FY 25 BAA Topic Areas - Appendix B.pdf

FRA BAA 2025

Federal Railroad Administration

Office of Research, Development, and Technology

Broad Agency Announcement – BAA 2025

Appendix B – Research Topics

Note: Concept papers may be submitted at any time, through the closing date of the research topic.

Track Research

Topic Title Closing Date for Concept

Papers

FRA-TR-001

Advanced Weld Inspection

Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-TR-002 Improved Rail Weld Technologies Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-TR-003 Advanced Rail Flaw Detection Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-TR-004

Comprehensive Track Health Monitoring and

Derailment Risk Assessment Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-TR-005 Special Trackwork Wear Analysis Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-TR-006

Innovative Methods for Measuring or Monitoring Longitudinal Rail Stress

Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-TR-007 Research and Development on Track Lateral Strength Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-TR-008

Determining Pre-break Rail Neutral Temperature, Longitudinal Rail Restraint, and Best Rail Adjustment

Practices

Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-TR-009

Technology and Methodologies to Identify Safety Critical Track Performance Problems Following

Maintenance Activities

Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-TR-010

Validation of Load Transfer Mechanisms and Durability of Track Substructure Reinforcement and

Rehabilitation Technologies to Mitigate Impacts of Extreme Weather Events

Jan. 16, 2025

Rolling Stock and Equipment

Closing Date for Concept

Papers

FRA-RS-001 Energy and Emissions Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-RS-002 Rolling Stock Health Monitoring Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-RS-003 Train Makeup and Handling Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-RS-004

Improving the Safety of Hazardous Materials

Transportation Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-RS-005

Training and Coordination Standards for First

Responders to a Passenger Train Accident Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-RS-006 Passenger Train Accident Survivability Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-RS-007 Train Mechanical Inspection Technology Jan. 16, 2025

Train Control and Communication

Closing Date for Concept

Papers

FRA-TC-001

Addressing the Age of Reported Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) of Grade Crossings

Jan. 16, 2025

FRA-TC-002

Wayside Defect Detector Positive Train Control

Integration

FRA-TC-003 Connected Crossing Technology Pilot Jan. 16, 2025

Human Factors

Closing Date for Concept

Papers

FRA-HF-001 Fatigue and Human Performance in the U.S. Rail Industry

Track

Topic: FRA-TR-001

Title: Advanced Weld Inspection

Description

Broken welds are one of the leading causes of train derailments; they are more than twice as likely to be the cause than any other factor. Current rail inspection technologies are not designed to navigate the complicated geometry of in-track welds.

This topic seeks new weld inspection technology research projects that can lower the risk of these potential weak spots in track. Ideally, such an advanced rail flaw detection system will be autonomous, non-contact, and operate at track speed to permit its use on revenue service equipment, including locomotives.

Assumptions should not include unworn rail geometry or non-defective rail surfaces. Offerors must provide a method to determine the false negative rate for technology and the associated probability of detection.

Topic: FRA-TR-002

Title: Improved Rail Weld Technologies

Description

Thermite welding has been the predominant method for joining rails in the field due to its portability and minimal installation time, with electric flash butt welds following closely behind. However, the ductility and fatigue properties of the thermite weld material have been inferior to the parent rail. This topic seeks methods or technologies that provide improved wear resistance, rail head fatigue life, ductility, and impact toughness. FRA wants to explore:

● Thermite welds that more closely match the parent rail steel metallurgy

● Alternative weld microstructures

● Alternative welding methods such as friction stir and railhead repair welds

FRA will not entertain submissions requiring large initial investments to develop and build new equipment; offerors are expected to have already done such work. Offerors needing substantial capital investment for equipment should instead explore potential funding from Track 4 of FRA’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) grant program. Offerors must have extensive experience in the proposed research area and shall demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of the scientific and other technical challenges encountered in past efforts of creating an improved weld technology.

https://railroads.dot.gov/grants-loans/consolidated-rail-infrastructure-and-safety-improvements-crisi-program

Topic: FRA-TR-003

Title: Advanced Rail Flaw Detection

Description

This topic seeks rail flaw inspection systems that improve flaw detection accuracy, increase test speed, and reduce false positive rates with improved data processing. Systems that are autonomous, non-contact, and operate at track speed to permit use on revenue service equipment, including locomotives, are of primary interest. Further, systems should successfully handle worn rail geometry and moderately damaged rail surfaces. Offerors must provide a method to determine the false negative rate for technology and the associated probability of detection.

