Research Results
Development of Railroad Trespass and Grade Crossing Training Aids Research
The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Office of Research, Development and Technology (RD&T) sponsored the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) to develop and support dissemination of highway-rail grade crossing safety and railroad right-of-way (ROW) trespass...Full-Scale Shell Impact Test of a DOT-105 Tank Car
On August 1, 2018, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) conducted a full-scale shell impact test of a DOT-105A500W (DOT-105) tank car at the Transportation Technology Center (TTC) in Pueblo, CO. The shell of the car was struck at its mid-length by a 297,000 pound ram car equipped with a 6-...Full-Scale Shell Impact Test of a DOT-111 Tank Car
On October 30, 2018, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) conducted a full-scale shell impact test of a DOT-111A100W (DOT-111) tank car meeting voluntary industry standard CPC-1232 at the Transportation Technology Center (TTC) in Pueblo, CO. The shell of the car was struck at its mid-length...Thermite Head-Defect Repair Welds at the Eastern Mega Site
From October 2013 to March 2017, thermite head-defect repair test welds from two different suppliers were installed at the eastern mega site near Princeton, WV, on mainline track of Norfolk Southern Railway (NS). Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) conducted this research under the...Drainage Properties of Fine Contaminated Ballast
In 2017, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) completed the initial phase of testing on a “Rainy Section” in the High Tonnage Loop at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST) in Pueblo, CO, to measure drainage, settlement, and...Report on the New Rail Integrity and Performance Testing at the Mega Sites
Since 2005, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) have co-sponsored ongoing rail performance testing under mainline heavy axle load (HAL) operations as part of the jointly funded HAL Revenue Service Program. In 2013, Transportation Technology...2017 Grade Crossing Research Needs Workshop
In August of 2017, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) held the fourth Grade Crossing Research Needs Workshop in St. Louis, MO. This workshop brought together national and international subject matter experts to collaborate, identify and prioritize specific research needs. The attendees...