scholarly journals Canadian main track derailment trends, 2001 to 2014

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (11) ◽  
pp. 927-934 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric M. Leishman ◽  
Michael T. Hendry ◽  
C. Derek Martin
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Database System ◽  
Transportation Safety ◽  
Rolling Stock ◽  
Track Geometry ◽  
Dangerous Goods ◽  
Main Track

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) maintains the Rail Occurrence Database System (RODS). This database contains information on all types of rail occurrences including derailments that must be reported by all Canadian railway operators. This paper analyzes the derailments that occurred on Canadian main track network between 2001 and 2014. The results from the analysis show that between 2001 and 2014 there was an overall decreasing trend in the number and intensity of main track derailments, derailments involving dangerous goods cars, and the number of derailments resulting in the release of dangerous goods. The RODS data was further analyzed to evaluate the frequency of the differing causes of derailments and the severity of the resulting incidents. The most common and severe derailment causes resulted from rail breaks, track geometry, and environmental conditions. Derailment velocity was also found to have an impact on the severity, with higher velocities resulting in a greater number of derailed rolling stock.

Tank Car Sloshing on Rail Transportation Safety Under Various Loading, Track and In-Train Force Conditions

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Huang ◽  
Yan Liu
Keyword(s):  
Analysis Data ◽  
Liquid Sloshing ◽  
Dynamics Simulation ◽  
Transportation Safety ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Track Geometry ◽  
Dangerous Goods ◽  
Train Speed ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Difference Curvature

Analytical work was conducted to study if movement of liquid in a tank car (or sloshing) could contribute in any way to derailments of trains carrying dangerous goods liquids. A liquid sloshing model was developed for railway tank car with formulas generated based on available finite element analysis data. An empty tank car dynamics simulation model validated with measured data was used as the base model to implement the liquid sloshing model. Hundreds of thousands of dynamics simulations were conducted for the tank car with liquid cargo at various fill ratios and with equivalent solid (i.e., rigid) cargo on more than 1000 measured curves. The results show that under some conditions tank car sloshing could increase the risk of derailment. The detrimental effect of tank car sloshing on rail safety increases with the increase of outage, trailing tonnage, grade, car length difference, curvature, train speed and track geometry irregularities. Quantitative risk analysis could be improved by considering the effects of tank car sloshing on derailment risk. The findings can be used by regulators and the railroads to improve train marshalling practice and risk mapping of railway networks.

Accident-Cause-Specific Risk Analysis of Rail Transport of Hazardous Materials

2018 ◽  
Vol 2672 (10) ◽  
pp. 176-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Liu ◽  
Tejashree Turla ◽  
Zhipeng Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Risk Analysis ◽  
Decision Support Tool ◽  
Hazardous Materials ◽  
Transportation Safety ◽  
Rolling Stock ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Track Geometry ◽  
Transportation Risk ◽  
Hazmat Transportation ◽  
Train Length

Rail plays a key role in the transportation of hazardous materials (hazmat). Improving railroad hazmat transportation safety is a high priority for both industry and government. Many severe railroad hazmat release incidents occur because of train accidents. The Federal Railroad Administration identifies over 300 accident causes, including infrastructure defects, rolling stock failures, human factors, and other causes. Understanding how hazmat transportation risk varies with accident cause is a key step in identifying, developing, evaluating, and prioritizing cost-justified accident prevention strategies, thereby mitigating hazmat transportation risk. The objective of this paper is to develop an integrated, generalized risk analysis methodology that can estimate accident-cause-specific hazmat transportation risk, accounting for various train and track characteristics, such as train length, speed, point of derailment, the number and placement of tank cars in a train, tank car safety design, and population density along rail lines. Using the two major causes of accidents on freight railroads—broken rails and track geometry defects—as an example, this paper demonstrates a step-by-step analytical procedure and decision support tool to assess how accident frequency, severity, and hazmat transportation risk vary by accident cause. The research method can be adapted for risk analysis at corridor- or network-level accounting for other accident causes.

scholarly journals Identification of Sleeper Support Conditions Using Mechanical Model Supported Data-Driven Approach

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 3609
Author(s):  
Mykola Sysyn ◽  
Michal Przybylowicz ◽  
Olga Nabochenko ◽  
Lei Kou
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Dynamic Interaction ◽  
Theoretical Research ◽  
Rolling Stock ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Beam Dynamic ◽  
Track Geometry ◽  
Data Driven Approach ◽  
Support Conditions

