Academic literature on the topic 'Environmental aspects of Railroad trains'
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Journal articles on the topic "Environmental aspects of Railroad trains"
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Li, Weixi, Geordie S. Roscoe, Zhipeng Zhang, M. Rapik Saat, and Christopher P. L. Barkan. "Quantitative Analysis of the Derailment Characteristics of Loaded and Empty Unit Trains." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 2672, no. 10 (November 29, 2018): 156–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0361198118810780.
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Operation of unit trains has grown substantially over the past half century owing to their ability to provide economic and efficient transportation of bulk products. Although various aspects of train safety have been studied, there has been limited research examining the effect of train loading conditions on derailment occurrence, cause and severity. An algorithm was developed to identify derailments of loaded and empty unit trains on mainlines and sidings recorded in the Federal Railroad Administration database. A dataset of these accidents for the 15-year period of 2001–2015 was developed and analyzed. The frequency of derailments for both loaded and empty unit trains declined by more than 50%. The average number of cars derailed per accident fluctuated for both loading conditions, but showed no particular trend. Approximately five times more loaded unit train derailments were recorded in the database than empty unit trains, but in the absence of specific unit train traffic data, inferences about rates are not possible. Loaded unit trains were more than four times heavier than empty unit trains and loaded train derailments tended to involve more cars than empty trains. The distribution of derailment causes differed for loaded and empty unit trains. Loaded trains most frequently derailed because of broken rails and welds, while the leading cause of empty train derailments was obstructions, in particular severe weather. Over 90% of the derailments of loaded and empty unit trains considered in this study occurred on mainline tracks, and the distribution of causes differed between mainline and siding tracks.
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North, Robert N. "REGIONAL ASPECTS OF SOVIET RAILROAD FREIGHT RATES." Soviet Geography 27, no. 3 (March 1986): 183–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00385417.1986.10640645.
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Butkevičius, Jonas. "DEVELOPMENT OF PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION BY RAILROAD FROM LITHUANIA TO EUROPEAN STATES." TRANSPORT 22, no. 2 (June 30, 2007): 73–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.3846/16484142.2007.9638102.
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With the entry of Lithuania into the European Union, proper conditions for both Lithuanian and the EU inhabitants to comfortably travel by trains should be created. Lithuania should resume the direct communication by railroads with Poland. For that the passenger train route “Vilnius‐Warsaw” should be opened; it would enable the national inhabitants to reach European countries by train and also the inhabitants of those countries to come by train to Lithuania. The article gives an analysis of perspective passenger flows on the route “Vilnius‐Warsaw”, presents results of the study on passenger transportation of competitive sphere on this route, investigates technical‐economical aspects of the train's launch, analyses the marketing strategy, gives a survey of links of this train's launch with the “Rail Baltica” project, provides with a presentation of the SWOT analysis. The author proposes to include St. Petersburg into the “Rail Baltica” route ‐ this would increase flows of both ‐ passengers and cargoes. The article covers redistribution of the international passenger transportation market among different types of transport following the introduction of the “Rail Baltica” route.
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Arista, Eka, and Rianto Rili P. "Barrier Design To Reduce Railway Noise Due to Double Track Railroad Tracks in the Crossing Area of Manggarai - Bekasi." Jurnal Perkeretaapian Indonesia 1, no. 2 (November 20, 2017): 97–104. http://dx.doi.org/10.37367/jpi.v1i2.36.
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One effort to reduce noise levels is urban planning. However, in big cities this is often not achieved due to population growth and the unavailability of balanced land. So that houses and buildings must be built close together and even close to the railroad tracks. All long-distance trains to the East (West Java, Central Java, East Java and Yogyakarta Special Region), both economy class, business and executive trains departing from Jakarta Kota Station, Pasar Senen Station and Gambir Station will pass through Bekasi Station until with Cirebon Station. From the data on the number of train trips according to the 2015 Train Travel Chart (Gapeka), there are approximately 122 trips each day. Train activities with frequent travel frequencies throughout the day can cause positive and negative externalities. Positive externalities felt by people who live close to trains include savings in transportation costs and ease and speed of access. The negative externalities, namely noise pollution, safety, and the risk of crime in the form of stone throws. Noise is one parameter to measure environmental quality
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Paliewicz, Nicholas S. "How Trains Became People: Southern Pacific Railroad Co.’s Networked Rhetorical Culture and the Dawn of Corporate Personhood." Journal of Communication Inquiry 43, no. 2 (November 6, 2018): 194–213. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0196859918810383.
