Kawprasert, A. and C.P.L. Barkan. 2009. Communication and interpretation of results of route risk analyses of hazardous materials transportation by railroad. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. 2097: 125-135.
Route risk analysis of hazardous materials transportation by railroad is receiving considerable new attention from industry and government. Such analyses are necessary for effective public policy and development of rational risk management strategies. However, route risk analysis is complex and generates results that can be difficult to properly interpret. Risk analyses are intended to provide…
Lin, C-Y., M.R. Saat and C.P.L. Barkan. 2016. Fault tree analysis of adjacent track accidents on shared-use rail corridors. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. 2546: 129-136. doi:10.3141/2546-16.
Adjacent-track accidents (ATAs) have been identified as an important hazard on shared-use rail corridors. In these train accidents derailed railroad equipment intrudes on (fouls) an adjacent track, disrupts operations, and potentially causes a collision with trains operating on the fouled tracks. Derailments without intrusion may cause equipment and infrastructure damage, passenger casualties, and disturbances to…
Liu, X., M.R. Saat and C.P.L. Barkan. 2017. Freight-train derailment rates for railroad safety and risk analysis. Accident Analysis and Prevention. 98 (2017): 1-7. doi:10.1016/j.aap.2016.09.012.
Derailments are the most common type of train accident in the United States. They cause damage to infrastructure, rolling stock and lading, disrupt service, and have the potential to cause casualties, and harm the environment. Train safety and risk analysis relies on accurate assessment of derailment likelihood. Derailment rate – the number of derailments normalized…
Liu, X. and C.T. Dick. 2016. Risk-based optimization of rail defect inspection frequency for petroleum crude oil transportation. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. 2545: 27-35. doi:10.3141/2545-04.
The rapid expansion of production of North American petroleum crude oil from shale has led to a significant increase in rail transport of crude oil. Broken rails are frequent causes of train accidents. Ultrasonic rail defect inspection is widely used to prevent train accidents caused by broken rails, thereby reducing the hazardous materials transportation risk.…
Liu, X., M.R. Saat and C.P.L. Barkan. 2013. Safety effectiveness of integrated risk reduction strategies for rail transport of hazardous materials. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. 2374: 102-110.
Railroad transportation plays a critical role in safely and economically moving hazardous materials throughout North America. Effective management of the risk of hazardous materials transportation is a high priority of both the American rail industry and government. A number of strategies and technologies have been implemented or are being developed to reduce this risk. Each…
