Authors: U.S. Department of Transportation - Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Research and Development

Date of Publication:  1996

Sponsoring Agency:  U.S. Department of Transportation - Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Research and Development

Performing Organization:  U.S. Department of Transportation - Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Research and Development

Report No:

Abstract:

The High-Speed Ground Transportation (HSGT) Safety Assurance Program is based on developing a thorough understanding of the significant safety risk issues associated with railroad operations that include or are affected by passenger train operations at speeds not addressed by current FRA regulations.

Although the focus over the last 5 years has been on speeds in excess of 110 mph, some program elements have definite relevance at lower speed regimes as well; fire safety, human factors, and automated systems are three good examples. Such overlap provides the opportunity for synergy of research within the FRA, Office of Research and Development.

In 1989, a high-level risk review by the then newly-formed FRA HSGT Task Force, utilizing expert scenario and fault tree analysis, developed a research program for the key safety issues associated with proposed application of the Transrapid Maglev Technology in Orlando, Florida. The main objective of this effort was to provide the necessary technical information for the development of a "Rule of Particular Applicability" for the Orlando project. In formulating a research plan to address this need, the two overriding goals were to maintain a system perspective on safety and to work with the developers of this technology in a "project accompanying safety assurance" manner. In the ensuing years the research agenda was both refined and modified to account for changing national priorities, first to dedicated high-speed rail proposals and then to upgraded higher speed and/or higher density passenger rail operations on existing railroad corridors. The need for technical information for rulemaking has evolved from support of "Rules of Particular or General Applicability" to modifications and additions to the existing Code of Federal Regulations as necessary.

Periodic reviews (1991 and 1993) of the FRA HSGT safety program organized and sponsored by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) have provided additional focus and refinement to the program. In addition, the Advanced Train Control Systems Symposium in 1991 and Railroad Freight Transportation Research Needs Conference in 1993, both sponsored by the TRB, have been referenced as additional checks on program relevance and focus.

During the last 5 years, a core group of FRA staff, with support from organizations such as the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center and contractor technical experts from all engineering disciplines, has evaluated the safety of various new high-speed railsystems and technologies. Issues ranged from vehicles, track
(guideways), and vehicle/track (guideway) dynamics to communications, control and automation, construction and operation, and overall system safety. The results of these studies have assisted the FRA in providing evaluations, on a short turnaround basis, of technology elements and subsystems new to U.S. rail operations for 1010 corridor upgrade programs, the FRA Next Generation High-Speed Rail Program, and various state high-speed rail programs.

Today the focus remains for the Office of Railroad Development to support FRA and railroad industry initiatives by developing the necessary technological basis for timely, efficient, and effective rulemaking by the FRA, Office of Safety. The key emphasis of this work is to reduce unnecessary or unnecessarily restrictive regulations and to support proactive regulation development. A system safety perspective is maintained and the focus is to conduct systematic, forward-looking identification and control of hazards throughout the life cycle of projects, programs, or activities under consideration.
 

No. of Pages:  32