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This essay analyzes how a rhetorical culture emerged in which the Supreme Court of the United States assumed corporations were constitutional persons under the Fourteenth Amendment. Approaching rhetorical culture from a networked standpoint, I argue that corporate personhood emerged from Southern Pacific Railroad Co.’s networks and alliances with environmental preservationists, politicians, publics, lawyers, judges, and immigrants in the late 19th century. Contributing to literatures on rhetorical culture and agency, this study shows how Southern Pacific Railroad Co., through networks of influence and force, was a rhetorical subject that shaped a networked rhetorical culture that expanded the boundaries of the Fourteenth Amendment even though the Supreme Court of the United States had not worked out the philosophical underpinnings of corporate personhood. Corporate personhood remains theoretically restrained by legal discourses that reduce subjectivity to a singular, speaking, human subject.
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Uppal, A. S., R. B. Pinkney, and S. H. Rizkalla. "An analytical approach for dynamic response of timber railroad bridges." Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering 17, no. 6 (December 1, 1990): 952–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/l90-107.
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In the 1970s, it was reported that there were approximately 3700 track kilometers of timber railroad bridges in the United States and Canada. For short spans, they offer an attractive alternative to other types of bridges, as they are economical, faster to construct, and easy to maintain. Current design practices do not allow an independent consideration of the effects of the dynamic loads in sizing the bridge components, because very little information is available on the subject. Dynamic tests were carried out in 1986 on timber bridge spans at two test sites using test trains consisting of a locomotive unit, two loaded hopper cars, and a caboose. This paper gives a brief description of the analytical approach employed for determining the dynamic response of timber bridge spans under railway vehicles travelling at a constant speed. The model comprises a multi-degree-of-freedom system with each vehicle having bounce, pitch, and roll movements. Two parallel chords, each having its distributed mass lumped at discrete points, were used to idealize the bridge spans. A computer program developed on this basis was used to predict the loads at the wheel–rail interfaces and the vertical displacements at the discrete points on the spans. The predicted loads at wheel–rail interfaces and the maximum vertical displacements were found to be in agreement within about 20% and 16% respectively of the measured values. The program was utilized to study the effect of speed and other factors on the dynamic response of open-deck and ballast-deck bridges. Key words: analytical approach, timber railway bridge, railway locomotive and cars, constant speed, wheel–rail interface, loads, displacements, accelerations, dynamic response.
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Cohn, Theodore E., and Tieuvi Nguyen. "Sensory Cause of Railroad Grade-Crossing Collisions: Test of the Leibowitz Hypothesis." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 1843, no. 1 (January 2003): 24–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/1843-04.
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Railroad crossing collisions are costly in both lives and property damage and are a principal limitation preventing meaningful increases in train speed. At a recent TRB workshop on means of minimizing the frequency of these events, it was agreed that a major hypothesis aimed at explaining the collisions had never been tested. That hypothesis, attributed to Leibowitz, is that the speed of larger objects, like trains, is underestimated by observers owing to a normal deficiency of visual processing. The elements of this hypothesis have begun to be tested in a laboratory setting. While there are numerous aspects to the judgment of speed of approach, studied has been one narrow aspect of the problem that relates to the rapidity with which a gradual increase in the size (starting size 3.7°, 5.3°, and 7.6° side) of a square is perceived by normal human observers. The object is a light gray rectangle set either in a dark gray surround or with no surround. The time required to react to the gradual change averages around 280 milliseconds (ms) after onset. In a significant number of tests on six individuals across conditions ranging from day to night light intensities, expansions in either width or height, and proportional increases in size or fixed increases, the time required to render the judgment increased with the starting size. The rate of increase was approximately 3 ms divided by the degrees of angle subtense (360° = full circle). Apparently, the initial approach of larger objects is seen more slowly or later than that of smaller ones. If so, this can be shown to translate to a more slowly perceived object speed. Leibowitz may have been correct.
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Uppal, A. S., S. H. Rizkalla, and R. B. Pinkney. "Response of timber bridges under train loading." Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering 17, no. 6 (December 1, 1990): 940–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/l90-106.