Topic: FRA-TR-004

Title: Comprehensive Track Health Monitoring and Derailment Risk Assessment

Description

FRA and railroad companies routinely collect extensive track and vehicle performance data using both unmanned and manned onboard inspection technologies. This collected data is crucial for monitoring track health and assessing derailment risks. For example, Track Geometry Measurement System (TGMS) technology captures distance-based measurements at 1-foot intervals. In contrast, wheel/rail forces and carbody acceleration are time-sampled measurements, collected at rates ranging from a few hundred to few thousand Hertz. Processing and synchronizing this data to accurately align it on specific track sections for analysis and derailment risk assessment can be a complex and challenging task, especially for large datasets.

As such, and to enhance safety and railroad efficiency, FRA seeks to develop innovative application capable of:

● Processing and synchronizing data from various technology systems, both time-based and distance-based.

● Identifying safety-critical track locations that may warrant maintenance based on analyzed data

This application will feature GPS mapping capabilities, handle large datasets, support the simultaneous loading of time and distance-sampled data, and support data alignment and interpolation functionalities. Additionally, the application will be capable of:

● Generating exception reports with identified track locations.

● Exporting re-sampled and interpolated data on a track geometry path.

The data will include, but is not limited to, track geometry data, rail profile information, wheel/rail contact forces, in-train forces, and carbody and truck accelerations. This application can be used in an office environment for in-depth analyses or onboard inspection vehicles.

Additionally, offerors must have an established partnership with a railroad and/or other rail-related entity to access the relevant datasets necessary to progress the research described here.

Topic: FRA-TR-005

Title: Special Trackwork Wear Analysis

Description

Railroads use special trackwork, including track crossings, turnouts, and diamonds, throughout their systems. Special trackwork has unique components and comes in a variety of designs, with many unique to their location. Special trackwork derailment data may be found in accident cause codes T301 through T399. FRA is interested in further examining wear and critical failure in special trackwork. Research seeks to examine critical flangeway depths and wear limits in flange bearing frogs and/or diamonds, and wear on moveable point frogs. This research is specifically focused on flange bearing special trackwork and moveable point frogs and is not soliciting research on other special trackwork types currently.

Existing FRA standards governing special trackwork are identified in 49 CFR 213.133-143.

Ideally, further research will include:

● Engineering analysis of critical locations unique to flange-bearing and/or moveable point frogs. It is understood there are a variety of designs, sizes, and types. Offeror should be prepared to examine frogs and/or diamonds representative of those in revenue-service track and provide justification for selections. Selection process methodology must be included in the Concept Paper.

● Modeling and/or simulations, in which the Offeror may use an existing platform or software, showing the critical failure/wear locations and values.

● Validation of models/simulations in a field environment may be proposed as future phase work, but it is not a requirement for this research solicitation.

● Research outcomes must, at a minimum, include a Technical Report to FRA and FRA access to model/simulation inputs, outputs, and described methodology.

● Offerors must show an established relationship with a railroad and/or railroad-entity with experience relating to special trackwork.

Topic: FRA-TR-006

Title: Innovative Methods for Measuring or Monitoring Longitudinal Rail Stress

Description

The stress state of rail is a key parameter that informs rail safety measures. Effective management of thermal stresses in rail is critical to preventing rail buckles and pull-aparts. This research aims to develop technologies that can determine the in-situ stress state of rail. There are three potential research areas under this topic of interest to FRA:

● This technique will quantify the absolute stress state of the rail and identify its neutral temperature (stress-free state). The system shall operate without disturbing the track structure and without prior knowledge of the rail's zero-stress state.

Offerors shall demonstrate knowledge of past research in this area and an understanding of the scientific and other technical challenges encountered in these past efforts.

