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Technical Reports

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Engineman Stress and Fatigue: Pilot Study

In this pilot study, the effects of fatigue on the train handling performance and vigilance of four certified train service locomotive engineers was assessed while they operated the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Research and Locomotive Evaluator/Simulator (RALES). Subjects operated on an...

Aluminum Tank Car Puncture Resistance Evaluation

Experimental studies to maintain the safety of transporting hazardous material by rail have been extended to evaluate the effectiveness of steel head shields for the protection of the contents of DOT Type 111 aluminum tank cars. These studies comprised a series of full- and 1/5-scale model tests...

Control of Rail Integrity By Self-Adaptive Scheduling of Rail Tests

A guide for the scheduling of in-service tests of rail to detect defects is presented. The guide is designed for self-adaptation to changing track conditions, as reflected by the total rate of defect occurrence per test, the rate of “service” defect occurrences (i.e., defects found by means other...

An Assessment of High-Speed Rail Safety Issues and Research Needs

Proposals are currently being developed for high-speed wheel-on-rail passenger train service in several intercity corridors in the United States. These proposals involve the application of foreign high-speed train technology, and operation at speeds exceeding 125 mph. This report provides an...

Analyses of Phase III Dynamic Buckling Tests

Thermal buckling of railroad tracks in the lateral plane is an important problem in the design and maintenance of continuous welded rail (CWR) tracks. The problem is manifested through derailments which are attributable to track buckling, indicating a need for developing better control on the...

Crack Propagation Life of Detail Fractures in Rails

The results of a comprehensive study of the crack propagation behavior of detail fractures in railroad rails are presented. The study includes full-scale crack growth experiments in a test track under simulated heavy freight train service, similar field tests and observations on revenue tracks,...

Safety Testing of Intermodal Hazmat Configurations, Summary Report

This report presents summary results of a research program sponsored by the Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The program was concerned with safety issues of flatcars and the transport of liquid hazardous materials (hazmat) in intermodal configurations. Primary...

Evaluation of Damaged Tank Car Structural Integrity

To assess the safety of moving a damaged tank car, it is necessary to know the sizes and shapes of cracks, the stresses associated with moving the tank car, and the fracture toughness of the material used to fabricate the tank car. The report provides the results and recommendations for the...