Technical Reports
Next-Generation Foundations for Special Trackwork – Phase II
See Also:
Next-Generation Foundations for Special Trackwork – Phase I Next-Generation Foundations for Special Trackwork – Phase III
Low Solar Absorption Coating for Reducing Rail Temperature and Preventing Buckling
This report documents Rutgers University’s research in the development and demonstration of an inorganic coating for reducing peak rail temperature to inhibit rail buckling. The zero-volatile organic content (VOC) and 100 percent inorganic coating system is based on an alkali-aluminosilicate...Field Demonstration of Geocell Track Substructure Support System Under High-Speed Passenger Railroad Operations
Regions of track, which experience high rates of track geometry degradation, tend to require frequent maintenance interventions that are typically surfacing or tamping. Harsco Rail and the University of Delaware conducted a survey regarding this costly process that involved both machine time and...Evaluation of the Degradation of Concrete Ties Using Machine Vision Technology on High-Speed Rail Corridors
ENSCO, Inc. used machine vision technology to assess concrete tie degradation in Amtrak’s high-speed Northeast Corridor (NEC) over a 13-month period. The study examined three aspects of concrete tie degradation: 1) the prevalence of nonconformance types found in the assessed ties, 2) the...DOTX 218 Survey Conducted on Pan Am Railways
This report summarizes the results from a May 12, 2014, survey conducted with the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) gage resistant measurement system vehicle (GRMS), DOTX 218, on the Pan Am Railways (PAR) track between Portland, ME, and Brunswick, ME. The survey was designed to capture the...Characteristics of Trespassing Incidents in the United States (2012-2014)
Trespassing is the leading cause of rail-related fatalities in the United States. A large proportion of these trespasser fatalities are from intentional acts (i.e., suicides). The John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) has been tasked by the Federal Railroad...