This section contains links to online books and information about selected print books relating to Railroads in Richardson Library.
Back on Track : American Railroad Accidents and Safety, 1965–2015 by
A fascinating account of one of America's most important industries and its dangers.Throughout the early twentieth century, railroad safety steadily improved across the United States. But by the 1960s, American railroads had fallen apart, the result of a regulatory straightjacket that eroded profitability and undermined safety.
Computers in Railways XIV Special Contributions by
This volume contains special contributions presented at the 14th International Conference on Railway Engineering Design and Operation (COMPRAIL/14) held in Rome. It is a companion to the Volume containing most of the contributions (Vol 135 of WIT Transactions on the Built Environment) and comprises papers presented orally during the Conference. Encouraging the update and use of advanced systems, the book promotes their general awareness throughout the management, design, manufacture and operation of railways and other emerging passenger, freight and transit systems. It particularly emphasises the use of computer systems in advanced railway engineering. The book consists of five sections, covering: Planning; Computer techniques and simulations; Energy supply and consumption; Monitoring and control; Safety and security.
Computers in Railways XV by
This title incorporates the 15th proceedings of the very successful International Conference on Railway Engineering Design and Operation (COMPRAIL) series, which began in Frankfurt 1987 and continued in Rome (1990); Washington (1992); Madrid (1994); Berlin (1996); Lisbon (1998); Bologna (2000); Lemnos (2002); Dresden (2004); Prague (2006); Toledo (2008); Beijing (2010); the New Forest, home of the Wessex Institute (2012) and, again in Rome in 2014. The papers presented at this conference aim to update the use of advanced systems, promoting their general awareness throughout the management, design, manufacture and operation of railways and other emerging passenger, freight and transit systems. With the conference attracting a variety of specialists, including railway engineers, designers of advanced train control systems and computer specialists, the book particularly emphasises the use of computer systems in advanced railway engineering. Topics include but are not restricted to: Advanced train control Operations quality; Risk management; Planning and policy; Energy supply and consumption; Communications and signalling; Operational planning; Interface management; Systems integration; Maglev; High speed technology; Interoperability; Passenger flow management; Computer simulations and Driverless and automatic train operation.
Computers in Railways XVI by
Forming the 16th volume from this successful series, this book contains papers from the 16th International Conference on Railway Engineering Design and Operation. The included papers are a collection of works from researchers, academics and practitioners involved in railway engineering. There is a continuing need to update the use of advanced systems, promoting their general awareness throughout the management, design, manufacture and operation of railways and other emerging passenger, freight and transit systems. By emphasising the use of computer systems in advanced railway engineering, this book contributes to this goal. These research studies will be of interest to all those involved in the development of railways, including managers, consultants, railway engineers, designers of advanced train control systems and computer specialists.
Computers in Railways XVII by
It is important to continue to update the use of advanced systems by promoting general awareness throughout the management, design, manufacture and operation of railways and other emerging passenger, freight and transit systems. Originating from presentations at the 17th International Conference on Railway Engineering Design and Operation, this volume contains selected research works on the topic. The included papers help to facilitate the use of advanced systems and place a key focus on the applications of computer systems in advanced railway engineering. These research studies will be of interest to all those involved in the development of railways, including managers, consultants, railway engineers, designers of advanced train control systems and computer specialists.
Comprail by
This title incorporates papers presented at the 15th meeting of the very successful International Conference on Railway Engineering Design and Operation (COMPRAIL) series, which began in Frankfurt in 1987. The papers from this conference aim to update the use of advanced systems, promoting their general awareness throughout the management, design, manufacture and operation of railways and other emerging passenger, freight and transit systems. With the conference attracting a variety of specialists including railway engineers, designers of advanced train control systems and computer specialists, the book particularly emphasises the use of computer systems in advanced railway engineering. Topics covered include: Communications and signalling; Operations quality; Energy supply and consumption; Monitoring and maintenance; Computer simulations Planning and policy; Operational planning; Safety and security; Rescheduling; Timetable planning.
