Abstract: A truck assembly of a rail vehicle includes a side frame including a spring seat below an opening. The spring seat includes a locating pocket. An end guide system is coupled to the side frame. The end guide system includes a central base configured to be received and retained by the locating pocket. At least one end guide extends outwardly and upwardly from the central base.

Abstract: A method of assembling a railcar bogie includes: a positioning step of locking a wheelbase fixing jig to a pair of axle box devices to position the pair of axle box devices such that a wheelbase between a pair of wheelsets supported by the respective axle box devices becomes a predetermined designed value, the pair of axle box devices being arranged away from each other in a car longitudinal direction, the wheelbase fixing jig extending in the car longitudinal direction; a plate spring arranging step of making the pair of axle box devices support a plate spring extending in the car longitudinal direction; and a bogie frame arranging step of making a longitudinal direction middle portion of the plate spring support a bogie frame and coupling the bogie frame to the pair of axle box devices.

Abstract: A damper wedge for a railroad car truck includes a friction member that rides on the wear plate of the side frame column of the railroad car truck and a non-metallic wear surface; and a spring seat that, in use, engages a spring of the railroad car truck. The inclined damper wedge surface has a primary angle alpha, and a secondary angle beta. The spring seat has an axial centerline. The inclined damper wedge surface has a curvature. The curvature has a working point. The damper wedge has a datum plane that is normal to the non-metallic wear surface and that contains the axial centerline. The axial centerline meets the inclined damper wedge surface at an intersection point that is the center of a contact patch. The working point is located in a central region of the contact patch, or working surface patch, downslope of the intersection point.

Abstract: A railcar bogie includes: a protection target member of the railcar bogie; and a protective film including an adhesive surface stuck to the protection target member. The protective film is configured such that an impact absorbing layer and a flame-retardant layer are laminated in this order from the protection target member side. The impact absorbing layer is thicker than the flame-retardant layer.

Abstract: A bogie, including a frame (1) and a bolster (2), the frame (1) including two parallel side beams (11), and a cross beam (12) coupled to the middle of the side beams (11), wherein a primary suspension is arranged between an end of the side beam (11) and an axle box (31), a secondary suspension is arranged between the below of the bolster (2) and the cross beam (12), and a tertiary suspension coupled to a vehicle body is arranged above the bolster (2). By including a bolster and an extra suspension on the basis of the conventional two suspensions, the disclosed bogie can achieve separation of the functions, so that the tertiary suspension only handles the transverse displacement, and the secondary suspension only handles the rotation, thereby further increasing the relative displacement and rotation angle between the vehicle body and the bogie when the vehicle negotiates a curve.

Abstract: The invention relates to an article comprising a main body (6, 7, 8) that consists of a polymer material having elastic properties, particularly an air spring bellows (2), a metal-rubber element or a vibration damper. In order for fire-retardant properties to be improved, the article is provided, partially or fully, with a cover (9) formed from at least one flat textile structure and/or at least one three-dimensional textile structure and/or at least one shrink film. The cover can be fire-retardant itself or can be equipped to be fire-retardant.

Abstract: A bogie includes: a plate spring extending in a car longitudinal direction in a state where a first end portion of the plate spring is supported by the first axle box, and a second end portion of the plate spring is supported by the second axle box, the plate spring supporting the pressing member from below so as to be displaceable relative to the pressing member; a first upper link connected to the cross beam and the first axle box and including a first end portion elastically coupled to the first axle box; a first lower link connected to the cross beam and the first axle box and including a first end portion elastically coupled to the first axle box; a second upper link connected to the cross beam and the second axle box and including a first end portion elastically coupled to the second axle box; and a second lower link connected to the cross beam and the second axle box and including a first end portion elastically coupled to the second axle box, a coupling point where the first end portion of the first u

