Transcript Kevin Kesler

Dr. John Tunna
Director
Office of Research & Development
Office of Railroad Policy & Development
Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development
• 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
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Office of Railroad Policy and Development
Associate Administrator, Mark E. Yachmetz
Office of Passenger and
Freight Programs
Director, Paul Nissenbaum
Project Development and
Delivery
Director, Corey Hill
Grant Management Division
Chief, MaryAnn McNamara
Credit Programs Division
Chief, Barbara Amani
Environment and Systems Planning
Division
Chief, David Valenstein
Engineering and Project Development
Division
Chief, Leonard Evans
Office of Policy
Director,
Scott Greene (Acting)
Office of Research and
Development
Director, John Tunna
Surface Transportation
Intermodal Program
Track Research Division
Chief, Gary Carr
Strategic Forecasting and
Environmental Issues
Signals, Train Control, and
Communications Division
Chief, Sam Alibrahim, P.E.
International Affairs
Rail Data Analysis
Equipment and Operating Practices
Division
Chief, Kevin Kesler
Human Factors
Research Staff
Financial and Economic Analysis
Division
Chief, Neil Moyer
Program Development and Strategy
Division
Chief, Rebecca Reyes-Alicea (Acting)
Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development
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Office of Research
and Development
Director, Dr. John Tunna
Equipment and
Operating
Practices Division
Signals, Train Control
& Communications
Division
Chief, Kevin Kesler
Chief, Sam Alibrahim, P.E.
8 Staff Members including
Human Factors Research Staff led
by Tom Raslear, Ph.D.,
3 Staff Members
Track Research
Division
Chief, Gary Carr
6 Staff Members
Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development
• 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
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TTC
DOTX-218
CTIL
Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development
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Track Research Division
• Track and Structures
• Track / Train Interaction
• Operations / Facilities
~150 projects
typically $40M/year
Equipment and Operating Practices
• Rolling Stock And Components
• Locomotives
• Energy, Efficiency and Environment
• Human Factors
• Hazardous Materials
Signals, Train Control and Communications
Track & Structures
• Signals and Train Control (Including PTC)
• Grade Crossing
• Communications
Signals, Train Control & Comms
Equipment & Operating Practices
Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development
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Accident
history
Stakeholders
(RRs, unions)
*PM: Program Manager
Program
Concept
(PM*)
Develop
QUAD
Sheet
Project
Selection
Project
Execution
Improved
Safety…
Accident
investigations
Program
Manager
Rating
R&D
Management
Rating
Resolve
Differences
Project
Ranking,
Prioritization
Steering
Committee
(not yet implemented)
Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development
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Broad Agency Announcement priorities
• Track & structures
• Equipment
• Autonomous and efficient inspection
• 125 mph non-electric locomotive
• Materials and construction
• 125+ mph passenger equipment
• Improved turnout performance
• Vehicle weight and unsprung mass
reduction
• Corridor hardening
• Modeling and simulation software
• Train control
• Grade crossing protection
• Capacity improvements
• High-speed truck – passenger and freight
• Train occupant protection
• Human factors
• Interface with controls and displays
• Cab environment
• Interoperable wireless
communications
• Positive Train Control (PTC)
integration and enhancements
• Employee training for new technology
and operations
Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development
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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
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Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development
• 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
Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development
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Reportable train accidents
Accidents per Million Train Miles
2.0
1.8
1.6
Cause Category
1.4
Equipment
1.2
Human Factors
1.0
Grade Crossing
0.8
Misc. (excl. GC)
0.6
Signal
0.4
Track
0.2
0.0
2004
2005
2007
2006
2008
2009
YEAR
Source: FRA Safety Database
Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development
• FRA’s 5-year Strategic Research and Development Plan – summer 2011
• Increased focus on safety risk analysis
• Continued improvement on program evaluation
Office of Research and Development | Office of Railroad Policy and Development
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