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Timber bridges are still commonly used by several North American railroads. For short spans, they offer an attractive alternative to other types of bridges, as they are economical, faster to construct, and easy to maintain. Current design practices do not allow an independent consideration of the effects of the dynamic loads in sizing the bridge components, because very little information is available on the subject. Dynamic tests were carried out at two timber railroad bridge sites under the passage of trains at speeds varying from crawl, i.e., 1.6 km/h (1 mph), to 80.5 km/h (50 mph). The loads at wheel–rail interfaces, the vertical displacements, and the accelerations were measured at several locations on the bridge spans, the bridge approaches, and the normal track sections. The maximum values of the dynamic load factors obtained were 1.50, 1.65, and 1.85 for bridge, bridge approach, and normal track, respectively; and the corresponding maximum values of the dynamic displacement factors obtained were 1.30, 1.00, and 1.20. The main objective of this paper is to describe the experimental work and the influence on the measured values of the train speed and other factors. Key words: railroad, timber, bridge, wheel–rail interfaces, load, deflection, frequency, load factor, dynamic displacement, track modulus.
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Borraz-Sánchez, Conrado, Diego Klabjan, and Alper Uygur. "An Approach for the Railway Multiterritory Dispatching Problem." Transportation Science 54, no. 3 (May 2020): 721–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2019.0895.
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In this research, we address the railway multiterritory dispatch planning (RMTDP) problem. The goal of the RMTDP problem is to find the optimal movement of trains across consecutive dispatch territories, and it is one of the major challenges that decision makers face on a daily basis. It ideally takes into account the correct placement of maintenance windows, remaining capacity of terminals, and availability of train crews, among other critical aspects such as locomotive balance, fueling locations, and inspections. Although these train movement plans are made at the corridor level, which comprises several dispatch territories, when it comes to execution, the meet–pass decisions are made at the individual dispatch territories. This notion causes disruptions and misalignment at the boundaries of dispatch territories. The approach in this paper aims at finding a holistic conflict-free master plan by optimally matching train lineups at territory boundaries and smoothly routing trains through bottlenecks. We propose an efficient solution approach that iteratively constructs a master scheduling plan while minimizing the amount of train delay within a given planning horizon. This is accomplished by designing a time–space network model to identify feasible schedules and developing a mathematical programming–based heuristic to solve the underlying model. A thorough computational study shows the effectiveness of our heuristic approach, as we report reasonable average run times of 3.0 and 6.5 minutes to solve instances of moderate to large size problems, respectively. The results obtained from the algorithm using test snapshots from a Class I railroad company have been shown to assistant chief dispatchers and have received encouraging feedback for applicability.
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Bacaro, Fernanda, Eric Dickenson, Rebecca A. Trenholm, and Daniel Gerrity. "N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation and mitigation in potable reuse treatment trains employing ozone and biofiltration." Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology 5, no. 4 (2019): 713–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c8ew00926k.
Full textDissertations / Theses on the topic "Environmental aspects of Railroad trains"
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Wu, Kwun Hing. "Aerodynamic aspects of high-speed railway underground station with adjoining tunels /." View abstract or full-text, 2008. http://library.ust.hk/cgi/db/thesis.pl?MECH%202008%20WU.
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Besar, Agus. "The CSX line development plan (a guideline for conversion of rails to trails)." Virtual Press, 1992. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/845974.
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This creative project presents guidelines for Rail to Trail Conversion. A preliminary plan for conversion of the CSX running from Richmond County through Delaware County, and ending in Marion County, Indiana, is presented as a case study. The line, which connects several communities and several points of interest along the railroad right-of-way, has been requested for abandonment.To keep the line for interim public use, one of the possibilities is to convert the line to trail use. The trail corridor might create a good linkage between several adjacent places, because it provides various recreational zones along the former railroad right-ofway. There will be two different kinds of trail corridor-urban and rural trail. The distinction between the two will be one of use, urban trails will be used for daily activities and rural trails usually used primarily during weekends, holidays, and vacation time.The development of trail corridor will also encourage movement of people foreither cycling or walking. Campgrounds, wildlife watching stations, scenic overlook areas, trailheads, and outdoor fitness centers are the most common auxiliary components associated with trail development. Wherever the improvement passes through communities, the communities will benefit from the improvement of retailing activities. Each improvement requires certain criteria of location and land surface.Rail to trail conversion is a costly project. In order to make the project easier and economically feasible, the project should encourage more individuals, private organizations, and public agencies to get involved with the conservation. Local newspapers, broadcast on local radio and television, and interest group workshops are the most effective means of developing support. Time is critical in developing succesful rail to trail conversion. The project should be implemented as soon as the railroad has been abandoned, in order to prevent the tracks reverting to adjacent landowners.Department of Urban Planning
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Chong, Uven. "Air quality and climate impacts of Greater London buses and London Paddington trains." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2014. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.708158.
