Derailment Analysis


ZETA-TECH Associates, Inc. is a technical consulting company with significant experience in the area of derailment investigation, train, simulation modeling and the development and implementation of simulation software.

ZETA-TECH Associates has been active in the development of integrated software systems, derailment analysis, and computer simulation. It has developed and implemented software for numerous transits and railroads to include Amtrak, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, Baltimore MTA (heavy and light rail), China Ministry of Railways, Conrail, CSX Transportation, Canadian Pacific Railway, English, Welsh & Scottish Railway, Long Island Railroad Northern San Diego Commuter District, New York City Transit Authority, Norfolk Southern Corporation, Railway Tie Association, and Sperry Rail Services.

ZETA-TECH performs a full range of derailment analysis to include:

  • Wheel/rail dynamic analysis (e.g. wheel climb derailments, vehicle rollover)
  • Vehicle/train performance analysis (rail rollover, train run-in, overheated wheels)
  • Track behavior analysis (e.g. track buckling, rail overturning)
  • Instrumentation/testing

This Includes field investigation, model simulation, testing, and full evaluation (with recommendations for avoiding future derailments). ZETA-TECH’s modeling capabilities include both proprietary ZETA-TECH models (to include MU operations simulation models) as well as such industry accepted models as the AAR NUCARS and TEM models.

Among the many analysis/investigations ZETA-TECH has performed for railroads are included:

  • Long Island Railroad: Analysis of Low Speed Wheel Climb Incidents (Port Washington, Long Beach, and Brook Interlocking, 1998)
  • Analysis of Failure of High Speed Turnout Components (1998)
  • Metro North: Investigation of wheel climb incidents in turnouts in Grand Central Terminal (September-December 1997).
  • Investigation of wheel climb incidents in PAT (Pittsburgh) 1995
  • AT&SF: Analysis of derailment conditions and parameters related to the 1989 FREELAND Michigan derailment of a depressed center flat car and subsequent HAZMAT release, 1994
  • Investigation of BART wheel climb derailment (main line) 1993
  • Analysis of 70 ton hopper car derailment at Bellerose Long Island (1993).
  • Numerous investigations of derailments for Class 1 freight railroads to include BNSF (track buckling derailments), CSX (car dynamic derailments), etc.
  • Transit Cooperative Research Program project for Analysis of Transit Derailments in Special Trackwork (1996)
  • Analysis of wheel thermal conditions and braking energy input into the wheels with the resulting development of recommendations for inspection of thermal cracks in wheels. (December 1992, January (1993)
  • Analysis of stopping distances for LIRR MU equipment (March 1990)
  • Analysis of the effect of inoperative traction motors on wheel safety (February 1989)
  • Analysis of derailment tendencies of three axle locomotive trucks (October 1986).



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