Dynamic effect on turnouts of cars having wheelsets with thin flanges

Geometrical parameters of the “wheelset—rail track” system are mutually related. Currently, a very topical issue is the question of a possible adjustment of the regulatory framework in the “wheelset—rail track” system in order to take into account the actual state of the track, turnouts and wheel park on the railway network.

Any changes made in order to reduce the maintenance of wheelsets or tracks are possible only when the safety of train traffic is unconditionally ensured.

The most difficult problem in determining the possibility of changing the standard for the minimum thickness of the flange of car wheels is the problem of passing the turnouts. In the event of an incorrect setting of the standard for the minimum thickness of the flange of the wheels, the passage of carriage along the turnout can be accompanied by unfavorable and even dangerous phenomena. The most dangerous of these are wheel strikes against retracted point rail, ramps on the crosspiece at large angles, and strikes against counter rails. These phenomena cause both disruptions in the geometry of the rail track of the turnout switches and crosses, and fractures of the elements of the turnouts. They should be excluded.

Calculations and modeling based on the results of the study of statistical distributions of dimensions obtained by mass measurements on the railway network are the basis for the assignment of norms and tolerances in the “wheelset—rail track” system. The results obtained in the calculations should be verified by dynamic-strength tests directly on the track.

The article discusses the results of dynamic and strength tests to determine the effect of cars with different geometric parameters of wheelsets on turnouts with pre-formed average network and maximum permissible dimensions of the rail track parameters on the turnout and in the cross node. The minimum thickness of the wheel flange in the tests was 21.5 mm. The carriages of the test train during the test trips were loaded to the maximum permissible size and in an empty state. The tests were carried out at the Test Center of the JSC “VNIIZhT”.

1. Krysanov L. G., Elsakov N. N. Vliyanie shiriny kolei i zhelobov v krestovinnom uzle na usloviya prokhozhdeniya po nemu kolesnykh par [Influence of the track width and grooves in the frog on the conditions for the passage of wheelsets along it]. Vestnik VNIIZhT [Vestnik of the Railway Research Institute], 1975, no. 3, pp. 34–39.

2. Glyuzberg B. E. Vliyanie parametrov grebney vagonnykh koles na bezopasnost' dvizheniya po strelochnym perevodam [Influence of the parameters of the car wheel flanges on the safety operation in turnouts]. Vestnik VNIIZhT [Vestnik of the Railway Research Institute], 2018, Vol. 77, no. 2, pp. 67–76. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21780/2223-9731-2018-77-2-67-76. E-mail: Glusberg@mail.ru (B. E. Glyuzberg)

3. Korolev V. Guard Rail Operation of Lateral Path of Railroad Switch. Trans Siberia 2019: VIII International Scientific Siberian Transport Forum (Novosibirsk, May 22–27, 2019). [S. l.], 2020, pp. 621–638. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37916-2_59.

4. Instructions on the current maintenance of the railway track. Approved by the order of the JSC “Russian Railways” dated November 14, 2016 No. 2288r. URL: https://base.garant.ru/71764006 (retrieved on 02.02.2020) (in Russ.).

5. Brzhezovskiy A. M., Arshintsev D. N., Smelyanskiy I. V., Tolmachev S. V., Kiryushin D. E. Ustanovlenie usloviy obrashcheniya elektropoezdov “Lastochka” [Setting of conditions for handling electric multiple units “Lastochka”]. Vestnik VNIIZhT [Vestnik of the Railway Research Institute], 2016, Vol. 75, no. 4, pp. 248–255. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21780/2223-9731-2016-75-4-248-255.

6. Brzhezovskiy A. M., Glyuzberg B. E., Titarenko M. I., Il'in I. E., Viktorov V. S., Tulushev V. N. Vozmozhnost' povysheniya skorostey dvizheniya skorostnykh i vysokoskorostnykh elektropoezdov po strelochnym perevodam i s"ezdam [Possibility to increase the speeds of express and high-speed trains by turnouts and connecting tracks]. Vestnik VNIIZhT [Vestnik of the Railway Research Institute], 2016, Vol. 75, no. 4, pp. 217–223. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21780/2223-9731-2016-75-4-217-223.

7. Titarenko M. I., Korneva S. M. Rezul'taty ispytaniy usilennogo simmetrichnogo strelochnogo perevoda marki 1/6 [Test results of reinforced symmetric 1/6-grade turnout switch]. Sovremennye problemy proektirovaniya, stroitel'stva i ekspluatatsii zheleznodorozhnogo puti: XIII Mezhdunar. nauch.-tekhn. konf. (Moskva, 31 marta–01 aprelya 2016 g.). Tr. k 120-letiyu MGUPS (MIIT) [Modern problems of design, construction and operation of a railway track: XIII Inter. scientific and technical conf. (Moscow, March 31 – April 01, 2016). Proc. to the 120th anniversary of MGUPS (MIIT)]. Moscow, MIIT, 2016, pp. 159–160. URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=29000157 (retrieved on 04.02.2020).