Abstract: A railcar bogie includes: a cross-beam supporting a carbody; pair of axles at both cross-beam sides in car longitudinal direction and extending in car-width direction; bearings at both car-width direction sides of each axle and rotatably supporting axles; axle-boxes accommodating respective bearings; plate-springs supporting both car-width direction end-portions of the cross-beam and extending in car longitudinal direction, both car longitudinal direction end-portions of each plate-springs supported by axle-boxes; pressing members at both car-width direction end-portions of the cross-beam placed on respective car longitudinal direction middle-portions of plate-springs, lower surface of a portion of each pressing member having a convex downward circular-arc shape in side-view, the portion pressing the plate-spring, a middle-portion upper surface of each plate-spring having convex downward circular-arc shape in side-view, the middle-portion pressed by the pressing member, and a lower surface curvature of the pr

Abstract: An impact buffer has a retaining part for fitting to a loading ramp, a stop part for a vehicle to be loaded at the loading ramp to strike, and a buffer part for cushioning the stop part against the retaining part. The stop part is supported on the retaining part with at least one pivot lever.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vibration isolator that includes a coil spring. In a horizontal direction, the coil spring is stiffly coupled to the base or to the load to be isolated.

Abstract: A load measurement method, for measuring the load applied to a rail from a wheel of a railcar, calculates the lateral force applied to the rail from each of the left and right wheels, on the basis of the axial force applied to an axle between the left and right wheels and the axial load applied to the axle bearing.

Abstract: A plate spring bogie includes: a cross beam supporting a carbody of a railcar; a pair of front and rear axles sandwiching and respectively arranged in front of and behind the cross beam in a railcar longitudinal direction to extend in a railcar width direction; bearings respectively provided at both railcar width direction sides of each of the axles and rotatably supporting the axles; axle boxes respectively accommodating the bearings; plate springs extending in the railcar longitudinal direction to respectively support both railcar width direction end portions of the cross beam and each including both railcar longitudinal direction end portions respectively supported by the axle boxes; and an auxiliary supporting mechanism supporting the railcar width direction end portion of the cross beam in a case where the railcar width direction end portion of the cross beam is displaced downward beyond a predetermined elastic deformation range of the plate spring.

Abstract: A plate spring bogie includes: a cross beam supporting a carbody of a railcar; a pair of front and rear axles sandwiching and respectively arranged in front of and behind the cross beam in a railcar longitudinal direction to extend in a railcar width direction; bearings respectively provided at both railcar width direction sides of each of the axles and rotatably supporting the axles; axle boxes respectively accommodating the bearings; plate springs extending in the railcar longitudinal direction to respectively support both railcar width direction end portions of the cross beam and each including both railcar longitudinal direction end portions respectively supported by the axle boxes; and an auxiliary supporting mechanism supporting the railcar width direction end portion of the cross beam in a case where the railcar width direction end portion of the cross beam is displaced downward beyond a predetermined elastic deformation range of the plate spring.

Abstract: A running gear unit for a rail vehicle, having a running gear frame body. The frame body includes two longitudinal beams and a transverse beam unit providing a structural connection between the longitudinal beams, such that a substantially H-shaped configuration is formed. Each longitudinal beam has a suspension interface section associated to a free end section of the longitudinal beam and forming a primary suspension interface for a primary suspension device. Each longitudinal beam has a pivot interface section associated to the primary suspension interface section and forming a pivot interface for a pivot arm. The primary suspension interface is configured to take a total resultant support force acting in the area of the free end section when the frame body is supported on the associated wheel unit.

Abstract: In a railcar truck in which secondary springs are disposed between the railcar truck and a carbody of the railcar, the railcar truck has a pair of side beams having concavities configured to receive the secondary springs. Each of the side beams has a side beam outer wall, a side beam inner wall, a side beam lower wall and a side beam upper wall, and the side beam upper wall includes an opening through which the received secondary spring projects. The concavity is formed by the side beam outer wall, the side beam inner wall and the side beam lower wall, and receive the secondary spring through the opening.