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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.
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Jonkers, Pieter. "The design of a transportation hub and student centre on the Pretoria campus of the Tshwane University of Technology." Thesis, 2011. http://encore.tut.ac.za/iii/cpro/DigitalItemViewPage.external?sp=1000486.
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Thesis (MTech. degree in Architecture: Professional)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2011.This design dissertation will deal with the making of a gateway or portal in order to improve the imageability of the campus. It is thus based on the upgrading and integration of the existing Metro Rail Station and the design of a student centre on the Pretoria Campus in order to become a social interactive arrival space serving the people of the institution. The architectural intervention is based on the principle of a gateway, that illustrates a notable transition when entering the campus. The concept of a horizontal timeline is adapted that is symbolic of the advancement of technological development of the knowledge and skills generated by the university.
Books on the topic "Environmental aspects of Railroad trains"
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Authority, California High-Speed Rail. Final Bay Area to Central Valley high-speed train (HST) program environmental impact report/environmental impact statement (EIR/EIS). Sacramento, CA: California High-Speed Rail Authority, 2008.
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Authority, California High-Speed Rail. Draft program environmental impact report/environmental impact statement (EIR/EIS) for the proposed California high-speed train system. Sacramento: California High-Speed Rail Authority, 2004.
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Schroter, V. STEAM, Sound from Trains Environmental Analysis Method. [Toronto]: Ontario Ministry of the Environment, 1990.
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Central Tibetan Administration-in-Exile (India). Environment & Development Desk., ed. China's train, Tibet's strategy. Dharamsala: Environment and Development Desk, Dept. of Information and International Relations, Central Tibetan Administration, 2009.
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Dolma, Kunchok. China's train, Tibet's tragedy. Dharamsala: Environment and Development Desk, Dept. of Information and International Relations, Central Tibetan Administration, 2009.
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Schroter, V. STEAM, sound from trains environmental analysis method: Report. [Ontario]: Queen's Printer for Ontario, 1990.
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1971-, Spalding Steven D., ed. Trains, culture, and mobility: Riding the rails. Lanham, Md: Lexington Books, 2012.
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Ronning, Ted A., and Christopher P. L. Barkan. Environmental aspects of railroad locomotive coolant discharge. Washington, D.C: Association of American Railroads, 1996.
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Cederlund, Harald. The microbiology of railway tracks: Towards a rational use of herbicides on Swedish railways. Uppsala: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2006.
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Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill. Special report from the Select Committee on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill, together with the proceedings of the Committee. London: HMSO, 1996.
Find full textBook chapters on the topic "Environmental aspects of Railroad trains"
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Trillos, Juan Camilo Gomez, Dennis Wilken, Urte Brand, and Thomas Vogt. "Life Cycle Assessment of a Hydrogen and Fuel Cell RoPax Ferry Prototype." In Progress in Life Cycle Assessment 2019, 5–23. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50519-6_2.
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AbstractEstimates for the greenhouse gas emissions caused by maritime transportation account for approx. 870 million tonnes of CO2 tonnes in 2018, increasing the awareness of the public in general and requiring the development of alternative propulsion systems and fuels to reduce them. In this context, the project HySeas III is developing a hydrogen and fuel cell powered roll-on/roll off and passenger ferry intended for the crossing between Kirkwall and Shapinsay in the Orkney Islands in Scotland, a region which currently has an excess of wind and tidal power. In order to explore the environmental aspects of this alternative, a life cycle assessment from cradle to end-of-use using the ReCiPe 2016 method was conducted, contrasting the proposed prototype developed within the project against a conventional diesel ferry and a diesel hybrid ferry. The results show that the use of hydrogen derived from wind energy and fuel cells for ship propulsion allow the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of up to 89% compared with a conventional diesel ferry. Additional benefits are lower stratospheric ozone depletion, ionizing radiation, ozone formation, particulate matter formation, terrestrial acidification and use of fossil resources. In turn, there is an increase in other impact categories when compared with diesel electric and diesel battery electric propulsion. Additionally, the analysis of endpoint categories shows less impact in terms of damage to human health, to the ecosystems and to resource availability for the hydrogen alternative compared to conventional power trains.
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Ferrell, Jeff. "Freedom in the Form of a Boxcar." In Drift. University of California Press, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/california/9780520295544.003.0006.
