Kevin Kesler

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Dr. John Tunna

Director

Office of Research & Development

Office of Railroad Policy & Development

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development

• Organizational structure

• Strategic goals

• Facilities and equipment

• Core research program

• Project selection

• Current projects

• High Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail research program

• Priorities

• Current status

• Evaluation

• Looking forward

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 2

Office of Passenger and

Freight Programs

Director, Paul Nissenbaum

Project Development and

Delivery

Director, Corey Hill

Grant Management Division

Chief, MaryAnn McNamara

Credit Programs Division

Chief, Barbara Amani

Environment and Systems Planning

Division

Chief, David Valenstein

Engineering and Project Development

Division

Chief, Leonard Evans

Financial and Economic Analysis

Division

Chief, Neil Moyer

Program Development and Strategy

Division

Chief, Rebecca Reyes-Alicea (Acting)

Office of Railroad Policy and Development

Associate Administrator, Mark E. Yachmetz

Office of Policy

Director,

Scott Greene

(Acting)

Surface Transportation

Intermodal Program

Strategic Forecasting and

Environmental Issues

International Affairs

Rail Data Analysis

Office of Research and

Development

Director, John Tunna

Track Research Division

Chief, Gary Carr

Signals, Train Control, and

Communications Division

Chief, Sam Alibrahim, P.E.

Equipment and Operating Practices

Division

Chief, Kevin Kesler

Human Factors

Research Staff

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 3

Office of Research and Development

Director, Dr. John Tunna

Equipment and

Operating

Practices Division

Chief, Kevin Kesler

8 Staff Members including

Human Factors Research Staff led by Tom Raslear, Ph.D.,

Signals, Train Control

& Communications

Division

Chief, Sam Alibrahim, P.E.

3 Staff Members 6 Staff Members

Track Research

Division

Chief, Gary Carr

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development

• Safety

• Highest statutory and programmatic priority

• Livable Communities

• Noise and vibration, closing grade crossings

• State of good repair

• Rail corridor inspection and assessment, understanding rail asset life cycles

(including defect initiation and growth rates)

• Economic competitiveness

• Increasing capacity, workforce development

• Environmental sustainability

• Higher fuel efficiency locomotives with fewer carbon emmissions

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 5

TTC DOTX-218

CTIL

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 6

Track Research Division

• Track and Structures

• Track / Train Interaction

• Operations / Facilities

~150 projects typically $40M/year

Equipment and Operating Practices

• Rolling Stock And Components

• Locomotives

• Energy, Efficiency and Environment

• Human Factors

• Hazardous Materials

Signals, Train Control and Communications

• Signals and Train Control (Including PTC)

• Grade Crossing

• Communications

Track & Structures

Signals, Train Control & Comms

Equipment & Operating Practices

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 7

Accident history

Stakeholders

(RRs, unions)

Program

Concept

(PM*)

Accident investigations

*PM: Program Manager

Develop

QUAD

Sheet

Project

Selection

Project

Execution

Improved

Safety…

Program

Manager

Rating

R&D

Management

Rating

Project

Ranking,

Prioritization

Resolve

Differences

Steering

Committee

(not yet implemented)

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 8

Broad Agency Announcement priorities

• Track & structures

• Autonomous and efficient inspection

• Equipment

• 125 mph non-electric locomotive

• Materials and construction • 125+ mph passenger equipment

• Improved turnout performance • Vehicle weight and unsprung mass reduction

• Corridor hardening

• Modeling and simulation software

• High-speed truck – passenger and freight

• Train control

• Train occupant protection

• Grade crossing protection

• Human factors

• Capacity improvements

• Interface with controls and displays

• Interoperable wireless communications

• Cab environment

• Employee training for new technology and operations

• Positive Train Control (PTC) integration and enhancements

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 9

Supplier contacts

Concept papers submitted

Concept papers accepted

Concept papers rejected

Proposals submitted

Proposals accepted

Awards to date

80+

50

21

18

18

15

1

HSR R&D Account

Obligated to date

Committed to date

Account Balance

$25.0M

$1.24M

$7.15M

$16.61M

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development

10

• Annual review and evaluation of FRA’s R&D program

• Covers program management, allocation of resources among program areas, outreach to customers and stakeholders, project selection criteria, and project management

• Also provides direction to the FRA R&D program, and comments on the substance of the research program areas

• A copy of the 2009 review letter report is available on the R&D section of the FRA website www.fra.dot.gov

• The letter report from the December 2010

Review will be available on March 21, 2011

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 11

Reportable train accidents

2.0

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0

2004 2005 2006

YEAR

2007

Source: FRA Safety Database

2008 2009

Cause Category

Equipment

Human Factors

Grade Crossing

Misc. (excl. GC)

Signal

Track

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development

• FRA’s 5-year Strategic Research and Development Plan – summer 2011

• Increased focus on safety risk analysis

• Continued improvement on program evaluation

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 13

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