Design Outline for a Lightweight Inside Frame Freight Car Truck

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas H. Engle
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Roller Bearing ◽  
Design Study ◽  
Freight Car ◽  
Pennsylvania Railroad ◽  
Maintenance Requirements ◽  
Economic Considerations

Inside frame trucks were historically unacceptable on freight cars, because of bearing maintenance problems which the modern roller bearing eliminated. This paper is a design study showing the potential advantages of a modern inside frame truck particularly in improvements in reducing weight and maintenance requirements, and was inspired by a short wheelbase inside bearing four wheel truck that the auhor designed to replace the original single axle trucks on an updated version of the Iron Highway articulated integral train. The new truck had to be interchangeable with the original without frame or car structure: a four wheel truck in a two wheel space! The design was completed, operation simulated, and a truck built, but the development stopped, for economic reasons, prior to equipping a demonstration train. This effort, though, suggested that an AAR compatible version of that truck might be advantageous, and this paper outlines how and why such a truck might be built. The paper is divided into six sections: 1) Background in the Iron Highway; 2) Requirement dictating conversion to a 4 wheel truck; 3) Design of a 286,000lb. GRL North American freight truck; 4) Maintenance considerations; 5) Economic Considerations; and 6) an Annex describing testing by the Pennsylvania Railroad of Timken inside frame roller bearing trucks 80 years ago.

Class K Axle Design and Repair by Machining

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven L. Dedmon
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Roller Bearing ◽  
Surface Damage ◽  
The Body ◽  
Bearing Life ◽  
Freight Car ◽  
Accepted Practice ◽  
Class F

Until the introduction of AAR Standard S-259 (circular C-8287) in November, 1994 the Class F axle was the only officially designated roller bearing axle design permitted for 100 ton freight car service in North American interchange service. The increase in Gross Rail Load permitted by the Standard was correlated to increased failures at the journal ends of the axle. A 1998 redesign of the bearing and axle resulted in lower stresses in the journal; the new axle was designated as Class K and was to be used in service loads of 100/110 tons (263,000 to 286,000 pounds GRL). The redesign was highly successful in reducing axle journal failures and improving bearing life. An increase in axle failures between the wheel seats was reported several years after the redesign. Better inspection requirements and repair procedures were implemented to reduce failures resulting from surface damage. This investigation considers the effect on stresses of the accepted practice of repairing the body of the axle by machining.

Use of On-Board Hand Brake Monitoring to Prevent Freight Car Wheel Damage and Improve Maintenance and Safety

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cameron Lonsdale ◽  
Brent Wilson
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Impact Load ◽  
Significant Source ◽  
Freight Car ◽  
Service Data ◽  
Proactive Maintenance

This paper discusses the benefits of using on-board hand brake sensors to determine whether a freight car hand brake is applied or released in service. Unreleased hand brakes are a significant source of wheel tread damage, which can lead to wheel removals, and in extreme cases can cause damage and derailments. Also, hand brake-related accidents are a significant cause of North American railroad accidents. Wheel tread damage and wayside wheel impact load detectors (WILD) are reviewed, along with AAR why made codes for wheel removals. Wheel failures and other wheel impact associated damage are discussed, along with operational considerations for hand brakes. Further, on-board sensors in general, and hand brake sensors in particular, are described in detail and service data from monitored cars is presented. Additionally, possible safety and operational improvements related to use of hand brake sensors are discussed, along with comments on the use of sensors to assist with proactive maintenance of freight cars.

Acoustic Detection of Distressed Freight Car Roller Bearings

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald B. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
North America ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Roller Bearing ◽  
Acoustic Emissions ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Acoustic Detection ◽  
Internal Damage ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Freight Car

Trackside Acoustic Detection System (TADS®) development spearheaded implementation of an acoustic freight car roller bearing detector whose purpose is to prevent in-service bearing failures (burned off journals and hot bearing detector train stops). The means of accomplishing this goal is by providing the user with a warning of internal bearing defects or degradation with component involvement and severity information. The Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) began the TADS® development process in 1994 with basic research into bearing defect acoustic emissions. Subsequently, TTCI conducted prototype testing on a North American railroad, constructed and installed of several international beta test systems, and finally has sold production systems in North America and internationally. There are currently about 40 TADS® sites in operation world-wide with 2.0 or more systems scheduled for installation in 2007. The original mission for TADS® in North America was an early warning of bearing degradation to allow for scheduled maintenance, but after initial evaluation, this mission enlarged to include notification of potentially high risk bearings. The high risk bearing is defined as one with fairly large areas of internal damage and at an increased risk of overheating or failing in service. The high risk bearing has a different acoustic signature, dissimilar to that of smaller defects. This paper will outline the change in mission for this detector and describe the development of an improved capability for detecting these high risk bearings.

Economics

1988 ◽  
pp. 315-323
Keyword(s):  
Induction Heating ◽  
Lot Size ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Technical Feasibility ◽  
System A ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Maintenance Requirements ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Economic Considerations ◽  
Production Lot Size

Abstract Induction heating is a rapid, efficient technique for producing localized or through heating in a wide range of industries. The economics as well as the technical feasibility of induction heating should be important considerations prior to investing in such a system. A number of cost elements enter into the analysis. These include equipment and energy costs, production lot size and ease of automation, material savings, labor costs, and maintenance requirements. This chapter discusses each of these factors. It compares the cost elements of induction heating with those of its main competitor, gas-fired furnace heating. Several typical examples are provided to illustrate the economic considerations in design and application of induction heating processes.

