MxV Rail has partnered with Texas A&M University (TAMU) to develop a state-of-the-art track buckling model called the “Association of American Railroads (AAR)/TAMU Track Buckle Model.”1 Track buckling is a pervasive problem in summer months in continuously welded rail (CWR) track. While there are warning signs, the available inspection methods and the various thermal forces and track strengths across a network can make it difficult to predict when a track will buckle. In-depth track buckling models can help estimate the track buckle strengths of different track types/conditions and quantify the impact of the vehicle forces on the track. As the second part of a series on track buckle modeling, this Technology Digest briefly introduces the AAR/TAMU model, provides background into the various interpretations of buckle strength that will be featured in future Technology Digests, and shows the various methods to validate and benchmark the model. AAR/TAMU Model The AAR/TAMU model…