Line boring repairs worn bores

The SB1000 is a portable, computerized system that drives multiple cutting heads at more than 1,000 SFM during 0.120-in. cuts.

Situation

Line boring is an essential mechanical procedure to overhaul locomotive and other industrial engines. It restores worn or damaged bores, returns the engine to proper alignment, and corrects bore centres.

With rail mechanical shops in North Bay, Ont., and Cochrane, Ont., Ontario Northland uses line boring to help maintain its fleet of 24 locomotives. The North Bay facility currently provides remanufacturing and repair service to CN and G&W, both North American railway and transit companies.

“Ontario Northland has been repairing, overhauling, and remanufacturing its own equipment since its inception, 116 years ago. We’ve made investments and upgrades in our equipment and technology, allowing us to competitively attract external work. Over the past two decades, we’ve taken our unique skill set and expertise and offered our maintenance, overhaul, and remanufacturing services to other North American railways,” explained Dennis Higgs, vice president rail mechanical and remanufacturing.

The company has the ability to repair, overhaul, and remanufacture most Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) locomotives and components and all types of freight and passenger cars.

It also currently remanufactures luxury passenger coaches for the Rocky Mountaineer, as well as its own Polar Bear Express passenger coach, diner, and baggage cars.

Recent investments in the locomotive shop include an engine block cleaner and a stand-alone test bed.

Diesel mechanics, electricians, painters, railcar technicians, engineers, machinists, quality assurance, project managers, and other tradespeople work in the company’s rail and remanufacturing and repair centre.

The shop can overhaul locomotives, rebuild components, test air brakes, and assemble wheels and test wheel bearing quality.

Line boring operations, however, had become a bottleneck for the company because it was sending this work out of the country. The situation added weeks to an engine overhaul just in shipping times alone.

Resolution

The company purchased new line boring equipment to help position itself as the only railway in Canada to offer in-house line boring capabilities to external customers.

“The new line boring machine is an SB1000 portable, computerized unit that is capable of driving multiple different cutting heads,” said Higgs. “We can bore 6 to 15 in. dia. and are currently equipped to line-bore EMD 645 and EMD 710 engine blocks.”

The high-speed align boring machine, from manufacturer AEI, is attached to the engine block and allows the company to correct line boring issues within the block.

Previously this type of work had to be shipped out of the country, adding five to seven weeks to complete locomotive engine overhauls. The addition of this equipment shortens timelines for engine overhauls, increases efficiency, introduces new opportunities, and retains the expertise and work in Canada. Shortened timelines for this service will decrease equipment downtime for railways and improve asset utilization.

“This new equipment enhances our capabilities and improves timelines,” said Higgs. “It will allow us to quickly return our locomotives requiring maintenance back to service. This news will also please our current clients and attract new customers who are looking for quality locomotive repair work that can be completed quickly in Canada. Providing engine overhauls for marine, power generation, and other transportation providers is now an exciting possibility for Ontario Northland.”