Development of a National Track Safety Database

This project supports the research team's companion proposals to develop track safety models for both rail buckling and railhead cracking. While these two failure modes are not the most commonplace causes of train derailments according to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), when derailments due to one of these causes occur, they tend to be both catastrophic and costly to the nation. It is, therefore, advisable to append to the models sufficient information for track engineers to be able to make timely and cost-effective decisions regarding track worthiness as it relates to these two failure modes. The track buckling and railhead cracking models are quite advanced mechanics-based models that account for track geometry, long-term cyclic loading, and local environmental conditions. Furthermore, the models indicate that these factors strongly affect track worthiness. As a typical example, a particular section of track is much more likely to buckle in summer than winter because the local track temperature in summer is usually significantly higher than RNT (Rail Neutral Temperature) in hot sunny climates. These local factors then strongly influence the probability of track failures due to rail buckling and railhead cracking. It is, therefore, necessary for track engineers in the field to have easy and direct access to the necessary inputs to the models in order to assess local track worthiness when they encounter track sections wherein the likelihood of track failure is suspected. Because such information is not readily available to track engineers at this time, it is currently not possible for track engineers to make scientifically quantifiable decisions during track inspections regarding the necessity to perform track remediation and/or replacement. To that end, the research team proposes to develop a National Track Safety Database (NTSD) for use by railway engineers as a means of deploying the track buckling and railhead cracking models on-the-fly, thereby, utilizing the latest technology to better assess track worthiness. Such technology would not only improve track safety, it would also provide a technologically-based tool capable of increasing cost effectiveness within the railway transportation industry.

• Record URL:
  https://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/_files/documents/research/exhibit-d_utcrs_tamu_national_track_safety_database_2023.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Partners for this project are the Federal Rail Administration (FRA), Association of American Railroads (AAR), and MxV Rail.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $203479
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3552348340

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Texas A&M Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System
  3135 TAMU
  College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135
• Managing Organizations:

  Texas A&M Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System
  3135 TAMU
  College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135
• Project Managers:

  Stearns, Amy

• Performing Organizations:

  Texas A&M Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System
  3135 TAMU
  College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135
• Principal Investigators:

  Allen, David

• Start Date: 20230601
• Expected Completion Date: 20240831
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Buckling; Cracking; Databases; Railroad rails; Railroad safety; Railroad tracks
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Maintenance and Preservation; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01898079
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: University Transportation Center for Railway Safety
• Contract Numbers: 69A3552348340
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Oct 31 2023 9:31PM