Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Gigabox

Suspension systems for rail vehicles

Gigabox – The completely new mounting and suspension concept.

The GIGABOX is a unique system for rail freight transport consisting of a wheel set bearing and hydraulic spring. The new bearing suspension concept for rail vehicles, with integrated

rubber spring with hydraulic damping, does what conventional systems cannot do: it reduces noise and pollution while increasing safety at higher travel speeds.
It has considerably fewer components than existing suspension systems. The wearing parts have been replaced by rubber guides. Furthermore, the hydraulic damper enables amplitude-dependent damping and does not experience any operational wear. Service intervals of ten years, or 1 million kilometers, are thus possible.
The GIGABOX provides for better freight car service behavior, so there is less wear throughout the system (wheels, bogies, superstructure and roadbed – tracks, ties and track ballast), and it reduces operational vibrations considerably. The hydraulic springs isolate the vibrations generated by the contact between wheel and rail. This makes it easy for freight cars to meet future standards and limits, especially with regard to noise development and rail wear. Enhanced running smoothness is also of benefit to the cargo. Wheels screech less when negotiating curves, with the effect that residents close to train lines are exposed to less noise.
The integrated rubber spring additionally functions as a wheel control and, in this way, contributes towards safety at high travel speeds. Freight cars are currently operated at speeds of between 80 and 120 km/h, however the GIGABOX system allows even higher speeds. Furthermore, the system is fully compatible and can be simply replaced with the suspension system in the standard freight car bogies (Y25).

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Railway Air-Brake system



In the air brake's simplest form, called the straight air system, compressed air pushes on a piston in a brake cylinder . The piston is connected through mechanical linkage to brake shoes that can rub on the train wheels, using the resulting friction to slow the train. The mechanical linkage can become quite elaborate, as it evenly distributes force from one pressurized air cylinder to 8 or 12 wheels.

The pressurized air comes from an air compressor in the locomotive and is sent from car to car by a train line made up of pipes beneath each car and hoses between cars. The principal problem with the straight air braking system is that any separation between hoses and pipes causes loss of air pressure and hence the loss of the force applying the brakes. This deficiency could easily cause a runaway train. Straight air brakes are still used on locomotives, although as a dual circuit system, usually with each bogie (truck) having its own circuit.