Experts Help Improve Safety of Hazardous Materials and Tank Cars

Experts like Dr. David Jeong are studying the existing risks and opportunities associated with transporting crude oil and ethanol by rail.

Proactive Safety in the Rail Industry: Safety Management Systems at Work Infographic

To maintain vigilance on safety, FRA taps into proactive risk management expertise at the U.S. DOT Volpe Center. The U.S. DOT Volpe Center supports two FRA demonstration programs: Clear Signal for Action (CSA) and Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS).

New Report: Best Practices and Strategies for Improving Rail Energy Efficiency

This report presents data on comparative rail energy efficiency, emerging energy efficient technologies, and alternative fuels.

New Report: Effect of Gate Skirts on Pedestrian Behavior at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings

Volpe was tasked by FRA to participate in a New Jersey Transit rail safety pilot project to evaluate a prototype design of a pedestrian safety device, known as a gate skirt, installed at a highway-rail grade crossing in Matawan, NJ. The purpose of this research was to determine if the...

Design and Good Sleep: A Researcher’s Focus on Rail Safety

Yoshikata Tanabe, a visiting researcher from Yokohama, came to Volpe to tap into its expertise on railroader fatigue risk management and study research that can change the sleep culture in Japan.

Private Investments Position Freight Rail Network for Future Success

Andrew Johnsen, assistant vice president for Government Affairs at BNSF Railway and alum of the U.S. Department of Transportation, shared his insight about the U.S. freight rail network during a talk at his old stomping grounds: Volpe, The National Transportation Systems Center.

Preventing Rail Trespass Fatalities

Volpe, in partnership with the FRA, is leading a community-based study to reduce the number of trespass-related deaths on rail lines.

Tank Car Structural Integrity: Publications and Papers

Track Buckling: Publications and Papers

Rail and Component Structural Integrity: Publications and Papers

View a list of Volpe's Structures and Dynamics Division's publications and papers on the topic of rail and component structural integrity.