By Jeff Tuzik This article was originally published in Mass Transit (June 2024) in conjunction with the annual Wheel/Rail Interaction Rail Transit conference. In part 1 of this article, a group of experts, including a transit operator, three vehicle manufacturers, and a noise and vibration consultant, examined how to mitigate wheel/rail-generated noise at the …
The article discusses the challenges of vibration and noise in rail transit operations, emphasizing the importance of vehicle design and technology in mitigating these issues. Key design factors, such as unsprung mass and suspension characteristics, significantly impact performance. Strategies from experts and case studies highlight the complexities of optimizing vehicles for noise and vibration control.
Jonathan Sunde from Strato, Inc. emphasized at the Wheel Rail Seminars that wheel/rail dynamics are critically influenced by car and coupler designs. As curves become sharper, swingout distances increase, affecting clearance and coupling performance. The AAR standards guide design choices to minimize risks of buff and draft failures, ensuring safe operations in diverse freight conditions.
By Jeff Tuzik Optimization, modernization and asset management are critical to the efficient running of a rail transit system. While each program is beneficial in its own right, the importance of asset management has taken on new significance with the recent Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) rule making on the State …
By Jeff Tuzik See Part 1 A thorough understanding of the forces contributing to wheel/rail interaction requires a grasp of both theoretical concepts and operational practices. Speakers at the 2015 Wheel Rail Interaction Conference, European Union (WRI EU) addressed both, presenting findings from the lab and operating environment of vehicles …
by Gary Wolf • October 2005 Like many aspects of the three-piece truck, performance issues surrounding the truck bolster bowl and body centerplate are often misunderstood. One of the biggest misunderstandings is that the bolster bowl is actually a bearing. Years ago at a meeting where truck performances issues were …
by Bill O’Donnell • July 4, 2005 As part of its efforts to reduce the stress state on North American railroads, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) mandated that all new cars ordered after January 1, 2002, must be equipped with constant contact side bearings. Constant contact side bearings (CCSBs) raise the threshold …
By Gary Wolf • May 04, 2005 Part 1 of this two-part article explored the importance of roller style side bearings in maintaining proper vehicle performance and how improper maintenance of side bearings can directly affect wheel/rail forces. Part 2 examines the purpose, types of designs and maintenance of the …
by Bob Tuzik, January 1, 2005 Any problem affecting the New York City Transit is by default a big problem. The process of transporting more than four million passengers per day in 6,000 vehicles on more than 700 miles of elevated, underground at-grade mainline tracks, on a system that operates 24 hours …
By Gary Wolf • April 04, 2005 Side Bearings serve as support elements on the truck bolster and are located to the side of the centerplate. The function of the side bearing is to support the underside of the car body bolster in the event the car leans to one side …