<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="https://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
  <channel>
    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
    <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
    <atom:link href="https://trid.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=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" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
    <description></description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
    <image>
      <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
      <url>https://trid.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle.jpg</url>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>TANK CAR SAFETY</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/380909</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Tank Car Safety Research Project was established in 1970 by the Railway Progress Institute (RPI) and the Association of American Railroads (AAR).  The project has built, maintains, and adds to a database that records specific damage to individual tank cars that release hazmats in train accidents.  This paper provides a chronology of actions taken since the start of the project.  It recognizes that while improvements have been noteworthy, search for additional safety measures must continue.a]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 Dec 1993 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/380909</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>PHASE 02 REPORT ON EFFECTIVENESS OF SHELF COUPLERS, HEAD SHIELDS AND THERMAL SHIELDS</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/168738</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Class DOT 112(114) tank cars retrofitted with shelf couplers, head shields, and thermal shields under HM-144 have now had sufficient service experience to permit an assessment of their effectiveness.  Specifically, the fleet of 112(114) cars has had about 2-3/4 fleet-years experience with shelf couplers and 1-3/4 fleet-years experience with head shields and thermal shields.  Accident data for the last 2-1/4 years (average fleet-years the cars have been equipped) are compared to accident data for the preceding 14 years.  It is found that the frequency of head punctures has been reduced to about one-seventh the previous rate, and the frequency of fire induced ruptures has been reduced to about one-third the previous rate.  Shell punctures have decreased, but the limited number of cases precludes quantifying the amount.  Considering all cases of punctures and ruptures combined, and normalizing on the basis of car population, the frequency has dropped to about one-fourth the previous rate.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 1981 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/168738</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>LATEST ENGINEERING IN TANK CAR DESIGN</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/81313</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In 1970, an ASME paper was presented by the author entitled "Evolution of Tank Car Design Through Engineering" (1970 PET-35).  This current paper entitled "Latest Engineering in Tank Car Design" will supplement the 1970 paper and report on the current state of the art and hopefully dispel some prevalent misconceptions.  Studies of accident experience and a comprehensive research program have resulted in a great advance in tank car technology in the areas of materials and design.  Also, new U.S. Department of Transportation regulations introduced intriguing new problems that had to be solved.  With industry assigning top priority to rail transportation safety, this paper will give one a new insight regarding the problem.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Feb 1979 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/81313</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>PHASE 11 REPORT ON INSPECTIONS OF INSULATION-JACKET TYPE THERMAL SHIELDS ON TANK CARS IN ACCELERATED LIFE TESTS</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/68768</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Four 112A tank cars were retrofitted with one inch of a mineral fiber insulation and a steel jacket.  The jacket thickness was 11 gage over the shell and 1/2 inch over the heads.  Design details of each application were different. The cars were sent to the DOT Transportation Test Center at Pueblo, Colorado, where they were placed in an Accelerated Life Test (ALT) program.  This program will simulate 10 years of service life by running the cars 160,000 miles and subjecting them to a series of impacts as would be encountered in switchyards.  A glass fiber insulated 111A car also was included in the program as a reference base.  The results of inspections after 2 to 5 years simulated life are given in this report.  These inspections revealed nothing that would indicate that this type of "112J" car insulation system will not maintain its integrity over the life of a tank car.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 26 Apr 1978 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/68768</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>FINAL PHASE 14 REPORT ON STUB SILL BUCKLING STUDY</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/55639</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Over a period of years there has been a series of buckling incidents involving nonpressure type tank cars.  These buckling incidents in practically all cases only involved the stub sill (non-continuous center sill) designs without exterior coils.  With very few exceptions only older cars which were not designed to current AAR specifications were involved.  This study was undertaken to determine if there should be any difference in design requirements between stub sill and continuous sill tank cars.  Four stub sill design cars built in the mid 1960's and five current design cars were tested.  An extensive number of 3 element strain rosettes were applied to both the inside and outside of the tanks.  The current cars were tested to the existing requirements of 1000 Kips static compression load and 1,250 Kips impact load, and the older cars were tested to the load limits which they could sustain without permanent damage. This report describes the entire study and concludes that the current designs of stub sill tank cars comply with the requirements of the current AAR design manual.  It is recommended that the design criteria for stub sill tank cars should remain the same as currently required for continuous sill tank cars and other freight cars.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 23 Nov 1977 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/55639</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>EVALUATION OF RPI-AAR AND BRL TORCH FIRE TESTS OF TANK CAR INSULATIONS</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/61905</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This report covers an analysis of torch fire (approximately 2150 degrees F flame temperature) tests of thermal shield systems of the insulated-jacketed type for railroad pressure type tank cars (class 112A, 114A).  Similar systems were tested on both RPI-AAR laboratory equipment and on full scale equipment installed by the Ballistic Research Laboratory at the DOT Transportation Test Center at Pueblo. The systems tested comprised one inch of ceramic fiber and mineral fiber insulations of varying densities covered by an 11 gage steel jacket. The purpose of the tests was to com- pare the behavior of the two pieces of equipment with the objective of providing information which may prove useful toward establishing the RPI-AAR equipment as a final quali- fication tool for candidate systems.  Although comparisons were not entirely consistent, the RPI-AAR apparatus showed reasonably good repeatability.  The analysis shows it to be conservative; and this, combined with its economy of opera- tion, confirmed the RPI-AAR belief that it has merit and should be adopted as the qualifying fire test for thermal shields.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 01 Dec 1976 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/61905</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>FINAL PHASE 03 REPORT. MATERIAL STUDY ON STEELS USED IN CURRENT AND FORMER TANK CAR CONSTRUCTION AND FROM CARS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/43786</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A study has been made of the steels used in the construction of pressure tank car tanks as part of the RPI-AAR Tank Car Safety Research and Test Project: The number and type of tests made represent the most comprehensive ever performed on tank car tank steels.  