Multistage methods for freight train classification

To adapt to the rapid growth of the logistics market and further improve the competitiveness of railway transportation, the high-speed freight train with a design speed of 350 km/h is being developed in China. The safety of the train under great axle load of 17 t and dynamic load is unknown. This paper is aimed to study the running safety of the high-speed freight train coupled with various cargo loading conditions negotiating a sharp curve at high velocity. A numerical model integrated a fluid-structure coupled container model and the nonlinear high-speed freight train was set up by the software of LS-DYNA. The fluid-structure interaction model between the container and fluid cargo was established using the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method. Two influencing parameters, including the cargo state in the container and the fill level, were selected. The study results showed that the wheelset unloading ratio and overturning coefficient could be significantly affected by the liquid sloshing, while the influence of sloshing on the risk of derailment was slight. In general, increasing the cargo filling rate would contribute to vehicle operation safety. In conclusion, this study would provide theoretical help for the running safety of the newly designed high-speed freight train.

Download Full-text

A review on design and testing methodologies of modern freight train draft gear system

Railway Engineering Science ◽

10.1007/s40534-021-00237-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Simon Wagner ◽

Colin Cole ◽

Maksym Spiryagin

Keyword(s):

Soviet Union ◽

South America ◽

Former Soviet Union ◽

Rolling Stock ◽

Freight Train ◽

Wide Range ◽

Draft Gear ◽

Design And Testing ◽

Damping Systems ◽

The Eu

AbstractRolling stock connection systems are key to running longer and heavier trains as they provide both the connections of vehicles and the damping, providing the longitudinal suspension of the train. This paper focuses on the evolution of both connection and stiffness damping systems. Focus is on freight rolling stock, but passenger draw gears are also examined. It was found that connection systems have evolved from the buff and chain system used in the pioneer railways of the 1800s to the modern auto-coupler connection systems that are in-service worldwide today. Refined versions of the buff and chain coupling are, however, still in use in the EU, UK, South America and India. A wide range of auto-coupler systems are currently utilised, but the AAR coupler (Janney coupler) remains the most popular. A further variation that persists is the SA3 coupler (improved Wilson coupler) which is an alternative auto-coupler design used mainly throughout the former Soviet Union. Restricting the review to auto-coupler systems allowed the paper to focus on draft gears which revealed polymer, polymer-friction, steel spring-friction, hydraulic draft gears and sliding sill cushioning systems. Along with the single compressive draft gear units balanced and floating plate configurations are also presented. Typical draft gear acceptance standards are presented along with modelling that was included to aid in presentation of the functional characteristics of draft gears.

Download Full-text