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Derailment loads in nearly all U.S. transit design criteria documents are similar across agencies. However, it is unclear whether horizontal and vertical derailment loads for the efficient and safe design of transit structures are reasonably accurate.

TCRP Research Report 257: Determination of Actual Derailment Loads on Transit Bridges, from TRB's Transit Cooperative Research Program, provides the transit industry with a reasoned basis for derailment loads on bridges. It also offers methodologies that bridge design engineers can utilize to calculate the horizontal and vertical derailment impact loading.

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Technical Memo

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92 pages · 8.5 x 11 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-59972-5
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-59973-3
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/29257

Suggested citation

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Determination of Actual Derailment Loads on Transit Bridges. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Determination of Actual Derailment Loads on Transit Bridges (2025)

Chapter: 3 Derailment Simulations on Rigid Deck

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Publication information

Suggested citation

My Academies

Determination of Actual Derailment Loads on Transit Bridges (2025)

Chapter: 3 Derailment Simulations on Rigid Deck