1

FOREWORD

This manual is current for the dates indicated on the title page of Volume I and is kept current by the issuance of annual
updates.

The first two editions of the Manual were issued in 1905 and 1907 as the “Manual of Recommended Practice for Railway
Engineering and Maintenance of Way.” Both were bound volumes and published by the Association under its original name –
American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association.

In 1911, the Association changed its name to the American Railway Engineering Association and issued the third edition of its
Manual. This edition, and the next one in 1915, was called the “Manual of the American Railway Engineering Association,”
and was also a bound volume. The final bound volumes were published in 1921 and 1929 under the name “Manual of the
American Railway Engineering Association for Railway Engineering.” A number of Manual updates were issued between
some of the bound volumes.

The first looseleaf edition of the AREMA Manual was issued in 1936 under the name “Manual for Railway Engineering,” the
next in 1953. In 1961, the publication was reissued and called the “Manual of Recommended Practice for Railway
Engineering.” The current title, “Manual for Railway Engineering,” was approved by the Board of Directors in 1970 and
reverts to the former, simpler, more functional name although the contents are still recommended practice, as indicated in the
preceding Introduction.

In 1996 the Manual was given a complete facelift. Not only was the manual available in paper form, it was also available in an
electronic version stored on a CD-ROM. The Manual was enlarged to an 8Z\x × 11 inch format, perfect bound and divided
into four volumes. For our users’ convenience, the Manual returned to a loose leaf four volume set in 2000. Each volume
covers one of four general areas: Track, Structures, Infrastructure and Passenger, and Systems Management. The CD-ROM
contains a complete version of the manual, which can be run on several platforms (Windows, Macintosh, and Unix).

The Association also publishes the Portfolio of Trackwork Plans, which is a companion volume to the Manual for Railway
Engineering. The Portfolio contains specifications and plans relating to the design of frogs, switches, crossings and other
special trackwork. It was first issued about 1926 in cooperation with the Manganese Track Society.

As shown on the following Contents pages, the AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering is issued in four volumes, each
volume divided into chapters with numbers corresponding to the numbers of the standing technical committees charged with
the primary responsibility for developing and maintaining the chapters. In addition, each volume contains a General Subject
Index which augments the separate Table of Contents provided with each Chapter and Part of the Manual.

To make the Manual easier to use and facilitate reference to parts of it, the committee identification number is carried
throughout the publication by incorporating the number in the page numbering system. For complete information on the key
features of the Manual, such as page numbering system, document dates, article dates, revision marks, and Proceedings
references, the user is directed to the Introduction found in each Chapter.

As stated earlier, updates to the Manual normally are issued annually. Beginning in 2001, revision sets to the looseleaf books
are available.

© 2017, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association iii

Foreword

All holders of the Manual – individual AREMA members, individual nonmembers, railways, universities, governmental
agencies, consulting engineers, constructors, supply companies, or other firms – are notified each year of the availability of the
revised Manual and its cost.

Manuals ordered during the normal Association year will be furnished complete for the dates indicated on the title page.

Copies of the complete Manual may be purchased from Association Headquarters at the then current prices, which are subject
to change without notice. To obtain current individual Chapters, please contact the Publications Department at AREMA at
301-459-3200.

iv AREMA Manual of Railway Engineering