DOT - TEDS Enhancement and Support - MRAS

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is seeking to enhance and maintain the Train Energy and Dynamics Simulator (TEDS), a computer program for conducting longitudinal train dynamics simulations. TEDS provides the FRA with capabilities to analyze train dynamics considerations in detail and support the development of safety rules, incident investigations, and train performance evaluations. The FRA has been using TEDS for the past three years to investigate railroad incidents and derailments. The objective of this effort is to add features and capabilities to TEDS, enhance the user interface, provide training for FRA-approved users, and update the draft gear model. The period of performance for this project is 60 months, with an initial phase of 24 months and two subsequent option periods of 18 months each.

The contractor will be responsible for improving the advanced air brake system capabilities in TEDS, including modeling main reservoir pressure, unintended brake release, brake cylinder elastic stroke, CLID air flow rise algorithm, train separation, PCS operation, and concentrated BP leakage input. They will also update inputs for locomotive tractive effort and dynamic braking characteristics by allowing users to input a tractive and dynamic braking effort time history directly into TEDS. Additionally, the contractor will update the draft gear model in TEDS to better represent data from established controlled data sets and other sources. They will also enhance the model output by adding brake pipe air flow rate and equalizing reservoir pressure to the standard output parameters.

Throughout the project's duration, the contractor will conduct special studies using TEDS as requested by FRA. They will also prepare monthly progress reports and deliverables such as letter reports on task implementation, an updated user's manual, presentations related to special studies, and a final report on the latest TEDS capabilities. The period of performance is expected to be 60 months with an initial phase of 24 months and two subsequent option periods of 18 months each. The contractor will be required to provide monthly progress reports and technical reports in accordance with ANSI/NISO Z39.18-1995 standards. The contractor will also develop and make presentations to FRA on progress for Office of Safety and FRA R&D review.