Organization Core Research Areas Budgets Fit with D.O.T. strategic goals High Speed and Intercity Passenger rail Freight rail Facilities & Equipment Implementation

Overview

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Outline

• Organization• Core Research Areas• Budgets• Fit with D.O.T. strategic goals• High Speed and Intercity Passenger rail• Freight rail• Facilities & Equipment• Implementation• Looking forward

Core Research Program Areas

Track Research Division

• Track and Structures• Track / Train Interaction• Operations / Facilities

Equipment and Operating Practices

• Rolling Stock And Components• Train occupant protection• Energy, Efficiency and Environment• Hazardous Materials• Human Factors

Signals, Train Control and Communications

• Signals and Train Control (Including PTC)• Grade Crossing• Communications

~150 projectstypically $40M/year

Track & Structures

Signals, Train Control & Comms

Equipment & Operating Practices

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Budget History

2001 to 2011 - Enacted2012 - Requested

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Core High-speed Maglev

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DOT Goals

• Safety• Livable Communities• Economic Competitiveness• Environmental Sustainability• State of Good Repair• High Speed/Improved Passenger Rail

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Safety Goal

• “Improve public health, safety, and security by reducing transportation-related fatalities and injuries” – D.O.T.

• Scope of responsibility includes – Railroad employees– Passengers on trains and in station areas– Members of the public living near the railroad– Members of the public using grade crossings and footbridges– Trespassers– Freight (all classes and short lines), intercity, commuter (not transit)– Injuries as well as fatalities, health as well as safety

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Safety Trends

• Reportable train accidents

Source: FRA Safety Database

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Safety Risk Model Uses

• Safety Risk Model– Indicates priorities for R&D– Separated into hazards and accident

types– Separated into groups (passengers,

workforce, public)– Allows calculation of safety metrics

• Passenger – equivalent fatalities per billion passenger train kilometers

• Workforce – equivalent fatalities per million worker hours

• Risk exposure for a typical traveler or worker

– Allows tracking of safety risk over time

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Livable Communities Goal

• “Foster livable communities through place-based policies and investments that increase transportation choices and access to transportation services.” – D.O.T.

• Some FRA R&D topics:– Improved grade crossings that safely

accommodate pedestrians, bicycles, wheelchairs and baby strollers

– Reduced noise and vibration from railroad operations

– Improved access to railroad transportation for special needs populations and individuals with disabilities

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Economic Competitiveness Goal

• “Foster transportation policies and investments that serve the traveling public and freight movement, and bring lasting economic and social benefit to the Nation.” – D.O.T.

• Some FRA R&D topics– Methods for increasing capacity– Development of domestic rail

equipment manufacturing and testing facilities

– Increasing the proficiency and retention of the workforce

– New technology to improve competitiveness

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Environmental Sustainability Goal

• “Advance environmentally sustainable policies and investments that reduce carbon and other harmful emissions from transportation sources.” – D.O.T.

• Some FRA projects– Alternative fuels– Improved efficiency of rail

equipment

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State of Good Repair Goal

• “Ensure the U.S. proactively maintains its critical transportation infrastructure in a state of good repair.” – D.O.T.

• Some FRA R&D topics– Rail corridor inspection and

assessment equipment– Understanding the life cycle of

railroad assets including defect initiation and growth rates

– Challenges from high-speed and shared track corridors

High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Research - $25M in FY 2010

Broad Agency Announcement priorities• Equipment

• 125 mph non-electric locomotive• 125+ mph passenger equipment• Vehicle weight and unsprung mass

reduction• High-speed truck – passenger and freight• Train occupant protection

• Human factors• Interface with controls and displays• Cab environment• Employee training for new technology

and operations

• Track & structures• Autonomous and efficient inspection• Materials and construction• Improved turnout performance• Corridor hardening• Modeling and simulation software

• Train control• Grade crossing protection• Capacity improvements• Interoperable wireless

communications• Positive Train Control (PTC)

integration and enhancements13

Broad Agency AnnouncementProgram Status July 23, 2011

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Supplier contacts 100+Concept papers

submitted62

Concept papers accepted 30Proposals submitted 24Proposals accepted 21Awards 15

HSR R&D Account $25.0MBAA and other Awards $8.23MCommitted (PRs) $0.65MNext 6 Projects $4.64MProjected Account Balance $11.48M

