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The Sensor Platform (SP) Framework was a system engineering project conducted in conjunction with the Association of American Railroads-funded development of automated train operation (ATO) system requirements. The SP is a device that monitors the external environment in front of the train for...
The Federal Railroad Administration sponsored a 2-year research effort between August 2020 and August 2022 to investigate multiple mitigation concepts for hazmat tank cars, aimed at improving their puncture resistance. The team first developed and validated a finite element (FE) model of a full-...
As part of a research program to improve transportation safety for tank cars carrying hazardous materials, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) sponsored Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (now MxV Rail) and the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe) to test and analyze...
In a research project funded by FRA from May 2020 to September 2022, Transportation Technology Center, Inc. collaborated with a railroad industry technical advisory group to develop 1) the concept, 2) the system-level, segment-level, and interface requirements, 3) the migration considerations,...
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) sponsored a research team to conduct high fidelity finite element (FE) modeling to evaluate the effects of post-derailment motion on PRV system damage and the performance of structural countermeasures. The team conducted physical tests to measure the...
Researchers sought to determine how to improve the confidentiality of information passing through the Positive Train Control network without significantly affecting network performance. Phase 1 of the project reviewed requirements and assessed existing technologies. Phase 2 focused on...
This report documents stakeholder perspectives and opinions on the fatigue and safety of freight locomotive engineers. This work follows an online survey sponsored by the Federal Railroad Administration, developed by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, and distributed to members of the...
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) sponsored Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (MxV Rail), in collaboration with a railroad technical advisory group (TAG), to research and conduct proof-of-concept field testing of a Virtual Block Track Circuit (VBTC) concept. The VBTC concept uses...
The goal of the Automated Train Operations (ATO) Safety and Sensor Development Project was to define system requirements for a locomotive-borne sensor platform (SP) to support the ATO concept. Transportation Technology Center, Inc. conducted market research to gain an understanding of available...
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) funded Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) to examine the performance benefits of four potential modifications to the current methodology used for passenger braking enforcement algorithms (EA) in the Interoperable Electronic Train Management...