Technical Reports
Computer Simulation of Tank Car Head Puncture Mechanisms
A number of railroad accidents have been aggravated by couplers puncturing the shell head of hazardous material tank cars. Development of means for identifying possible puncture mechanisms and quantifying the coupler forces involved is the subject of this report. A mathematical model, capable of...An Analysis of the Job of Railroad Train Dispatcher
This report constitutes a detailed study of the job of railroad train dispatcher, conducted to provide a data base for the derivation of criteria of job knowledge, skills and training consonant with safe operations. Documentation was reviewed; specialists were consulted, and selected dispatching...A Study to Reduce the Hazards of Tank Car Transportation
The report details the findings of a 4-month study contract directed at reducing the hazards of tank car transportation. Principal objectives were to (1) define thermal inputs and associated vapor generation rates for hazardous materials transported in tank cars when subjected to fire exposure...Thermal Boundary Conditions from Engulfing Fires
Determination of a realistic fire boundary condition provides cask designers with a tool to predict accurately the response of a cask in a fire. In one approach to determining this thermal input, data were analyzed from previous engulfing fire experiments on cask-like objects. In another approach...Cab Technology Integration Laboratory Demonstration with Moving Map Technology
A human performance study was conducted at the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) using a locomotive research simulator—the Cab Technology Integration Laboratory (CTIL)—that was acquired by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The primary objective of the...Prototype Design of a Collision Protection System for Cab Car Engineers
The objective of this project was to develop and analyze a passive system to protect a cab car engineer from secondary impact injuries that might be experienced due to impact with the cab console. The primary requirement for the system was the ability to compartmentalize and limit the injury...Track Buckling Prevention: Theory, Safety Concepts, and Applications
This report is a part of the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center’s Track Stability Research Program for the Federal Railroad Administration on thermal buckling of continuous welded rail (CWR) track and its prevention. Presented in this report are the developments of theoretical...Detailed Puncture Analyses of Tank Cars: Analysis of Different Impactor Threats and Impact Conditions
There has been significant research in recent years to analyze and improve the impact behavior and puncture resistance of railroad tank cars. Much of this research has been performed using detailed nonlinear finite element analyses supported by full scale impact testing. This use of detailed...