Engineering parametric characterization of the U.S. fleet of railway rolling stock.

PDFTech ReportFRA/ORD/81/75.2Fleet managementLocomotivesPassenger carsFreight carsRolling stockMethodologySimulationRailroad safetyLife cycle analysisStatistical analysisGraphsHistogramsReliabilityMaintainabilityStandardsRolling contactTrain track dynamicsMechanical loadsWheelsets (Railroads)Data collectionSurveysUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Research and DevelopmentPrzybylinski, P.G.Anderson, G.B.Pullman Standard CompanyNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Rail SafetyNTL-RAIL TRANSPORTATION-Rail SafetyNTL-PLANNING AND POLICY-SurveysUS Transportation CollectionThis report contains engineering parameter descriptions of major and distinctive freight vehicle configurations covering approximately 96% of the U.S. freight vehicle fleet. This data has been developed primarily for use in analytical simulation modeling of rail vehicles to analyses of vehicle/track dynamic interaction dynamics. To characterize loaded freight vehicles, representative ladings and average load conditions were defined, and load-dependent characterizations were developed for each major vehicle/lading combination. Freight truck design data was assembled and correlated with carbody descriptions, and some typical freight vehicle wheel profiles were defined based on a field measurement survey. Population data and estimates of total annual mileage traveled by each vehicle and vehicle/lading combination are also provided.Engineering parameter descriptions of major locomotive and passenger vehicle design groups are also provided.The concept of generically similar railcar configurations is also introduced as a practical and cost effective approach to analyzing large numbers of vehicles in rail system dynamics studies.Volume I - is user oriented containing (a) a summary description of data developed, (b) a detailed data directory to facilitate access to data contained in appendices of Volume II, and (c) supplemental comments on elements of the detailed methodology.Volume II - contains the fleet characterization data and describes the detailed methodology used to generate the data