eLibrary
WISESight™: A Multispectral Smart Video-Track Intrusion Monitor
International Electronic Machines Corporation (IEM) developed, tested, and validated a unique smart video-based intrusion monitoring system for use at highway-rail grade crossings. The system used both thermal infrared (IR) and visible/near-infrared (NIR) imaging to detect, identify, and...
Investigation of Railroad Bridge Approach Problems along Heavy Haul Freight Lines
Under a contract with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (UIUC) is investigating different factors that contribute to the problem of differential movement at railroad track transitions The research objective is to develop new design and...From Research to Rulemaking in the Federal Railroad Administration
The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) research and development program provides the engineering and scientific foundation for rail rulemaking and enforcement in the United States. This paper describes how the program is funded and executed. Examples of projects in the track, rolling stock,...Revising US passenger railcar occupant volume integrity requirements
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is developing new regulations addressing the occupant volume integrity (compressive end strength) of passenger rail cars. The new rules are being adopted to accommodate the introduction of rail equipment designed to alternate standards that will provide a...Positive Train Control Shared Network
The Interoperable Train Control (ITC) Positive Train Control (PTC) Shared Network (IPSN) project investigated anticipated industry benefits and the level of support for the development of a hosted technological platform for PTC messaging across multiple railroads. A hosted network would reduce...Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS) Lessons Learned Team Baseline Phase Report
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has established a program called the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS), which allows events to be reported anonymously and dealt with non-punitively and without fear or reprisal through structured collaboration between representatives of...Risk Evaluation Framework and Selected Metrics for Tank Cars Carrying Hazardous Materials
This report presents an analysis of train accident and hazmat release data to quantify the likelihood of a hazmat release. The harm caused by a hazmat release is characterized as the end result of a chain of events, with each link in the chain being characterized by risk metrics that determine...Federal Railroad Administration Issues $967.1 Million MTA Loan to Finance Critical Safety Upgrades to the Nation’s Largest Commuter Railroads
WASHINGTON – The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today closed on a $967.1 million Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan with New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in order to facilitate the deployment of Positive Train Control (PTC...