Peacekeeper Rail Garrison Test of Engineering Model Fuel Car

Tests were performed on the Peacekeeper Rail Garrison Fuel Car, according to specifications in Chapter XI of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices. The car was tested in three discrete configurations: loaded, half-loaded, and unloaded. The unloaded Fuel Car was subjected to limited service worthiness testing. Tests performed in all configurations included vehicle characterization and track worthiness. These tests address vehicle safety performance for freight equipment. The primary measurement of safety, as described in Chapter XI, is the ratio of lateral to vertical wheel force (L/V ratio). The Fuel Car track worthiness testing included portions of Chapter XI for each of the three configurations. Although the loaded configuration performed acceptably in most of the tests, the same tests proved to be difficult for some of the half-loaded and almost all of the unloaded operations. Primarily, the 35 foot 5 inch truck centers were the cause of this instability. Study of the sloshing effect of the fuel suggested some effect to the car's performance, although acceptable. The stiffness of the car body and the use of constant contact side bearings made curve negotiation difficult. The Fuel Car had no difficulty negotiating the Pitch and Bounce Test, the Hunting Test, and the Yaw and Sway Test; however, the yaw and sway facility had perturbations with 20 percent less amplitude than Chapter XI requires. The Fuel Car exceeded guideline criteria in all of the following track tests: Turnout and Crossover, Twist and Roll, Dynamic Curving, Constant Curving, and Spiral Negotiation. No suspension separation, wheel lift, or permanent deformation of the car body was seen during the Curve Stability Test of the unloaded Fuel Car. Modal parameters were found for all three configurations. Truck Characterization was accomplished with the loaded Fuel Car.

• Record URL:
  https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L18023#p1_z25_gD_lRT_y1991
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Association of American Railroads

  Transportation Test Center, P.O. Box 11130
  Pueblo, CO  United States  81001

  Federal Railroad Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Brabb, David C
• Publication Date: 1991-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 364p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Sloshing; Tank cars; Vehicle dynamics; Vehicle safety; Vehicle tests
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01666426
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT/FRA/ORD-92/22
• Contract Numbers: DTFR53-82-C-00282, Task Order 40
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Apr 21 2018 8:05PM