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

Facilities & Test Equipment

Subscribe to RSS

Transportation Technology Center (TTC)

Mission Statement

To provide innovative world class research, development, testing, training, and facilities to ensure safe, secure, reliable, and efficient rail transportation for the Nation.

Industry Survey of Bolsters and Side Frames Removed from Service

Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) conducted an industry survey of defective bolsters and side frames removed from service. Scrapped components (approximately 70 bolsters and 55 side frames) from four railcar shops were analyzed, and the data collected was used to create a database...

FAST Heavy Axle Load Program Safety Compendium

[From the Introduction] The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) have jointly funded research activity at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST) to study the effects of increasing the nominal North American railroad axle load from 33-...

Crosstie and Fastener Tests at FAST: 1988-1999

The Heavy Axle Load (HAL) implementation program began in 1988 with the objective of developing economically optimal and safe axle loads for North American railroads. This research is currently being conducted by the Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTC), a subsidiary of the Association of...

Results of Laboratory Quasi-Static Jacking Tests on Three Vehicles

Laboratory quasi-static jacking tests were performed on three vehicles at the Transportation Technology Center, Pueblo, Colorado. Results indicate vehicle wheel unloading that occurred during the tests varied with cross level difference, car body torsional stiffness, truck spacing, and vehicle...

Distributions of Dynamic Wheel/Rails Under Heavy Axle Loads

Under the Heavy Axle Load (HAL) program funded by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), a test activity was initiated in 1997 to study the relationships between dynamic vehicle responses and track geometry conditions. As a first step, analyses...

FAST Heavy Axle Load Ballast Test Results

A ballast experiment was performed at the Federal Railroad Administration’s Transportation Technology Center, Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST), Pueblo, Colorado, as part of the original series of tests designed to determine track performance under 39-ton axle loads. Four ballast...

Economics of Increased Axle Loads: FAST/HAL Phase II Results

Based upon the cases analyzed to date, the use of heavier cars, with attendant increased axle loads, may be a viable tool for achieving significant total savings in cost for specific rail operations. The potential net benefits for operations with 286,000 gross vehicle weight (GVW) cars are in the...