Railroad Research Programs
Standing Committee on Rail Transportation
of the
American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials
Jacksonville, Florida
September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
AAR’s Rail Research Programs
 The Transportation Technology Center, Inc
(TTCI)
-
Overview
Funding
AAR Strategic Research Initiatives Program
New Technology Developments
Economic benefits of research
-
Overview
Funding
Programs
 Railroad Research Foundation
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
TTCI:
What is it?
 Specialized test facility for railroad equipment,
infrastructure components and technical
management processes
 Located east of Pueblo, Colorado
 Operated by a subsidiary of AAR since 1980
 Facilities owned by FRA
- Original project started in 1970
- Many current facilities built by railroads and deeded to
FRA
 Underlying land owned by State of Colorado
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
The Transportation Technology
Center – Pueblo, Colorado
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
TTCI:
Facility and Capabilities
 Track for freight, passenger, and transit equipment testing
 Specialized laboratory testing of rail vehicles
- Structural integrity and suspension systems
- Air brake system and component performance
- Roller bearing performance testing
- Track component fatigue testing
- Safety and passenger car crash worthiness testing
 Security and emergency response training facility
 Positive Train Control Interoperability test bed
 Passenger and railcar security & integrity training
 Non-destructive rail and car inspection facilities
 Advanced rail technology evaluation facilities
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
TTC: The Test Site (with Core
Area shown Expanded)
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
Rail Vehicle Test Tracks at
TTC
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
Operations Center and Rail
Dynamics Laboratory
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
TTCI Customers and Funding
 AAR Services (47%)
- Industry strategic research program
- Tech standards and inspections support
- “User pays" standards and services
 Government (26%)
 FRA research support (16.5%)
- Rolling stock, track and structures
- PTC
 Other Government (10%)
- Security (FEMA and TSA), Nuclear fuel transportation
 North America (16%)
- Suppliers (freight and passenger)
- Operators (freight and passenger)
 International Consulting (8%)
 Emergency response training (3%)
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
Strategic Research Program
Vehicle-Track System
Mechanical
♦ Wheel / rail asset
life extension
♦ Vehicle track
performance
♦ Train condition monitoring
♦ New Technology
Implementation
♦ Advanced train
equipment
♦ Improved car and
braking components
♦ Improved car
performance
Heavy Axle Loads
Engineering
♦ Heavy axle load implementation
♦ Track integrity
• FAST/HAL
Operations
• HAL Revenue
Service Monitoring
• HAL Track andSubstructure
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September 21, 2010
♦ Special track work
♦ Bridge research
♦ Improved track components
♦ Improved performance track
♦ Improved signal reliability
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
Strategic Research Program:
New Technologies
Machine vision inspection and automated freight car
condition monitoring & preventive maintenance
Wheel/rail interface management
Development of a new wheel and rail profiles
Integrated truck design and improved car
components
Improved brake systems & cost effective ECP
systems
Root-causes and prevention of wheel/rail rolling
contact fatigue (RCF)
Laser-based rail flaw and rail joint detection
Machine vision inspection of track
Advanced special trackwork designs and materials
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
Economic Post Audit of an SRI
Project – Wayside Detectors
Methodology
 Determine research and implementation costs
 Interview Class I railroad representatives and car
owners
 Analyze FRA and railroad data
 Develop an economic model for wayside detection
costs and benefits from 2001 to 2008
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
Wayside Detector Benefits
Exceeded Costs by 3:1
Source: Cambridge Systematics, “Post-Audit of Wayside Detector Costs and Benefits,”
Draft Report for TTCI, September 10, 2009.
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ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
Railroad Research
Foundation
 Incorporated as a nonprofit, 501(c)(3)
 Managed by a 7 member Board of Directors
 Benefits from the AAR Committees utilizing:
- AAR member railroads and rail suppliers, and
- Other interested industry parties.
 These provide RRF general direction on
projects funded through government agency
agreements.
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
Railroad Research
Foundation Objectives
 Improve safety, security and infrastructure and
provide state-of-the-art advancements in areas
that benefit the public, including:
- Train control, wireless communications, suicide
prevention, tools to improve security and highway
grade crossings safety.
 Systems and tools should be useable and
interoperable throughout the railroad industry
and, wherever possible, use non-proprietary,
open standards.
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
Railroad Research Foundation
Programs
 Currently - 10 active, R&D agreements.
 Funding received to date - $34 million in:
- Safety and security, Technology, and, Infrastructure
improvement.
 Has undertaken cooperative agreements with:
- DOT-FRA, DHS-FEMA, and, EPA
 Administers funding; provides assurance funds
are used intended public purpose.
 RRF partners:
- Amtrak, BNSF CSX, KCS, NS, UP, METRA, TTCI, ARINC,
American Association of Suicidology, EMD, Electronic
Warfare Associates, ABSG Consulting, Critical Link,
Ansaldo, Safetran, Lockheed Martin.
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
RRF’s Currently Funded
Projects
 Clean Diesel Locomotive Initiative
 Railroad Wireless Communications and Train
Control I and II
 Positive Train Control Development
 Interoperable Train Control
 Rail Corridor Risk Management System
 Railroad Alert Network
 Railroad Trespassers’ Database
 Countermeasure to Reduce Suicides on
Railroads
 Chicago Common Operational Picture
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
Association of American Railroads
www.aar.org
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September 21, 2010
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS