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Journal articles on the topic "Railroad trains Wheels Design and construction"
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Alqatawna, Ali, Santos Sánchez-Cambronero, Inmaculada Gallego, and Juan Miguel López-Morales. "A Graphical Method for Designing the Horizontal Alignment and the Cant in High-Speed Railway Lines Aimed at Mixed-Speed Traffic." Sustainability 14, no. 14 (July 8, 2022): 8377. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su14148377.
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To realize the design of mixed-traffic railway lines, the choice of radius must ensure a comfortable ride for passenger vehicles, safe freight transport, and acceptable maintenance costs of vehicle wheels and railway infrastructure. This is not a straightforward task, and what is worse, there is a worldwide lack of clear criteria to limit the design parameters involved in the geometric definition of high-speed railway lines. The proof of this is the great number of technical standards (or recommendations) that are applied depending on the period of time, the administrations involved, or the technicians in charge. If the line is going to be aimed at mixed-speed traffic, this indetermination is even more severe, as the different type of trains that are forecasted to use the tracks (with different loads, speeds, etc.) should affect the limits of the design parameters. To begin to solve this problem, this paper aimed (1) to analyze the design parameters and limitation defined in several technical standards that are used to design high-speed railway lines, (2) to propose a graphical method for designing the horizontal alignment (the cant, the radius, and the clothoid), and (3) to apply the method to a real example to compare our proposed design with the original project for a case study in Spain.
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Matveev, A. Yu, I. P. Gavrilova, A. V. Kovyazin, and E. V. Brovkov. "CONSTRUCTION OF FRAME GEODETIC NETWORK FOR ENGINEERING SURVEY OF RAIL TRANSPORT FACILITIES." Engineering survey 12, no. 5-6 (August 16, 2018): 58–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.25296/1997-8650-2018-12-5-6-58-71.
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Increasing the speed of trains along railroad tracks and the development of satellite geodetic technologies put forward new requirements for the production of the engineering survey at the rail transport facilities. Ensuring the safety of high-speed traffic is directly related to the accuracy of determining the coordinates and heights of the reference geodetic networks created for the design, construction, reconstruction and operation of railways. A large length of Railways in Russia requires solving a number of problems in the conditions of increasing the accuracy of determining the coordinates. High-speed route crosses several regions with its own local coordinate systems. Simplify the design and cadastral works and reduce to minimum linear distortions when performing geodetic measurements, allows the creation of a local coordinate system, unified for the entire route. The technology of creating a unified local coordinate system for linear objects passing through several 6-degree zones in the projection of GaussKruger and objects located at an angle to the axial Meridian is considered on the example of the railway Moscow — Saint-Petersburg — Vyborg. At the basis of a unified local system of the object, it is proposed to use an oblique cylindrical cartographic projection. Implemented a coordinate system in the form of the software, allowing to perform transformations between the local system, the world and state coordinate systems. The paper also considers the practical experience of creating a high-precision geodetic reference network for a high-speed railway traffic route, which can be used for various linear engineering structures. The created frame network can serve as a geodetic base for performing laser scanning, monitoring facilities, creating geoinformation systems and solving other problems that arise during the operation of an engineering facility.
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Malykov, Oleg, and Oksana Pokrovskaya. "Rate-setting system analysis of railroad transport from a position of logistics and customer-oriented approach." Proceedings of Petersburg Transport University, no. 2 (June 20, 2017): 187–99. http://dx.doi.org/10.20295/1815-588x-2017-2-187-199.
