NON-DESTRUCTIVE IMPACT BETWEEN RAILROAD CARS: EXPERIMENTAL AND ANALYTICAL STUDY

A computer simulation of the dynamics of rail car impacts is compared with experimental data obtained from full scale switchyard impacts. The compared cases involve impacts between a standing light hopper car and a moving, fully loaded tank car at speeds ranging from 2 mph to 8 mph. The monitored dynamic responses include vertical car motions, draft gear travel, longitudinal coupler forces, car body accelerations, and vertical bolster loads.