STRUCTURAL ADEQUACY OF FREIGHT CAR TRUCK CASTINGS AND WHEELS

The structural adequacy of freight car truck castings and wheels to resist fatigue damage is reviewed. The environmental load data described in an earlier report under this program and additional load data which have only recently become available are used to calculate the expected fatigue life under various assumptions of the stresses present in the components. It is found that under most conditions the components should not develop fatigue cracks. This confirms the observation that there are a relatively small number of fatigue failures of these components in service. Since failures of these components can lead to serious derailments, it is important that the circumstances leading to a higher risk of fatigue failure be identified so that under these circumstances truck components can be subjected to more frequent and stringent inspections under the railroad freight car safety standards of the FRA. The results of tests to determine the fatigue strength of wheel plates are also described. The tests showed that there is a substantial safety margin with respect to fatigue when one considers the effects of lateral loads acting on the wheel.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • See also report dated May 75, PB-244 090.
• Corporate Authors:

  IIT Research Institute

  10 West 35th Street
  Chicago, IL  United States  60616

  Transportation Systems Center

  55 Broadway, Kendall Square
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02142

  Federal Railroad Administration

  Office of Research and Development, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Johnson, M R
• Publication Date: 1977-10

Media Info

• Pagination: 82 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bolsters; Car trucks (Railroads); Casting; Failure; Fatigue (Mechanics); Fatigue strength; Fatigue tests; Fracture mechanics; Frames; Freight cars; Loads; Railroad cars; Reliability; Safety; Standards; Steel; Steel castings; Structural analysis; Tests; Wheel loads; Wheels
• Uncontrolled Terms: Fatigue analysis; Fatigue life; Lateral loads
• Old TRIS Terms: Cast steel wheels; Freight car component performance; Side frames; Wheel failure; Wrought steel wheels
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00175480
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT-TSC-FRA-77-18 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DOT-TSC-727
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: May 31 1978 12:00AM