Some Shared Track Issues

Track• Grade crossing improvements

or elimination• Alignment and super-elevation

in curves• Spiral design• Track geometry standards and

maintenance• Maintenance windows• Inspection requirements• Turnout design• Bridge transitions

Other• Capacity• Faster freight trains• Corridor “hardening”

– Separation– Fencing– Wayside detectors

• Cost allocation• Aerodynamics

– Tunnels– Track workers

• Electrification• Platform clearances

Facilities and Equipment

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TTC DOTX-218

CTIL

FRA’s Transportation Technology Center

• 52 square miles near Pueblo, CO• ~50 miles of test track• Max. testing speed – 165 mph• Laboratories and workshops• AAR/TTCI has been the Care,

Custody and Control contractor since 1982

• Current contract extended to September 30, 2022

• Most recent FRA/TTCI Partnering Agreement signed March 2011

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Ways to Get Involved

• Bring ideas ‒ Problems, opportunities, technology -

emails or phone calls

• Review our publications and suggest next steps

• Look for ways to improve on successes

• Participate in technology evaluation and demonstrations

• Support cost-safety benefit analysis • Suggest innovative partnerships and

financing to implementation

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Budget Cycle

2011

M J S D

2012

M J S D

2013

M J S D

ObligateFY2011

FY2012 Appropriate Obligate

FY2013 Plan Roll-Up Congress Reviews Appropriate Obligate

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Implementation

FRA

Stakeholders

• New Concept Identification– Early stakeholder engagement

• Assessment– Analysis and test– Cost-safety benefit analysis

• Demonstration– In partnership with stakeholders

• Implementation– Industry and Government rule changes

• Measure impact– Safety, financial, performance

• Improve– Technology, processes, rules

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Sample Projects

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Automated Switch Inspection System

Railroad Impact:• High resolution, automated inspection system for switch and

other special track work.• Improved safety through accurate, routine inspection for

compliance with FRA standards• Possible integration into existing geometry measurement

platforms and autonomous systems.• Leverages technology achievements in laser and vision that have

seen widespread use in the industry.

Project Description:

• Research and development with goal of developing an automated means of quantifying switch and special track work condition to FRA standards.

• Initial investigations have concluded that a combination of laser and vision technologies has the best chance of success.

• Near term development efforts to concentrate on adapting laser and vision technologies to address measurement requirements, data analysis and processing, and system performance testing.

Point of Contact Information:

FRA Task Monitor: Cameron Stuart

Phone Number: (202) 493- 6384

Email: [email protected]

Project Partner: TBD.

mailto:[email protected]

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Countermeasures to Reduce Suicides on Railway Rights of Way

Railroad Impact:• Addresses National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (U.S. Surgeon

General, 2001) to “Promote efforts to reduce access to lethal means and methods of self-harm.”

• Suicide accounts for 30 – 50% of trespasser-related serious injuries/fatalities on railroads

• In 2004, suicide was the leading cause of rail-related fatalities in Illinois, with 30 probable suicide deaths and 3 additional attempts involving trains in Chicago alone.

Project Description:• This project is currently in the fourth year of a five year study, led

by an Industry Steering Committee, to:• Determine the prevalence of and underlying causal factors

for rail-related suicides• Develop effective measures to reduce the incidence of

suicide along railway rights of way (including crossings)• Establish pilot programs for testing countermeasures• Develop standard protocol for documenting suicides and

provide baseline data for monitoring trends• Retrospective and prospective assessments of the prevalence of

suicide has been completed and comprehensive psychological autopsy data collected from 60 suicide cases. A pilot program has been initiated to evaluate use of signs as suicide prevention strategy. Data analysis is ongoing and will inform the development of additional suicide countermeasure pilot programs.


FRA Task Monitor: Michael Coplen

Phone Number: (202) 493-6346



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Evaluation of Education and Outreach Strategies and Methods

Railroad Impact:• Provide effectiveness estimates for different education and

outreach methods

• Relevant to Strategic Plan Topic “Education and Public Awareness” and Sec. 201, 206, 207, and 208 of the RSIA of 2008.