● Spot-checking the rail for desirable RNT is insufficient because the U.S. network has 140,000 miles of track. Multiplying that by two for each rail results in 280,000 miles of rail to check for excessive longitudinal force or desirable RNT. The industry needs a measurement system that can be operated at a low cost on revenue service trains to identify locations with undesirable longitudinal force. In estimating RNT, a precise measurement of force from a moving platform is too difficult at this time, but a proxy measurement could be of great value to the industry.

● If the rail's zero-stress state is known, create a low-cost method or device to monitor the stress in a specific location.

Topic: FRA-TR-007

Title: Research and Development on Track Lateral Strength

Description

Track buckles can cause severe accidents. Buckles can occur when the track lacks sufficient lateral resistance and the rails have high compressive loads. Spot-checking the track for adequate lateral resistance is insufficient because the U.S. network has 140,000 miles of track.

This topic is open to research and development work which would advance any of the following goals:

a. Develop a technology to provide a proxy measurement of track lateral strength from an in-motion system.

b. Better characterize ballast consolidation, track lateral strength, and RNT profile maturation in new or freshly tamped tracks as a function of millions of gross tons of traffic.

c. Develop a new technique or design to improve the current single-tie push test device, which measures the applied lateral force and resulting lateral displacements of the tie.

Offerors shall demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of the scientific and other technical challenges. Offerors shall explain how their proposed research differs from prior work and how it advances the state-of-the-art. Preferences shall be given to research projects and technologies with a higher Technology Readiness Level ready for field or application testing. Projects should be focused on obtaining significant, measurable results.

Topic: FRA-TR-008

Title: Determining Pre-break Rail Neutral Temperature, Longitudinal Rail Restraint, and Best Rail Adjustment Practices

Description

To maintain a safe longitudinal force in rails, it is essential to determine the pre-break rail neutral temperature (RNT) from the longitudinal restraint of a given track construction and the rail gap size when cut or broken. This research topic aims to build upon existing research and knowledge in these areas to refine the accuracy of longitudinal restraint parameters for different track constructions. This topic is also open to research that evolves existing rail adjustment practices.

Topic: FRA-TR-009

Title: Technology and Methodologies to Identify Safety Critical Track Performance Problems Following Maintenance Activities

Description

FRA is interested in better quantifying the conditions under which track is at risk of failure following critical maintenance activities, with a primary focus on ballast disturbing maintenance such as tamping and undercutting. Assessing specific failures and the track conditions indicative of these failure modes will be required followed by developing technology to monitor the infrastructure and forecast the associated risks. Failure modes can include mechanisms related to lateral instability such as lateral track buckling and progressive deformation, settlement and associated vertical structural instability, track geometry instability, and longitudinal instability associated with rail force variations that contribute to track failure risk. Projects that link failure modes to the mechanisms driving failure and the changes in track properties associated with the failure mechanism are encouraged.

Topic: FRA-TR-010

Title: Validation of Load Transfer Mechanisms and Durability of Track Substructure Reinforcement and Rehabilitation Technologies to Mitigate Impacts of Extreme Weather Events

Description

FRA is interested in research projects targeting track novel reinforcement technologies suitable for rehabilitating or protecting infrastructure subject to harsh weather and weather-related events such as extreme precipitation and erosion. Specifically, FRA is interested in the load transfer mechanisms involved in transferring track loads to the track structural reinforcements to understand the functions and purpose of track reinforcements.

The goal is to improve the understanding of durability and failure mechanisms for the specific reinforcement technology proposed in the project. Mechanisms for reestablishing service following extreme weather events, including any potential limitations such as required drainage time, is also a goal of the project. Specific focus areas of the project could include some or all the following:

a. Drainage

b. Track design changes required by the specific reinforcement technology.

c. Track load distribution to the subgrade via novel reinforcing techniques, including theory and validation as appropriate.

