Review of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Research and Development Program (2020) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 65-76
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65 5 Train Control and Communications The Train Control and Communications (TCC) Division consists of two major research programs on train control and communications and trespasser and highway–rail grade-crossing safety.
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66 REVIEW OF FRA'S R&D PROGRAM To review the TCC Division's work, the train control and communications subcommittee followed a methodology similar to that of the other subcommittees. First, the subcommittee reviewed relevant incident data, their causes and severity, and whether insights gleaned from such safety data seem to inform project programming and budget allocations.
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TRAIN CONTROL AND COMMUNICATIONS 67 As shown in Table 5A-1 in the chapter's annex, the TCC Division's portfolio consisted of about 25 projects during 2018 and 2019. Several projects pertain to automated train operation, largely in the context of PTC assessments.
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68 REVIEW OF FRA'S R&D PROGRAM The TCC Division's research on grade crossings and trespassing is more readily linked to railroad incident data. As discussed in Chapter 3, trespassing and grade-crossing incidents caused more than 70 percent of all railroad fatalities from 2015 to 2019 (also see Appendix A, Figure A-2)
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TRAIN CONTROL AND COMMUNICATIONS 69 difference from the other FRA Office of Research, Development, and Technology (RD&T) divisions in that it establishes a long-term research priority for the TCC Division.
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70 REVIEW OF FRA'S R&D PROGRAM research program list through 2030 that it updates and submits to the TCC Division annually (Newcomb 2020)
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TRAIN CONTROL AND COMMUNICATIONS 71 summaries be made available in advance of a technical report's publication and that interim reports could precede the release of a final report, when practical. SAMPLED PROJECTS Three projects from the TCC Division's programs -- one from the train control and communications portfolio (on quasi-moving block train control)
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72 REVIEW OF FRA'S R&D PROGRAM succeeding trains. However, because the blocks' sizes are usually fixed and determined by worst-case scenarios and safe braking margins, they can reduce track throughput.
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TRAIN CONTROL AND COMMUNICATIONS 73 Enhanced Humped Crossing Database Using LiDAR Highway–rail crossings are continually changing owing to roadway and railway improvements and because the surface approaching the railway crossing will change over time. Of particular interest is the profile of the roadway out of concern that highway vehicles may become struck on the track.
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74 REVIEW OF FRA'S R&D PROGRAM collaboration, it appears to have promoted collaboration across the division's train control and communications portfolio. The TCC Division's Focus on Automation, ITS, Communications, and Sensor Technology Recognizes the Importance of Human Factors to Train Operations and Grade-Crossing Safety Having such a wide breadth of responsibility -- from furthering PTC to grade-crossing safety -- the TCC Division has demonstrated creativity in harnessing advanced communications, sensors, ITS, and automation technologies to address human performance and behavior issues that can affect safety.
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TRAIN CONTROL AND COMMUNICATIONS 75 ANNEX TABLE 5A-1 TCC Division Projects, 2019 TCC Division Project Title Funding Project Duration Rail Software-Defined Radio (SDR) $518,188 August 2016–December 2018 Quasi-Moving Block Train Control $400,013 September 2017–September 2019 Flexible Operator Location Feasibility Analysis $1,105,414 September 2015–December 2020 Rail Crossing Violation Warning $853,156 September 2015–March 2020 Positive Train Control (PTC)
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76 REVIEW OF FRA'S R&D PROGRAM TCC Division Project Title Funding Project Duration Effect of Grade Separation on Trespassing $175,000 October 2014–September 2018 Grade-Crossing and Trespass Research Program Support $210,000 November 2016–March 2019 Positive Train Control (PTC) Interoperability $886,000 (total)
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