Abstract: A railcar bogie includes: a cross beam configured to support a carbody of a railcar; a pair of front and rear axles between which the cross beam is located and which are respectively arranged in front of and behind the cross beam in a railcar longitudinal direction so as to extend in a railcar width direction; bearings respectively provided at both railcar width direction sides of the axles and configured to rotatably support the axles; axle box main bodies configured to respectively accommodate the bearings; plate springs extending in the railcar longitudinal direction to respectively support both railcar width direction end portions of the cross beam, both longitudinal direction end portions of the plate springs being respectively arranged above the axle box main bodies to be respectively supported by the axle box main bodies.

Abstract: A railcar bogie includes: a cross beam configured to support a carbody of a railcar; a pair of front and rear axles between which the cross beam is located and which are respectively arranged in front of and behind the cross beam in a railcar longitudinal direction so as to extend in a railcar width direction; bearings respectively provided at both railcar width direction sides of the axles and configured to rotatably support the axles; axle box main bodies configured to respectively accommodate the bearings; plate springs extending in the railcar longitudinal direction to respectively support both railcar width direction end portions of the cross beam, both longitudinal direction end portions of the plate springs being respectively arranged above the axle box main bodies to be respectively supported by the axle box main bodies.

Abstract: A railcar bogie plate spring of the present invention includes: an upper surface member constituted by fiber reinforced plastic in which reinforced fibers are stacked so as to extend in a longitudinal direction; a lower surface member constituted by fiber reinforced plastic in which reinforced fibers are stacked so as to extend in the longitudinal direction; and a core member arranged between the upper surface member and the lower surface member. The core member is constituted by fiber reinforced plastic in which: reinforced fibers are stacked in a width direction perpendicular to a stack direction of the upper surface member and the lower surface member; and in a side view of the core member, the reinforced fibers are inclined relative to a bending neutral axis so as to intersect with one another.

Abstract: A plate spring bogie includes: a cross beam supporting a carbody of a railcar; a pair of front and rear axles sandwiching and respectively arranged in front of and behind the cross beam in a railcar longitudinal direction to extend in a railcar width direction; bearings respectively provided at both railcar width direction sides of each of the axles and rotatably supporting the axles; axle boxes respectively accommodating the bearings; plate springs extending in the railcar longitudinal direction to respectively support both railcar width direction end portions of the cross beam and each including both railcar longitudinal direction end portions respectively supported by the axle boxes; and an auxiliary supporting mechanism supporting the railcar width direction end portion of the cross beam in a case where the railcar width direction end portion of the cross beam is displaced downward beyond a predetermined elastic deformation range of the plate spring.

Abstract: A plate spring bogie includes: a cross beam supporting a carbody of a railcar; a pair of front and rear axles sandwiching and respectively arranged in front of and behind the cross beam in a railcar longitudinal direction to extend in a railcar width direction; bearings respectively provided at both railcar width direction sides of each of the axles and rotatably supporting the axles; axle boxes respectively accommodating the bearings; plate springs extending in the railcar longitudinal direction to respectively support both railcar width direction end portions of the cross beam and each including both railcar longitudinal direction end portions respectively supported by the axle boxes; and an auxiliary supporting mechanism supporting the railcar width direction end portion of the cross beam in a case where the railcar width direction end portion of the cross beam is displaced downward beyond a predetermined elastic deformation range of the plate spring.

Abstract: A wheel truck, including: a front wheel pair assembly and a rear wheel pair assembly, two side frame assemblies, two spring suspension devices, and a bolster assembly. The spring suspension devices include a bearing spring unit, a damping spring, and a wedge. The wedge includes a primary friction surface and a secondary friction surface. The primary friction surface is attached to a column surface of the side frame assembly. The secondary friction surface is attached to an inclined surface of the bolster assembly. The wedge has the following structure parameters: ?=16-30°, and ?<tg?<?+?1, in which a represents an included angle between the secondary friction surface and a vertical plane, ? represents a friction coefficient of the primary friction surface, and ?1 represents a friction coefficient of the secondary friction surface.

