RESEARCH
Through the development of ground hazard risk mitigation methodologies and state-of-the-art analysis tools, CaRRL is instrumental to Canada becoming a global leader in railway safety. It facilitates innovation in the transport sector and creates opportunities for the development of skilled workers and experts for the railway industry.
Theme 1: Climate Change and Environment
a. Climate change risk mitigation and adaptation techniques, practices, and technologies
b. Sustainability/resiliency
c. Zero emission and low-carbon propulsion technologies
d. Environmental performance and lifecycle analysis
e. Planning and environmental impact considerations
f. Design/construction/maintenance practices
Theme 2: Operations
a. Operation, maintenance, and network optimization
b. Intermodal or multi-modal rail operations and interactions
c. Data driven maintenance planning
d. Communications
e. Improved interline reliability and supply chain transparency
Theme 3: Cold Regions Engineering
a. Frozen soils, permafrost, and frost heave
b. Rail break mitigation and detection technologies
c. Train braking systems and performance
d. Switch performance
e. Cold weather impacts on containers used to transport Dangerous Goods
Theme 4: Human Factors
a. Railway transportation safety
b. Grade-crossings
c. Trespassing
d. Training
e. Safety culture
Theme 5: Innovations in Railway Engineering
a. Advanced technologies for monitoring and inspection
b. Materials technology and innovation (e.g. geotextiles)
c. Design/testing/construction/maintenance
d. Data asset management
Theme 6: Risk and Reliability
a. Vehicle/track performance and degradation
b. Risk modeling and big data analysis
c. Climate change and related hazard risk assessment
d. Risk assessment of new technologies and practices
e. Transportation of Dangerous Goods risk analysis
f. Ground hazards risk analysis
Theme 7: Enhanced Train Control
a. Technology performance analysis
b. Automation
c. Communications and signaling
d. Security