Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development

FRA ResearchProgram Overview

FRA ResearchProgram Overview

Dr. John TunnaDirector

Office of Research & DevelopmentOffice of Railroad Policy & Development

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 2

Content

• Organizational structure• Strategic goals• Facilities and equipment• Core research program

• Project selection• Current projects

• High Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail research program• Priorities• Current status

• Evaluation• Looking forward

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 3

Office of Railroad Policy and Development

Office of Passenger and Freight Programs

Director, Paul Nissenbaum

Grant Management DivisionChief, MaryAnn McNamara

Credit Programs DivisionChief, Barbara Amani

Environment and Systems Planning Division

Chief, David Valenstein

Engineering and Project Development Division

Chief, Leonard Evans

Financial and Economic Analysis Division

Chief, Neil Moyer

Program Development and Strategy Division

Chief, Rebecca Reyes-Alicea (Acting)

Surface Transportation Intermodal Program

Strategic Forecasting and Environmental Issues

International Affairs

Rail Data Analysis

Office of Railroad Policy and DevelopmentAssociate Administrator, Mark E. Yachmetz

Office of Research and Development

Director, John Tunna

Office of PolicyDirector,

Scott Greene (Acting)

Track Research DivisionChief, Gary Carr

Signals, Train Control, and Communications DivisionChief, Sam Alibrahim, P.E.

Human Factors Research Staff

Equipment and Operating Practices Division

Chief, Kevin Kesler

Project Development and Delivery

Director, Corey Hill

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development

Equipment and Operating

Practices DivisionChief, Kevin Kesler

Signals, Train Control & Communications

DivisionChief, Sam Alibrahim, P.E.

Office of Research and Development

Office of Research and Development

Director, Dr. John Tunna

Track ResearchDivision

Chief, Gary Carr

8 Staff Members including Human Factors Research Staff led by Tom Raslear, Ph.D.,

3 Staff Members 6 Staff Members

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 5

Fit with D.O.T.’s Strategic Goals

• Safety• Highest statutory and programmatic priority

• Livable Communities• Noise and vibration, closing grade crossings

• State of good repair• Rail corridor inspection and assessment, understanding rail asset life cycles

(including defect initiation and growth rates)

• Economic competitiveness• Increasing capacity, workforce development

• Environmental sustainability• Higher fuel efficiency locomotives with fewer carbon emmissions

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 6

R&D Facilities and Equipment

TTC DOTX-218

CTIL

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development

Core Research Program Areas

7

Track Research Division

• Track and Structures• Track / Train Interaction• Operations / Facilities

Equipment and Operating Practices

• Rolling Stock And Components• Locomotives• Energy, Efficiency and Environment• Human Factors• Hazardous Materials

Signals, Train Control and Communications

• Signals and Train Control (Including PTC)• Grade Crossing• Communications

~150 projectstypically $40M/year

Track & Structures

Signals, Train Control & Comms

Equipment & Operating Practices

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development

Identification and Selection of Core Research Projects

Program Concept

(PM*)

DevelopQUADSheet

Accidenthistory

Stakeholders(RRs, unions)

Accident investigations

ProjectExecution

ImprovedSafety…

ProgramManagerRating

R&DManagement

Rating

ResolveDifferences

SteeringCommittee

(not yet implemented)

ProjectRanking,

Prioritization

*PM: Program Manager

ProjectSelection

8

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development

High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Research - $25M in FY 2010

Broad Agency Announcement priorities

9

• Equipment• 125 mph non-electric locomotive• 125+ mph passenger equipment• Vehicle weight and unsprung mass

reduction• High-speed truck – passenger and freight• Train occupant protection

• Human factors• Interface with controls and displays• Cab environment• Employee training for new technology

and operations

• Track & structures• Autonomous and efficient inspection• Materials and construction• Improved turnout performance• Corridor hardening• Modeling and simulation software

• Train control• Grade crossing protection• Capacity improvements• Interoperable wireless

communications• Positive Train Control (PTC)

integration and enhancements

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development

High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program Status – 3/9/2011

10

Supplier contacts 80+

Concept papers submitted 50

Concept papers accepted 21

Concept papers rejected 18

Proposals submitted 18

Proposals accepted 15

Awards to date 1

HSR R&D Account $25.0M

Obligated to date $1.24M

Committed to date $7.15M

Account Balance $16.61M

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development

Evaluation – TRB Review Panel

• Annual review and evaluation of FRA’s R&D program

• Covers program management, allocation of resources among program areas, outreach to customers and stakeholders, project selection criteria, and project management

• Also provides direction to the FRA R&D program, and comments on the substance of the research program areas

• A copy of the 2009 review letter report is available on the R&D section of the FRA website www.fra.dot.gov

• The letter report from the December 2010 Review will be available on March 21, 2011

11

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and DevelopmentSource: FRA Safety Database

Evaluation Metrics

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2.0

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Acc

iden

ts p

er M

illio

n Tr

ain

Mile

s

YEAR

Equipment

Human Factors

Grade Crossing

Misc. (excl. GC)

Signal

Track

Reportable train accidents

Cause Category

Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development 13

Looking Forward

• FRA’s 5-year Strategic Research and Development Plan – summer 2011• Increased focus on safety risk analysis• Continued improvement on program evaluation