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Rail Equipment Crashworthiness ResearchFullscale Testing of Passenger EquipmentSingle-car impact with fixed barrier, November 16, 1999 and December 3, 2004 The video shows the impact of a single conventional rail passenger car into a fixed barrier and the impact of an improved-crashworthiness rail passenger car into a fixed barrier. Both impacts occur at approximately 35 miles per hour. The impact of the conventional car is shown first. The conventional car comes in from the right, and impacts the barrier, which is on the left side of the video frame. The impact is shown in real-time and then in slow motion. During the impact, the car is crushed (reduced in length) by approximately six feet This crush eliminates the space for the first row of passenger seats. The video shows the four left side windows nearest the impact end of the car windows popping out. There is a significant amount of dust and debris that obscures the impact interface. The impact end of the car can be seen rising by approximately 9 inches as the carbody structure crushes. Near the maximum amount of car crush, the wheels of the truck at the impact end are up off the rails. The improved-crashworthiness car also comes in from the right, and impacts the barrier, which is on the left side of the video frame. The impact is shown in real-time and in slow motion. During the impact, the car is crushed by approximately three feet. While the vestibule at the end of the car is crushed, the space for the passenger seats remains intact. The car remains nearly level as it crushes. The wheels remain in contact with the rails, although the lead wheelset continues to rotate after the forward motion of the car has been stopped. View Video: |
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