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This chapter recounts the trip that the author and his gutter punk traveling companion, Zeke, took aboard a series of freight trains that carried them far into west Texas. The chapter documents the trip’s many drifting experiences: waiting in railyards, hiding from railroad workers, sleeping in the rain, moving from one train or one rail car to another (hotshots, units, boxcars), ultimately arriving in Pecos, Texas—and along the way getting lost in what gutter punks call “the drift.” Interwoven with this narrative are similar accounts from the long history of hoboing and the more recent history of gutter punk train hopping, along with considerations of particular aspects of such travel: dirt, filth, visibility, and “dirty kid” identity; bandana symbolism; beer drinking; and Railroad Workers United. The chapter ends with the author’s discovery of a bit of graffiti that Zeke has written inside the boxcar in which they are travelling, which says “Freedom in the form of a boxcar.”
Conference papers on the topic "Environmental aspects of Railroad trains"
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Iden, Michael E. "U.S. Freight Rail Fuel Efficiency: 1920-2015 Review and Discussion of Future Trends." In 2019 Joint Rail Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/jrc2019-1296.
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U.S. freight railroads produce about 40 percent of freight gross ton-miles while consuming only about 1/20th of the total U.S. diesel fuel1. Compared to heavy-duty trucks, freight railroads have significant energy (and emissions) advantages including the low coefficient of friction of steel wheel-on-rail (compared to rubber tires-on-pavement) and multiple-vehicle trains. However, improved heavy-duty truck technologies are being federally-funded and developed which may create some challenges to freight rail’s long-standing environmental (and economic) advantage in certain transportation markets and corridors. This paper reviews U.S. freight rail fuel efficiency (measured in gallons of fuel per thousand gross ton-miles) from 1920 to 2015, using published records from the former Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) archived and made available by the Association of American Railroads (AAR). All freight locomotive energy consumption (all types of coal, crude oil, electricity kilowatt-hours and diesel fuel) are converted into approximations of diesel gallons equivalent based on the nominal energy content of each locomotive energy type, in order to show the effect of transitioning from steam propulsion to diesel-electric prior to 1960 and the application of other new technologies after World War II. Gross ton-miles (rail transportation work performed) will similarly be tracked from historic ICC and AAR records. Annual U.S. freight rail fuel efficiency is calculated and plotted by dividing total calculated diesel gallons equivalent (DGe) consumed by gross (and by lading-only net) ton-miles produced. New technologies introduced since 1950 which have likely contributed to improvements in freight rail fuel efficiency (such as introduction of unit coal trains, distributed power, alternating current locomotives, etc) will also be discussed and assessed as to relative contribution to fuel efficiency improvements. The paper includes a discussion about U.S. freight rail fuel efficiency compared to heavy-duty truck fuel efficiency, with comments on projected improvements in heavy-duty truck technologies and fuel efficiency. A conclusion is that U.S. freight railroads and equipment suppliers need to be more aware of projected heavy-duty truck fuel efficiency improvements and their potential for erosion of some aspects of traditional railroad competitiveness. Numerous suggested action plans are discussed, with particular focus on reducing the aerodynamic drag (a delta velocity-squared factor in train resistance and power requirement) of double-stack container trains. Last, this paper discusses possible courses of action for U.S. freight railroads to achieve fuel efficiency improvements greater than the historic ∼1 percent improvement achieved over the past 50 years. If freight rail is to remain economically competitive vis a vis heavy duty trucking, railroads will have to identify, evaluate and implement new technologies and/or new operating practices which can help them achieve fuel efficiency improvements matching (or exceeding) those projected for heavy trucks over the next 7-to-12 years. A specific example for improving fuel efficiency of double-stack container trains is discussed. Failure to address the future of freight rail fuel efficiency is likely not an option for U.S. railroads.
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Banerjee, Subharthi, Michael Hempel, Pejman Ghasemzadeh, Hamid Sharif, and Tarek Omar. "Wireless Communication for High-Speed Passenger Rail Services: A Study on the Design and Evaluation of a Unified Architecture." In 2020 Joint Rail Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/jrc2020-8068.
