www.TrainsMag.com 21

TECHNOLOGY

20 Trains SEPTEMBER 2012

When it comes to conducting research 

in a new specific area, though, the simulations are only as good as their input data, 

and the most accurate data comes right 

from those spectacular crash tests. In 2010, 

FRA contracted Sharma & Associates Inc. 

in Countryside, Ill., to design top fittings 

protection for non-pressure tank cars. They 

did, and rolled over tank cars with two designs [see “Technology,” February and December 2010] to test the concepts. 

Now Sharma is preparing to roll over a 

chlorine car (filled with water not chlorine, of course) to determine how to better protect its top fittings. Although pressure cars already have added protection 

on the top fittings, FRA wants to see how 

it might be improved. 

A donated chlorine car is currently on 

its way to American Railcar Leasing near 

Joliet, Ill. Once it arrives, Sharma engineers 

will make models and run some preliminary tests, and ARL personnel will prepare 

the car and site for another spectacular 

crash test. González expects to conduct the 

test this fall. 

Until then, research into tank car safety 

will continue in relative silence — and 

maybe on rails near your home.

Crash tests are cool. The unmistakable 

bang and the image of a railcar colliding 

with something and then bouncing back 

can’t help but inspire awe — then relief 

when you remember it’s just a test. 

A great deal of railroad research, however, happens in quiet offices, in computers, in small labs, and, yes, even on conference calls. Just because the folks trying 

to improve tank car safety haven’t destroyed a car lately doesn’t mean they 

aren’t hard at work. (Although more crash 

tests are coming.) Actually, work is progressing in several areas — one example 

might be rolling through your hometown 

and you might not even realize it.

In early 2007, Dow Chemical Co. and 

Union Pacific Railroad joined forces with 

Union Tank Car Co., as well as representatives from the U.S. and Canadian federal 

governments, and other organizations to 

form the Next Generation Rail Tank Car 

Project. Although the group has transitioned to a larger cooperative with the 

same focus, one result of that research is 

going to be tested in revenue service. 

Existing tank cars have a single shell, insulation, and a jacket that’s one-eighth-inch 

thick to hold everything in place. Now 

Union Tank Car is building up to 13 tank 

cars under special permit with the Pipeline 

and Hazardous Materials Administration. 

They will be basically the same as existing 

By KATHI KUBE

>> TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS

The U.S. Department of Transportation 

launched a website to help reduce 

railroad workers’ on-the-job fatigue 

through education, a self-test, and 

game to measure response time. Visit 

it at www.railroadersleep.org.

Boatright Cos. is building a 

400,000-square-foot wood crosstie 

plant in Clanton, Ala., between 

Birmingham and Montgomery. The 

plant, which will be rail-served by CSX 

Transportation, will be able to season, 

treat, and distribute 2 million ties per 

year, with room to expand to 3 million.

Dieselcraft introduced a hand-held 

system to detect water in diesel fuel or 

gasoline, and send an audible and 

visual alarm. See www.dieselcraft.com.

Sentina Inc. has patented its reusable, 

vacuum-sealable, and tamper-evident 

covering for cargo shipments.

Ergodyne added Arsenal Water 

Resistant Duffel Bags to its gear 

storage line. Its fabric, zippers, 

buckles, and straps are designed to 

withstand harsh working conditions.

DOT offers help to 

identify fatigue

The quiet before the crash (test)

Despite the relative silence about their work, engineers are making strides in tank car safety research

UP takes training on the road 

tank cars, but the jacket will be more like 

another shell — sort of a tank within a 

tank, with the outer structure carrying the 

train loads, rather than the commodity 

tank. The car has been authorized for a 

gross rail load of 286,000 pounds. 

The cars will not look significantly different, but must be stenciled with the Department of Transportation special permit 

number (DOT-SP 15036) and “SPECIFICATION PENDING.” One of the cars is 

slated for accelerated service in order to accumulate the most miles possible in the 

shortest time period to determine if the 

new design has flaws or fatigue issues.

While researchers would obviously prefer these cars not crash, the most recent 

tank car crash test [see “Technology,” September 2011] yielded data that engineers 

are using for further research in cyberspace. 

Thanks to the gauges and monitors on the 

tank car during impact, scientists understand the energy and forces the tank car experienced when hit with a 12-by-12-inch 

impactor: almost exactly as the simulations 

calculated it would. Now the researchers 

have modified their calculations with the 

more-precise data, and are using it for additional research.

“We’re doing simulations on different 

size impactors and seeing what are the 

forces and energy required to puncture the 

cars,” says Francisco González III, FRA 

project manager for tank cars and hazardous materials. “This gives us a range of different forces and energies. Now when we 

do the testing, we know if these new designs can withstand this much energy.”

This research will also aid FRA in developing a new approach to regulations in regard to tank car safety. Currently, regulations specify how a car should be 

constructed, what materials must be used, 

and so on. Going forward, FRA wants to 

make the regulations performance-based, 

meaning that the cars and components 

must be able to withstand a certain impact 

velocity or other circumstances, and it’ll be 

up to the builders to ensure that whatever 

materials and designs they use to create the 

car will meet those standards. 

But in order to do this, FRA also needs 

to develop a way for the builders to test and 

verify whether their design will meet the 

performance standard.

“Once we develop the procedure to test 

the components, we can say, ‘This is how 

you test it,’ and we’ll find out if this new 

design is up to standard,” González says, 

adding that FRA is going to be working on 

that this summer in conjunction with 

Transport Canada.

In mid-June, Union Pacific launched a fleet of four 

50-foot-long and one 48-foot-long mobile classrooms 

built into new highway trailers. Each trailer has 

seven workstations, each able to instruct two 

employees in tasks from basic locomotive operations 

to (eventually) PTC. Pickup trucks haul the trailers to 

any UP site with mainframe access, connect to the 

computer system, and can begin training. Webcams 

enable instructors in Salt Lake City, Utah, or Omaha, 

Neb., to assist students.

A pressurized car used to haul chlorine (similar to this one in Indianapolis on May 28, 

2012) will be rolled over in a test seeking to improve top fittings protection. Tr a ins: Kathi Kube

Desktop-size simulators use 

gaming technology for 

training purposes. Union Pacific

© 2012 Trains magazine. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher. www.TrainsMag.com © 2012 Trains magazine. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher. www.TrainsMag.com