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Rail Equipment Crashworthiness Research

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Fullscale Testing of Passenger Equipment

Two-coupled-car impact with fixed barrier, April 4, 2000 and February 26, 2004

The video shows the impact of two coupled conventional rail passenger cars into a fixed barrier and the impact of two coupled improved-crashworthiness passenger cars, also into a fixed barrier. Both impacts occur at approximately 26 miles per hour. The impact of the conventional cars is show first.

This video shows two views of the impact of the two coupled conventional cars. The first view shows the cars coming down the track, moving from right to left, and pans as the lead car impacts the barrier. During the impact, the lead car is crushed (reduced in length) by approximately six feet, eliminating the space for the first row of passenger seats. There is no visible damage to the back end of the lead car or the leading end of the trailing car, although the ends of the cars bump each other. The impact end of the lead car can be seen rising by approximately 9 inches as the carbody structure crushes. The second view shows the coupled connection of the two cars from the top, with the coupled connection moving from the bottom of the frame to the top of the frame. The back end of the lead car and the leading end of the trailing car bump each other, and then the back end of the lead car shifts left and the lead end of the trailing car shifts right. The cars derail due to their lateral motion.

There are three views of the impact of the two coupled improved crashworthiness cars shown in the video. The first view shows the lead car impacting the barrier, with the car moving from left to right. During the impact, the lead car is crushed by approximately three feet, preserving the space for the passenger seats. The vertical motion of the lead car is very small. The second view shows the coupled connection. The couplers shear back and anti-climbers at the ends of the carbodies engage. The trailing end of the lead carbdoy is crushed by approximately 10 inches, and the lead end of the trailing carbody is crushed by approximately 1 inch. The crush at both car ends is limited to the vestibules, and the space for the passengers is preserved in both cars. There is very little vertical motion of either car. The third view shows the coupled connection of the two cars from the top, with the coupled connection moving from left to right. The shearing back of the couplers and the crushing of the end vestibules can be seen. The ends of the cars remain in line, with nearly no lateral motion of either the lead or trailing cars. The cars remain on the track.

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