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Objective: The study of railroad transport rate-setting system from a position of customer-oriented approach and logistics, particularly the development of specific practical proposals of freight delivery system optimization and the assessment of OJSC “Russian Railways” logistic (terminal stocking) activity indices. Methods: Analytical method was applied, as well as economical and mathematical tools of terminalistics, being a new school. Results: An attempt was made to review the existing railway freight delivery system. It was observed that it was unreasonable to exclude materials handling elements - logistical objects (LO) of different types, from a logistical chain as by means of the element in question the freight arrives at as well as leaves the railroad. If the focus is made only on operating indices of functioning and traffic section of a logistical chain, it artificially impoverishes the strongest functional of railway enterprises, leading to a simplistic approach of traffic process managing and does not contribute to freight flow transferring to railroads. A new system of indicators was suggested for economic justification and calculation of parameters LO and TS, which were missing before. All indices were adjusted to the existing system of economical and operational indices of storage yard and railroads functioning. The new system may be applied in logistical rating, as well as terminal and stocking infrastructure of OJSC “Russian Railroads”. It may be used for: 1) LO identification; 2) LO selection taking into account its functionality, dislocation, etc. ; 3) construction projects’ assessment and reconstruction of terminal and stocking railroads’ infrastructure facilities; 4) logistical functioning of OJSC “Russian Railroads” holding company; 5) LO construction; 6) railroad transport functioning forecasting and planning. Practical importance: The application of the originally developed system of indicators will allow OJSC “Russian Railroads” to effectively design, operate and plan the functioning of terminal and stocking infrastructure facilities. The effectiveness of the suggested TSS is in more rapid freight delivery to consumers, expenditure reduction in technical maintenance and ineffective railway sidings and section’s stations repair, shunting and exporting train locomotives release, as well as passing siding of a section’s station for more effective formation of exit routes, technical and station’s speed increase of line haul main directions through home-base station, due to a number of train operation paths release, occupied with demountable export trains’ operation.
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Loktev, A. A., V. V. Korolev, D. A. Loktev, D. R. Shukyurov, P. A. Gelyukh, and I. V. Shishkina. "Perspective constructions of bridge overpasses on transport main lines." Vestnik of the Railway Research Institute 77, no. 6 (December 30, 2018): 331–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.21780/2223-9731-2018-77-6-331-336.
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Abstract. When designing bridges on motorways and railways, conventional beam or trussed design schemes of structures made of steel or reinforced concrete are used, but at present there is a significant increase in the speeds of motion of individual vehicles, axial loads and total train weight increase, and temporary intervals between trains. These factors lead to a significant increase in dynamic effects and necessitate the use of non-classical design schemes for artificial structures of transport infrastructure. In this study, it is proposed to take a threespan arch bridge with suspended central span structure as the basis for unified bridge overpass. Such an arrangement will allow changing the design length of the central span in a fairly wide range, reducing the total number of supports with an increase in the total length of the bridge overpass, and using a similar design as a double-track railroad, two- or four-lane motorway bridge. Calculations carried out and the results obtained for calculating displacements, internal forces and stresses in the units and elements of the proposed bridge overpass design allow concluding about the allowable limit values of the values found, sufficiently uniform load of all its main elements, the absence of strongly marked large-scale stress concentrators. Proposed design allows setting different sizes of spans during the design, reducing the number or even avoiding the installation of channel supports, adapting this structure for the passage of both rail and road transport. Design of the bridge, mathematical model of which is described in detail in the article, can be manufactured at the factory, and then delivered to the installation site and mounted there, which significantly reduces the final construction cost and makes it a profitable solution, for example, for arranging railway interchanges at different levels.
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Müller, Stefan, and Michael Blundell. "The testing of pneumatic tyres for the interpretation of tyre behaviour for road/rail vehicles when operating on rails." Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Journal of Automobile Engineering, January 21, 2023, 095440702211482. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/09544070221148289.
