National Academies Press: OpenBook
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. Flange Climb Derailment Criteria and Wheel/Rail Profile Management and Maintenance Guidelines for Transit Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13841.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. Flange Climb Derailment Criteria and Wheel/Rail Profile Management and Maintenance Guidelines for Transit Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13841.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. Flange Climb Derailment Criteria and Wheel/Rail Profile Management and Maintenance Guidelines for Transit Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13841.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. Flange Climb Derailment Criteria and Wheel/Rail Profile Management and Maintenance Guidelines for Transit Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13841.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. Flange Climb Derailment Criteria and Wheel/Rail Profile Management and Maintenance Guidelines for Transit Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13841.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. Flange Climb Derailment Criteria and Wheel/Rail Profile Management and Maintenance Guidelines for Transit Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13841.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. Flange Climb Derailment Criteria and Wheel/Rail Profile Management and Maintenance Guidelines for Transit Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13841.
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T R A N S P O R T A T I O N R E S E A R C H B O A R D WASHINGTON, D.C. 2005 www.TRB.org T R A N S I T C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M TCRP REPORT 71 Research Sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration in Cooperation with the Transit Development Corporation SUBJECT AREAS Public Transit • Rail Track-Related Research Volume 5: Flange Climb Derailment Criteria and Wheel/Rail Profile Management and Maintenance Guidelines for Transit Operations HUIMIN WU XINGGAO SHU NICHOLAS WILSON Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) Pueblo, CO

TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM The nation’s growth and the need to meet mobility, environmental, and energy objectives place demands on public transit systems. Current systems, some of which are old and in need of upgrading, must expand service area, increase service frequency, and improve efficiency to serve these demands. Research is necessary to solve operating problems, to adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and to introduce innovations into the transit industry. The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the transit industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it. The need for TCRP was originally identified in TRB Special Report 213—Research for Public Transit: New Directions, published in 1987 and based on a study sponsored by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration—now the Federal Transit Admin- istration (FTA). A report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Transportation 2000, also recognized the need for local, problem-solving research. TCRP, modeled after the longstanding and successful National Cooperative Highway Research Program, undertakes research and other technical activities in response to the needs of transit service providers. The scope of TCRP includes a variety of transit research fields including plan- ning, service configuration, equipment, facilities, operations, human resources, maintenance, policy, and administrative practices. TCRP was established under FTA sponsorship in July 1992. Proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, TCRP was authorized as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). On May 13, 1992, a memorandum agreement outlining TCRP operating procedures was executed by the three cooperating organizations: FTA, The National Academies, acting through the Transportation Research Board (TRB); and the Transit Development Corporation, Inc. (TDC), a nonprofit educational and research organization established by APTA. TDC is responsible for forming the independent governing board, designated as the TCRP Oversight and Project Selection (TOPS) Committee. Research problem statements for TCRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the TOPS Committee to formulate the research program by identifying the highest priority projects. As part of the evaluation, the TOPS Committee defines funding levels and expected products. Once selected, each project is assigned to an expert panel, appointed by the Transportation Research Board. The panels prepare project statements (requests for proposals), select contractors, and provide technical guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing cooperative research programs since 1962. As in other TRB activ- ities, TCRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation. Because research cannot have the desired impact if products fail to reach the intended audience, special emphasis is placed on disseminating TCRP results to the intended end users of the research: transit agencies, service providers, and suppliers. TRB provides a series of research reports, syntheses of transit practice, and other supporting material developed by TCRP research. APTA will arrange for workshops, training aids, field visits, and other activities to ensure that results are implemented by urban and rural transit industry practitioners. The TCRP provides a forum where transit agencies can cooperatively address common operational problems. The TCRP results support and complement other ongoing transit research and training programs. TCRP REPORT 71: Volume 5 Project D-7 ISSN 1073-4872 ISBN 0-309-08830-5 Library of Congress Control Number 2001135523 © 2005 Transportation Research Board Price $25.00 NOTICE The project that is the subject of this report was a part of the Transit Cooperative Research Program conducted by the Transportation Research Board with the approval of the Governing Board of the National Research Council. Such approval reflects the Governing Board’s judgment that the project concerned is appropriate with respect to both the purposes and resources of the National Research Council. The members of the technical advisory panel selected to monitor this project and to review this report were chosen for recognized scholarly competence and with due consideration for the balance of disciplines appropriate to the project. The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied are those of the research agency that performed the research, and while they have been accepted as appropriate by the technical panel, they are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board, the National Research Council, the Transit Development Corporation, or the Federal Transit Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Each report is reviewed and accepted for publication by the technical panel according to procedures established and monitored by the Transportation Research Board Executive Committee and the Governing Board of the National Research Council. Published reports of the TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM are available from: Transportation Research Board Business Office 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 and can be ordered through the Internet at http://www.national-academies.org/trb/bookstore Printed in the United States of America Special Notice The Transportation Research Board of The National Academies, the National Research Council, the Transit Development Corporation, and the Federal Transit Administration (sponsor of the Transit Cooperative Research Program) do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the clarity and completeness of the project reporting.

