USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

Everyone

Subscribe to RSS

Safety of Railroad Passenger Vehicle Dynamics: Final Summary Report

This report is a summary of all the work done by Foster-Miller on passenger rail vehicle dynamic safety under the contract awarded by the Federal Railroad Administration. The report presents key issues and findings in the safety assessments and a safety assessment methodology for rail vehicles...

Locomotive Crashworthiness Research: Modeling, Simulation and Validation

A technique was developed to realistically simulate the dynamic, nonlinear structural behavior of moving rail vehicles and objects struck during a collision. A new approach considered the interdependence of the many vehicles connected in typical rail consists. This was accomplished by combining the...

Aerodynamic Effects of High-Speed Passenger Trains on Other Trains

With the onset of high-speed train operations in the United States, a study was undertaken to determine the possible aerodynamic effects of these trains have on their surroundings. The aerodynamic interaction between a high-speed train passing other trains, and its effects on the structural...

Tank Car Fatigue Crack Growth Test

Under the Tank Car Fatigue Crack Growth Test Program, the Association of American Railroads performed over-the-road tests, immpact tests, perturbed track tests, quasi-static and cyclic Mini-shaker Unit vertical coupler loading tests, and a 300,000-mile accelerated-rate Simuloader fatigue test on a...

Field Product Removal Methods for Tank Cars

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has prepared a handbook entitled 'Field Product Removal Methods for Tank Cars' containing guidelines for use by responders to derailments involving tank cars. The handbook presents several general techniques for unloading damaged tank cars. Procedures for...

Chlorine Tank Car Puncture Resistance Evaluation

Experimental studies have been conducted to evaluate the relative puncture resistance of DOT 105A500W (chlorine) tank cars and DOT 112J340W (propane) tank cars equipped with 1/2-inch steel head shields. These studies included a series of full- and 1/5-scale tests conducted by the Association of...

Aluminum/Cold Temperature Tank Car Puncture Resistance Tests: Data Report

Puncture resistance testing of DOT Type 111 aluminum tank car heads was conducted at the Transportation Test Center (TTC), Pueblo, Colorado. Testing was conducted to determine the puncture resistance of a standard Type 111 aluminum tank car relative to that of DOT Type 112/114 and 105 steel tank...