U.S. rail equipment crashworthiness standards

PDFProceedingsCrashworthinessRailroad safetyPassenger trainsFreight trainsHigh speed railHigh speed ground transportationRail transitRailroad accidentsDesign standardsRegulationsUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Railroad AdministrationTyrell, David C.John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)NTL-RAIL TRANSPORTATION-RAIL TRANSPORTATIONNTL-RAIL TRANSPORTATION-High Speed Ground TransportationNTL-RAIL TRANSPORTATION-Rail Laws and RegulationsNTL-RAIL TRANSPORTATION-Rail Planning and PolicyNTL-RAIL TRANSPORTATION-Rail SafetyNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-AccidentsNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Vehicle DesignVolpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference CenterThis paper was presented at the conference, "What Can We Realistically Expect from Crash Worthiness? Improving Train Design to Withstand Future Accidents," which was held at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers' Headquarters at London, England on May 2, 2001. In 1999 the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued new regulations and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) issued new standards for rail passenger equipment crashworthiness. These new regulations andstandards include conventional strength-based requirements for equipment used below 200 kph (125 mph), crash-energy management for equipment used above 200 kph (125 mph), and dynamic sled testing of occupant seats