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Technical Reports

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Law Enforcement Strategies for Preventing Rail Trespassing

The Volpe Center has investigated law enforcement methods that have successfully prevented trespassing along the railroad right of way. The types of law enforcement strategies currently being used and procedures followed in the field are documented, along with any findings on the effectiveness...

Railroad Track Inspection Interface Demonstration

This project developed a track data user interface utilizing the Google Glass optical display device. The interface allows the user to recall data stored remotely and view the data on the Google Glass. The technical effort required developing a communication link between the Google Glass and a...

Wheel Load Cycle Tag for Rail

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has determined that there is a research need to collect and analyze statistical usage data to help ascertain the cumulative load-induced fatigue on rail track segments. The estimation of rail segment burdening through the determination of loaded or unloaded...

High-Speed Rail Aerodynamic Assessment and Mitigation Report

This report advances the current state of knowledge, as well as shared understanding and evaluation of present procedures used to mitigate the impacts effects from high-speed trains (HST) operating at speeds between 110 mph and 250 mph. This work gathers and summarizes existing international...

Positive Train Control Interoperability and Networking Research

This document describes the initial development of an ITC PTC Shared Network (IPSN), a hosted environment to support the distribution, configuration management, and IT governance of Interoperable Train Control (ITC) Positive Train Control (PTC) systems between short line and commuter railroads and...

MARTA "C" Car : Truck Primary Suspension Stiffness

This technical note records the modification process, test setups, and findings of the Truck Primary Suspension Stiffness investigations on the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) "C" Car. Rubber suspension parts have been modified in several stages of MARTA transit car testing....

Tri-County Authority Light Rail Vehicle : Friction Brake Modifications

In December 1983 a prototype of Portland, Oregon 1 s Tri-County Metropolitan Transit Authority (TRI-MET) light rail vehicle was sent to the Transportation Test Center in Pueblo, Colorado for Specification Compliance and Performance Evaluation. Since this vehicle was a preproduction prototype,...

DCTA Transit Car Testing : Static Truck Characterization

This report discusses the Static Truck Characterization of the Dade County Transportation Administration (DCTA) Transit Car. This special engineering test was conducted in conjunction with General Vehicle Testing of the DCTA car at the Transportation Test Center near Pueblo, Colorado, from October...