Considerations relate to the stages of development and output evaluation of workability of a system for continuous control of parameters incidental to ‘undercarriage/track’ dynamic system (CPDS), aimed to identify track sections responsible for excessive impacts on the undercarriage along the vertical and horizontal transverse axes. Monitoring aims to produce a continuous evaluation of the need to perform a non-scheduled examination of specific track sections. CPDS System does not replace the existing methods for track diagnostics but elaborates them. CPDS System was developed on the basis of a standard diagnostic facility and was installed onboard ‘Sapsan’ trains No. 2 and No. 6. Indication of track conditions is focused on indicators incidental to excessive reaction levels in the EMU vehicle dynamic system manifested on certain track sections. Analysis of measurements (indications) performed along the line Moscow - St.-Petersburg have shown high recurrence when registering track sections (their length and seizure time) producing excessive impacts on the bearing elements of a vehicle. Analysis of impacts on dynamic burden of undercarriage produced by track irregularities was performed as a part of researches held at the time of EMU Desiro RUS (‘Lastochka’) running dynamic-strength tests on the line. On the grounds of above researches an Engineering Specification for the second generation of CPDS System has been produced to include a requirement for strain-measuring channels, which will allow to continue and promote researches related to the impact of vertical track irregularities of various length (less than 3 m, 3 - 25 m and above 25 m) upon stress formation in the bearing elements of a vehicle.

Railway track and trackside contamination with mineral particles results from transboundary transfer of emissions from industrial facilities, which are deposited on the surface of crushed stone prism and the wayside soil band. Transportation of ores suggests partial entrainment of dust particles from the top granular layer 10 - 15 cm thick; electrified lines add dust-like particles of copper contact wires, which turn to a fixed form as hydroxides. Concentration of mobile forms of metal ores in the wayside soil band is significantly less than maximum allowable concentrations (MACs). To measure gross concentration of metal hydroxides in soils by atomic absorption method is an expensive and time-consuming procedure including withdrawal and preparation of large numbers of samples. To expedite the process and to reduce the costs of measuring the contamination of crushed stone prisms and track waysides with heavy metals we need to get the concentration dependence formula allowing to obtain the full pollution curve for the wayside and adjacent zone from one or two samples depending on the coordinates from the rail head and to determine the background concentration. Simulation of a flow around a complex shape object in turbulent conditions relates to the most difficult tasks in fluid dynamics. To describe the turbulent motions in layered gaseous environment we normally use the instruments common for the theory of fluctuations and the theory of mass transfer - like the second Fick’s equation, from which we can find the required functions of the concentration of harmful substances, depending on the vertical Z and the horizontal X coordinates. To expedite the process and to reduce the costs of measuring the contamination of the track wayside a simulation model for turbulent areas was developed on the grounds of fluctuation theory; depending on the coordinates from the rail head, one sample allows to obtain the full pollution curve for the wayside. Comparison of theoretical and experimental curves has shown a satisfactory match.

This work relates to a suggested simulation model to optimize turnover schedule for train locomotives operating in train flow service. It is first time the problem was formulated as a strict optimization model - a dynamic transportation problem. On the functional level, the main goal was to minimize overall costs which are directly related to locomotives operation and to losses due to train delays. At present the problem has been solved through various heuristic procedures, which fail to find the optimum alternative due to a huge amount of multivariate solutions. The dynamic traffic problem was taken as a starting point for simulation model development. In the process of calculations the dynamic problem is reduced to the static one by use of time multiplication method. The model helps to calculate routes for each locomotive with due account for train flow pattern, location of trains at the start of calculations, and specified traffic schedule. The lowest total costs of locomotives use and losses for train delays can be taken as a criterion of optimality. The output reflects the complete nature of productive locomotive operations, train operation dynamics and resultant delays. Additionally, each locomotive’s operation mode and each train’s timetable can be seen. For calculation tests there was selected an existing main line section between stations Druzhinino and Vekovka including 9 stations; traffic data were chosen close to reality. Actually, the above sub-division employs 180 locomotives. Various experiments were held. The minimum number of locomotives necessary to secure faultless operation (195 units) was calculated. The model generates different results, which characterize train operations. Output includes a schedule for each locomotive, timetable for each train, average operating results for locomotives, and train delays data. For a selected criterion the model suggests calculations of an optimal number of locomotives and their best locations at the start of calculations. In order to register depot orders to locomotives, a multistage procedure for solving dynamic transportation problems was proposed. In order to check the feasibility of generated results, another imitational model was built which may reconsider many of non-definable factors. Operating principles for a two-level model were reviewed by the authors in their earlier publications. The model can be used as an optimizing unit in the Locomotive Computer-Assisted Management System - in sphere of day-to-day management and for calculating the optimum turnover modes. Automated management of locomotive fleet operations throughout the railway network will deliver significant technological and economical effects.