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Abstract High-speed trains, though prevalent in Europe and Asia, are not yet a reality in the US. But interest and industry engagement are growing, especially around commercial hubs close to commuter homes for alleviating commute times. With support from the Federal Railroad Administration in the United States, the authors are exploring the design requirements, challenges, and technology capabilities for wireless communication between passenger cars, on-board systems and with trackside infrastructure, all using next-generation radio access technologies. Key aspects of this work focus on interoperability, modularity of the architecture to facilitate a future-proof design, high-performance operations for passenger services and ultra-low latency capabilities for train control operations. This paper presents the theoretical studies and computer simulations of the proposed network architectures, as well as the results of an LTE/5G field test framework using an OpenAir-Interface (OAI)-based software-defined radio (SDR) approach. Through various test scenarios the OAI LTE/5G implementation is first evaluated in a lab environment and through field tests. These tests provide ground-truth data that can be leveraged to refine the computer simulation model for evaluating large-scale environments with high fidelity and high accuracy. Of particular focus in this evaluation are performance aspects related to delay, handover, bit error rate, frequency offset and achievable uplink/downlink throughput.
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Pouryousef, Hamed, Monique Stewart, Som P. Singh, and Anand Prabhakaran. "A Mini-Network Simulation Approach to Investigate the Capacity and Safety Aspects of National Rail Network." In 2021 Joint Rail Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/jrc2021-58525.
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Abstract Over the last decades there have been major technology advancements in the railroad industry to improve the operational safety as well as performance of freight trains in shared-use corridors. This study was focused on developing a methodology that allows evaluation of the impact of such advanced technologies over the safety and capacity aspects of the U.S. rail network using a benchmark mini-network simulation approach. A hypothetical mini-network of 5,000 miles of track with characteristics typical of the North American rail network was developed. Two hundred thirty two (232) daily trains, including a mix of intercity passenger, commuter, High Speed Rail and 78 freight trains, were used to simulate the traffic flow. Several network capacity and safety related parameters; network delay, network velocity, track utilization level, number of stops at stations, number of braking for route reservations, and number of stops at signals were analyzed in this study. The results of the benchmark network simulations were then extended to the U.S. rail network, using an analytical technique with assumptions for important parameters and impact factors such as total route miles, freight train-miles, number of sidings/yards, congestion level and age of fleets. The results indicate that the methodology is able to quantify the improvement in network capacity and safety features that can be obtained when advanced technologies are deployed on freight trains.
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Duque, Miguel Angel, Fernando Proaño, and Ramiro Santos. "SIMULACIÓN 3D CON INTERFACES HÁPTICAS PARA LA RECUPERACION DEL PATRIMONIO CULTURAL DEL TREN EN RIOBAMBA." In ARQUEOLÓGICA 2.0 - 8th International Congress on Archaeology, Computer Graphics, Cultural Heritage and Innovation. Valencia: Universitat Politècnica València, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/arqueologica8.2016.3564.
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The present work had studied and determined various levels of usability and interactivity in haptic interfaces for manipulating 3D applications. It was applied to a Heritage Cultural system composed by Train Station and Steam Locomotive. A physical model and a railroad model were built. The system was operated by high school students. The information gathering was performed by the deductive method, collecting data about preferences, needs, and requirements for developing a 3D virtual environment using 3DSMAX 2011 Trial (3D Modeled Software) and Unity 4.3 Trial (Simulation Software), capable to engage and transmit information relevant to geographical, social and cultural aspects of the central highlands. Subsequently connected to a real model controlled by electronic systems. The inquiry made from high school students shows that 56 % possess ability and willingness for interfaces manipulation. Also, it was found an 80% of criteria for usability acceptance, and interactivity of 84% towards the current applications on mobile devices. As the final evaluation of the application, it was shown that the intervention of haptic interfaces on threedimensional applications connected to tangible environments, increased 95% of the usability and 100% of interactivity. We conclude that combining virtual systems with real ones accelerates learning processes at the secondary education level. It improves retention of information and allows the user to actively participate in virtual environments, converting recreational applications into academic and research tools.
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Shafiei Dastgerdi, Aref, Kyle Riding, Robert J. Peterman, and B. Terry Beck. "Material Characteristics Evaluation of Existing Pre-Stressed Concrete Railroad Ties After Service Period." In 2018 Joint Rail Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/jrc2018-6177.