The ballasted track superstructure is characterized by a relative quick deterioration of track geometry due to ballast settlements and the accumulation of sleeper voids. The track zones with the sleeper voids differ from the geometrical irregularities with increased dynamic loading, high vibration, and unfavorable ballast-bed and sleeper contact conditions. This causes the accelerated growth of the inhomogeneous settlements, resulting in maintenance-expensive local instabilities that influence transportation reliability and availability. The recent identification and evaluation of the sleeper support conditions using track-side and on-board monitoring methods can help planning prevention activities to avoid or delay the development of local instabilities such as ballast breakdown, white spots, subgrade defects, etc. The paper presents theoretical and experimental studies that are directed at the development of the methods for sleeper support identification. The distinctive features of the dynamic behavior in the void zone compared to the equivalent geometrical irregularity are identified by numeric simulation using a three-beam dynamic model, taking into account superstructure and rolling stock dynamic interaction. The spectral features in time domain in scalograms and scattergrams are analyzed. Additionally, the theoretical research enabled to determine the similarities and differences of the dynamic interaction from the viewpoint of track-side and on-board measurements. The method of experimental investigation is presented by multipoint track-side measurements of rail-dynamic displacements using high-speed video records and digital imaging correlation (DIC) methods. The method is used to collect the statistical information from different-extent voided zones and the corresponding reference zones without voids. The applied machine learning methods enable the exact recent void identification using the wavelet scattering feature extraction from track-side measurements. A case study of the method application for an on-board measurement shows the moderate results of the recent void identification as well as the potential ways of its improvement.

Toward Railway Automated Defect Detection From Onboard Data Using Deep Learning

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milad Afzalan ◽  
Farrokh Jazizadeh ◽  
Mehdi Ahmadian
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
Defect Detection ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Rolling Stock ◽  
Ride Quality ◽  
Type I ◽  
Large Set ◽  
Track Geometry ◽  
Spatial Efficiency

Abstract Regular monitoring of railway systems is imperative for improving safety and ride quality. To this end, data collection is carried out regularly in the rail industry to document performance and maintenance. The use of machine learning methods in the past recent years has provided opportunities for improved data processing and defect detection and monitoring. Such methods rely on installing instrumentation wayside or collecting data from onboard rolling stock. Using the former approach, only specific locations can be monitored, which could hinder covering a large territory. The latter, however, enables monitoring large sections of track, hence proving far more spatial efficiency. In this paper, we have investigated the feasibility of rail defect detection using deep learning from onboard data. The source of data is acceleration and track geometry collected from onboard railcars. Such an approach allows collecting a large set of data on a regular basis. A long short-term memory (LSTM) architecture is proposed to examine the measured time-series to flag potential track defects. The proposed architecture investigates the characteristics of time-series signatures during a short time (∼ls) and classifies the associated track segment to normal/defect states. Furthermore, a novel automated labeling method is proposed to parse the exception report data (recorded by the maintenance team) and label defects for associated time-series signatures during the training phase. In a pilot study, field data from a revenue service Class I railroad has been used to evaluate the proposed deep learning method. The results show that it is possible to efficiently analyze the data (collected onboard a railcar operated in revenue service) for automated defect detection, with relatively higher accuracy for FRA type I defects.

Austrian Track Testing and Recording Car EM 250: Source for Wheel-Rail Interaction Analysis

2000 ◽  
Vol 1713 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-28
Author(s):  
Gerard Presle ◽  
Werner Hanreich ◽  
Paul Mittermayr
Keyword(s):  
Binary Data ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Interaction Analysis ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Measuring System ◽  
Rolling Stock ◽  
Ride Quality ◽  
Track Geometry ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Track Quality

The dynamic behavior and ride quality of railway vehicles are influenced by track quality. Monitoring riding comfort and safety is a major task of the Austrian Federal Railway’s Infrastructure Division. The track testing and recording car EM 250 provides a proven measuring instrument for modern track maintenance. Equipped with an inertial measuring system and an optical track gauge measuring system, the track testing and recording car can measure the track alignment and rail profiles at speeds of up to 220 km/h. The measurements, taken every 25 cm, provide binary data files that can be processed offline. Track quality parameters are measured as functions of vehicle acceleration and are stored in a database from which they can be easily retrieved from any computer in the company. The Bureau for Applied Mechanics and Mathematics was commissioned by the Austrian Federal Railways to develop the SIMULAT program for analyzing rolling stock dynamics. In developing the model, special consideration was given to the exact mathematical description of all elements affecting vehicle dynamics. Using an optical measuring system, the track testing and recording car determines the rail cross section on the basis of readings at individual points. The simulation program links the curve with the track data, allowing the analysis of the impact of worn profiles on running stability. For the simulation, the line layout and the track geometry deviations excite the model of track and vehicle. In a followup phase, the vector of generalized degrees of freedom is evaluated, and the results are displayed with a visualization program. The simulation results were compared with data recorded during a test run and showed satisfactory correspondence.