Fracture toughness properties are not a part of the material specifications for tank car tanks except for certain low temperature applications, Non-the-less, the fracture toughness properties were determined using the Charpy V-notch Test, Drop Weight Tear Test, Dynamic Tear Test, and NDT Drop Weight Test for current, accident, and old materials.  The fracture properties obtained represent the best properties that are technologically attainable for the current steels for the heat treatment employed.  For TC128-B material, no significant transition temperature improvement can be achieved by changing to other pearlitic type steels.  It was concluded that the TC128-B steel is an optimum product for the service and that changes are not justified on the basic of the fracture properties.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 06 Oct 1976 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/43786</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>PHASE 10 REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT OF SHELF COUPLERS</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/37503</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Type E top and bottom shelf coupler development program has been completed to the state where approval of applications of these couplers to tank cars is to be sought from the AAR and DOT.  Service tests of 100 Carsets are being arranged, retrofitting 112A or 114A cars having Type F couplers.  The early study is appended as information.  Shelves in the final design, as now approved, are somewhat different from that considered in the preliminary stages of this phase of the project.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 13 Aug 1976 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/37503</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>PHASE 05 REPORT ON JUNE 9, 1974 ACCIDENT INVOLVING HEAD SHIELDS</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/37504</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The head shield was recommended as a cost effective device for prevention of catastrophic punctures of tank car heads and 104 new cars for liquefied petrolium gas service were so equipped after 1972.  One of these cars was involved in a derailment on the Norfolk & Western in Iowa.  While the service trial was not to evaluate the shields' effectiveness in accidents, and statistically it was unlikely that a car would be so involved, this derailment did show the shield performing well.  It was not possible to conclude it prevented a head puncture definitely, but it is probable it did so.  Method of attachment appears good.  No conclusion could be drawn about the effectiveness of mated F couplers because of the conditions of this specific accident.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 13 Aug 1976 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/37504</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>HEAD SHIELDS MAKE HEADWAY ON TANK CARS</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/46369</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Recent accidents have spurred research into the problem of tank car head punctures.  The article reports on a series of tests on the fatigue life of four different head shield designs built by GATX, UTLX, NATX and ACFX.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 11 Aug 1976 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/46369</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>COMPARISON OF THERMALLY COATED AND UNINSULATED RAIL TANK CARS FILLED WITH LPG SUBJECTED TO A FIRE ENVIRONMENT</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/24190</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Two fire tests were conducted on 128 kiloliter, high pressure rail tank cars filled with liquefied petroleum gas. Both tank cars were exposed to an intense hydrocarbon fire after being outfitted with appropriate instrumentation. The instrumentation was monitored and its output recorded throughout the fire tests. To test the feasibility of insulating railroad tank cars to protect them from fire exposure, one of the cars was coated with a 0.318 cm thermal shield. A comparison of data conclusively shows that a thermal shield significantly alters the thermal response of a rail tank car in a fire environment.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 15 Jul 1976 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/24190</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>FRAGMENTATION AND METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS OF TANK CAR RAX 201</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/24104</link>
      <description><![CDATA[On 28 July 1973, the Ballistic Research Laboratories performed a full-scale fire test on a 33,000 gallon, DOT 112A340W non-insulated, pressure, rail rank car for the Federal Railroad Administration and Association of American Railroads.  The car was filled with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). After 24.5 minutes of exposure to the fire, the tank car ruptured. This report concerns the mapping of the fragments and metallurgical analysis of the ruptured car, along with an investigation of the cause and initial location of failure.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 26 Jun 1976 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/24104</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF THERMAL SHIELD COATINGS APPLIED TO 112A/114A SERIES TANK CARS</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/24114</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A cost/benefit analysis of thermal shield coatings on 112A/114A tank cars was performed. Thermal shield coatings are coatings which are applied to the outside of a tank to act as an insulator in the event of a fire. The intent is that the coating prevent or delay overheating and overpressurization of the tank which could lead to tank rupture and large loss of life and property. The data for the analysis were taken from Railway Progress Institute (RPI) - Association of American Railroads (AAR) cooperative research program reports. The RPI/AAR determined accident data for the years 1965-1970 and based their cost/benefit analysis on this data. In this report, the data of RPI/AAR is updated to present dollars and a re-evaluation of the accident losses is made.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 26 Jun 1976 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/24114</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>RAILROAD TANK CAR FIRE TEST: TEST NO. 6</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/24098</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Department of Transportation is conducting an extensive research program designed to develop methods to minimize personal injury and damage to property caused by fire from ruptured railroad tank cars filled with hazardous materials. The Ballistic Research Laboratories were requested by the Department of Transportation to conduct a series of field tests with scaled model and standard size railroad tank cars. The test described is one of the scaled model series which had no thermal protective coating, and where the relief valve was turned ninety degrees from the vertical.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 26 Jun 1976 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/24098</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>THE EFFECTS OF A FIRE ENVIRONMENT ON A RAIL TANK CAR FILLED WITH LPG</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/24119</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A 127 kiloliter (33,600 gallon) railroad tank car was instrumented and filled with liquefied petroleum gas.  A large JP-4 fuel pool fire then engulfed the tank car, and measurements of temperature, pressure, etc., were recorded as a function of time. After 24.5 minutes, the car failed catastrophically via stress-rupture. Mass flow rates and a discharge coefficient have been obtained for the relief valve. An analytical expression has been derived and then used to obtain the heat flux to the wetted surface of the tank car. The rupturing of the car is briefly discussed.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 26 Jun 1976 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/24119</guid>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>