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Analyses of Phase III Dynamic Buckling Tests

Thermal buckling of railroad tracks in the lateral plane is an important problem in the design and maintenance of continuous welded rail (CWR) tracks. The problem is manifested through derailments which are attributable to track buckling, indicating a need for developing better control on the...

Crack Propagation Life of Detail Fractures in Rails

The results of a comprehensive study of the crack propagation behavior of detail fractures in railroad rails are presented. The study includes full-scale crack growth experiments in a test track under simulated heavy freight train service, similar field tests and observations on revenue tracks,...

Safety Testing of Intermodal Hazmat Configurations, Summary Report

This report presents summary results of a research program sponsored by the Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The program was concerned with safety issues of flatcars and the transport of liquid hazardous materials (hazmat) in intermodal configurations. Primary...

Evaluation of Damaged Tank Car Structural Integrity

To assess the safety of moving a damaged tank car, it is necessary to know the sizes and shapes of cracks, the stresses associated with moving the tank car, and the fracture toughness of the material used to fabricate the tank car. The report provides the results and recommendations for the...

Vehicle/Track Interaction Test at Bennington, NH: Revision 1.0

This report describes the results of the Vehicle/Track Interaction tests conducted at Bennington, NH on August 28-31, 1982. The purpose of these tests was to determine the effects of well defined perturbations of track alignment, gage, and crosslevel on rail car response as a function of speed....

Thermal Protection Study of Cryogenic Tank Cars

This study was concerned with the thermal protection capability of insulation systems used on tank cars which are utilized in the transportation of hazardous materials at cryogenic temperatures. The heat sources in question are fires which the tank car may encounter if involved in a railroad...