• Conduct a pilot study evaluating education and outreach methods used to educate the public of the hazards of grade crossings (Operation Lifesaver, Inc.)

• One recent study, involving analysis of the effectiveness of education and enforcement strategies in two communities in the state of Illinois (PEERS), revealed different effectiveness results that could be partly associated with the methods the two different communities used to reach out to their citizens.


FRA Task Monitor: Leonard W. Allen III

Phone Number: (202) 493-6329



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Trespass Prevention Research Study

Railroad Impact:• Reduce trespass fatalities within the rail networks in West Palm

Beach, Florida.

• Demonstrate potential benefits, including documenting best practices and lessons learned through implementation and rigorous evaluations conducted within the study area.

• Relevant to Strategic Plan Topic “Education and Public Awareness” and Sec. 201 and 208 of the RSIA of 2008.

Project Description:• Create and facilitate a Trespass Prevention Stakeholders User

Group including all stakeholders within the West Palm Beach Florida geographical area. Conduct site visits. Develop plan for acquiring locomotive video information in line with South Florida Rapid Transit Administration (SFRTA).

• Work with stakeholders in partnership to review the implementation of signs, barriers and education efforts. Evaluate potential benefits of the lessons learned from local activities. Develop strategies for further reduction of trespass events within the study area.

• Evaluate additional strategies through before and after data collection efforts.

• Document results via research results and reports and support the development of a US Guidance document on Trespass Reduction Strategies.


FRA Task Monitor: Leonard W. Allen III

Phone Number: (202) 493-6329



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Revise Track Geometry Safety Standards

Railroad Impact:• Track Geometry has been identified as one of major causes of

main line derailments in US (15% of Track Caused Derailments).

• Improve railroad safety via reduction of track geometry conditions that cause derailments

• More economic, accessible, and enforceable standards

• New standards for combined geometry


• Establish consensus on vehicle dynamics safety limits which define adverse vehicle responses and severe loading of track structure

• Apply analysis tools and simulation programs to define largest amplitude of geometry signatures that would not exceed safety limits (focus only on high speed & high cant deficiency operations)

• Develop effective inspection techniques to identify critical track geometry signatures so that track/vehicle system operates within established safety limits


FRA Task Monitor: Ali Tajaddini

Phone Number: (202) 493-6438

E-Mail: [email protected]

Project Partner: VOLPE


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Handheld Rail Flaw Tomographic Imaging System

Railroad Impact:• Following the identification of a potential internal rail defect by

an inspection vehicle, detailed inspections of suspect areas are conducted to confirm the presence of the defect prior to the removal of the affected area;

• Follow-up inspections are often conducted with portable ultrasonic devices that require a significant amount of experience to properly operate;

• This proposed task focuses on the development of instrumentation that yield easily interpreted results that could eventually lead to automated detection and imaging of internal rail flaws.


• Proposed task intends to develop advanced means to visualize the results of manual inspections of suspected internal rail flaws;

• Initial phase of study would employ a technology survey to ascertain the state-of-the-art in inspection technology;

• Efforts will then focus on the use of signal processing practices used in other fields, such as tomography, or alternative approaches, to process data collected with the final goal of creating a user interface that displays a 3-D image of the rail defect being interrogated.

• Performs rapid sizing, type and location of rail flaws in the field.


FRA Task Monitor: Leith Al-Nazer

Phone Number: (202)493-6128


Project Partner: ENSCO Inc.

Images Courtesy of Olympus NDT


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Neutral Temperature & Incipient Buckling Detection System for CWR

Railroad Impact:• Knowledge of NT in CWR is critical to avoid breakage in cold

weather and buckling/instability in hot weather. Rail buckling was responsible for 48 derailments and ~$13M in direct costs during 2006 alone in U.S.

• Methods to determine rail NT today either require unfastening of ~100’s feet of rail or are very sensitive to rail fastening/support conditions (e.g. D’Stresen technique too sensitive to tie-to-tie variations).

• Railroads would benefit from a system able to measure rail stress and imminent buckling of CWR that can be operated in motion or in a stationary manner.


• Develop a new system for monitoring stress levels (NT) and incipient buckling in CWR by using mid- and high-frequency wave features that are little affected by rail supports.