Abstract: A wheel truck for a railroad car, including: a front wheel pair assembly and a rear wheel pair assembly; two side frame assemblies, each side frame assembly including a square box and journal-box guides; two spring suspension devices; and a bolster assembly including two ends disposed on the two spring suspension devices, respectively. The bolster assembly includes a pilot hole in the center and two mounting holes on the two ends, the pilot hole is rotationally matched with a cylindrical upper center plate of a car body for transmitting vertical and horizontal forces from the car body, and the two mounting holes are disposed above the two spring suspension devices, respectively. Each mounting hole receives a lower side bearing, and the lower side bearing is matched with a corresponding upper side bearing disposed on each side of the car body for transmitting the vertical load from the car body.

Abstract: A central suspension device, a wagon bogie and an express railway wagon, wherein the central suspension device is arranged between a frame and a bolster of the wagon bogie and comprises a rubber-metal pad spring group composed of at least two rubber-metal pad springs, a bottom end of each rubber-metal pad spring is connected with the frame, a top end of at least one rubber-metal pad spring of the rubber-metal pad spring group is connected with the bolster, and a gap exists between the top end of at least one rubber-metal pad spring and the bolster. The central suspension device has multiple stages of rigidities in the transverse and vertical directions, so that the different rigidities can be mutually shifted conveniently on the empty vehicle condition and the heavy-load condition of the vehicle, therefore, the central suspension device is applicable to express railway vehicles for safe and stable running.

Abstract: The invention provides a bogie which comprises a bolster, two side frames and four constant contact dampers, two sides of two ends of the bolster are respectively provided with a wedge pocket; the four constant contact dampers are respectively arranged in four wedge pockets, and each of the four constant contact dampers comprises a wedge and a damping spring; the damping spring is arranged in an inner cavity of the wedge; one end of the damping spring bears against a top inner surface of the inner cavity of the wedge, and the other end of the damping spring bears against a bottom plate of the wedge pocket, wherein the bogie further comprises four through holes and four ejectors which respectively correspond to the four constant contact dampers; the through holes are arranged on the bottom plate, and the position of each of the four through holes on the bottom plate corresponds to the position where the damping spring bears against the bottom plate and a load spring of the bogie; and one end of the ejector pen

Abstract: A rail road freight car truck has a truck bolster and a pair of side frames, the truck bolster being mounted transversely relative to the side frames. The mounting interface between the ends of the axles and the sideframe pedestals allows lateral rocking motion of the sideframes in the manner of a swing motion truck. The lateral swinging motion is combined with a longitudinal self steering capability. The self steering capability may be obtained by use of a longitudinally oriented rocker that may tend to permit resistance to self steering that is proportional to the weight carried across the interface. The trucks may have auxiliary centering elements mounted in the pedestal seats, and those auxiliary centering elements may be made of resilient elastomeric material. The truck may also have friction dampers that have a disinclination to stick-slip behavior. The friction dampers may be provided with brake linings, or similar features, on the face engaging the sideframe columns, on the slope face, or both.

Abstract: A wheel truck for a railroad car, including: a front wheel pair assembly and a rear wheel pair assembly; two side frame assemblies, each side frame assembly including a square box and journal-box guides; two spring suspension devices; and a bolster assembly including two ends disposed on the two spring suspension devices, respectively. The bolster assembly includes a pilot hole in the center and two mounting holes on the two ends, the pilot hole is rotationally matched with a cylindrical upper center plate of a car body for transmitting vertical and horizontal forces from the car body, and the two mounting holes are disposed above the two spring suspension devices, respectively. Each mounting hole receives a lower side bearing, and the lower side bearing is matched with a corresponding upper side bearing disposed on each side of the car body for transmitting the vertical load from the car body.

