A Crush Zone Design for an Existing Passenger Rail Cab Car

Abstract

A Crash Energy Management (CEM) cab car crush zone design has been developed for retrofit onto an existing Budd M1 cab car. This design is to be used in the upcoming full-scale train-to-train test of a CEM consist impacting a standing freight consist of comparable weight. The cab car crush zone design is based upon the coach car crush zone design that has been previously developed and tested. The integrated system was developed after existing national and international CEM systems were reviewed. A detailed set of design requirements was then drafted, and preliminary designs of sub-assemblies were developed. The preliminary designs were analyzed using detailed large deformation finite element software. Performance of the cab car crush zone under ideal and non-ideal loading conditions was analyzed prior to development of the final design. The key components of the design include: a long stroke push-back coupler capable of accommodating the colliding locomotive coupler, a deformable anti-climber to manage the colliding interface interaction, an integrated end frame on which the deformable anti-climber is attached, a set of primary energy absorbers designed to crush in a controlled manner while absorbing the majority of the collision energy, and a survivable space for the operator which pushes back into an electrical closet. The cab car crush zone is designed to control both lateral and vertical vehicle motions that can promote lateral buckling of the train and override of the impacting equipment. The design is capable of managing the colliding interface interaction with a freight locomotive and passing crush back to successive crush zones. Detailed fabrication drawings have been developed and submitted to a fabrication shop. In addition, existing Budd M1 cars are being prepared to receive the retrofit components.