Technical Reports

Analyses of Rail Chill Effect

The principles of heat transfer are applied to analyze the so-called “rail chill” effect, which refers to heat loss by conduction from a hot rail vehicle wheel through the contact area into a cold rail, the wheel having been heated by friction braking. A difference of more than a factor of two is...

Experimental Determination of Release Fields in Cut Railroad Car Wheels

A new approach to the measurement of residual stresses in railroad wheels is investigated using a saw cut method of releasing stresses in the structure. High-sensitivity moire interferometry combined with Michelson interferometry provides full-field information about the distribution of...

Influence of Contact Patch Resistance on Loss of Shunt at Highway-Railroad Grade Crossing: Appendix D

Influence of Contact Patch Resistance on Loss of Shunt at Highway-Railroad Grade Crossing: APPENDIX A

Influence of Contact Patch Resistance on Loss of Shunt at Highway-Railroad Grade Crossing

Results of testing completed to date have revealed no promising mitigation techniques to reduce or eliminate loss of shunt on highway/rail grade crossing island circuits. During the course of this test program, results have shown that resistive films that develop on the running surfaces of wheels...

Investigation on CWR Longitudinal Restraint Behavior in Winter Rail Break and Summer Destressing Operations

This report presents the results of investigations on the rail anchor/fastener effects on rail movement and the resulting rail force distribution in continuous welded rail (CWR)track during rail breaks and destressing operations. Two types of tests are used, one for simulating winter rail break...

Procedure to Establish Inspection Intervals of Regularly Maintained In-Service Units Subject to Failure

Procedures have been developed for determining the period between regular inspections that is required to ensure, with a specified level of confidence, that no more than a certain percentage of the units of a population that is in service has failed. The procedure assumes that the units have a...

Safety of High Speed Ground Transportation Systems, Track Lateral Shift: Fundamentals and State-of-the-Art Review

This report presents a review of the state of the art of track lateral shift analysis, with improved concepts for safety evaluation of high speed trains generating track shift forces. The mechanics of track shift and the resulting track failure modes are defined. A critical review of the track...

Design Data on Suspension Systems of Selected Rail Passenger Cars

This report presents the results of an effort to compile data for the U.S. fleet of railroad passenger cars, and to describe the different passenger car truck designs and design features used in the United States. The report provides a detailed discussion of the functions of a rail passenger car...

Safety of highway-railroad grade crossings. Research needs workshop, Volume I

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently developed the DOT Action Plan for Rail-Highway Grade Crossing Safety. The objective is to achieve at least a 50% reduction in accidents and fatalities at grade crossings over the next 10 years. The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center...

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Technical Reports