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished schol- ars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. On the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and techni- cal matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Acad- emy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achieve- ments of engineers. Dr. William A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering. The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, on its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine. The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Acad- emy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both the Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. William A. Wulf are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council. The Transportation Research Board is a division of the National Research Council, which serves the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. The Board’s mission is to promote innovation and progress in transportation through research. In an objective and interdisciplinary setting, the Board facilitates the sharing of information on transportation practice and policy by researchers and practitioners; stimulates research and offers research management services that promote technical excellence; provides expert advice on transportation policy and programs; and disseminates research results broadly and encourages their implementation. The Board’s varied activities annually engage more than 5,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. www.TRB.org www.national-academies.org

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS STAFF FOR TCRP REPORT 71, VOLUME 5 ROBERT J. REILLY, Director, Cooperative Research Programs CHRISTOPHER W. JENKS, TCRP Manager EILEEN P. DELANEY, Director of Publications BETH HATCH, Assistant Editor TCRP PROJECT D-7 PANEL Field of Engineering of Fixed Facilities ANTHONY BOHARA, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, Philadelphia, PA (Chair) MICHAEL O. BROWN, Bay Area Rapid Transit District, Oakland, CA STELIAN CANJEA, New Jersey Transit Corporation, Bloomfield, NJ LANCE G. COOPER, West Palm Beach, FL EARLE M. HUGHES, Gannett Fleming Transit & Rail Systems, Audubon, PA JEFFREY G. MORA, Washington, DC JAMES NELSON, Wilson, Ihrig & Associates, Inc., Oakland, CA JOSEPH A. ORIOLO, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Jamaica Plain, MA CHARLES L. STANFORD, PB Transit & Rail Systems, San Francisco, CA TERRELL WILLIAMS, FTA Liaison Representative LOUIS F. SANDERS, APTA Liaison Representative GUNARS SPONS, FRA Liaison Representative ELAINE KING, TRB Liaison Representative

