Technical Reports
Construction Loads Experienced by Plastic Composite Ties
Damage to plastic composite ties during handling and track installation has been reported by a number of railroads. Results from a survey conducted to identify specific handling issues were used to develop field and laboratory tests to measure the loads plastic composite ties are subjected to...Load Environment of Rail Joint Bars—Phase II Joint Bar Service Environment and Fatigue Analysis
Detailed analysis of measured bending strains shows that the foundation deflections have the most significant effect on the magnitude of strains. All other factors, such as track type, track geometry, and fastening systems, have a less significant effect on strain levels. Fatigue analysis of the...Trespass Prevention Research Study – West Palm Beach, FL
The United States Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration’s John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), under the direction of the U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Office of Research and Development (R...
Effect of an Active Another Train Coming Warning System on Pedestrian Behavior at a Highway-Rail Grade Crossing
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) was interested in evaluating a type of grade crossing safety enhancement which alerts pedestrians at the crossing to the presence of a second train. The system chosen for this analysis, known as an Another Train Coming Warning System (ATCWS), consists of...
Locomotive Biofuel Study: Preliminary Study of the Use and Effects of Biodiesel in Locomotive Engines
Section 404 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA), 2008, mandated that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) undertake a Locomotive Biofuel Study to investigate the feasibility of using biofuel blends as locomotive engine fuel. This report summarizes three research...A Study of the Use of Bio-Based Technologies (Lubricant and Grease) in Railroad Applications
The objective of the project was to study the efficacy of using bio-based lubricant and grease technologies in railroad applications (locomotives and maintenance of way equipment). Several commercially available rail curve greases were identified and tested. Three mineral oil-based and three bio-...Review of Codes, Standards, and Regulations for Natural Gas Locomotives: Appendix
Review of Codes, Standards, and Regulations for Natural Gas Locomotives Report
Safety of Railroad Employees’ Use of Personal Electronic Devices
This report describes two studies sponsored by the Federal Railroad Administration that examined distraction from personal electronic device (PED) usage among safety-critical railroad employees. Study I considered railroad rules, railroad efficiency testing results and accident databases, as well...Review of Codes, Standards, and Regulations for Natural Gas Locomotives
Review of Codes, Standards, and Regulations for Natural Gas Locomotives Appendix