COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CONTINUOUS AND DISCONTINUOUS DRAWGEAR OF WAGONS. (TEXT, ENCLOSURES A1 TO D77)

The B33 Specialists Committee having been asked to undertake a comparison between the continuous and discontinuous drawgear systems of wagons so as to arrive at a recommendation as to the drawgear system to be adopted for the wagons of the future, simultaneously carried out two distinct studies, viz. a study based on experiments, which was expected to provide the essential arguments in favour of one or the other solution, and an economical study. The economical study was concerned with the following items: weights of the various drawgear parts, net construction costs, maintenance costs in service. This study, which has necessitated a very prolonged research, is still in progress. The main object of the experimental study was to determine the influence of the type of drawgear system on the conditions under which starting and braking of trains took place, especially when heavy and very long trains were involved. Endeavours were made to carry out as complete a series of experiments as possible, by varying the test conditions: load of train in front or at the rear, tight or loose couplings, normal or short filling time for the brake cylinders etc. Moreover, the tests for determining the maximum loads capable of being started, carried out at first with trains provided with roller bearings, were repeated with trains provided with plain bearings. The braking tests were carried out successively with normal type buffers (with volute springs) and with buffers with a high absorption capacity (ring springs). The conclusions that could be drawn from these comparative tests showed appreciable differences, because the results obtained varied within wide limits, as did the test conditions. Finally, it will be necessary to draw on the results of the economic study. The problems which might arise through the adoption of automatic coupling, will also have to be taken into consideration.

• 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: 1959-7

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures;
• Pagination: 44 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Braking; Couplers; Cushioning materials; Locomotives; Stresses; Tests; Traction; Vehicle components; Vehicle design
• Uncontrolled Terms: Performance analysis
• Old TRIS Terms: Braking tests; Cushioning; Drawgears; Locomotive stresses; Question b33; Traction tests
• Subject Areas: Design; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00053071
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: International Union of Railways
• Report/Paper Numbers: B33/RP 1/E Intrm Rpt.
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 8 1994 12:00AM