THE RELATION BETWEEN THE SWAYING OF HOPPER CARS AND THE STAGGER OF RAIL JOINTS IN TRACK

Freight cars with high-center-of-gravity loads sway considerably, especially on tracks with low joints. To produce synchronism, the time of swaying must have a definite relation to the speed of the train. A principle that maybe used to destroy cumulative swaying is that the stagger of rail joints must be such that a car must hit, simultaneously, a pair of joints, the joints being in opposite lines of rails. A second principle is that the stagger should be unequal in such a way that enough joints occur at suitable phases of swaying to neutralize the effects of the other joints. Frictional resistance helps in this principle. The amplitude of swaying may be increased by a series of low joints, provided that the swaying of cars synchronizes with the impulses given by the joints.

• Corporate Authors:

  American Railway Engineering Association

  59 East Van Buren Street
  Chicago, IL  United States  60605
• Authors:
  • Leffler, B R
• Publication Date: 1926

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures;
• Pagination: p. 1243-51
• Serial:
  • Publication of: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
  • Volume: 27
  • Publisher: American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Freight cars; Hopper cars; Rail joints; Railroad cars; Rocking; Technology; Vehicle dynamics
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: Car rocking
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00040381
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 8 1994 12:00AM