LOCOMOTIVE TRUCK HUNTING MODEL. TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION

Two very different modes of hunting behavior are frequently observed; body hunting and truck hunting. Body hunting or primary hunting is often characterized by violent motions of the carbody. Truck hunting, or secondary hunting, is inherent in the vehicle design. Theoretically, with a perfect cylindrical wheel profile, truck hunting can be eliminated, but cylindrical wheel profile has a number of operating drawbacks. This type of hunting is characterized by severe oscillations of the truck or wheel axle set relative to the carbody. Once truck hunting starts, it continues to worsen as locomotive speed increases. A complete analysis of the hunting of a locomotive should take into consideration the carbody, truck, primary and secondary suspensions, and the wheel-rail contact forces. This requires a dynamic system with multi-degrees of freedom. Five mathematical models were developed with the objective of evaluating primary and secondary hunting of four or six-axle locomotive. A two degree of freedom model was developed for a single wheel-axle set. Seven and nine degree of freedom models were developed for trucks with two or three axles. Combining two of the trucks models with the carbody seventeen and twenty-one degree of freedom locomotive models were obtained. A characteristics equation, based on linear equations of motion was obtained for each model. This equation is a function of velocity. A computer program was written to compute the complex roots (eigenvalues) and the corresponding nonmalized modes shapes (eigenvectors) of the characteristics equation. This computer program can determine the critical velocity, which is the velocity that coincides with the advent of instability. The resulting computer model would be used primarily as a design tool. In Section 2 the different models are discussed and the equations of motion for the seventeen degree of freedom model are presented. Section 3 includes the results of the 17 and 21 degree of freedom models, along with a discussion on the various parameters which influence the hunting behavior of locomotives. Finally, in section 4 the limitations of the model and suggestions for future improvement are outlined.

• Corporate Authors:

  Association of American Railroads Research Center

  3140 South Federal Street
  Chicago, IL  United States  60616

  Federal Railroad Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Railway Progress Institute

  801 North Fairfax Street
  Alexandria, VA  United States  22314

  Transportation Development Agency Centre

  800 rene-Leveque Boulevard West, Suite 600
  Montreal, Quebec H3B 1X9,   Canada 
• Authors:
  • Garg, V K
  • Martin, G C
  • Hartmann, P W
  • Tolomei, J G
• Publication Date: 0

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 91 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Computer programs; Critical velocity; Dynamic tests; Hunting (Dynamics); Locomotives; Mathematical models; Three axle trucks; Train track dynamics; Trucks; Two axle trucks; Vehicle design
• Uncontrolled Terms: Dynamic analysis
• Old TRIS Terms: Locomotive design
• Subject Areas: Design; Motor Carriers; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00139441
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Association of American Railroads
• Report/Paper Numbers: No. R-219
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 26 1976 12:00AM