Abstract: A central suspension device, a wagon bogie and an express railway wagon, wherein the central suspension device is arranged between a frame and a bolster of the wagon bogie and comprises a rubber-metal pad spring group composed of at least two rubber-metal pad springs, a bottom end of each rubber-metal pad spring is connected with the frame, a top end of at least one rubber-metal pad spring of the rubber-metal pad spring group is connected with the bolster, and a gap exists between the top end of at least one rubber-metal pad spring and the bolster. The central suspension device has multiple stages of rigidities in the transverse and vertical directions, so that the different rigidities can be mutually shifted conveniently on the empty vehicle condition and the heavy-load condition of the vehicle, therefore, the central suspension device is applicable to express railway vehicles for safe and stable running.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device (20) for suspending a first element (16) on a second element (14, 16, 18) of a railway vehicle. Said suspension device (20) comprises two longitudinal rods (26, 28) which are each connected to the first element (16) by means of a first connection point (30, 32) and to the second element (14, 16, 18) by means of a second connection point (34, 36), and at least one elastic member (38) that is positioned between the two rods (26, 28) to define at least the vertical rigidity of the suspension device (20). The two rods (26, 28) are longitudinally offset relative to one another.

Abstract: To perform the height adjustment of the vehicle body with high precision by improving the sensitivity of measuring the height of the vehicle without making the dead-band smaller, the present invention proposes a guideway-type vehicle comprising: a vehicle body 12; an air spring 16; a bogie 14 which supports the vehicle body 12 via the air spring 16; and a vehicle height adjusting mechanism which includes an integrating device 50, a measuring device 44 and an elastic force adjusting device 42, the integrating device 50 integrating a first relative displacement amount at a first position A1 between the vehicle body 12 and the bogie 14 and a second relative displacement amount at a second position A2 between the vehicle body 12 and the bogie 14, the second position A2 being farther than the first position A1 from the center of the vehicle body 12 in a width direction of the vehicle body, the measuring device measuring an integrated value of the first relative displacement amount and the second relative displacem

Abstract: The present invention discloses a freight car bogie and a freight car. The freight car bogie comprises two wheel sets, two side frames arranged at outer side of said wheel sets, and a bolster fixedly connected to center position of each of said two side frames, respectively. The freight car bogie further comprises a K-shaped supporting device, wherein said K-shaped supporting device passes through preset holes on two sides of an abdominal region of said bolster; a first upper end and a second upper end, as well as a first lower end and a second lower end of said K-shaped supporting device are elastically connected with said two side frames respectively; and said first upper end and second upper end, and said first lower end and second lower end are respectively symmetrical with respect to a centre line of said bolster.

Abstract: A railroad car truck for a railroad freight car, such as an autorack car, has a bolster mounted cross-wise between two sideframes. The bolster ends are mounted on respective spring groups carried by the sideframes. The bolster can translate laterally relative to the sideframes. The side frames are mounted to swing laterally relative to the wheel sets, and hence relative to the rails. Resistance to lateral deflection is provided by the resistance of the sideframes to the pendulum swinging motion, and by shear in the spring groups. The truck has a doubled damper arrangement of dampers in a four-cornered layout at each end of the bolster, giving a flexing resistance to yaw between the sideframes and the bolster ends. The doubled damper arrangement works against large wear plates mounted on the sideframe columns. The large wear plates are mounted normal to the dampers and square to the sideframes.

Abstract: A rail road freight car truck has a truck bolster and a pair of side frames, the truck bolster being mounted transversely relative to the side frames. The mounting interface between the ends of the axles and the sideframe pedestals allows lateral rocking motion of the sideframes in the manner of a swing motion truck. The lateral swinging motion is combined with a longitudinal self steering capability. The self steering capability may be obtained by use of a longitudinally oriented rocker that may tend to permit resistance to self steering that is proportional to the weight carried across the interface. The trucks may have auxiliary centering elements mounted in the pedestal seats, and those auxiliary centering elements may be made of resilient elastomeric material. The truck may also have friction dampers that have a disinclination to stick-slip behavior. The friction dampers may be provided with brake linings, or similar features, on the face engaging the sideframe columns, on the slope face, or both.