Railway Research Institute (JSC VNIIZhT) is the principal agency to develop technologies and regulatory documents concerning special projects for transportation of Super-OOG and Super-Heavy Cargoes using specially designed rolling stock. All relevant regulatory documents existing in the Russian Federation and CIS states has been developed by the scientists and experts of our Institute. At the present stage the demand for such technologies has increased in relation to arrival of the period to modernize and renew the national energy production facilities, which requires to supply newly-built up-to-date equipment to thermal and nuclear electric power stations - and to deliver it as an assembled unit, which normally is Super-OOG and Super-Heavy. This article considers methodological issues of transporting Super-OOG equipment with specific references to recent deliveries of Super-OOG steam generators to nuclear power stations as well as deliveries of turbines, generators and transformers to thermal electric power stations. In cases of demand to arrange deliveries of similar equipment to electric power stations, one may use details of specific transportation of Super-OOG and Super-Heavy cargo units mentioned in this article.

Solution of a problem to improve reliability and durability of the freight-car bogies depends largely on success in securing high functional capability of the damping unit primarily by use of new materials at the stage of its manufacture. When using in manufacture of a damping unit for the freight-car bogie any new materials or new technologies for their production we are not always able to calculate their frictional properties in accordance with specified parameters. Employment of in-situ testing, rig tests and running tests in estimating frictional properties of V-shaped damping units made of various materials allows to fully compare realistic parameters of tribological behavior of the unit with various friction couples while imitating actual conditions of the rolling stock operation. Comparative analysis of calculation results and measurements of the relative friction coefficient for the ‘friction wedge/friction plate’ couple used in a V-shaped damping unit in order to damp oscillations of the spring suspension obtained during field tests allowed us to validate practicability and efficiency of employing rig tests to measure parameters of tribological behavior of friction couples when performing comprehensive tests of usage variants in relation to new materials for the freight-car bogie damping unit.

This research aims to evaluate compliance of reference parameters in a bogie brake rigging with guideline values throughout the whole range of possible brake blocks and wheels wear values permissible for operation. The work includes a detailed analysis of the impact produced by reference parameters in a bogie brake rigging on the freight car braking system as a whole. Research results relate to a variety of positions taken by brake rigging components of a standard two-axle bogie presently employed with freight cars built in Russia. The research included a math modeling job employing coordinate methods when reference parameters were defined for a bogie brake rigging at various service life periods, various combinations of installation dimensions, and also for various wear degrees in bogie wheels and brake blocks. Research outputs are delivered as separate tables for each adjustment range limits predetermined by Regulations. It has been found that the contemporary design of brake rigging for a two-axle freight car bogie equipped with brake blocks of a maximum thickness does not guarantee their wear-out to reach the minimum admissible thickness without an extra manual adjustment during the service life. It has been reaffirmed that further researches will be needed in the field of development engineering related to the bogie brake rigging mechanism when employing brake blocks 65+5 mm in thickness.

