DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE ASPECTS OF FREIGHT ROLLING STOCK RELATIVE TO THE EFFECTS ON THE TRACK

A modern Railway has grown up in this country with new and more powerful forms of traction and improved signaling and track, but the majority of wagons in use still consist of small four-wheelers, the basic design of which has not changed for over 50 years. These wagons incorporate a 'Box-on-Wheels' design which was robust and cheap, suitable for the low axle weight, low speeds, and low utilization of their day. They are, however, incapable of meeting today's conditions of high utilization and speeds without an unacceptable degree of maintenance and inspection. Until recently very little was known of the behaviour and design parameters necessary for high-speed wagons, and because of this, in 1963 when it became obvious that improved wagon suspension was required B.R. adopted the U.I.C. Double Link Suspension. This was a proven design which was, and still is, in wide use on the Continent, but here again problems arose when operating at higher speeds and axle loads permitted in this country. These problems concerned the rapid wear of the links and saddles due to the friction necessary for lateral damping and spring failures caused by the torsion induced in the spring superimposed on the normal vertical loading.

  • Corporate Authors:

    Institution of Mechanical Engineers

    1 Birdcage Walk
    London SW1H 9JJ,   England 
  • Authors:
    • Love, A
    • Sugden, E A
  • Publication Date: 1971

Media Info

  • Pagination: p. 467-482
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00033864
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Jul 28 1976 12:00AM