Rolling Stock

Topic: FRA-RS-001

Title: Energy and Emissions

Description

FRA is aware of potential benefits from the increased use of clean energy technologies (hydrogen, battery-energy storage systems [BESS], alternative fuels, etc.), but must ensure they are safe when used to power rail vehicles. The rail operating environment is extremely harsh, and equipment operated in this space must be structurally resilient, maintained in a state of good repair, operationally immune, and safe. FRA-sponsored research will investigate the crashworthiness, safe operation protocols, fire safety, workforce development, and emissions reduction capabilities of new and advanced technologies for the decarbonization of rail vehicles. In addition, FRA will evaluate the benefits of the new decarbonization technologies in promoting environmental justice. FRA invites proposals on the following topics:

• Structural crashworthiness of protective housing designs for batteries, or hydrogen-fueled energy systems, and other alternative fuel technologies used to power rail vehicles.

• Investigate applicability of domestic and international safety standards and certification requirements for battery energy storage system being considered for rail. Research will include but not be limited to a background review, scientific rationale for the criteria, limits for applicability of the standards to rail applications, etc.

• Investigate the modes of failure for BESS and its ancillary systems under normal and abnormal railroad operations, specific under the shock, vibration, temperature, humidity, air quality, etc.

• Investigate new technologies and techniques for the suppression of lithium-ion fires in the rail environment.

• Investigate new advanced methods for early detection of thermal runway for BESS used in rail applications.

• Develop workforce training materials for rail accident investigation involving BESS for FRA inspectors.

• Support the development and demonstration of advanced higher-energy-density batteries, etc., for powering line-haul locomotives.

• Investigation of the potential effects of electromagnetic interference from the high-power battery recharging of electric trains and how it may adversely affect safe operations of other trains nearby rail equipment and wayside signal systems.

• Evaluating the performance of BESS and its ancillary systems and components under railroad environment shock and vibration loading and environmental conditions.

• Conduct an ergonomic and behavioral study of the impact of new technologies (BESS, hydrogen, etc.) on workforce employed in the rail space – specifically, how railroad employee duties will change with the introduction of these new technologies.

• Investigate the effects of railcar air leakage and its impact on the operations and performance of automatic engine start/stop systems to reduce idling and improve rail vehicle emissions.

Topic: FRA-RS-002

Title: Rolling Stock Health Monitoring

Description

This topic seeks innovative research and development for improving the efficacy of rolling stock component condition monitoring and trending. FRA will consider both novel concepts for wayside and on-board detection, with emphasis for on-board solutions. Topics of interest include:

1. Identify effective wayside or on-board technologies for instantaneous and trending condition monitoring of wheel journal bearings for hot or failing bearings. Propose optimal condition monitoring and alert thresholds and distances between detectors for rolling stock asset maintenance and immediate safety actions.

2. Identify effective wayside or on-board technologies for instantaneous and trending condition monitoring of wheel defects and wheel profiles for wheel flats, hollow worn wheels, thin flanges, high flanges, two-point contact, etc. Determine optimal condition monitoring and alert thresholds and distances between detection or detectors for maintenance and immediate safety concerns.

3. Identify effective on-board technologies for instantaneous and trending condition monitoring of railroad trucks for poor curve steering, axle angle of attack, lateral instability (hunting), or other deterioration. The on-board technologies should replicate or improve on the function(s) of current Truck Performance Detectors (TPD).

Propose optimal condition monitoring and alert thresholds and sampling time between detection for maintenance and immediate safety concerns.

4. Identify effective on-board technologies for monitoring and alerting of freight car handling and component issues, for example (list not exhaustive), unreleased hand brakes, piston travel indication, and over-speed impacts, etc.

Topic: FRA-RS-003

Title: Train Makeup and Handling

Description

This topic seeks innovative research and development for improving train makeup strategies and evaluation. Examine train existing consist creation, management strategies and guidance. Leverage simulation tools for analysis of train makeup, operations to address utilization of distributed power, fuel efficiency, management of in-train forces for manifest trains, and management of consists incorporating cushioning units.

Topic: FRA-RS-004

Title: Improving the Safety of Hazardous Materials

Transportation Description

Develop, analyze, and test means for improving the structural integrity of tank cars.

Examine methods for protecting hazardous material tank cars and service equipment from heat, and the capability of these tanks to survive post- derailment fire conditions. Examine thermal protection levels for the safe transportation of energy products (e.g., cryogenics).

