Canadian Rail Research Laboratory: Draft 2024-2025 Annual Research Plan for Implementation in 2025-26
- Download(s)
- Language of the publication
- English
- Date
- 2025-03-18
- Type
- Consultant report
- Author(s)
- Canadian Rail Research Laboratory (CaRRL)
- Publisher
- University of Alberta
Alternative title
Canadian Rail Research Laboratory: 2025-26 Annual Research Plan
Laboratoire canadien de recherche ferroviaire : Ébauche du plan de recherche annuel 2024-2025 pour la mise en œuvre en 2025-26
Laboratoire canadien de recherche ferroviaire : Plan de recherche annuel 2025-2026
Abstract
This report presents the Annual Research Plan for the Canadian Rail Research Laboratory (CaRRL), outlining research priorities and activities for the 2025–2026 fiscal year. It includes updated research themes and sub-themes, summarizes the integration of stakeholder feedback gathered through engagement activities from 2022 to 2025, and provides an overview of both ongoing and planned research projects. The plan also details the allocation of person-days for each project and serves as a roadmap for implementation in 2025–2026. The report highlights several approved and initiated projects, including work on the transport of dangerous goods, climate-related ground hazards, wildfire impacts, and steel properties. Additional projects in the planning phase include research on Safety Management Systems (SMS) Key Performance Indicators and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) of human factors-related occurrences. Following consultations two new proposals have entered preliminary development: Data Analysis for the Technology Demonstrator Railcar and Deterioration of Rail Ties – Assessing the Role of Climate Variability. These research efforts underscore CaRRL’s ongoing commitment to advancing railway safety, resiliency, and innovation in collaboration with Transport Canada and key stakeholders.
Plain language summary
This report provides a summary of the annual research plan for the projects to be carried out by the Canadian Rail Research Laboratory (CaRRL) during the 2025–2026 fiscal year.
Subject
- Transport,
- Railway safety,
- Rail transport,
- Climate change
Keywords
- Rail Research,
- Safety Management System,
- Root Cause Analysis,
- Wildfire,
- Risk assessment,
- Human Factors
Rights
Pagination
1-23
Peer review
Yes
Identifiers
- Government document number
- TP 15644e
Report
Sponsors
RRAB Railway Research Advisory Board - including representatives from National Research Council of Canada as well as Transport Canada’s (TC) Innovation Centre, Rail Safety, and Transportation of Dangerous Goods Directorates, provinces and territories, US Government representatives and industry representatives (Class I railway, short lines, associations, and suppliers).
Relation
Citation(s)
Canadian Rail Research Laboratory: Draft 2024-2025 Annual Research Plan for Implementation in 2025-26. (2025), CaRRL-Canadian Centre of Expertise on Rail Research, University of Alberta.