North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikhil Gupta ◽  
Vinod H. Srihari
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Psychotic Disorder ◽  
Study Design ◽  
North American ◽  
Clinical Case ◽  
Design Study ◽  
Study Intervention ◽  
Landmark Study

This chapter provides a summary of a landmark study on schizophrenia. The question studied was “In patients identified clinically to be at high risk for psychosis, which variables (or their combinations) best predict conversion to schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder?” Starting with that question, it describes the basics of the study, including funding, study location, who was studied, how many patients, study design, study intervention, follow-up, endpoints, results, and criticism and limitations. This study demonstrates that presence of some characteristics can better prognosticate conversion of a prodromal state to a psychotic disorder. Finally, the chapter briefly reviews other relevant studies and information, discusses implications, and concludes with a relevant clinical case.

Acoustic wayside identification of freight car roller bearing defects

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.E. Cline ◽  
J.R. Bilodeau ◽  
R.L. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Roller Bearing ◽  
Bearing Defects ◽  
Freight Car

Wheel Temperature Reduction During Freight Car Braking

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monique F. Stewart ◽  
Som P. Singh ◽  
David R. Andersen ◽  
Rou Wen ◽  
Graydon F. Booth
Keyword(s):  
Heat Removal ◽  
Preliminary Design ◽  
Service Environment ◽  
Wheel Rim ◽  
Disc Brakes ◽  
Freight Car ◽  
Maintenance Requirements ◽  
Drum Brakes ◽  
Railway Wheels ◽  
Considerable Detail

Since the adoption of 286,000 lb gross rail load (286K GRL) car service, an increase in wheel thermal damage and shelling has been observed. This is attributed to the increased braking horsepower in 286K GRL service as compared to the 263K GRL service environment. This study investigated possible designs and methods of braking that could lead to reduced heat input to the tread of freight car wheels in order to mitigate this damage and reduce its occurrence to a level closer to that seen with 263K GRL car service. Fifteen potential concepts to lower the thermal input to wheels and/or accelerate heat removal from the tread were identified and evaluated using the following engineering categories: simplicity of design, maintenance requirements, weight considerations, material and manufacturing costs, controllability of braking effort, and market acceptability. Five final concepts — axle-mounted disc, cheek disc, wheel rim, axle-mounted drum, and high convection coating — were developed through preliminary design and thermal analysis to confirm their effectiveness in meeting the objectives. Four concepts for alternative braking methods — axle-mounted disc brakes, cheek disc brakes, wheel rim clasp brakes, and axle-mounted drum brakes — were analyzed in considerable detail. Of the four concepts presented, the first three appear to be feasible and would be potential candidates for further detailed investigations/evaluation. It is shown that as the demand on railway wheels to withstand increased mechanical and thermal loads grows, there are viable braking enhancements that can help manage the stress state in freight car wheels.

Bearing Defect Detection Using On-Board Accelerometer Measurements

Joint Rail ◽  
2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Donelson ◽  
Ronald L. Dicus
Keyword(s):  
Monitoring System ◽  
Condition Monitoring ◽  
Roller Bearing ◽  
Spectral Lines ◽  
Roller Bearings ◽  
Bearing Defects ◽  
Bearing Defect ◽  
Freight Car ◽  
Condition Monitoring System ◽  
Vibration Signatures

Vibration signatures of defective roller bearings on railroad freight cars were analyzed in an effort to develop an algorithm for detecting bearing defects. The effort is part of a project to develop an on-board condition monitoring system for freight trains. The Office of Research and Development of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is sponsoring the project. The measurements were made at the Transportation Technology Center (TTC) in Pueblo, CO on July 26 – 29, 1999 during the Phase III Field Test of the Improved Wayside Freight Car Roller Bearing Inspection Research Program sponsored by FRA and the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Wheel sets with specific roller bearing defects were installed on a test train consisting of 8 freight cars designed to simulate revenue service. The consist also contained non-defective roller bearings. Accelerometers were installed on the inboard side of the bearing adapters to measure the vibration signatures during the test. Signatures of both defective and non-defective bearings were recorded. The data were recorded on Sony Digital Audio Tape (DAT) Recorders sampling at a rate of 48 K samples per second. We used both ordinary and envelope spectral analysis to analyze the data in an effort to detect features that could be related to known defects. The spectra of non-defective bearings show no remarkable features at bearing defect frequencies. In general, the ordinary spectra of defective bearings do not exhibit remarkable features at the bearing defect frequencies. In contrast, the envelope spectra of defective bearings contain a number of highly resolved spectral lines at these frequencies. In several cases the spectral lines could be related to specific bearing defects. Based on the analysis performed to date, the envelope spectrum technique provides a promising method for detecting defects in freight car roller bearings using an on-board condition monitoring system.

The Life and Death of North American Rail Freight Electrification

2018 ◽  
Vol 2672 (10) ◽  
pp. 166-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
John G. Allen ◽  
Gregory L. Newmark
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
North American ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Early 20Th Century ◽  
Rail Freight ◽  
Life And Death ◽  
Fuel Prices ◽  
Environmental Considerations ◽  
Pennsylvania Railroad ◽  
The U.S

Although completely dieselized today aside from certain commuter and intercity passenger routes, U.S. railroads were world leaders in electrification in the early 20th century. The Pennsylvania Railroad and the Milwaukee Road had the most extensive electrifications, but several other railroads electrified largely for freight service. This paper explores the decisions to electrify freight railroads in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico (largely for short tunnels where steam locomotives were not practicable, mountain grades, and busy traffic districts), and why electrifications were discontinued (underpowered installations, aging electric infrastructure, and changes in ownership that made electrification geographically obsolete). Energy shortfalls and price spikes since the 1970s have provoked interest in electrification from freight railroads, but this interest has subsided whenever fuel prices decline. Although it is possible that environmental considerations may lead to electrification in some contexts, as long as fossil fuel prices remain low, electrification is unlikely to play a major role on North American railroads.

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