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            Load Environment Characterization of Tank Car Stub Sill During Revenue Operations
      

      
  Document Series
              Technical Reports


      

      
Report Number
              : DOT/FRA/ORD-23/34

  Office
              RDI-22


      Subject
                    Hazardous Materials,
                    Rolling Stock


      
  Keywords
              Tank Cars, Rail, Stub Sill Failures, Impact Test, Yard Operation, Mainline Operation, Main Operation, Car Coupling, Draft Gear, Instrumented Couplers


      

      
      
              
                  
      
              
  Document
              Load Environment Tank Car Stub Sill.pdf (7.56 MB)

      
              Fractures in the stub sills of tank cars pose a significant problem for the rail industry due to the potential for damage to the tank structure and possible release of the contents. Previous FRA research revealed that high magnitude coupling forces that occur in yard operations have the potential to exceed yield limits of mild steel. A research team conducted a cooperative test program to characterize coupling loads for tank cars in yard operations. In a continuation of this research, the team evaluated revenue service for both main and yard operations for 10 months and 14,000 miles. The testing showed that the train dynamics from mainline and yard operations are nearly equally important for longitudinal coupler forces and the resulting stub sill strains.
      
            
      
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              Last updated: Friday, September 29, 2023 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

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