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This paper describes a programme of tyre tests using a purpose built tyre test rig designed specifically to investigate the behaviour of tyres that are used with Road-Rail Vehicles (RRVs). These vehicles are used extensively by the rail industry to support the maintenance of existing rail lines and new construction works. In many cases, using a vehicle that can only operate on the road, or a rail engine that can only operate on tracks will not provide a suitable or effective solution for the task in hand. RRVs are able to operate on both roads and rail, and as such provide a very flexible solution to the rail industry. When operating on the road, RRVs use pneumatic tyres to control their motion and act to all intent and purpose as a normal road vehicle. When operating on rail lines RRVs use a combination of the pneumatic tyres and standard steel rail wheels to control their motion. The rail wheels maintain the directional stability on the track and the pneumatic tyres provide the tractive force to drive and brake the vehicle. Unlike standard road or rail vehicles, there is to date no predictive engineering practice that allows the use of computer simulation to design and optimise the performance of RRVs when they are operating on rails. Computer tools, such as multi-body systems (MBS) analysis are used extensively to design both road and rail vehicles. For road vehicles a tyre model is needed to represent the behaviour in the contact patch between the tyre and the road. For rail vehicles a model is needed to represent the contact force between the train wheel and the track. In both these applications the behaviour is well understood and over the last half century mathematical models have been developed that allow accurate and useful simulation to support the design of new vehicles and trains. In contrast, RRVs have evolved essentially as modifications to standard road vehicles. While the base vehicle may be very well designed to perform on the road, the performance on rail is based on experience and some testing. There is no up-front science involved in designing a RRV to perform effectively during this very important phase of its operation. In order to develop an accurate model to predict RRV performance on rails it is clear that a model of the behaviour of the tyre when in contact with the rail is needed. To date, no such model exists and additionally the testing needed to generate data that could be used to develop a model has never been carried out. The work described here addresses this with the design and build of a unique test rig that can be used to test tyres on rails for a range of operating conditions, and produce a set of initial results that provide a framework for a future tyre/rail model. The paper concludes with a review of the behaviour measured and provides new insights into how well tyres perform on rails and also where the behaviour differs from the well understood behaviour of tyres operating on roads. The important behaviours that would provide the main parameters for a new empirical tyre model are also identified and discussed.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic "Railroad trains Wheels Design and construction"
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Coetzee, Narista. "Die impak van publieke deelname op groot projekte : die beoogde Johannesburg-Pretoria sneltrein." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/53378.
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Thesis (MS en S)--Stellenbosch University, 2003.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Public participation has already been a point of discussion from as early as 1960, with Arnstein's presentation of eight levels of participation. Various advantages and disadvantages have been published, but theorists agree that the advantages still overshadow the disadvantages. The United States have started much earlier than South Africa with the studies on public participation. It has been realised that public participation forms an integral part of the formal environmental impact assessment which succeeded the formal legislation of 1996. It is generally accepted that public participation is inseparable from the planning process. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of public participation on the planning of the Gautrain project, which is the intended rapid rail link between Johanesburg and Pretoria. It will be investigated whether the consult firm Bohlweki Environmental, that has been appointed to implement the environmental impact assessment of the Gautrain project, complied with the criteria to ensure public participation, and whether the public process made a difference to the planning of the project. It has been apparent that Bohlweki Environmental used various methods of involving the public - inter alia numerous public meetings that have been advertised in the press and elsewhere. From the public inputs changes have been made to the route of the train. These changes however, have made other people discontented. The research concludes with the finding that the public participation process of the environmental impact assessment had a positive influence on the planning of the project, even though everyone, due to the extend and the nature of the project, could not be satisfied, and that the study has been expensive and time consuming.