Evaluation of Grade Crossing Hazard Ranking Models

Public agencies involved with highway-railroad grade crossing safety must allocate available funding to projects which are considered the most in need for improvements. Mathematical models provide a ranking of hazard risk at crossings and support the project selection process. This paper reports the results of a research study sponsored by the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) examining hazard ranking models for grade crossing project selection. The goal of the research was to provide ORDC, ODOT, and other stakeholders with a better understanding of the grade crossing hazard ranking formulas and other methods used by States to evaluate grade crossing hazards and select locations for hazard elimination projects. A comprehensive literature review along with personal interviews of state DOT personnel from eight states yielded best practices for hazard ranking and project selection. The literature review found that more than three-quarters of states utilize some type of hazard ranking formula or other systematic method for project prioritization. The most commonly-used hazard ranking model in use is the U.S. DOT Accident Prediction Model; however, at least eleven states utilize state-specific hazard ranking models. Detailed evaluation of several different hazard ranking models determined that the existing hazard ranking model used in Ohio, the U.S. DOT Accident Prediction Model, should continue to be used. The research also recommends greater use of sight distance information at crossings and expanding the preliminary list of crossings to be considered in the annual program as enhancements to the existing project selection process used by the ORDC and ODOT.

Secure Intelligent Radio for Trains (SIRT)

American Railroads are planning to complete implementing their Positive Train Control (PTC) systems by 2020. Safety objectives of PTC are to avoid inter-train collisions, train derailments and ensuring railroad worker safety. Under published specifications of I-ETMS (the PTC system developed by Class I freight railroads), the on-board PTC controller communicates with two networks; namely, the Signaling network and the Wayside Interface Unit network to gather navigational information such as the positions of other trains, the status of critical infrastructure (such as switches) and any hazardous conditions that may affect the train path. By design, PTC systems are predicated on having a reliable radio network operating in reserved radio spectrum, although the PTC system itself is designed to be a real-time fail safe distributed control systems. Secure Intelligent Radio for Trains (SIRT) is an intelligent radio that is customized to train operations with the aim of improving the reliability and security of the radio communication network. SIRT has two tiers. The upper tier has the Master Cognitive Engine (MCE) which communicates with other SIRT nodes to obtain signaling and wayside device information. To do so, the MCE communicates with cognitive engines at the lower tier of SIRT; namely the Cryptographic Cognitive Engine (CCE) (that provide cryptographic security and threat detection) and the Spectrum Management Cognitive Engine (SCE) (that uses spectrum monitoring, frequency hopping and adaptive modulation to ensure the reliability of the radio communication medium). We presented the architecture and the prototype development of the CCE in [1]. This paper presents the design of the MCE and the SCE. We are currently developing a prototype of the SCE and the MCE and testing the performance of our cognitive radio system under varying radio noise conditions. Our experiments show that SIRT dynamically switches modulation schemes in response to radio noise and switches channels in response to channel jamming.

A New Advance in Tunnel Ventilation Design Planning

The new train signaling, traction power and tunnel ventilation system coordination guidelines enacted in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 130 have brought the necessity and cost of tunnel ventilation fan shafts into greater focus. The guidelines were aimed at coordinating the three aforementioned rail systems to control the number of trains that could be between successive ventilation shafts during an emergency — in recognition of the fact that the best protection to both incident and non-incident train passengers and crew is to allow no more than one train in each ventilation zone. Though based in safety, these new NFPA guidelines can substantially expand the capital cost and environmental impact of new rail tunnel projects by adding more ventilation shafts and tunnel fan equipment to the scope of work. In addition, the resulting increase in the required number of ventilation shafts and tunnel fan equipment can hinder existing railroad properties as they seek to either increase their train throughput rates, or reduce their tunnel electrical infrastructure. Fortunately, a new kind of emergency ventilation shaft has been developed to facilitate compliance with the NFPA 130 Standard without the excessive capital cost and far-reaching environmental impacts of a traditional emergency ventilation shaft. This new kind of emergency ventilation shaft is called the Crossflue. The Crossflue is a horizontal passage between parallel rail tunnels with a single ventilation fan-motor unit installation. The Crossflue fan is designed to transfer air/smoke flows from one (occupied, incident) tunnel to another (unoccupied, non-incident) tunnel — thereby protecting the incident tunnel at the expense of the non-incident tunnel. The Crossflue passage has angled construction to allow a smooth transition of airflows both into and out of the adjoining tunnels. In addition to the fan, the Crossflue contains a ventilation damper, sound attenuators, ductwork transitions and flexible connectors within the fan equipment line-up; the functionality of all this mechanical equipment is described in the paper. To preserve underground space and minimize the rock excavation, the Crossflue fan is both remotely-powered and remotely-controlled; the fan is only operated as part of a pre-programmed response to tunnel fire events. The methodology utilized to design the Crossflue was taken from the Subway Environmental Design Handbook (SEDH); the SEDH [1] was specifically developed for rail tunnel ventilation design and is the preeminent reference volume in the industry. In summary, the Crossflue provides a dual benefit of achieving NFPA 130 compliance, while at the same time minimizing the construction, equipment, environmental, and energy costs of a traditional tunnel ventilation shaft.

