Innovative technical solutions for improved train dynamics and operation of longer Freight Trains (DYNAFREIGHT) (RV30)
Project Coordinator - UNIFE
Project Leader at KTH - Mats Berg
Scientists at KTH - Visakh V Krishna, Sebastian Stichel
Other Scientists - From 10 European Partners
Source of Funding - European Commission (Horizon 2020)
The DYNAFREIGHT project provides inputs for the development of the next railway freight propulsion concepts within Shift2Rail. Two main areas are addressed:
Freight running gear for locomotives: DYNAFREIGHT designs and develops the necessary concepts that allows a locomotive freight bogie to reduce wheel and track wear, to have lower noise and lower LCC, by focusing on:
• Materials with freight vehicle applicability that allow a lighter bogie frame.
• Noise optimized wheelsets and absorbing structures to reduce bogie noise.
• Passive and mechatronic systems for radial steering, improving running
performances compared to conventional bogies. Reduction of wheel wear and
RCF, improved traction in curves and reduced curving resistance.
• Monitoring of the most maintenance cost-intensive bogie elements, reducing
LCC and improving the reliability and availability of the locomotive.
Operation of long freight trains: following the outcomes of MARATHON, DYNAFREIGHT prepares the path for regular operations of long freight trains:
• Defining functional, technical and homologation requirements for a radio
remote controlled system.
• Proposing safety precautions in train configuration and brake application by
simulating the longitudinal forces and the derailment risk of long freight trains.
• Identifying infrastructure adaptions for the operation of long freight trains.
KTH mainly participates in the project by evaluating radial steering bogie concepts and tolerable longitudinal (compressive) forces in long freight trains.
M. Pàlinkò, S. Bruni, E. Di Gialleandro, B. Liu and V. Krishna. Evaluation of passive and mechatronic steering systems for three-axle locomotive bogies by means of multibody simulations, Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Railway Bogies and Running Gears, Budapest, Hungary, September 2019.
C. Vaghi, M. Berg, J. Acevedo, V. Boeckenholt and A. Demadonna. Scenarios and requirements for the operation of longer freight trains in Europe. Proceedings of the 7th Transport Research Arena conference, Vienna, Austria, April 2018.
V. Krishna, M. Berg and S. Stichel. Tolerable longitudinal forces for freight trains in tight S-curves using three-dimensional multibody simulations, Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit, vol. 234, p. 454-467, 2020.
V. Krishna, D. Jobstfinke, S. Melzi and M. Berg. An integrated numerical framework to investigate the running safety of overlong freight trains, Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit, vol. 235, p. 47-60, 2021 - Link to DiVA .