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Publieke deelname was reeds 'n besprekingspunt van so vroeg as 1960 met Arnstein se voorstelling van agt deelnemingsvlakke. Oor die jare van navorsing is verskeie voordele en nadele van publieke deelname gepubliseer, maar teoretici is dit eens dat die voordele steeds die nadele oorskadu. In Suid-Afrika is daar veel later as in die Verenigde State studies oor publieke deelname begin. Ook hier is daar uiteindelik besef dat publieke deelname 'n onlosmaakbare deel van die formele omgewingsimpakstudie vorm en het die formele wetgewing in 1996 gevolg. Vandag word algemeen aanvaar dat publieke deelname en die beplanningsproses onafskeidbaar is. Die doel van hierdie werkstuk is om die impak van publieke deelname op die beplanning van die Gautrein projek te ondersoek - dit is die beoogde sneltrein tussen Johannesburg en Pretoria. Die vraag is of die konsultant firma Bohlweki Environmental, wat aangestel is om die omgewingsimpakstudie van die Gautreinprojek te loods, voldoen het aan die kriteria om publieke deelname te verseker, en of die publieke proses 'n verskil gemaak het aan die beplanning van die projek? Uit die analise het dit geblyk dat Bohlweki Environmental van verskeie metodes gebruik gemaak het om die publiek te betrek, onder andere talle publieke vergaderings wat goed geadverteer is in die pers en elders. As gevolg van die groot publieke inset is veranderinge aan die roete van die trein aangebring. Hierdie veranderinge het egter weer ander mense ontevrede gemaak. Die slotsom van die navorsing van hierdie werkstuk is dat die publieke deelname proses van die omgewingsimpakstudie wel 'n betekenisvolle positiewe uitwerking op die beplanning van die projek gehad het, alhoewel almal, uit die aard van die omvang van die projek, nie tevrede gestel kon word nie, en dat die studie duur en tydrowend was.
Books on the topic "Railroad trains Wheels Design and construction"
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Riddle, Peter. Track planning ideas for toy trains. Waukesha, Wis: Kalmbach Books, 2002.
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Gao su tie lu qiao liang she ji yu shi jian. Beijing Shi: Zhongguo tie dao chu bans he, 2011.
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Landry, Jean-Daniel. Chemin de fer Martigny-Châtelard de 1906 à 2006: Les pionniers et la technique. Sierre: Editions à la Carte, 2006.
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Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation. Civil Works Conference. Proceedings of the Civil Works Conference: Design-build civil infrastructure projects : the Taiwan high speed rail experience. Taipei, Taiwan: [s.n.], 2004.
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Gao su tie lu wu zha gui dao ji shu biao zhun yu zhi liang kong zhi. Beijing Shi: Zhongguo tie dao chu ban she, 2009.
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Mini Conference on Vehicle System Dynamics, Identification, and Anomalies (2nd 1990 Budapesti Műszaki Egyetem). Proceedings of the 2nd Mini Conference on Vehicle System Dynamics, Identification, and Anomalies: Held at the Technical University of Budapest, Hungary, Budapest, 12-15 November, 1990. Budapest: Technical University of Budapest, 1992.
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Gao su tie lu gui dao ban zhi zao yu pu she: HIGH-SPEED. Shanghai Shi: Shanghai jiao tong da xue chu ban she, 2013.
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Gao su tie lu wu zha gui dao: Zhuang ban jie gou lu ji li lun yu shi jian. Beijing Shi: Zhongguo tie dao chu ban she, 2012.
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1965-, Li Nufang, ed. Gao su tie lu wu zha gui dao lu ji she ji yuan li. Beijing Shi: Zhongguo tie dao chu ban she, 2010.
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0 hao gao su zong he jian ce lie che. Beijing: Zhongguo tie dao chu ban she, 2010.
Find full textConference papers on the topic "Railroad trains Wheels Design and construction"
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Pourghodrat, Abolfazl, and Carl A. Nelson. "A System for Generating Electricity Using the Passage of Train Wheels for Improving Railroad Track Safety." In ASME 2012 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/detc2012-70449.
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The dangerous nature and history of railroad grade crossings (especially unprotected crossings in remote areas lacking costly electrical infrastructure) motivates engineering efforts to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries. Several approaches and devices have been investigated and developed to harvest energy, mostly from vertical deflection of railroad track to power automated warning systems and track health monitoring sensors. While most of this previous work relied on harvesting energy from the vertical deflection of the railroad track, this paper proposes a mechanism for generating electricity from the passage of each train wheel. A cam-follower mechanism was designed initially to meet the requirements of low noise, shock and wear, and was subsequently used and improved to design a system capable of generating electricity efficiently from the motion of trains traveling in either direction. The development of the device as well as analysis of its predicted power production capability is presented in this paper.
