ABSTRACT
Train accidents from a reconstructionists standpoint are limited to the interaction of the train with a vehicle, a pedestrian, a motorcycle, or a bicycle. It is not the purview of the reconstructionist to determine the factors affecting a train accident involving derailment, or collisions between trains. Those types of accidents are investigated by Federal agencies such as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). In order to determine the interaction of the train with the vehicle or the pedestrian, it is necessary to quantify the speed of the train before braking and at impact. These calculations include train stopping distance and the time involved as well as many other factors that will be outlined in this chapter. Some of those factors include train design elements and the elements of rail-highway crossings. The calculations involving the other vehicle or pedestrian are extensively covered in other chapters.
