Proceedings of the 2004 ASME/IEEE Joint Rail Conference

TIAX LLC

RTD2004-66037

Proceedings

United States

AGR-SAFETY AND SECURITY-SAFETY AND SECURITY ; NTL-RAIL TRANSPORTATION-Rail Safety ; NTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Accidents ; NTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Rail Safety ;

A full-scale train-to-train impact test was performed in

which a cab car-led passenger train traveling at 30 mph collided

with a standing locomotive-led train. During the test, the lead

cab car overrode the cab of the standing locomotive, sustaining

approximately 20 feet of crush, while the cab of the locomotive

remained essentially intact.

In this study, a finite element-based analysis of the

collision was performed. The first 0.5 seconds of the collision

was simulated. Results of the analysis were compared with

accelerometer and video test data. Specific comparisons are

made between test data and model predictions for: motions of

the cab car and the standing locomotive; longitudinal forces

arising between the cab car and the standing locomotive and

between the respective lead and trailing vehicles; and the mode

of deformation of the cab car and the locomotive.

The results of the study indicate that the model captures

pertinent features of the first 0.3 seconds of the collision,

particularly with respect to longitudinal vehicle motions and

collision forces. After 0.3 seconds, agreement between model

predictions and test data becomes progressively worse. This is

attributable to the model’s inability to capture the massive

fracture that occurs at the front of the cab car.

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Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference Center
Federal Railroad Administration