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Wheel removals cost the heavy haul industry more than $800 million annually in North America. More than 60% of the overall wheelset replacement is attributed to high impact wheels (HIW). It also has parallel effects on track and track components.
Description:...In 2011 U.S. railroads reported 52 wheel related train accidents to the FRA. Half of the derailments that occurred on Class I railroads were reported as derailments occurring from a broken wheel. Detecting and eliminating cracked wheels before they break will...
Switching operation safety can be improved considering that approximately 2,700 reportable lost time injuries occur each year, along with a few fatalities, as a result of switching-related duties.
Description:The ADT&TB project facilitates field testing...
Provides Essential Features for FRA Safety and Fuel Conservation Initiatives:
Wireless crew control of car set-out and pick-up from the safety of the locomotive cab Fuel efficiency monitoring and reporting while locomotive is operating in revenue service Graphic display of...The cut-lever mechanically unlocks the coupler allowing separation of cars from the locomotive or from the other cars.
Goals: Increase crew safety by eliminating the need for manual operation of cut-lever Retain normal, manual cut-lever operations capability...The angle cock, one on each end of all cars and locomotives, connects the train line air between cars. Remote operation from the side of one car or the locomotive cab is envisioned.
Goals...
Under the FRA regulations, tank car owners are required to employ periodic structural integrity inspections including tank shell thickness tests and inspections of tank car welds. By limiting the required inspection to known areas of crack initiation, RSPA and FRA expect an increase in the...
Crash Energy Management The purpose of this project is to develop design data to improve the crashworthiness of passenger vehicles. A series of analyses and tests, involving different collision scenarios, are used to verify computer models and evaluate the possible changes of cab and car...
A series of full-scale quasi-static and dynamic tests are planned on conventional equipment of various designs to establish the baseline level of performance to loading conditions established based on a review of historical accident consequences or active field...