Given below are results of development and implementation of a pilot batch of rolled wheel center hubs made of steel grade ‘S’ at the JSC VMZ Iron and Steel Works designed to replace stock-produced cast wheel center hubs in mainline diesel-electric locomotives 2ТE10, 2ТE116. Flow line production of rolled wheel center hubs includes a mill for rolling center disk-type wheels where wheel center hubs are made of medium carbon/low-alloy steel with further heat treatment (namely normalizing and stress relieving). The rolled wheel center hubs have an optimized low-stress configuration and are supplied with all its surfaces machined. Within the standard routine preceding mass production, the rolled centers were tested in a laboratory where a full package of mechanical properties were analyzed, were tested on a rig for crack resistance (or fracture toughness), also a pilot lot was tested on the Experimental Loop (JSC VNIIZhT) and were tested in revenue operations performed by Severnaya Railway Operator where they were installed in the wheels of diesel-electric locomotives. Test results have shown that the new rolled wheel center hubs made of steel grade ‘S’ demonstrated improved reliability in revenue operations due to higher steel quality and higher parameters of strength, fatigue life and fracture toughness. Additionally, the use of a new steel grade, optimized center hub design, and a new manufacturing technology - rolling instead of casting - have resulted in a substantial cuts of wheel centers production costs and a 10 % decrease of assembled weight. Due to positive results of tests in revenue operations the company JSC VMZ has held the acceptance test procedure related to rolled wheel center hubs made of steel grade ‘S’ and registered a permit to manufacture as much as a preproduction batch. Results of this work have been taken as a basis for the new standard GOST R 55498 - 2013 ‘Rolled wheel center hubs for the railway rolling stock. Technical specifications’.

In order to solve the task related to wear reduction in the current shoe insert the authors defined the processes which have a bearing on their operation. In order to analyze interactions between the components of the current collection system the authors considered a physical analogue for current distribution from the catenary contact wire to the inserts of the pantograph slide mounted on the electrically propelled vehicles - EMUs. In that model the sliding contact point moves along the strip on the both sides of the axis of symmetry at a speed which is proportional to EMU speed. The current collection process was simulated as an equivalent circuit where the current flows through variable resistors according to the sliding contact position and further on through fixed resistors corresponding to points of bypass wires fixture on the pantograph slide. The equivalent circuit was developed with the following allowances: continuous current collection is expected; transition resistances between the inserts and the contact wire and also between the inserts and the copper underlay of the pantograph slide are neglected; the contact wire is always at right angle to the row of inserts (zigzag is ignored). Calculations made for the equivalent circuit have shown that the central part of pantograph slide is overheated with the current flow through the inserts. For this reason there was suggested a hypothesis that the inserts wear rate produced by the pantograph slide heating should be higher in the central part than on the periphery. References to theoretical and experimental researches have shown that existing pantograph slide designs fail to secure economic use of current collection materials. In the light of their own research the authors suggest that there should be developed new designs of pantograph slide in which the maximum heating in the central part would be lowered.

The article is devoted to the identification of the influence effects of transport infrastructure in the social sphere and in the regional economic development. The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) was selected to be an object for investigation. The general approach and the hypothesis of the study is that the transport infrastructure can be considered as a factor of well-being, which in turn brings economic and non-economic benefits to the region and is an important determinant of social and economic growth, and improvements to the level and quality of life. Thereby, transport as a part of economic system has the property of a powerful tool for social development capable to secure as follows: growth of regional product; exchange of commodities, and therefore efficient production specialization; the spread of advanced technologies; lower prices and better products; higher gains for producers and consumers; national wealth growth; direct or indirect increases in the level of industrial and commercial activity in all areas of practice; promotion of new territories development, involvement of new resources into the asset turnover; other gains in the socio-economic sphere lead to higher level and quality of life, mobility of population, expansion of social relations.

Among the most important focus areas in the holding company JSC ‘Russian Railways’ is to raise efficiency of the railway passenger service system by means of developing new routes and new types of service including sales of travel documents throughout the railway network by newly established railway ticket agents (ticket offices). At present, accounting on the field of passenger services perform JSC RZD and JSC FPK who are both the carriers and travel documents sellers. Due to the fact that in the Russian Federation appeared new entities functioning as railway ticket agents - namely, JSC Passenger Company Sakhalin (JSC PCS) and JSC AK Railways of Yakutia (JSC AK RYa) - the Railway management information system for passenger services Express-3 was obliged to solve a number of pressing problems. The problems included a substantial amount of changes to be introduced into the system of sales and accounting related to passenger services and also to develop within a short time Regulations and Rules for issuing and recording travel documents valid for long-distance trains. It concerns trains in domestic services, and also links with the CIS States, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Estonia as well as in international services with the far-abroad states. The article includes the method and principles of accounting within the Railway management information system for passenger services Express-3 the sums of revenues related to travel documents issued in the Russian Federation by the new railway ticket agents: JSC Passenger Company Sakhalin and JSC AK Railways of Yakutia.