Technical Reports
Laboratory Fatigue Testing of Selected Welded and Bolted Aluminum Connections for Freight Car Design
This report describes the tests conducted to determine the fatigue properties of joints and construction details in aluminum-bodied freight cars. The tests were conducted at the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The funding for this test program was...High Speed Switches for Maglev Vehicles
High speed switches are required to maintain throughput capacity and schedule and route flexibility in a successful Maglev system. Ride quality constraints at full speed require switch lengths of 300m or more. Moving mechanical guideways of this length safely and reliably is impractical....Guideway Structural Design and Power/Propulsion/Braking in Relation to Guideways
This final report summarizes work completed in the investigation of the power, propulsion, and braking systems for five (5) different electrodynamic (EDS) Maglev configurations. System requirements and recommendations, including a cost analysis, are determined for each configuration. The analysis...Finite Element Models, Validation, and Results for Wheel Temperature and Elastic Thermal Stress Distribution
This report is the third in a series of engineering studies on railroad vehicle wheel performance. Heat transfer finite element models of multiple unit (MU) power car wheels are documented and validated by comparison of calculated temperatures with measurements made during an operational test....Thermal Effects and Mitigation Methods for Continuous Sheet Guideways
This final report summarizes work completed in the assessment and analysis of the thermal effects and mitigation methods for continuous sheet Maglev guideway structures. The thermal problems are identified and assessed in a literature search and review of design codes. Advanced heat transfer and...Validating Electromagnetic Walking Stick Rail Surface Crack Measuring Systems
A series of field studies were undertaken to evaluate electromagnetic walking stick systems and their ability to measure the depth of damage from surface breaking cracks. In total, four railroads, and four suppliers participated in the project. The walking sticks were able to determine whether...State-of-the-Art Assessment of Guideway Systems for Maglev Applications
The engineering, environmental, diagnostic, and economic feasibility of Maglev guideway systems are assessed with an emphasis on composite materials as directed by Congress. This study further examines the performance and the cost of existing and innovative guideway systems that are applicable to...Sensor Systems for Monitoring Maglev Guideway Structures
This report is an assessment of the technologies available for continuous monitoring of the physical condition and structural integrity of maglev guideways. The detection of obstructions on the guideway is not included. No particular guideway design is assumed, other than that the largest part of...Safety of High Speed Magnetic Levitation Transportation Systems: Final Report on Magnetic Field Testing of TR-07 Maglev Vehicle, Volume I - Analysis
The safety of various magnetically levitated (maglev) and high speed rail (HSR) trains proposed for application in the United States is of direct concern to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The characterization of electric and magnetic fields (EMF) emissions, both steady (dc) and...