FRA seeks to research the following:

• Investigate the service and survival temperatures for currently available gaskets used in tank cars operating with flammable liquids.

• Review the requirements for thermal protection of DOT-112 tank cars and examine how current DOT-112 tank car designs incorporate thermal protection.

• Evaluate failure modes of the tank car thermal protection systems that would result in failure and subsequent heating of tank car content during fire scenarios.

• Review and evaluate thermal performance of DOT-117 tank car service equipment.

• Develop a proof-of-concept for fire proofing of tank car gaskets and fail-safe connections for valve components.

• Investigate qualification and testing methods for determining continuity of thermal protection material in tank cars.

• Develop a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and recommended test program to evaluate fire performance of older tank cars.

• Develop an NDE system/process to evaluate continuity of thermal protection material incorporated in tank car designs.

Topic: FRA-RS-005

Title: Training and Coordination Standards for First Responders to a Passenger Train Accident

Description

In the aftermath of a passenger train accident, local first responders typically arrive on-scene well before railroad safety professionals. In some cases, operating crews from the train may not be readily available to offer assistance. The railroad environment can be extremely unforgiving, putting individuals unfamiliar with the railroad and individuals without coordinated communications across agencies at risk of personal injury or even death. FRA-sponsored research will investigate past accident responses, the current state of first responder railroad training, coordination among first-responder agencies, and common hazards found at the scene of a passenger train accident. These hazards may include electrification, diesel or alternative fuels, adjacent rail traffic, location identification and site access, smoke and fire, visibility, terrain, or other hazards. FRA invites proposals on the individual topics, or a combination of the topics, below:

● A literature review encompassing accident reports and recommendations from Government agencies related to passenger train accidents and other relevant modes of transportation which would serve to identify specific hazards, opportunities for improvement, current best practices in coordination and training, and recommendations for improving the initial response to passenger train accidents.

● Development of a training curriculum to be used by emergency management agencies which would support the safe and effective response to a passenger train accident by first responders. Special emphasis may be given to smaller municipalities that may have fewer resources or less coordination with larger emergency management agencies but are just as likely to respond to a passenger train accident in their community.

● Development of a first responder coordination standard practice document to allow smaller municipalities and rural agencies, often staffed by volunteers or limited numbers of professionals, to plan for an effective and safe response to passenger train accidents.

Offerors must have extensive experience in the proposed research area, including emergency response and railroad operational safety.

Topic: FRA-RS-006

Title: Passenger Train Accident Survivability Technology Description

Description

For many years FRA has promoted the concept of “compartmentalization” to best effect the survivability of a passenger in the event of a derailment or passenger train accident.

This concept has shown marked improvement in terms of reducing passenger injuries and fatalities due to secondary impacts in the interior of the vehicle, passenger egress, and emergency responder access through technology improvements for seats, seatbacks, tables, and overall car design. FRA strives to further reduce the number of injuries through new and novel technologies or strategies. In a passenger train accident scenario, the window glazing must serve several, sometimes conflicting, purposes. The window must be strong enough to reduced breakage yet thin and transparent enough to see through clearly. Emergency windows that serve as exit and access points must also be strong enough to prevent unintended ejection or ingress of wayside debris, yet function as a rapid and easy point of exit and entry. Recent incidents have shown that the ingress of debris and ejection of passengers has led to injuries and fatalities. A key failure mode is the shearing off of external rubber gaskets that secures the glazing panes as the side of a car drags on the ground or weight is applied to the glazing from the interior after the car has rolled over. Once the gasket fails, an opening remains which could allow passengers to be ejected or debris to enter the car and cause injury.

FRA seeks new technologies and designs for glazing systems that have improved retention when derailment loads are experienced. The new concepts must remain compliant with FRA’s existing safety regulations. FRA is also interested in the risks associated with secondary impacts and ejections in a collision scenario where the train car has “open seating arrangements” — sometimes found in other countries and which may soon be introduced in the U.S. These types of seating arrangements may be on board children’s play areas or open seating café and dining areas. FRA seeks technologies and strategy improvements related to further improvements to the compartmentalization approach including window retention, egress in the event of fire or smoke, passenger securement, passenger egress, or something novel and not yet researched or implemented in the U.S.

