SOA and 1990's Grade-X Tests
This video, approximately one minute and 30 seconds in length, comprises eight sequences comparing deformations of two passenger-rail cab-car end designs, state-of-the-art (SOA) and 1990's, in a collision with a coil of steel on a frangible (readily broken) table. The SOA design is experimental: it incorporates reinforced collision and corner posts to control the deformation of car structures in order to protect occupants. The 1990's design is a conventional one that is currently built by manufacturers.
A title screen first appears, with the following text:
Federal Railroad Administration
SOA and 1990's
Grade-X Tests
June 2002
Transportation Technology Center
Pueblo, Colorado
The first sequence is a side view of a collision of a 1990's-design end-cab passenger-rail car with a steel coil on a frangible table. The steel coil, situated in the center of the view, is set directly over the nearside rail and in line with one of the cab car's corner posts. The cab car enters from the right at approximately 14 miles per hour; it then contacts the steel coil, and the table starts to break away. The steel coil contacts the corner post at about midpoint. The corner post breaks apart, allowing the coil to enter the operator compartment of the cab car, and then collides with the wall of the passenger compartment. As the passenger-rail car continues to roll, the coil rebounds off the wall, falls away to the side, and exits the view to the left, while the frangible table is crushed and falls to the ground. Finally, the cab-car end exits the view to the left as the rest of the passenger-rail car passes by.
The second sequence is the same sequence as before but in slow motion. As the end of the cab car contacts the steel coil on the table, the corner post on the car deforms around the steel coil, then breaks off at the top and is pushed into the operator compartment. The steel coil enters the operator compartment and contacts the wall to the passenger compartment, deforming but not rupturing it. The steel coil then rebounds off this wall as before.
The third sequence is a side view of a collision of an SOA- design end-cab passenger-rail car with a steel coil on a frangible table, set up as before. The cab car enters from the right and contacts the steel coil, and the table starts to break away. The steel coil contacts the corner post at about midpoint. This time, the corner post deforms but does not break at the top or bottom, preventing the steel coil from entering either the operator or the passenger compartment. The steel coil rebounds off the post, and both the coil and the cab end exit the view to the left. The table falls under the passenger-rail car and is caught under the wheels, causing the car to roll but remain on the tracks.
The fourth sequence is the same as before but in slow motion. As the end of the cab car contacts the steel coil on the table, the corner post deforms about midway but remains intact. The structure where the post ends are welded deforms but does not rupture. The coil then rebounds off the post, and both the coil and the end of the cab car exit the view to the left.
The fifth sequence shows two sequences simultaneously at normal speed. The SOA-design sequence is at the top and the 1990's design is at the bottom, with the steel coil aligned in the center of the view. The coil is shown entering the operator compartment in the 1990's but not in the SOA design.
The sixth sequence shows the same two sequences simultaneously but in slow motion.
The seventh sequence shows two sequences of the same collisions simultaneously but from an angle depicting the cab-car end for both designs. The sequence on the left is the SOA design and the sequence on the right is the 1990's design. In both sequences, the cab-car end enters from the left. The steel coil is visible on the right side of the view. In the SOA design, the end of the cab car contacts the steel coil; the collision post and the supporting structure above and below the post deform but do not fracture. In the 1990's design, the collision post breaks from the top support structure, with little or no deformation in the structure.
The eighth sequence is a top view of the same collision, involving an SOA-design end-cab passenger-rail car with a steel coil on a frangible table, set up as before. The SOA design is on the left and the 1990's design is on the right. This comparison clearly shows that the steel coil remains outside of the operator compartment in the SOA design while it penetrates the operator compartment in the 1990's design.
After this sequence, another screen appears with the words "The End."
