Selected Federal Government Resources on Rail Collisions
Federal Railroad Administration, Collision Analysis Working Group
http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/99
FRA’s Collision Analysis Working Group reviewed main track train
collisions where human factor causes contributed to trains exceeding their
authority. The Group selected 65 collision cases it believes contain
enough information to find meaningful commonalities upon which to base
collision-avoiding findings and recommendations. The selection process
and the full report are contained here.
Federal Transit Administration
Rail Modernization Study: Report to Congress, April 2009
http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/Rail_Mod_Final_Report_4-27-09.pdf
The main objective of this Rail Modernization Study to assess the level of
capital investment required to attain and maintain a state of good
repair(SGR) for the nations seven largest rail transit operators. The study
also considers these reinvestment needs within the context of past levels of
Federal funding support as well as potential changes to the current Federal
Program.
Federal Transit Administration
Transit
State of Good Repair – Beginning the
Dialogue, October 2008
http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/SGR.pdf
In the summer of 2008, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) brought
together representatives from 14 public transportation providers and State
Departments of Transportation to discuss the state of repair of our Nation’s
transit inventory. Discussion topics included transit recapitalization and
maintenance issues, asset management practices, and innovative financing
strategies. Issues explored related to measuring the condition of transit
capital assets, prioritizing local transit re-investment decisions, and
preventive maintenance practices. Other topics addressed included research
needs and potential tools for helping agencies cope with this growing
problem.
Subsequently, FTA met with equipment manufacturers, construction and
engineering firms, and private equity firms to explore potential
public-private partnership opportunities within public
transportation—including the potential for private-sector involvement in
long-term capital asset management, to help ensure that legacy assets are
maintained or replaced as needed.
National Transportation Safety Board, Railroad Accident Reports:
http://www.ntsb.gov/Publictn/R_Acc.htm
Selected reports from 1971-present, in full text 1996-present
National Transportation Safety Board
Collision Between Two Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Trains at the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Station in Washington, D.C.
November 3, 2004
http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2006/RAR0601.pdf
Full text of NTSB Report on November 3, 2004
Washington,
DC Metro collision.
National Transportation Safety Board
Public Hearing, March 3-4, 2009, Collision of
Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink)
Passenger Train No. 111 and Union Pacific Railroad Freight Train No.
LOF65-12, Chatsworth,
California. September 12, 2008
http://www.ntsb.gov/Events/2009/Chatsworth-CA/default.htm
Extensive documentation and complete video of NTSB’s two day public hearing
on the collision near Los Angeles,
CA.
Volpe
National
Transportation
Systems
Center
Rail Equipment Crashworthiness Research
http://www.volpe.dot.gov/sdd/crashworthy.html
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has been working with the
Volpe
National
Transportation
System Center
(Volpe
Center) to conduct research into rail equipment
crashworthiness. The approach in conducting this research has been to
propose strategies for improved crashworthiness and to apply analytic tools
and testing techniques for evaluating the effectiveness of those strategies.
The principal activities of the research include technical studies, the
documentation and dissemination of the results of these studies, and the
application of the study results to standards development.
Volpe
National
Transportation
Systems
Center
Rail Equipment Crashworthiness Publications and Papers
http://www.volpe.dot.gov/sdd/pubs-crash.html
Current, archival, and full text technical research papers on rail equipment
crashworthiness. Many papers are accompanied by test video.
Sample titles include "Detailed Modeling of the Train-to-Train Impact Test:
Rail Passenger Equipment Impact Tests” and "The Influence of Manufacturing
Variations on a Crash Energy Management System".
Another excellent bibliography has been created by the Dorothy Peyton
Gray Transportation Library of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority. It can be accessed at:
http://www.metro.net/about_us/library/train_controls.htm
This document was prepared by the National Transportation Library on June
23, 2009. Please contact us at
library@dot.gov or 202-366-0746 with any questions or comments.
Thank you.