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Lin, Teng, Lirong Wang, and Lei Zuo. "Anchorless Design of Electromagnetic Vibration Energy Harvester for Railroad." In ASME 2015 Dynamic Systems and Control Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/dscc2015-9940.
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An electromagnetic energy harvester features anchorless mounting is designed and analyzed. It can harness electrical energy from railroad track deflections induced by passing trains. Anchorless mounting is designed to be easily installed on railroad sleepers without any change to the original foundation, it utilize a spring reset mechanism to capture track motion. This structure eliminates the need of anchoring on the railroad and further reduces any potential risk to change the railroad construction. An energy harvesting mechanism named mechanical motion rectifier (MMR) is created to overcome challenge in harnessing energy from the high pulse-like impact and to transform bidirectional linear vibration into unidirectional rotational motion at high efficiency. Dynamic modeling of MMR and harvester are developed to reveal the working principle and verify overall design. The harvester is targeting at powering major track-side accessories or to be used as back-up power source to enhance track operational safety.
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Rose, Jerry G. "Selected In-Track Applications and Performances of Hot-Mix Asphalt Trackbeds." In 2013 Joint Rail Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/jrc2013-2525.
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The use of a layer of asphalt within railway trackbeds has steadily grown since the early 1980s in the United States. Its primary use has been for maintenance and rehabilitation applications in existing tracks, particularly at special trackworks, to improve trackbed performance, and to a lesser extent for new trackbed applications where the projected long-term performance of the asphalt trackbed is anticipated to be economically justified. Normally the asphalt layer is 6 in. (150 mm) thick, placed on a prepared subgrade or granular subballast, and is subsequently topped with a layer of typical ballast. Accepted highway/railway construction practices are adhered to, including adequate preparation and compaction of the support layers. In addition, surface and sub-surface drainage aspects are evaluated on a site-specific basis and improvements are specified based on accepted engineering practices. This application does not deviate significantly from conventional all-granular trackbed designs, except the asphalt layer is substituted for a portion of the thickness of the granular subballast and ballast support materials. Described herein are 1) typical trackbed designs, 2) in-track applications, and 3) long-term performance evaluations for various types of major applications on several U.S. Class I railroads, namely NS, UP, CSX, and BNSF, and a limited number of Shortline railroads. Specifically addressed are rehabilitation applications for special trackworks — tunnel floors/approaches, wheel impact load detectors, bridge approaches, rail-highway crossings, turnouts, rail crossings, and rail crossovers — plus descriptions for a limited number of new double-tracking open-track installations. Brief descriptions are provided for international applications in six countries. Particular detail is given to factors affecting the economic justification for utilizing this technology based on long-term performances and historical evaluations of numerous installations. Details are provided relative to unique conditions and logistics related to the application of the layer of asphalt within the trackbed support for the special trackworks and selected open-track installations. Several specific installations are highlighted.
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Colino, Mark P., and Elena B. Rosenstein. "A New Advance in Tunnel Ventilation Design Planning." In 2017 Joint Rail Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/jrc2017-2203.
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The new train signaling, traction power and tunnel ventilation system coordination guidelines enacted in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 130 have brought the necessity and cost of tunnel ventilation fan shafts into greater focus. The guidelines were aimed at coordinating the three aforementioned rail systems to control the number of trains that could be between successive ventilation shafts during an emergency — in recognition of the fact that the best protection to both incident and non-incident train passengers and crew is to allow no more than one train in each ventilation zone. Though based in safety, these new NFPA guidelines can substantially expand the capital cost and environmental impact of new rail tunnel projects by adding more ventilation shafts and tunnel fan equipment to the scope of work. In addition, the resulting increase in the required number of ventilation shafts and tunnel fan equipment can hinder existing railroad properties as they seek to either increase their train throughput rates, or reduce their tunnel electrical infrastructure. Fortunately, a new kind of emergency ventilation shaft has been developed to facilitate compliance with the NFPA 130 Standard without the excessive capital cost and far-reaching environmental impacts of a traditional emergency ventilation shaft. This new kind of emergency ventilation shaft is called the Crossflue. The Crossflue is a horizontal passage between parallel rail tunnels with a single ventilation fan-motor unit installation. The Crossflue fan is designed to transfer air/smoke flows from one (occupied, incident) tunnel to another (unoccupied, non-incident) tunnel — thereby protecting the incident tunnel at the expense of the non-incident tunnel. The Crossflue passage has angled construction to allow a smooth transition of airflows both into and out of the adjoining tunnels. In addition to the fan, the Crossflue contains a ventilation damper, sound attenuators, ductwork transitions and flexible connectors within the fan equipment line-up; the functionality of all this mechanical equipment is described in the paper. To preserve underground space and minimize the rock excavation, the Crossflue fan is both remotely-powered and remotely-controlled; the fan is only operated as part of a pre-programmed response to tunnel fire events. The methodology utilized to design the Crossflue was taken from the Subway Environmental Design Handbook (SEDH); the SEDH [1] was specifically developed for rail tunnel ventilation design and is the preeminent reference volume in the industry. In summary, the Crossflue provides a dual benefit of achieving NFPA 130 compliance, while at the same time minimizing the construction, equipment, environmental, and energy costs of a traditional tunnel ventilation shaft.
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Colino, Mark P., and Elena B. Rosenstein. "One Train per Ventilation Zone: Application and Innovation." In ASME 2010 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. ASMEDC, 2010. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/imece2010-37176.
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In recognition of paragraph 7.2.5 of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 130 for Fixed Guideway and Passenger Rail Systems, a major commuter railroad project design team has undertaken detailed coordination of its train signaling, traction power and tunnel ventilation systems. Per the writing of the Standard, the coordination effort was aimed at designing the systems to match the total number of trains that could be between ventilation shafts during an emergency, but also recognized that, the best protection to passengers is to allow no more than one train in a ventilation zone. The coordination of the train signaling, traction power and tunnel ventilation system designs per NFPA 130 paragraphs 7.2.5 and A.7.2.5 has permitted the project to achieve a reasonable degree of safety from fire and its related hazards, while at the same time: preserving the commuter railroad’s throughput requirements; reducing overall construction costs; and, minimizing civic/environmental impacts. In particular, the design coordination has permitted the project to forego tunnel fan installations within existing structures in one portion of the project, and an innovative fan plant design between two tunnels has precluded the need for an additional tunnel ventilation shaft in another portion of the project.
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Muhlanger, Michelle, Daniel Parent, Kristine Severson, and Benjamin Perlman. "Development of Performance Requirements for a Rail Passenger Workstation Table Safety Standard." In ASME 2010 Rail Transportation Division Fall Technical Conference. ASMEDC, 2010. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/rtdf2010-42031.