Abstract: An axlebox-spring-unit of a railway bogie includes at least one hydraulic spring having a housing required for functionality of the hydraulic spring, and an axlebox. At least a part of the axlebox forms at least a part of the housing.

Abstract: A rail road freight car truck has a truck bolster and a pair of side frames, the truck bolster being mounted transversely relative to the side frames. The mounting interface between the ends of the axles and the sideframe pedestals allows lateral rocking motion of the sideframes in the manner of a swing motion truck. The lateral swinging motion is combined with a longitudinal self steering capability. The self steering capability may be obtained by use of a longitudinally oriented rocker that may tend to permit resistance to self steering that is proportional to the weight carried across the interface. The trucks may have auxiliary centering elements mounted in the pedestal seats, and those auxiliary centering elements may be made of resilient elastomeric material. The truck may also have friction dampers that have a disinclination to stick-slip behavior. The friction dampers may be provided with brake linings, or similar features, on the face engaging the sideframe columns, on the slope face, or both.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device (20) for suspending a first element (16) on a second element (14, 16, 18) of a railway vehicle. Said suspension device (20) comprises two longitudinal rods (26, 28) which are each connected to the first element (16) by means of a first connection point (30, 32) and to the second element (14, 16, 18) by means of a second connection point (34, 36), and at least one elastic member (38) that is positioned between the two rods (26, 28) to define at least the vertical rigidity of the suspension device (20). The two rods (26, 28) are longitudinally offset relative to one another.

Abstract: A rail road car truck has side frames mounted to rock on the wheelsets. A bolster is mounted cross-wise on the sideframes, each end of the bolster being seated on a spring group, each spring group being seated in one of the sideframe windows. The bolster has damper groups mounted at each end to work between the end of the bolster and the columns of the sideframe windows. The truck has a dynamic response to lateral perturbations that includes a first component due to the swinging of the sideframes on the sideframe pedestal rockers, and a second component that is due to lateral shear in the main spring groups. The pendulum action may tend to be softer than the lateral shear in the springs, and so therefore may tend to dominate the lateral response. This swing-dominant lateral response may be combined with a multiple damper arrangement.

Abstract: This invention relates to a bogie (10), including a load bearing point (11), a wheel set portion (12) and an intervening spring suspension (13). A load weigh valve (15) is fixed between the load portion (11) and the spring (16) of the suspension (13). The valve (15) is mounted within a wedge element (19) so that it continually measures the vertical load.

Abstract: Bogie for a rail vehicle including a first and second wheel unit, each unit having two wheels, and a bogie frame supported on the first and second wheel units via a primary spring unit per wheel. A first primary spring unit being associated with a first wheel of the first wheel unit and a second primary spring unit being associated with a second wheel of the second wheel unit. The first and second wheels being located on the same side of the bogie frame. The first wheel unit and the second wheel unit being connected via a compensation device mounted to the bogie frame. The compensation device being connected to the first and second wheel unit via a first interface and second interface of the first and second primary spring unit, respectively wherein a shift of the first interface causes a shift of the second interface.

Abstract: An improved railway car truck is provide that includes two sideframes and a bolster. The bolster has laterally opposite ends, each end extending into and supported within a sideframe opening on a spring group. Each sideframe also has a pedestal opening at each end to receive a bearing adapter assembly. The railway car truck also includes two brake beam assemblies supported on the railway car truck bolster and sideframes. Each brake beam assembly includes an elongated main section, a support section, and a standoff section extending between the main section and support section. Two brake hangers comprised of a leg sections and a bottom section support an end of the brake beam assembly. The brake hangers can be reversed such that the brake head support sections can be spaced laterally to adapt to different rail gauges.

