United States Department of Transportation
i
Locomotive crashworthiness design modifications study
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1999-04-01
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[PDF-1.51 MB]
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Abstract:A study has been conducted of locomotive crashworthiness in a range of collision scenarios to support the efforts of the Locomotive Crashworthiness Working Group of the Federal Railroad Administration's Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) to develop locomotive crashworthiness requirements. The RSAC is a government/industry committee including all segments of the rail community, with the purpose of developing solutions to safety regulatory issues. This paper presents the results of a study of the crashworthiness of conventional and modified locomotive designs in five collision scenarios. The five collision scenarios studied are: 1. in-line collision of two locomotive-led trains with trailing locomotive overriding leading locomotive; 2. in-line collision of two locomotive-led trains with one colliding locomotive overriding the other; 3. locomotive grade crossing collision with highway vehicle hauling logs, with principal impact on locomotive window area; 4. oblique collision, locomotive with intermodal trailer; 5. oblique collision, locomotive with freight car. The locomotive design modifications studied include shelf couplers, CN-design anti-climber, modified collision posts, increased window structure strength, and increased short hood strength.
Results of the study show that shelf couplers are not effective in
preventing one locomotive from climbing another; the Canadian
National (CN) anti-climber design is not more effective than the
conventional anti-climber design in preventing one locomotive from
climbing another; increased window structure strength is effective in
increasing locomotive crashworthiness in a collision with logs;
increased short hood strength is effective in increasing locomotive
crashworthiness in a collision with an intermodal trailer; and
modifications to the locomotive front plate and plow designs will not
influence the consequences of an oblique collision with a side-sill
design covered hopper car.
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