Optimizing Tamper Efficiency Through the Integration of Inertial Based Track Geometry Measurement

Maintaining track geometry is key to the safe and efficient operations of a railroad. Failure to properly maintain geometry can lead to costly track structure failures or even more costly derailments. Currently, there exists a number of different methods for measuring track geometry and then if required, maintaining the track to return track geometry to specified levels of acceptance. Because of this need to have proper track geometry, tampers are one of the most common pieces of maintenance equipment in a railroad operation’s fleet. It is therefore paramount from both a cost and track time perspective to gain maximum efficiency from any one particular tamper. Track geometry is typically measured through a variety of contact and non-contact measurement systems which can mount on a variety of different platforms. With respect to a tamper, a push buggy projector system is typically used to measure track geometry, utilizing the tamper body as the basis for the reference system, Track geometry can be measured utilizing this technology during a prerecording run. Then, the software onboard the tamper analyzes the recorded data to determine the best fit and calculate throws that achieve a better track alignment, particularly in curves. During the tamping operation, the tamper buggy system and frame adjust the track. Due to its design, track geometry measurements can only be made at low speed (roughly 4mph) which can severely affect the efficiency of the tamper. To help decrease pre maintenance inspection times, an inertial based track geometry measurement system has been developed and integrated into the tamper’s operating software. This system can mount directly to the frame of a tamper and operate at hy-rail to very low speeds. Measurements made can be fed directly into the tamper control system to guide where and how track geometry adjustments need to be made. In addition, the capability to collect data during travel mode without the buggies extended allows for the collection of data at any time. Thus, data can be recorded when traveling back and forth to a stabling location, before and/or after grinding. This allows for synchronization of data at a later time to utilize for adjusting the track. Also, data can be collected post-work to allow for the comparison of pre and post geometry to allow for the determination of the effectiveness of a given tamping operation. Tampers equipped with this track geometry system facilitate the foundation for an enterprise solution. Data that is measured and collected can be sent to a cloud service, in real time that will provide exception reports, health status, and rail health trend analyses. Utilizing the available technology further optimizes response time in track maintenance. This paper will introduce this new method of mounting and completely integrating an inertial based track geometry system onto a tamper. In addition, studies will be presented which confirm the ability of this system to replicate the tamper’s projection based track geometry system. Finally, a comprehensive study on efficiency gains will be presented directly comparing a standard method of maintaining a segment via a tamper to this new method of using onboard inertial track geometry measurement.

LNG Use in Freight Rail Industry as an Economic and Environmental Driver: A Technical, Operational and Economic Assessment

Freight rail carriers have been continuously challenged to reduce costs and comply with increasingly stringent environmental standards, into a continuously competing and environmentally driven industry. In this context, current availability and relative abundance of clean and low cost non conventional gas reserves have aroused a comprehensive reevaluation of rail industry into fuel option, especially where freight rail are strongly diesel based. Countries in which rail sector is required to play an important role in transport matrix, where fuel expenditures currently accounts for a significant share of operational costs, like Australia, Brazil, United States and other continental countries, can be seen as strong candidates to adopt fuel alternatives to diesel fueled freight railways. Moreover, from an environmental perspective, the use of alternative fuels (like natural gas) for locomotive traction may allow rail freight carriers to comply with emission standards into a less technologically complex and costly way. In this context, liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueled freight locomotives are seen as a strong potential near-term driver for natural gas use in rail sector, with its intrinsic cost and environmental benefits and with the potential to revolutionize rail industry much like the transition from steam to diesel experienced into the fifties, as well as the more recent advent of use of alternating current diesel-electric locomotives. LNG rail fueled approach has been focused on both retrofitting existing locomotive diesel engines, as well as on original manufactured engines. Given the lower polluting potential of natural gas heavy engines, when compared to diesel counterparts, LNG locomotives can be used to comply with increasingly restrictive Particulate Matter (PM) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) emission standards with less technological complexity (engine design and aftertreatment hardware) and their intrinsic lower associated costs. Prior to commercial operation of LNG locomotives, there are some technical, operational and economic hurdles that need to be addressed, i.e. : i) locomotive engine and fuel tender car technological maturity and reliability improvement; ii) regulation improvement, basically focused on operational safety and interchange operations; iii) current and long term diesel - gas price differential, a decisive driver, and, finally, iv) LNG infrastructure requirements (fueling facilities, locomotives and tender car specifications). This work involved an extensive research into already published works to present an overview of LNG use in freight rail industry into a technical, operational and economical perspective, followed by a critical evaluation of its potential into some relevant freight rail markets, such as United States, Brazil and Australia, as well as some European non electrified rail freight lines.