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The American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Construction and Structural committee, a railroad industry group, with the support of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), is creating an industry safety standard for an energy absorbing table. Workstation tables in passenger trains are an increasingly popular seating configuration both in the United States and abroad. Although a well-attached table can provide convenience and compartmentalization for the occupant, there is a risk of abdominal injury during a rail accident. In Fact, there have been several accidents in the United States in which impacts with workstation tables have severely or fatally injured occupants. In 2006, in response to these injuries, an FRA sponsored program developed a prototype table that distributed load over a wider area of the abdomen and absorbed energy during a collision. This table design was tested with specialized anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) instrumented to measure abdominal impact response and was shown to decrease injury risk compared to a baseline table design. Building on the knowledge gained in the development of the prototype table, the proposed standard requires force to the abdomen be limited while energy is absorbed by the table. Since manufacturers do not have access specialized ATDs, researchers proposed a two part testing requirement. The first part is a quasi-static test which measures the energy absorption capacity of the table with a maximum force level determined from testing with specialized abdominal ATDs. The second part is a sled test with a standard Hybrid III 50th percentile (HIII) ATD to assess compliance with occupant protection standards of compartmentalization and ATD injury assessment reference values (IARVs). This paper discusses the research performed to develop the performance requirement in the draft standard. Current injury measures, originally developed for the automotive industry, were examined to assess their applicability to workstation table impacts. Multiple Mathematical Dynamic Models (MADYMO) model simulations show the estimated injuries during a simulated sled test scenario. Several force-crush parameters were examined, including the initial stiffness of the force-crush curve, the plateau force and the target energy absorbed by the table, to determined the force-crush design characteristics of a table that are likely to reduce injury risk. The results of this study, combined with testing of the current prototype table described in a companion paper [1], led to a draft standard that will greatly improve the safety of workstation tables in passenger rail cars.
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Severson, Kristine, A. Benjamin Perlman, Michelle Muhlanger, and Richard Stringfellow. "Evaluation of Testing Methods to Develop Test Requirements for a Workstation Table Safety Standard." In ASME 2010 Rail Transportation Division Fall Technical Conference. ASMEDC, 2010. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/rtdf2010-42032.
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Investigations of passenger train accidents have revealed serious safety hazards associated with the thin, rigid tops of workstation tables, which are common fixtures aboard rail cars. Thoracic and abdominal injuries caused by occupant impact with workstation tables have been cited as the likely cause of two fatalities during a 2002 accident in Placentia, CA [1]. Additionally, workstation tables have been cited as the cause of injury in reports on accidents in Intercession City, FL [2], and Burbank, CA [3]. Currently there are no regulations or safety standards governing the crashworthiness of tables in passenger trains beyond attachment strength requirements. However, research sponsored by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and in collaboration with the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Passenger Rail Equipment Safety Standards (PRESS) Construction & Structural working group is underway to develop a mandatory industry safety standard for tables to ensure that they will be designed to provide a minimum level of safety during a train accident. FRA’s Equipment Safety Research Program has already developed and tested a prototype table design to demonstrate the improved occupant protection provided by an energy-absorbing table. The prototype table design was tested using a THOR [4] and an H3RS [5], which are advanced anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs), onboard a 35 mph full-scale train-to-train impact test of rail cars modified to incorporate crash energy management (CEM) [6]. Test results demonstrated that the Injury Assessment Reference Values (IARVs) measured by the instrumented ATDs were within human tolerance levels established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for automotive crashworthiness for the head, neck, chest, abdomen, and femur. Having demonstrated the effectiveness of an energy-absorbing table, the next step is developing a performance-based safety standard for tables that ensures a minimum level of crashworthiness. The safety standard would employ the use of an 8G dynamic sled test with instrumented ATDs to evaluate occupant injury and structural integrity of the table, similar to the seat test requirements in APTA-SS-C&S-016-99 [7], which is the industry safety standard for passenger seats in rail cars. Normally, advanced ATDs like the THOR would be required to measure abdominal and thoracic loads caused by the table impact during the sled test. However, use of these experimental ATDs for table qualification testing is not feasible due to their limited availability. Therefore, alternative test methods must be developed to evaluate the crashworthiness of workstation tables. This paper evaluates several potential methods to measure table crashworthiness, including quasi-static crush testing, pendulum impact testing, drop tower testing, and sled testing with standard Hybrid III 50th percentile ATDs. The pros and cons of these tests are also described. After evaluating the various testing methods, test conditions for two separate tests are proposed for an industry table standard. A companion paper [8] describes analysis results used to establish performance requirements proposed for evaluating table crashworthiness for the safety standard, in accordance with the test conditions proposed in this paper.