Full textAbstract:
As an important element in track, pre-stressed concrete railroad ties in the high-speed rail industry must meet the safety and performance specifications of high-speed trains. Systematic destructive and non-destructive evaluation of existing concrete ties can lead to a better understanding of the effect of prestressed concrete tie material design on performance and failure within their service life. It has been evident that environmental and climate conditions also have a significant impact on concrete railroad ties, causing various forms of deterioration such as abrasion and freeze-thaw damage. Understanding of the material characteristics that cause failure in different types of existing concrete railroad ties taken from different places is the main focus of this paper. Observing the current status and damages of railroad ties taken from track might give a correlation between the material characteristic and type of distress and cracking seen. Although it has been seen by previous works that effective factors such as air void system and material composition directly affect the performance of concrete ties such as freeze-thaw, material evaluation of existing ties after service life has not been addressed in previous publications. In this research, the authors have investigated the material characteristic such as aggregate and air-void system of existing pre-stressed concrete railroad ties taken from track. However, compressive and splitting tensile strength and fractured surface of samples cored from the ties were acquired. In order to obtain the strength of concrete materials of existing ties, six samples were cored from six different types of ties taken from tracks across the U.S., according to ASTM C42-16, and tested using ASTM C39 and ASTM C496 methods. However, the concrete air-void system (ASTM C457) was measured on saw-cut samples extracted from the ties to evaluate the influence air content and distribution on mechanical properties of the ties. Regarding the history and service life condition of the ties, it seems that material properties of the ties effectively alter the performance of the ties. Aggregate sources used at each location may have different properties such as texture, angularity, and mineralogy, contributing either propagation or resistance in splitting cracking in concrete. Furthermore, the polished surface of samples extracted from the ties show the uniformity and air void system in some ties which demonstrate their superiority in terms of resistance to freeze-thaw damage. Considering the results of this research, comprehensive evaluation of material characteristics might give a better view of existing concrete railroad ties situation, providing a worthwhile background for future tie design considerations.
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Vitins, Janis. "Reducing Energy Costs With Electric, Diesel and Dual-Powered Locomotives." In 2009 Joint Rail Conference. ASMEDC, 2009. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/jrc2009-63019.
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Typically, the costs for traction energy add up to 20% or more of the total train operating costs with electric locomotives in Europe. Therefore, there is a high incentive for the railroads to reduce energy consumption and thus to improve operating margins. Additionally, rising costs for energy as well as environmental aspects will increase the need to reduce energy consumption in the future. Firstly, on electric locomotives the largest energy savings are obtained from power regeneration at braking. In this mode the locomotive acts as a moving power generator feeding energy back into the catenary network. Savings are typically in the range of 10 to 30%. Secondly, the driving style has a high impact on energy costs. Energy consumption can be lowered by more than 20% through an energy conscious driving style compared to aggressive driving. Thirdly, the energy efficiency of the whole traction chain is important. Electric locomotives designed for AC catenaries have an overall energy efficiency of up to 86%. Locomotives designed for 1.5 or 3 kV DC catenaries can have an overall energy efficiency of up to 90%. New technologies can potentially help to increase the power efficiencies even further. Apart from using efficient diesel engines, the fuel costs of diesel-electric locomotives can be reduced much in the same way as with electric locomotives. Regeneration of braking power on diesel-electric locomotives is, however, limited to feeding the auxiliaries and head end power (HEP) to passenger coaches. In Europe the energy costs per hauled ton-km are typically much lower with electric than with diesel traction. This gives dual-powered locomotives the advantage of overall lower energy costs for operation on both electrified and non-electrified networks. First estimates show that the total energy costs (diesel and electric operation) can be reduced by more than 35% in a mixed network with 80% electrification with a dual-powered locomotive compared to a diesel locomotive running the same train on the same route. In addition, the dual-powered locomotive provides major cost savings and increased quality of service with a one seat ride.
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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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Andersen, David R., Graydon F. Booth, Anand R. Vithani, Som P. Singh, Anand Prabhakaran, Monique F. Stewart, and S. K. (John) Punwani. "Train Energy and Dynamics Simulator (TEDS): A State-of-the-Art Longitudinal Train Dynamics Simulator." In ASME 2012 Rail Transportation Division Fall Technical Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/rtdf2012-9418.
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Train safety and operational efficiency are enhanced by the ability to understand the behavior of trains under varying conditions. Under the direction of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), a longitudinal train dynamics and operation simulation software — Train Energy and Dynamics Simulator (TEDS) — has been developed. TEDS is capable of modeling modern train operations and equipment, and is an effective tool for studying train operations safety and performance as affected by equipment, train makeup, train handling, track conditions, operating practices and environmental conditions. TEDS simulates the dynamics of longitudinal train action and incorporates the dynamic effects of various different types of draft gears and end-of-car cushioning units including mismatched devices coupled together, the transient response of locomotive tractive and dynamic braking effort, as well as a fluid dynamic representation of the air brake system with the capability to model conventional pneumatic and ECP brake systems. The capabilities of TEDS are described and demonstrated with several examples. The validation effort undertaken is described at both the component and system level. Comparisons of TEDS simulations of impact tests with the test results are shown to verify the draft gear and end-of-car cushioning unit models. The air brake model predictions are verified by comparing brake rack test results to TEDS simulations of braking behavior.