• Phase I preliminary studies (numerical FEA and experimental) showed sensitivity of certain linear and nonlinear wave features to stress levels in steel beams and rails.

• In Phase II a unique large-scale testbed of CWR (70-ft long) has been constructed at the world-renowned UCSD Powell Structural Laboratories for conducting a series of heating tests in a controlled environment.

• Based on the results of the large-scale laboratory tests, a prototype will be designed, assembled, and tested to determine NT & Incipient Buckling detection in CWR in motion or in a stationary manner.


FRA Project Manager: Mahmood Fateh

Phone: (202) 493- 6361


Project Partner: University of California, San Diego, Volpe and BNSF PI: Dr. Lanza di Scalea

Large-scale test of NT/buckling@ UCSD Powell Labs

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Autonomous Track Geometry Measurement System (ATGMS)

Railroad Impact:• Continuous, un-manned geometry data collection provides

critical track data in real-time wherever the system(s) are deployed.

• No impact on rail traffic operations. The system can be installed on normal revenue railcars or locomotives and run in consist.

• Track testing is automatically scheduled based on normal operation of the vehicle.

• ATGMS provides a reduction in complexity, size and cost of traditional geometry systems without compromising performance.

Project Description:• Research and development program to adapt service-proven track

geometry measurement technology to autonomous operation. Objectives:

• Reduce capital and operating costs of geometry inspection systems

• Provide routine and frequent data for safety assurance activities and track degradation analysis

• Pilot system currently in service and performing well. Technology refinements currently in development to permit 90 day maintenance interval, improve automatic geo-location performance, and to perform automatic track degradation and reporting functions.

• Second system is currently in development for deployment on Amtrak NE Corridor.


FRA Task Monitor: Cameron Stuart

Phone Number: (202) 493- 6384


Project Partner: ENSCO Inc.


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Real-Time Measurement of Track Modulus from a Moving Car

Railroad Impact:• Significant support from both UPRR & BNSF

• Validation test had significant support from UPRR (20-30 UPRR personnel and work train for 3 days)

• BNSF & UPRR have committed to significant testing in 2010 (at least 2 tests with UPRR and 4 with BNSF on coal lines)

• Conducted bridge study on UPRR investigating pads to reduce vertical track stiffness on bridges

• Has tested over 10,000 miles of BNSF & UPRR coal lines in 2009-10


• The objective of this project is to design a system that will provide autonomous real-time measurements of track modulus from a moving railcar operating in revenue service (like no existing system).

• Continuous modulus for large sections of track.

• Currently working on commercial implementation and thresholds .


FRA Task Monitor: Mahmood Fateh

Phone Number: (202) 493- 6361


Project Partner: University of Nebraksa, Lincoln (UNL)- , BNSF, UPRR, OPPD, PI: Dr. Shane Farritor


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Full-Scale Tank Car Impact testing

Railroad Impact:• Evaluate crashworthiness performance of tank cars used in the

transportation of Toxic by Inhalation materials (TIH)

• Evaluate a new design protective panel to increase the crashworthiness of the tank car

• Improve tank car design in order to improve hazardous materials transportation safety.


• To support FRA’s continuing research program to provide a technical and empirical basis for rule-making on enhanced and alternative performance standards for tank cars. This includes a review of new and innovative designs that are developed by the industry and other countries as well as full scale testing


FRA Task Monitor: Francisco González, III



Project Partner: TTCI (S Anankitpaiboon)

Protective panel added to tank car for sideimpact testing


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Railroader Sleep Health and Safety Website

Railroad Impact:• Fatigue in the Transportation Industry is a pressing problem that

has been singled out by the NTSB as a high priority for education and research since 1990.

• The major underlying cause of fatigue-related rail accidents is sleepiness. An educational website for railroaders focusing on the causes of sleepiness and mitigation strategies under an operator’s control should reduce sleepiness and fatigue-related accidents.

• The planned website can be used by individual railroad employees and as an education component of a railroad carrier’s fatigue management plan, as required by the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008.


