On the Crashworthiness Performance of the New GTW DMU Developed for Capital Metro (Austin, Texas)

Stadler Rail has developed a new regional train, the Stadler GTW (‘Gelenk-Trieb-Wagen’, i.e., Articulated Powered Car) for Capital Metro, Austin, Texas. This DMU is compliant with the requests of EN15227, the new European standard for crashworthiness of railway vehicles. The following collision scenarios have been investigated: • train against identical train at a closing speed of 36 kmph (22 mph); • train against 80-ton-freight wagon at a closing speed of 36 kmph (22 mph), and • train against a large deformable obstacle (representing a truck) at a closing speed of 85 kmph (53 mph). Numerical analyses show that the new crashworthy train design guarantees sufficient and controlled energy absorption and maintains the survival space required. Dynamic testing of the crash absorber modules has validated the results of the nonlinear analyses. In the course of the certification process with the FRA additional requirements have been imposed for the dynamic qualification of cab car end structures: :These scenarios consist of a collision at a closing speed of 21 mph (34 kmph) with a rigid cylinder (diameter of 48 inches (1220 mm), length of 36 inches (914 mm) and a minimum weight of 10000 lbf (4535 kg). These requirements have been easily met. Additionally, new FRA proposals have been investigated: • collisions with a steel coil in different front positions; • collision with a rigid wall at a closing speed of 56 kmph (35 mph); • front end collision with a representative FRA compliant locomotive at a closing speed of 56 kmph (35 mph). The numerical analyses of these scenarios show that the crashworthy train design which has been developed to comply with the European requests is able to fulfill the FRA requirements.