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Hosseini, SayedMohammad, Yongwen Tan, and Mehdi Ahmadian. "Forward-Looking Infrared Radiometry (FLIR) Application for Detecting Ballast Fouling." In 2020 Joint Rail Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/jrc2020-8032.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract This paper is intended to assess the practical aspects of the previously proposed approach for detecting railroad ballast fouling using an off-the-shelf Forward-Looking Infrared Radiometry (FLIR) Technology. FLIR is among the technologies that are becoming more prevalent in railroad applications [1,2]. The method discussed in this paper takes advantage of the temperature differences measured by the FLIR camera between the top surface of clean and partially fouled ballast samples as an indicator of fouling. The method is intended to potentially serve as an efficient and time-effective manner for detecting early stages of ballast fouling prior to it requiring a costly intervention. Ballast fouling is a common maintenance-of-way issue for the railroad industry, which occurs as a result of contaminants clogging up the ballast and preventing water drainage. The water retained at the sublayers diminishes the strength of the foundation and could result in other undesirable conditions such as clay pumping and reduced track strength. In this study, experiments are performed to study the thermal behavior and characteristics of clean, and partially- and fully-fouled ballast using a FLIR camera. The FLIR camera is set up in a stationary configuration for ease of testing and also providing a more direct approach to analyzing the data, to keep the test conditions highly repeatable and reduce any environmental variations. The results indicate that the cooling and heating rate at the top surface for clean, partially fouled, and fouled ballast are different during the daily heat-up cycle. It is determined that although the FLIR camera is able to measure some changes in the ballast temperature for the fouling conditions that are evaluated in the study, the differences may be within the range of variations that could occur in field conditions. The paper includes the range of measured temperature by the FLIR camera and discusses the pros and cons of using this approach in practice. Additional field testing is needed to validate or dispute the initial findings of the study.
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Workman, David, Stephen Levesque, and Suhas Vaze. "Developing a Reliable Method for Signal Wire Attachment Without Martensite." In 2013 Joint Rail Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/jrc2013-2443.
Full textAbstract:
Railroad signaling systems are a vital part of the national railroad that detect trains on the track, identify track fractures, prevent derailments, and alert signal crossing stations when a train approaches. Failures in the signal wire attachments (studs) to rail create uncertainty in the system resulting in reduced train speeds, additional inspection and reinstallation costs, which translate into train delays, downtime, lost productivity and lost profitability for the railroads. Current methods of attaching studs to rails appear to exceed the critical (phase transformation) temperature in the rail material. There have been cases where this has resulted in formation of martensite in the stud-to-rail bond area during cooling. A brittle phase like martensite can produce fractures when stress is applied. Additionally, liquid metal embrittlement has been found in weld joints that involve the use of a brazing compound or solder to attach a signal wire. Methods that involve drilling for a plug attachment through the neutral axis of the rail result in decreased but acceptable fatigue performance. In an effort to avoid damage to the rail, studs have been moved from their ideal location (on the side of the rail head) to the middle of the web, close to or at the rail neutral axis. However, this location for studs causes other problems — wires and studs are highly prone to interfere with maintenance-of-way equipment. Under funding from the Federal Railroad Administration, EWI has developed and patented an inertia friction welding (IFW) process that is a field-portable, repeatable, and reliable solution for signal-wire attachments; in addition, the solid-state bonding mechanism provides advantages over the existing bonding solutions. IFW is used to weld a stud of dissimilar metal to rail, which in turn allows a signal wire to be connected. Several weld stud alloys were chosen for process feasibility trials. These trials identified parameters that produced solid-state welds between the stud and rail with no martensite at or near the bond line. Further experimental trials were conducted to define a range for rotational speed and welding thrust load. Repeatability testing was also conducted to ensure that there is no evidence of martensite at or near the bond line after multiple stud weld-remove-and-repair cycles. A conceptual design of a field-portable rail inertia welder, based on EWI’s patented portable inertia welding technology, has been completed. The welder is lightweight and capable of being powered by a small electric motor. Internal timing and process controls can maintain and deliver weld quality. The simplicity of the process will yield consistent joint performance with minimal operator training and a variety of environmental conditions. Research is being conducted to examine the reliability of the process through a series of bending fatigue tests, corrosion tests and in service testing.