• This project will develop a tailored, interactive, multi-media, web-based education program geared towards providing train crews and other railroad employees with:

• Scientifically-valid information on the importance of sleep,

• A customizable tool to assess personal risk for sleep disorders, and

• Proven, practical strategies for improving sleep health.


FRA Project Manager: Michael Coplen

Phone Number: (202) 493-6346



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Employee In Charge Portable Remote Terminal

Current Functionality – Build 1• Accept and Display Maintenance of Way Protection (MWP)• Accept and Display Requests to Enter MWP• Transmit EIC Instructions to Locomotive

Benefit:• OBC enforcement and thereby protection is maintained through MWP

with EIC specified movement parameters• Mitigates EIC working outside of MWP protected time• Prevents instructions to the locomotive by 3rd party (spoofing)

through the EIC PRT communications interface.

Project Description:• Develop a safety-critical, wireless, handheld device used by the

employee-in-charge (EIC) of roadway workers to communicate with a CBTC system to:

• Request and release work zones • Control entry and speed restrictions of trains allowed into the

work zones

Phase 3 Objectives:• Integration and testing with BNSF’s PTC system (ETMS). • Modifying current EIC PRT prototype to comply with operating

rules/procedures, desired user interface characteristics, and the ETMS environment

• Verify the EIC PRT meets safety requirements • Provide documentation to support interoperability• Perform all stages of testing required• Provide necessary input to the product safety plan


FRA Task Monitor: Jared Withers



Project Partner: TTCI (Thom Nast)

EIC PRT


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Higher Performance Data Radio

Railroad Impact:

• An integrated digital communication network• Adoption of narrow-banding 160 MHz insures interoperability• Upgraded communication network in compliance with FCC ruling• Supporting train control, existing digital applications and

foreseeable expansions


• To develop a next generation communication network to support PTC/business applications

• To assist in the migration to narrow banding of 160 MHz radios-integrate voice and data

• To require robustness and throughput for railroad safety critical applications

• To establish 220 MHz communication standards and protocols to support interoperability


FRA Project Manager: Jared Withers

Phone Number: (202) 493- 6362



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PTC/Communication Test Bed

Railroad Impact:• To meet PTC communications demands, the Industry has

purchased 220 MHz frequency and is specifying a new PTC 220 MHz data radio. Communications among all PTC system elements will be via the 220 MHz network using these new radios.

• A venue for field testing of PTC communications using the new radios will be needed in 2011

• Full implementation of PTC is contingent upon successful testing of ITC-Compliant 220 MHz radios

Project Description:• Upgrade communications & testing capabilities of PTC Test Bed at

TTC to support field testing of ITC-Compliant PTC 220 MHz radios.• Provide equipment for field testing 220 MHz radios

• ITC-Compliant WIUs & radios for 10 WIU reporting locations, including 4 remotely controlled switches

• 2 ITC-compliant base stations to support hand-off testing• 2 V/ETMS-equipped locomotives• Wabtec TMDS CAD system & ETMS BOS

• Install required equipment• Integrate, test, and commission upgrade equipment• Perform check-out of enhanced Test Bed comms capabilities• Ensure upgrades support potential for future Test Bed expansions

to provide test environments for full blown deployment testing with the communications density of a major metropolitan area


FRA Project Manager: Jared Withers

Phone Number: (202) 493- 6362


Project Partner: TTCI (Richard Morgan)

PTC Architecture – 220 MHz Comm Links


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Generalized Train Movement Model

Railroad Impact:• Improve on risk assessment and risk mitigation analysis.• Expedient preparation of Product Safety Plan of new train

control system. • Optimize railroad line usage by safely increasing capacity with

minimal investment.• Promote wider deployment of Positive Train Control technology.• Provide preliminary cost estimates of adding passenger rail

service to freight rail lines.


• Development of a simulation model to replicate a rail line operation with a specific train control method.

• To simulate the dispatchers’ decision on prevention of deadlock, meet and pass planning and preset train priorities.

• To generate metrics of risk exposures to interface with risk assessment.

• To provide capacity/rail performance output..


FRA Project Manager: Karen McClure

Phone Number: (202) 493- 6417



Documents

Organization Core Research Areas Budgets Fit with D.O.T. strategic goals High Speed and Intercity Passenger rail Freight rail Facilities & Equipment Implementation