Hysteresis Heating of Railroad Bearing Thermoplastic Elastomer Suspension Element

Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE’s) are increasingly being used in rail service in load damping applications. They are superior to traditional elastomers primarily in their ease of fabrication. Like traditional elastomers they offer benefits including reduction in noise emissions and improved wear resistance in metal components that are in contact with such parts in the railcar suspension system. However, viscoelastic materials, such as the railroad bearing thermoplastic elastomer suspension element (or elastomeric pad), are known to develop self-heating (hysteresis) under cyclic loading, which can lead to undesirable consequences. Quantifying the hysteresis heating of the pad during operation is therefore essential to predict its dynamic response and structural integrity, as well as, to predict and understand the heat transfer paths from bearings into the truck assembly and other contacting components. This study investigates the internal heat generation in the suspension pad and its impact on the complete bearing assembly dynamics and thermal profile. Specifically, this paper presents an experimentally validated finite element thermal model of the elastomeric pad and its internal heat generation. The steady-state and transient-state temperature profiles produced by hysteresis heating of the elastomer pad are developed through a series of experiments and finite element analysis. The hysteresis heating is induced by the internal heat generation, which is a function of the loss modulus, strain, and frequency. Based on previous experimental studies, estimations of internally generated heat were obtained. The calculations show that the internal heat generation is impacted by temperature and frequency. At higher frequencies, the internally generated heat is significantly greater compared to lower frequencies, and at higher temperatures, the internally generated heat is significantly less compared to lower temperatures. However, during service operation, exposure of the suspension pad to higher loading frequencies above 10 Hz is less likely to occur. Therefore, internal heat generation values that have a significant impact on the suspension pad steady-state temperature are less likely to be reached. The commercial software package ALGOR 20.3TM is used to conduct the thermal finite element analysis. Different internal heating scenarios are simulated with the purpose of obtaining the bearing suspension element temperature distribution during normal and abnormal conditions. The results presented in this paper can be used in the future to acquire temperature distribution maps of complete bearing assemblies in service conditions and enable a refined model for the evolution of bearing temperature during operation.

Incorporating Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in Freight Transportation Infrastructure Project Evaluation

Transportation industry at large is a major consumer of fossil fuels and contributes heavily to the global greenhouse gas emissions. A significant portion of these emissions come from freight transportation and decisions on mode/route may affect the overall scale of emissions from a specific movement. It is common to consider several alternatives for a new freight activity and compare the alternatives from economic perspective. However, there is a growing emphasis for adding emissions to this evaluation process. One of the approaches to do this is through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA); a method for estimating the emissions, energy consumption and environmental impacts of the project throughout its life cycle. Since modal/route selections are often investigated early in the planning stage of the project, availability of data and resources for analysis may become a challenge for completing a detailed LCA on alternatives. This research builds on such detailed LCA comparison performed on a previous case study by Kalluri et al. (2016), but it also investigates whether a simplified LCA process that only includes emissions from operations phase could be used as a less resource intensive option for the analysis while still providing relevant outcomes. The detailed LCA is performed using SimaPro software and simplified LCA is performed using GREET 2016 model. The results are obtained in terms of Kg CO2 equivalents of GHG emissions. This paper introduces both detailed and simplified methodologies and applies them to a case study of a nickel and copper mine in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The analysis’ are done for three modal alternatives (two truck routes and one rail route) and for multiple mine lives.

Probabilistic Analysis of Flying Ballast on High-Speed Rail Lines

Safety is a top priority for the development of worldwide high-speed rail systems. Ballast flying is a particular safety concern when a high-speed train is traveling above a certain speed on the ballasted track. Displaced ballast particles from the track may cause damages to rolling stock, as well as the track infrastructure and wayside structures close to the sides of way. The objective of this research is to develop a probabilistic modeling framework to estimate the probability of ballast flight on specific segments or routes, accounting for several principal risk factors. Based on the probabilistic assessment, we propose a methodology to quantify the probability of flying ballast under certain scenarios. The methodology can be further developed, ultimately enabling a normative risk assessment for flying ballast risk management.

Modified Voltage Control Law for Low Frequency Railway Power Systems

In today’s Swedish and Norwegian low frequency railway power system the voltage at a converter is controlled such that its voltage will drop with increased reactive power output. However, for low frequency railways the influence of active power on voltage is larger compared to public power systems and alternative methods are interesting to investigate. This paper presents a modified voltage control law for increased load sharing between converter stations and reduce the risk for converter overload in low frequency railways power systems. The modified voltage control law is derived mathematically and tested with different droops for two case studies. The results confirms the increased load sharing between the converter stations. The results are analysed and discussed; ideas are presented to counteract some of the negative impacts of the modified voltage control law.