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When the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) was asked to lead the development of a special TR News publication on railroads and research, nine Volpe rail experts contributed to the articles that highlighted how FRA-sponsored research is improving safety on the rails.
Nearly every 180 minutes someone in America is hit by a train. In the early 1970s, it was every 40 minutes. Check out our new infographic on Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety and Trespass Prevention. This easy-to-read data visualization shows how Volpe, in support of the Federal Railroad...
Some people do dangerous things at railroad crossings. Marco daSilva, a systems safety program manager at Volpe, described how recent work, in support of the Federal Railroad Administration, has captured images of a car whose driver had run the safety gates and stopped only inches from a passing...
The National Transportation Safety Board recently called on Volpe engineering psychologist Dr. Jordan Multer to serve on an expert panel during an investigative hearing into a fatal train accident that took three lives and caused an estimated $14.79 million in damages.
Nearly all cracks in rails are hidden—so says Dr. David Jeong, senior mechanical engineer at Volpe, The National Transportation Systems Center. Jeong and his colleagues, in support of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), have been examining the mechanics of metal fatigue and crack growth...
Dr. Aviva Brecher shares an interest in rail electromagnetic emissions and the impact of exposure on safety and health with Dr. Masateru Ikehata, a senior researcher with Japan's Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI). Electric rail, like most electrical equipment that we are all...
More than 500 people die each year while trespassing on rail lines. One particular stretch of rail in West Palm Beach, Florida that has had a high incidence of trespass-related deaths over two decades, is currently the subject of a Federal Railroad Administration and local community-...
Fires in vehicles can pose a significant threat to life and property. Fires may result from vehicle crashes or may ignite within engine compartments or wheel wells when mechanical systems fail. With its focus on safety, the U.S. Department of Transportation is interested in mitigating the risk...
When sleep takes a back seat for a railroader, the on-the-job consequences can be fatal. A new interactive, multimedia website educates railroad employees about the importance of healthy sleep and helps them make informed decisions about sleep to improve workplace performance.
Officials from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Research and Innovative Technology Administration, and Volpe traveled to Pueblo, Colorado, to visit Transportation Technology Center, Inc., the test track used by the FRA.