New possibilities to reduce wheel and rail wear in the operation of metro wagons on curved track with small curve radii without considering propulsion and braking systems

Abstract

This paper analyses the parameters relevant to the operation of underground cars in traffic on straight and curved tracks with small curve radii. Current knowledge of non-linear lateral dynamics of rail vehicles and the specialist computer programme Vi-Rail were used to build models and perform simulation calculations. A solution was proposed to enable passive control of wheelsets with very high guiding stiffnesses, without the need for systems to force the axles of the wheelsets to align radially in a curved track. This effect was achieved by varying the guidance stiffness in the horizontal plane of the frame of each bogie. The adopted course of action offers simplicity of solution, low manufacturing costs, high critical speed on straight track and extended service life of the metro wagons resulting from reduced mechanical wear of wheels and rails. A multi-criteria evaluation was carried out, confirming improved bogie controllability and reduced impact of the metro wagon wheelsets on the curved track. Comparisons were made of the design volumes for metro model wagons with bogies with symmetric and unsymmetric axleguide stiffness arrangements of the wheelsets.