High Speed Rail: Track Construction Considerations

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blaine O. Peterson
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Rolling Stock ◽  
High Speed Rail ◽  
Track Geometry ◽  
Slab Track ◽  
Passenger Rail ◽  
Construction Methods ◽  
Track System ◽  
Ballasted Track

This paper discusses general High Speed Rail (HSR) track geometry, construction and maintenance practices and tolerances. The discussion will reference several key international projects and highlight different construction methods and the track geometry assessments used to establish and ensure serviceability of a typical HSR system. Historically, established tighter tolerances of “Express” HSR (i.e. operating speeds greater than 240 km/h or 150 mph) systems have favored the use of slab track systems over ballasted track systems. Slab track systems offer greater inherent stability while ballasted track systems generally require more frequent track geometry assessments and anomaly-correcting surfacing operations. The decisions related to which system to use for a given application involve numerous considerations discussed only briefly in this paper. In many cases, the optimal solution may include both track forms. Rolling stock considerations and their influence on track infrastructure design are considered beyond the scope of this paper. This paper will focus predominantly on two slab track systems widely used in international HSR projects: the Japanese J-slab track system; and the German Rheda slab track system. The French track system will be referenced as the typical ballasted track HSR design. The practices discussed in this paper generally apply to systems which are either primarily or exclusively passenger rail systems. In the U.S., these types of systems will necessarily exclude the systems the Federal Railway Administration (FRA) refers to as “Emerging” or “Regional” HSR systems which include passenger train traffic to share trackage on, what are otherwise considered, primarily freight lines.

Effect of Track Geometry and Rail Vehicle Suspension on Passenger Comfort in Curves and Transitions

1977 ◽  
Vol 99 (4) ◽  
pp. 841-848
Author(s):  
G. R. Doyle ◽  
M. A. Thomet
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Rolling Stock ◽  
Vehicle Suspension ◽  
Passenger Cars ◽  
Area Formula ◽  
Passenger Comfort ◽  
Track Geometry ◽  
Rail Vehicle ◽  
Current Area ◽  
Six Degree Of Freedom

Passenger comfort is an important constraint on high-speed operation in curves and transitions. The effect of track geometry and vehicle suspension characteristics on passenger comfort were investigated with a six-degree-of-freedom, time domain simulation of the car body dynamics. The rail vehicle was simulated at constant speed on transitions and curves to generate acceleration profiles at a passenger’s seat location. The main conclusion of this study is that modern rolling stock can negotiate curves at a higher unbalanced superelevation than is recommended in the current AREA formula without exceeding passenger comfort standards. Also, the minimum spiral lengths as determined by the AREA formula are adequate for passenger cars with stiff roll characteristics, such as the Metroliner vehicles.

scholarly journals Control of energy aspects of track and rolling stock interaction

2018 ◽  
Vol 239 ◽  
pp. 01044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Pevzner ◽  
Uriy Romen ◽  
Kirill Shapetko
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Power Consumption ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Cost Reduction ◽  
Rolling Stock ◽  
Track Geometry ◽  
Track Maintenance ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Layout Geometry

The paper analyses international practices of energy saving for train traction. It describes methods that allow decrease of power consumption. Russian practices of energy consumption for train traction are reviewed, as well as methods for determining the power consumption related to condition of track layout geometry. Best practices of evaluation of impact of profile elevation unevenness to the train traction energy consumption are presented. The calculations that allow matching the data on track geometry before and after track maintenance works are performed, and the convictions concerning cost reduction for train traction energy saving are developed.

Analysis and Related Preventive Measures of Explosion Risk Factors of LPG Rail Transport

2013 ◽  
Vol 634-638 ◽  
pp. 3696-3700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qin Jie Xiao ◽  
Zhi Dong Zhu ◽  
Rui Fang Mou
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Safety Management ◽  
Fault Tree Analysis ◽  
Rail Transport ◽  
Transportation Safety ◽  
Railway Transportation ◽  
Dangerous Goods ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
Explosion Accidents ◽  
Transport Of Dangerous Goods

Railway transportation safety management must adhere to the approach of safety and prevention first. The transport of dangerous goods should be paid more attention as a particularly important part. This paper made use of fault tree analysis to research and analyze the risk factors of dangerous goods LPG which may explode in the rail transport. The analysis was made from two aspects of chemistry and physics, then the minimal cut sets and structure importance of the specific factors which may cause explosion accidents are solved, and the importance of each factor is analyzed and sorted on the calculated results. Based on the above method, measures of LPG rail transport explosion prevention were proposed.

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