Railroads
Side Structure Integrity Research for Passenger Rail Equipment
FRA sponsored research to evaluate the side impact strength of Tier I passenger rail equipment designs built to the current rollover and side structure regulations. This report presents results from the first stage of this research program, including: (1) the makeup of the U.S. passenger car...
Impact of Shoulder Cleaning on Ballast Drainage
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) jointly supported Transportation Technology Center, Inc., (TTCI) to investigate the influence of shoulder ballast cleaning (SBC) on the performance of fine-filled ballast. Repeated vehicle loadings degrade...
Technologies and Testing to Prevent Water Ingress in Railroad Bearings
Bearing degradation and defects can result in a bearing being removed from service before the end of its normal service life or possible bearing failure, causing service disruption or even derailment. Water damage is the leading cause of premature bearing failure; therefore, preventing this...
Evaluation of Longitudinal Wing Slopes for No. 20 Frogs
In a collaboration between the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Association of American Railroads (AAR), Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) investigated the benefits of modified No. 20 frogs on mitigating damage to the frog point, heel, and wing rails under heavy-haul...