SA provides consulting services and support for legal counsel on rail related cases. Due to our engineering expertise and experience with track and track structures, freight and passenger car structures, locomotives, trucks, draft gear, end-of-car cushioning, couplers, drawbars, air brake systems, mechanical braking systems (truck mounted and conventional), vehicle dynamics, longitudinal in-train dynamics, wheel on rail interaction, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations (COFR), Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) interchange rules, AAR’s Manual of Standards & Recommended Practices including Chapter XI track and service worthiness testing, AAR’S Office and Field Manuals, and as expert witnesses in a variety of cases, we offer comprehensive capabilities to our clients.

Our services include:

• analysis of track chart and timetable information

• analysis of event recorder data

• inspection of railroad related equipment and components including track and all facets of the track structure and securement

• inspection of vehicle mechanical and structural equipment

• analysis and simulation of longitudinal, lateral, and vertical vehicle dynamics

• analysis of wheel and rail profiles

• analysis of post derailment reports, photographs, and depositions

• analysis of track geometry car data

• analysis of rail defect data

• complete test services 

Because of confidentiality agreements with our clients, we are unable to list the legal cases on which we have worked.  However, we have helped many clients resolve derailment related issues and would be happy to talk in general terms about our past derailment related work.  If requested, we supply CVs and resumes, which explain our experience.  Derailment analysis and witness work constitutes approximately 10% of our revenue.