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— 33 - APPENDIX
From a momentum balance just prior and after impact
8 V0 2
8 . 6 1 Hi = VF igl wi + v E w'i
1 i=1
Substituting known data into this equation and solving for VP (the velocity of the impacting consist immediately after the collision)
VF = 37 in [sec
The kinetic energy due to this velocity is 2 8 Ev ‘ (V? l28) .2 W1 i—l Substituting into this equation
E = 752,000 in./lb
V This results in an error of approximately 5 percent in the total collision energy and only an error of 2.6 percent in the closing velocity A more accurate prediction of the closing velocity
would be
Vo = g;§ mph.
