Composite economics and use

Since deregulation of the US railroads in the early 1980s, competition has spurred many innovations in track, structures, signaling and rolling stock. Freight cars in particular have seen significant changes in material use, as evidenced by the huge growth in aluminum bodied coal cars. Another change in material use in freight cars is underway. Advanced composites are finding their way into more and more products. This paper provides basic knowledge of what composites are, their strengths and weaknesses, and what economic leverage they can provide. Some of the applications that have been developed for freight rail transportation are discussed, as well as some products under development. The paper concludes with lessons learned about why some projects succeed, and some fail