Challenges and Opportunities for Innovation in the Public Works ...

is improving. I'm especially pleased to Technologies of the type we've
see the favorable impact that FEAP is been demonstrating under FEAP hold
having on the application of new tech- the key to substantial cost savings in
nologies at Army facilities, maintaining and repairing Army facilities.
And with today's fiscal con-
Facility engineers need every tool
they can get to ensure that the technology
they implement will be the most
cost-effective choice over the long
term. The FEAP demonstrations have
produced real life-cycle data that helps
straints, we can't afford not to put
these innovative technologies to work.
in making these decisions. Several JOHN MOTES II
FEAP technologies have shown im- Colonel, Corps of Engineers
COL John Motes 11
Innovation - Key to
pressively rapid paybacks - some
under 1 year.
As I visit you foilks at the DPWs
Director of Facilities Engineering
U.S. Army Engineering and Housing
Support Center
Efficient O&M and DEHs in the coming months,
please let me know what you think
about the FEAP technologies we are (Editor's note: With his assignment as
In my earlier experience as a DEH, publicizing. Is FEAP helping you with Director of Facilities Engineering for
I was often dismayed that we were its innovative ideas? How can we EHSC last year, COL Motes became the
relying on outdated management tools
and technologies. Today that situation
speed the technology transfer process? FEAP Program Coordinator.) U
"RAILER"' front page I the depot. As at other Army installations,
this track also has a
development. "The database was so role in the event of a national
large that we decided to split it into two mobilization. And as Hunter
parts to speed up the reports." However, points out, that role cannot be
he said this was easy to do with the data- taken lightly.
base management system used in the
program. "Last year, to support Operation
Desert Storm, Tooele was
CERL completed the track inventory to transport a large amount of
in 1986 when the first version of RAIL- conventional munitions. The
ER was introduced at Tooele. The pro- RAILER inspection had identicedure
involves complete documentation fied flaws in one of the tracks
and labeling of the existing track by designated for that purpose, but
breaking it down into track segments. the mobilization began before
Each segment has a unique letter-number they could repair them. As a recombination,
depending on its location suit, the crew was greatly limited RAILER's sofwvare calculates a Condition Index
relative to a point of origin, because they couldn't make best for the track.
use of the damaged track."
RAILER's database can incorporate
results from commercially available rail Hunter noted that crews had to work For further information on
flow inspection equipment. "TThe X-ray day and night seven days a week to keep RAILER, contact Dr. Don Uzarski at
inspection showed several minute struc- up with the demand for munitions. The CERL, PO Box 9005, Champaign, IL
tural cracks in the rails that you couldn't unrepaired track could only handle small 61826-9005, COMM 217-398-5215 or
wee on the surface," Hunter said. "They loads at a maximum of 5 miles per hour. toll-free 800-USA-CERL (inside IL),
were really pleased that they had the 800-252-7122 (outside IL); or Scott
dhance to replace those rails before they "I think it's worth the time and money Thompson at EHSC, Fort Belvoir, VA
failed." to maintain our railroads," he said. 22060-5516, 703-355-3582. U
"RAILER lets us make the best decisions
The Toocle track network supports for allocating the resources to do that."
daily traffic for transporting supplies to 219