COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF HEAD SHIELDS FOR 112A/114A SERIES TANK CARS

A cost/benefit analysis of head shields installed on new and existing 112A/114A series pressure tank cars was performed based on a redistribution of accident dollar losses. Head shields are designed to prevent puncture of a tank car head during an accident with resulting loss of lading and possibly extensive fire damage. The design of the head shields and data for the analysis were obtained from Railway Progress Institute (RPI) - Association of American Railroads (AAR) cooperative research program reports. The RPI/AAR considered accident data for the years 1965-1970 and assigned accident dollar losses during that period according to the tank element that failed. Supporting evidence is presented indicating that dollar losses are strongly related to puncture distribution for a more extensive set of data including all classes of tank cars.

• Record URL:
  • https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/costbenefit-analysis-head-shields-112a114a-series-tank-cars
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Study sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Washington, D.C.
• Corporate Authors:

  Calspan Corporation

  4455 Genesee Street
  Buffalo, NY  United States  14225

  Federal Railroad Administration

  Office of Research and Development, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Adams, D E
  • Bullerdiek, W A
  • Pattern, J S
  • Vassalo, F A
• Publication Date: 1974-3

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 15 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Crashes; Fire prevention; Fires; Hazardous materials; Head; Liquefied gases; Liquefied petroleum gas; Protection; Railroad cars; Railroad transportation; Safety; Safety hats; Tank cars; Vehicle design
• Uncontrolled Terms: Head shields; Shielding
• Old TRIS Terms: Piercing; Protectors; Tank car design; Tank car heads
• Subject Areas: Design; Economics; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00091314
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FRA-OR&D 75-34 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FR-20069
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jun 26 1976 12:00AM