The State of U. S. Railroads by
Concern about the ability of the U.S. railroad system to accommodate a significant increase in rail freight volume without degrading the speed and reliability of railroad service has motivated several recent studies of railroad infrastructure. Many of these studies were commissioned by trade associations or organizations representing interested parties, and it is challenging to disentangle facts about the current capacity and performance of railroads from advocacy posi- tions of carriers or shippers. This report draws from publicly available data on the U.S. railroad industry to provide observations about rail infrastructure capacity and performance in trans- porting freight.
MLA 9th Edition (Modern Language Assoc.)
Weatherford, Brian A., et al. The State of U.S. Railroads : A Review of Capacity and Performance Data. RAND Corporation, 2008.
APA 7th Edition (American Psychological Assoc.)
Weatherford, B. A., Ortiz, D. S., Willis, H. A., UPS Foundation, Rand Supply Chain Policy Center, & Rand Corporation. (2008). The State of U.S. Railroads : A Review of Capacity and Performance Data. RAND Corporation.
Employee Fatigue in the U. S. Railroad Industry by
How fatigued are safety-critical railroad employees such as Train and Engine (T&E) workers, passenger T&E workers, signalmen, Maintenance of Way (MOW) workers and dispatchers, and how does their level of fatigue affect the safety of railroad operations? Are statutory or regulatory limitations on hours of work sufficient to prevent worker fatigue? Fatigue is largely a function of sleep and circadian rhythms. Sleep, in turn, is a function of work schedules. Work duration, the time of day (TOD) of work, and schedule variability are aspects of work schedules that determine when sleep can occur. Fatigue exposure is determined largely by work schedules, and fatigue exposure determines fatigue risk and the probability of human factor accidents. This book draws on the results of several prior studies, all conducted with similar methodology, to characterize the prevalence of employee fatigue in the U.S. railroad industry. Data from logbook surveys of signalmen, maintenance of way workers, dispatchers, and train and engine service employees were combined to examine the relationship between work schedules and sleep patterns.
Railroad Employees and the Use of Personal Electronic Devices by
Based on the historical record, rail transportation in the United States is an extremely safe mode of transportation. However, distraction of a railroad employee who is entrusted with safety related duties has the potential, which has been realized in several accidents described herein, to compromise performance and endanger the employee, coworkers or members of the public.
Rail Safety by
The Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) rail-safety oversight framework relies on inspections to ensure railroads comply with federal safety regulations. FRA inspects railroad infrastructure and operations, identifies safety defects and, if warranted, cite the railroads for violations of federal safety regulations. This book examines the overall framework that FRA, the states, and the railroads use to ensure rail safety; the extent to which FRA and the railroads assess safety risks and allocate resources to address those risks; and what challenges, if any, exist to FRA's current safety framework, and what ongoing and emerging issues FRA faces.
Trains, Buses, People : An Opinionated Atlas of US Transit by
What are the best transit cities in the US? The best Bus Rapid Transit lines? The most useless rail transit lines? The missed opportunities? In the US, the 25 largest metropolitan areas and many smaller cities have fixed guideway transit—rail or bus rapid transit. Nearly all of them are talking about expanding. Yet discussions about transit are still remarkably unsophisticated. To build good transit, the discussion needs to focus on what matters—quality of service (not the technology that delivers it), all kinds of transit riders, the role of buildings, streets and sidewalks, and, above all, getting transit in the right places. Christof Spieler has spent over a decade advocating for transit as a writer, community leader, urban planner, transit board member, and enthusiast. He strongly believes that just about anyone—regardless of training or experience—can identify what makes good transit with the right information. In the fun and accessible Trains, Buses, People: An Opinionated Atlas of US Transit, Spieler shows how cities can build successful transit. He profiles the 47 metropolitan areas in the US that have rail transit or BRT, using data, photos, and maps for easy comparison. The best and worst systems are ranked and Spieler offers analysis of how geography, politics, and history complicate transit planning. He shows how the unique circumstances of every city have resulted in very different transit systems. Using appealing visuals, Trains, Buses, People is intended for non-experts—it will help any citizen, professional, or policymaker with a vested interest evaluate a transit proposal and understand what makes transit effective. While the book is built on data, it has a strong point of view. Spieler takes an honest look at what makes good and bad transit and is not afraid to look at what went wrong. He explains broad concepts, but recognizes all of the technical, geographical, and political difficulties of building transit in the real world. In the end, Trains, Buses, People shows that it is possible with the right tools to build good transit.
