Rail Vehicle Qualification Test Compendium

https://doi.org/10.21949/15036152015PDFTech ReportFTA Report No. 0083CO-26-7013Railroad traffic control devicesRailroad trafficPassenger carsState of the practiceAcceptance testsTest facilitiesResearch reportsInfrastructureSafetyUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Transit Administration. Office of Research, Demonstration, and InnovationJones, MaryClaraWilson, NicholasTransportation Technology Center, Inc.United States. Federal Transit Administration. Office of Research, Demonstration, and InnovationFederal Transit AdministrationQualification and acceptance testing and analysis for new passenger rail vehicles for transit systems has been specified by the transit/commuter agency for which the cars will be supplied to and/or by government agencies. Regulatory testing defined by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is currently only for passenger vehicles operating at 90 mph or greater. Transportation Technology Center Inc. (TTCI) was contracted by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to identify and document all of the requirements for qualification or acceptance testing of passenger rail vehicles and signal and control systems that may be performed prior to their deployment in service in the U.S. Sources of the tests identified were found by reviewing American Public Transportation Association (APTA) recommended practices, FRA requirements, Request for Proposals (RFPs), and other international sources. In addition to identifying qualification tests, an assessment of the adequacy of the facilities currently available at the Transportation Technology Center (TTC) in Pueblo, Colorado, for conducting these tests will be performed. For tests for which the required facilities do not exist at TTC, an assessment was performed to determine whether an alternative site capable of performing the tests exists.85