MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS OF WHEEL-RAIL FORCES

Described is a method used to continuously measure, record, and analyze the lateral and vertical forces between wheels and rails of several types of railroad freight cars under a variety of car and track conditions. The method, using analog-to-digital conversion and computerized data handling, has produced results relating to a multitude of car and track behavior subject areas. Especially important is the definition, development, and verification of performance "signatures" which are generated in a unique and characteristic manner by each car in negotiating a given curve. The finding of such "signatures" to be completely reproducible and yet sensitive enough to change with relatively minor track or car component variations, i.e., modifications, supports the belief that these techniques can be applied beyond pure experimental scopes into routine (a) trackside inspection of cars in passing trains; (b) mechanized track inspection; and (c) truck design evaluation.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was presented at the ASME Winter Annual Meeting, November 28-December 2, 1971. The notification of this paper appeared in Mechanical Engineering.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Mechanical Engineers

  Two Park Avenue
  New York, NY  United States  10016-5990
• Authors:
  • Peterson, L A
  • Freeman, W H
  • Wandrisco, J M
• Publication Date: 1971

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Data collection; Dynamics; Information processing; Railroad rails; Railroad tracks; Train track dynamics; Wheels
• Uncontrolled Terms: Lateral dynamics
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00041672
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Mechanical Engineering
• Report/Paper Numbers: 71-WA/RT-4
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 15 1976 12:00AM