I also have a toolkit that I take with me whenever I inspect a car or
machine. I have a J-gauge, a tape measure, a camera, a notepad, a
flashlight, and hopefully a helper. As I become less flexible it helps
to have someone who can share part of the climbing and crawling
in and under the work area. Cars and machines are big pieces of

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