Running gear for freight wagons

Researchers

• Professor Sebastian Stichel (Project leader)
• Dr. Per-Anders Jönsson
• Professor

Sources of funding

Banverket/Trafikverket, Bombardier Transportation, SL AB, Tågoperatörerna, Interfleet Technology

Research Direction

The project is firstly aimed to study and learn how freight wagons behave dynamically on track. This is made both for standardised running gear and for novel designs.

The second step is to analyse and test possible improvements in the designs, in particular the standardised designs now dominating in Europe. In the project, special attention is given to the very common link suspensions, their characteristics and the possible effects on variations in the characteristics. Substantial improvements by means of additional hydraulic dampers have been suggested and tested on modified two- and four-axled wagons on track. Speeds up to 170 km/h have been tested.

In 2007, Per-Anders Jönsson defended his dissertation on the topic "Dynamic Vehicle-Track Interaction of European Standard Freight Wagons with Link Suspension".

A third part of this project is to investigate the causes of track deterioration and to propose mathematical models for prediction of deterioration.
In autumn 2010, a new phase of the project started with a subproject called Wheel profiles for freight wagons in Sweden .

Publications

•  Bogojevic N, Jönsson P-A and Stichel S: Iron ore transportation wagon with three-piece bogies – Simulation model and validation. HEAVY MACHINERY - HM 2011, ISBN 978-86-82631-45-3.
• Öberg J and Andersson E: Determining the deterioration cost for railway tracks. Proc. IMechE Vol. 223, No. F2, J. Rail and Rapid Transit, pp. 121-129, 2009.
• Andersson E and Öberg J: Models for infrastructure costs related to the wheel-rail interface. Chapter 21 in Wheel-rail interface handbook, Woodhead Publishing Ltd, Cambridge, England, 2009.
• Stichel S and Jönsson P-A: Is there a future for freight wagon with link suspension? Proc. of the 9th International Heavy Haul Conference, IHHA'09. Shanghai, China, June 22-24, 2009.
• Jönsson P-A and Stichel S: On the influence of freight traffic operational conditions on track deterioration cost. International Journal of COMADEM, 12(2), pp. 3-9, April 2009.
• Jönsson P-A, Persson I and Stichel S: New simulation model for freight wagons with UIC link suspension. Vehicle System Dynamics, Vol. 46, Supplement, pp. 695-704, 2008.
• Jönsson P-A: Dynamic vehicle-track interaction of European standard freight wagons with link suspension. Doctoral Thesis, Report TRITA AVE 2007:36, ISBN 978-91-7178-727-9, KTH Rail Vehicles, 2007.
• Jönsson P-A and Stichel S: On the influence of freight traffic operational conditions on track deterioration cost. Proceedings of International Heavy Haul Conference, pp. 445-452, Kiruna, June 11-13, 2007.
• Jönsson P-A and Stichel S: Improving ride comfort in freight wagons with link suspension running gear using hydraulic dampers. ZEV+DET Glas. Annalen 131, June, pp. 230-240, 2007.