FOREWORD By Christopher W. Jenks TCRP Manager Transportation Research Board This report includes the results of a research task carried out under TCRP Proj- ect D-7, “Joint Rail Transit-Related Research with the Association of American Railroads/Transportation Technology Center, Inc.” The report includes flange climb derailment criteria for transit vehicles that include lateral-to-vertical (L/V) ratio limits and a corresponding flange-climb-distance limit, and it offers guidance that transit agencies can follow in their wheel and rail maintenance practices. This report should be of interest to engineers involved in the design, construction, maintenance, and oper- ation of rail transit systems. Over the years, a number of track-related research problem statements have been submitted for consideration in the TCRP project selection process. In many instances, the research requested has been similar to research currently being performed for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the freight railroads by the Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), Pueblo, Colorado, a subsidiary of the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Transit track, signal, and rail vehicle experts reviewed the research being conducted by TTCI. Based on this effort, a number of research topics were identified where TCRP funding could be used to take advantage of research cur- rently being performed at the TTCI for the benefit of the transit industry. A final report on one of these efforts—Flange Climb Derailment Criteria and Wheel/Rail Profile Management and Maintenance Guidelines for Transit Operations—is presented in this publication. A railroad train running along a track is one of the most complex dynamic systems in engineering due to the presence of many nonlinear components. Wheel and rail geometries have a significant effect on vehicle dynamic performance and operating safety. The wheel/rail interaction in transit operations has its own special characteris- tics. Transit systems have adopted different wheel and rail profile standards for differ- ent reasons. Older systems with long histories have wheel and rail profile standards that were established many years ago. Newer systems have generally selected wheel and rail profiles based on an increased understanding of wheel/rail interaction in recent years. Transit systems are typically operated in dense urban areas, which frequently results in systems that contain a large number of curves with small radii that can increase wheel and rail wear and increase the potential for flange-climb derailments. Transit systems also operate a wide range of vehicle types, such as those used in commuter rail, light rail, and rapid transit services, with a wide range of suspension designs and perfor- mance characteristics. Increasing operating speed and the introduction of new vehicle designs have posed an even greater challenge for transit systems to maintain and improve wheel/rail interaction. Under TCRP Project D-7 Task 8, TTCI was asked to develop flange climb derail- ment criteria derived from wheel profiles found in various types of transit vehicles. In

addition, TTCI was asked to develop guidelines for the maintenance and management of wheel/rail profiles for transit vehicles. In meeting these objectives, TTCI first iden- tified common problems and concerns related to wheel/rail profiles through a survey of representative transit systems. Based on this information, flange climb derailment cri- teria were developed using wheel profiles identified during the survey. TTCI then val- idated the flange climb derailment criteria using test track data and computer simula- tion. Finally, TTCI developed guidelines for the management and maintenance of wheel/rail profiles for transit operations based on problems and concerns identified dur- ing the transit agency survey and current transit practice.

1 SUMMARY 3 CHAPTER 1 Introduction 1.1 Background, 3 1.2 Structure of This Report, 3 1.3 Summary of Phase I Work, 4 6 CHAPTER 2 Flange Climb Derailment Criteria 2.1 Wheel L/V Ratio Criteria, 6 2.2 Flange-Climb-Distance Criteria, 6 2.3 Determination of Effective AOA, 7 2.4 Definition of Flange Climb Distance, 8 2.5 A Biparameter Technique to Derive Flange Climb Distance, 9 2.6 Effect of Speed on Distance to Climb, 10 2.7 Application of Flange Climb Criteria, 10 2.8 Examples of Application of Flange Climb Criteria, 10 12 CHAPTER 3 Recommended Management and Maintenance Guidelines of Wheel/Rail Profiles for Transit Operations 3.1 Requirement for New Wheel Profile Drawings, 12 3.2 Wheel/Rail Profile Measurement and Documentation, 14 3.3 Wheel/Rail Profile Assessment, 16 3.4 Understanding Important Stages of Wheel/Rail Contact in a System, 23 3.5 Wheel Re-Profiling, 24 3.6 Wheel Profile Design, 25 3.7 Ground Rail Profile, 26 3.8 Effect of Gage and Flange Clearance on Wheel/Rail Contact, 28 3.9 Wheel/Rail Profile Monitoring Program, 30 31 CHAPTER 4 Glossary of Technical Terms 33 REFERENCES A-1 APPENDIX A Effect of Wheel/Rail Profiles and Wheel/Rail Interaction on System Performance and Maintenance in Transit Operations B-1 APPENDIX B Investigation of Wheel Flange Climb Derailment Criteria for Transit Vehicles (Phase I Report) C-1 APPENDIX C Investigation of Wheel Flange Climb Derailment Criteria for Transit Vehicles (Phase II Report) CONTENTS

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TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 71, Track-Related Research, Vol. 5: Flange Climb Derailment Criteria and Wheel/Rail Profile Management and Maintenance Guidelines for Transit Operations examines flange climb derailment criteria for transit vehicles that include lateral-to-vertical ratio limits and a corresponding flange-climb-distance limit. The report also includes guidance to transit agencies on wheel and rail maintenance practices.

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