Railroad Research Programs Standing Committee on Rail Transportation

Railroad Research Programs Standing Committee on Rail Transportation of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Jacksonville, Florida September 21, 2010 © 2007 URAC

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 · Railroad Research Foundation 2 Overview Funding Programs 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 3 September 21, 2010 ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS

The Transportation Technology Center – Pueblo, Colorado 4 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 5 September 21, 2010 ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS

TTC: The Test Site (with Core Area shown Expanded) 6 September 21, 2010 ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS

Rail Vehicle Test Tracks at TTC 7 September 21, 2010 ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS

Operations Center and Rail Dynamics Laboratory 8 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%) 9 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 and. Substructure 10 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 Bridge life extension strategies and advanced designs Fatigue and wear resistant wheel and rail steels 11 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 12 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. 13 September 21, 2010 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. 2 of 8 14 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. 5 of 8 15 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. 3 of 8 16 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 4 of 8 17 September 21, 2010 ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS

Association of American Railroads www. aar. org 18 September 21, 2010 ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS