GENERAL PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH WHEELS AND THEIR ASSEMBLY: SOLID CAST-STEEL WHEELS, WHEELS OF DIFFERENT DIAMETER AND SHAPE--THIRD CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF SOLID CAST-STEEL WHEELS

In this report an account is given of the running tests, the braking tests on the wheel testing machine and the test runs on steep falling gradients. The running tests employed wheels of 730 mm diameter with treated wheel-rim of non-alloyed steel with a carbon content of either 0.61% or lower than 0.5% with an ultimate tensile strength of 115 to 130 hbar and 84 to 101 hbar respectively. Other tests were made with solid wheels of 920 mm diameter made of Wt steel (carbon and manganese content lower than or equal to 0.52% and 0.80% respectively. These tests consisted of falling-gradient runs on the St. Gothard line and of runs on flat sections under loaded wagons. Some wheels were also submitted to tests on the test rigs at MINDEN, VITRE-sur-SEINE and DERBY, in order to determine their behavior under the effect of heat generated by braking (liability to thermal cracks and deformations of the wheel-rim). Finally, one wheel of 730 mm diameter and wheels of 920 mm diameter of Wt steel were submitted to investigations in the laboratory and the latter wheels were in addition, studied with a view to the stresses developed. The braking tests carried on the rig with 730 mm diameter ABEX wheels have given unfavorable results. The running tests in commercial service have also given unfavorable results (spalling of running-tread). Concerning the GRIFFIN wheels of the same diameter, the running tests have also supplied disappointing results, there wheels displaying spalling or even perhaps flaking. The ABEX and GRIFFIN wheels of 970 mm diameter with treated wheel-rim and somewhat high carbon content showed a good behavior in SWEDEN during tests under high load (25 t/axle) but very mild braking conditions, the climatic conditions however being very severe. The 920 mm ABEX wheels, ordered in Wt steel have shown a good behavior during the running tests and during the braking-tests on the MINDEN, VITRY and DERBY rigs (resistance to thermal cracks). However, during the falling-gradient runs on the St. Gothard line, they had given rise to deformations reducing the play of the axle.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Restrictions on the use of this document are contained in the explanatory material.
• Corporate Authors:

  International Union of Railways

  Office of Research and Experiments
  Utrecht,   Netherlands 
• Publication Date: 1970-10

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 29 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Braking; Cracking; Defects; Deformation; Freight cars; Highway grades; Railroad cars; Size; Slopes; Spalling; Stresses; Technology; Thermal degradation; Vehicle design; Wear; Wheels
• Geographic Terms: Netherlands
• Old TRIS Terms: Question b98; Spalling (Wheels); Thermal cracks; Thermal cracks (Wheels); Wheel defects; Wheel design; Wheel size
• Subject Areas: Design; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00040412
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: B98/RP 8/E
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 22 1976 12:00AM