Offerors must support their Concept Papers and Proposals for new technology or standards through a needs-based analysis related to known injury modes experienced by passengers in train accidents or relevant designs found in other countries. This may be accomplished through a literature review of relevant international train accidents or other means as described in the Concept Paper/Proposal.

Topic: FRA-RS-007

Title: Train Mechanical Inspection Technology

Description

Before a train leaves a terminal, qualified mechanical inspectors visually inspect the train for defective conditions that may lead to a train derailment or accident if not otherwise repaired before departure. The current state of this inspection process relies on the inspector’s knowledge and observations of each individual railcar and component, without supporting information regarding car history, age of the equipment, or information from other sources such as wayside detectors or previous inspections and repairs.

FRA seeks new and novel technologies to improve the manual inspection process. Offerors should be knowledgeable and experienced in the areas of Federal pre-departure inspections and pre-departure brake tests, railroad wayside detectors, railcar and locomotive repair, and the railroad yard environment. Special consideration should be given to the unforgiving railyard environment and the need to keep the inspectors safe. For example, technologies that require heavy or handheld devices may not be optimal for inspectors walking long distances with inspection and repair tools.

Train Control and Communication

Topic: FRA-TC-001

Title: Addressing the Age of Reported Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) of Grade Crossings

Description

The typical age of an Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) report on the GCI is 37 years. Over 23,000 crossings with at least one recorded train per day have an AADT year of 1970.

FRA is interested in exploring the possibility to use existing cameras (e.g., Railfan or others) to develop a method to automate the collection of both highway traffic counts and train traffic at a crossing. The system should also be able to distinguish types of vehicles (e.g., semi-trailers, lo-boy trailers, motorcoaches, etc.). The expected outcome is an up-to-date traffic count at grade crossings. An additional benefit could come from distinguishing the content of the “Estimate Percent Trucks” field of Form 6180.71 by categorizing them as lo-boys, semis, tractor-trailers, etc., application deployment, freight vehicle routing, first responder routing, blocked crossing mitigation, etc.

Topic: FRA-TC-002

Title: Wayside Defect Detector Positive Train Control Integration

Description

FRA is interested in researching the potential integration of wayside defect detectors and Positive Train Control (PTC) systems. This could provide for the fast communication of detector alarms into the locomotive cab and allow for automatically stopping a train if necessary. Project concepts are requested which develop or test system requirements, communication protocols, productization, and/or pilot deployments. Railroad and or industry supplier partnership is highly desirable.

Topic: FRA-TC-003

Title: Connected Crossing Technology Pilot

Description

FRA has been a leader in research and development of connected vehicles technologies for enhancement of safety and mobility at rail grade crossings for nearly 10 years. These include the Rail Crossing Violation Warning (RCVW) V2I reference application, Intelligent Vehicle Routing and Driving Strategies for Connected Crossings, a Cloud-based Communication Platform for Connected Crossings, and C-V2X communication performance analysis for passive rail crossings.

This work has focused on proof-of-concept demonstration, requirements development, and performance testing.

Now, FRA seeks to execute a larger-scale and longer-term pilot deployment of connected crossing technology. Objectives are to demonstrate fleet-scale safety and/or mobility benefits, evaluate long term performance and reliability, and engage rail and highway stakeholders.

Concepts should seek to include technology supplier, railroad, and local government partnerships. Potential applications may include, but are not limited to, RCVW-type CV application deployment, freight vehicle routing, first responder routing, blocked crossing mitigation, etc.

Human Factors

Topic: FRA-HF-001

Title: Fatigue and Human Performance in the U.S. Rail Industry

Description

FRA is interested in research and pilot projects that address the railroad industry workers’ susceptibility to the risk of injury and property damage caused by human fatigue, loss of attentiveness, and/or degraded human performance due to work conditions (e.g., irregular hours of work, long shifts, unpredictability of on-duty times). Projects may consider the extent to which the Railroad Safety Improvement Act (2008) has influenced the management of hours of work and the prevalence of fatigue in the U.S. railroad industry.