USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

eLibrary Search

The FRA eLibrary contains all the documents that are found throughout the FRA Public Website. Multiple pages on the website may link to the same eLibrary item based on its set of metatdata.

Can I find All FRA Documents in the Library?
Some "documents" may not appear here for the following reasons:

  • Document resides on an external site for the record of source, links to the document are provided in context but not in the library as FRA does not maintain this record. This document lives on another website.
  • Document has not yet been assigned keywords.
  • Document is historical and has been removed from library to avoid confusion with current publications.
  • Document is public affairs & policy related, such as press releases, speeches, testimony, or fact sheet. These press-related documents can now be found in the FRA Newsroom.
  • Document is related to rules and notices. This information can now be found on the Rulemakings search and the Notices search, respectively.
Refine Your Search

To search an exact document title or key phrase, place quotations around the text. Example: "U.S. Government Grade Crossing Research & Stakeholder Engagement" Entering keywords without quotations will search the eLibrary for all occurrences of the keywords.

22 Jul 2019

Reports to Congress

Shared-Use of Railroad Rights-of-Way

Author
Federal Railroad Administration

Subject Right-of-Way

Keywords: Rights-of-Way, FAST Act, Shared-Use

Abstract:

This report responds to a provision in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act of 2015 (FAST Act) that directed the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to evaluate...

13 Nov 2018

Research Results

Rail Temperature Control System for Improved Railway Safety

Author
Federal Railroad Administration

Subject Railroad System Issues

Keywords: passive control, thermal adsorption, steel railroad stress reduction, maximum temperature reduction, buckling

Abstract:

Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) has developed a tunable passive solution for limiting the maximum temperature of railroad track. The Rail Temperature Control System (RTCS)...

Report Number
RR 18-15
Office
RDI-21

27 Aug 2018

Research Results

Railroad Right-of-Way Vehicle Incursion Prevention Research

Author
Federal Railroad Administration

Subject Grade Crossing and Trespass Outreach/Education, Right-of-Way

Keywords: grade crossing, right-of-way incursion, rail, vehicle incursion, railroad safety

Abstract:

Researchers evaluated whether high-visibility markings could deter vehicles from mistakenly turning onto the tracks at grade crossings.

Report Number
RR 18-13
Office
RDI-23

17 Aug 2018

Reference Materials

Section 106 Program Comment for Rail ROW Appendix A: Exempted Activities List

Subject Environmental Protection, Right-of-Way

Abstract:

On August 17, 2018, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) approved the final Program Comment to Exempt Consideration of Effects to Rail Properties Within Rail...

1 Aug 2018

Research Results

Understanding the Splitting and Bursting Failure of Concrete Crossties

Author
Federal Railroad Administration

Subject Analysis

Keywords: Pretensioned concrete crosstie, splitting crack, bursting crack, concrete release strength, prestressing wire, prestressing strand, bond strength, finite element analysis

Abstract:

Under the sponsorship of the Federal Railroad Administration, finite element (FE) analyses were conducted at the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center)...

Report Number
RR 18-12
Office
RDI-21