Rail and the City : Shrinking Our Carbon Footprint While Reimagining Urban Space by
An architect makes the case for rail transit as the critical infrastructure for a fluidly functioning and environmentally sustainable urban society.The United States has evolved into a nation of twenty densely populated megaregions. Yet despite the environmental advantages of urban density, urban sprawl and reliance on the private car still set the pattern for most new development. Cars guzzle not only gas but also space, as massive acreage is dedicated to roadways and parking. Even more pressing, the replication of this pattern throughout the fast-developing world makes it doubtful that we will achieve the reductions in carbon emissions needed to avoid climate catastrophe. In Rail and the City, architect Roxanne Warren makes the case for compact urban development that is supported by rail transit. Calling the automobile a relic of the twentieth century, Warren envisions a release from the tyrannies of traffic congestion, petroleum dependence, and an oppressively paved environment. Technical features of rail are key to its high capacities, safety at high speeds, and compactness—uniquely qualifying it to serve as ideal infrastructure within and between cities. Ultimately, mobility could be achieved through extensive networks of public transit, particularly rail, supplemented by buses, cycling, walking, car-sharing, and small, flexible vehicles. High-speed rail, fed by local transit, could eliminate the need for petroleum-intensive plane trips of less than 500 miles.Warren considers issues of access to transit, citing examples from Europe, Japan, and North America, and pedestrian- and transit-oriented urban design. Rail transit, she argues, is the essential infrastructure for a fluidly functioning urban society.
Railtown : The Fight for the Los Angeles Metro Rail and the Future of the City by
The familiar image of Los Angeles as a metropolis built for the automobile is crumbling. Traffic, air pollution, and sprawl motivated citizens to support urban rail as an alternative to driving, and the city has started to reinvent itself by developing compact neighborhoods adjacent to transit. As a result of pressure from local leaders, particularly with the election of Tom Bradley as mayor in 1973, the Los Angeles Metro Rail gradually took shape in the consummate car city. Railtown presents the history of this system by drawing on archival documents, contemporary news accounts, and interviews with many of the key players to provide critical behind-the-scenes accounts of the people and forces that shaped the system. Ethan Elkind brings this important story to life by showing how ambitious local leaders zealously advocated for rail transit and ultimately persuaded an ambivalent electorate and federal leaders to support their vision. Although Metro Rail is growing in ridership and political importance, with expansions in the pipeline, Elkind argues that local leaders will need to reform the rail planning and implementation process to avoid repeating past mistakes and to ensure that Metro Rail supports a burgeoning demand for transit-oriented neighborhoods in Los Angeles. This engaging history of Metro Rail provides lessons for how the American car-dominated cities of today can reinvent themselves as thriving railtowns of tomorrow.
Riding the Rails : Inside the Business of America's Railroads by 
Transit Street Design Guide by 
Railway Safety, Reliability, and Security by
Abstract: "This book provides engineering students and professionals with a collection of state-of-the-art methodological and technological notions to support the development and certification of 'real-time safety-critical' railway control systems, as well as the protection of rail transportation infrastructures"
Most books in the library about railroads have call numbers beginning with "TF":
Some Social Science aspects of Railroads can also be found in HE1001-5600 "Railroads: Rapid transit systems."