Abstract: A bolster for use with a rail truck assembly comprising a spring receptacle having a plurality of spring pockets on the bottom of each bolster. The bolster slidingly attached to a side frame at each end. A spring group comprising load springs and control springs, the load springs on each side frame to support and suspend the bolster end and control springs to control bolster end movement. The spring pocket adapted to retain the springs in a predetermined location and position relative to the bolster and side frame. The spring receptacle comprising spring guides intermediate the load springs and control springs to prevent tangling or interference between the springs. An angled surface on each spring guide, the angled surface forming a chamfer disposed to urge the spring into the spring pocket during installation and use.

Abstract: A railway bogie includes at least two spring units per one wheel, a bogie frame and an essentially single piece adapter which bridges the spring units and is arranged between the spring units on the one side and the bogie frame on the other side.

Abstract: A tuned spring group with load springs, control springs, and a frictional damping arrangement for a railcar truck assembly provides better ride quality, increased resistance to suspension bottoming, and increased hunting threshold speed of a railroad car. Specifically, this tuned damping and suspension arrangement provides a spring group reserve capacity of less than 1.50. Spring assemblies for different car types are tuned such that a reserve ratio less than 1.50 may be achieved. By reducing the spring assembly reserve capacity for a railcar and truck of a standard weight and configuration to less than 1.50, an unexpected result of a decrease in maximum vertical acceleration as the railcar truck assembly approaches a speed of 55 miles per hour is achieved. The decrease in vertical acceleration allows for improved ride quality, increased resistance to suspension bottoming and increased hunting threshold speed of the railcar.

Abstract: An improved three-piece truck system for railroad cars provides long travel side bearings for improved stability, a “wide” friction shoe design or equivalent to improve sideframe and bolster squareness, a resilient pedestal pad for improved curving performance and enhanced wear resistance, and a suspension system tuned and optimized for rail cars to have a minimum reserve capacity of less than 1.5 to improve motion control and ride quality, increase resistance to suspension bottoming, and increase hunting threshold speed. Such a motion control truck system is able to meet recent, more stringent American Association of Railroads standards, such as M-976, for railcars having a 286,000 lb. gross rail load rating.

Abstract: An auto rack rail road freight car is provided for carrying low density, relatively high value, relatively fragile lading. The car has trucks that have multiple dampers in a four corner arrangement in the sideframes. The spring groups in the side frames are relatively soft, giving a low vertical bounce natural frequency. In an articulated embodiment, differentially placed ballast is mounted in a biased arrangement to load the coupler end trucks to encourage a dynamic response similar to the dynamic response of the internal trucks.

Abstract: A cast metal sideframe for use in a railway car truck has a spring seat for supporting the springs of a spring set. The sideframe is molded using a core that includes a portion for defining the exterior surface of the spring seat. The core can be a single piece or multi-piece core. The spring seat includes a plurality of aerodynamically-shaped spring retainers formed on the top face spring seat. The aerodynamic shape of the spring retainers reduces the tendency for sand to swirl and create voids during formation of the sand core that is used to mold the sideframe. The aerodynamic shape may include forming at least some of the side walls of the spring retainers at an obtuse angle with the top face of the spring seat. The spring retainers may have concave top faces so as to reduce the volume of material comprising the spring retainers.

Abstract: Yaw stabilization device provides a light-weight mechanism for increasing the linear yaw stiffness levels between the side frame and bolster to provide the proper inter-axle shear stiffness without affecting the compliancy required of the vertical suspension system. This invention, which fails to increase the unsprung weight of a railroad car truck assembly noticeably, may be retrofitted to existing freight car trucks in service or incorporated into newly manufactured trucks. Moreover, it does so without the need for damping wedges to increase interaxle shear stiffness and allow the wedges to function optimally for control of vertical vibrations.

Abstract: An auto rack rail road freight car is provided for carrying low density, relatively high value, relatively fragile lading. The car has a relatively soft suspension and an empty vertical bounce natural frequency of less than 2.0 Hz. The car also has additional ballast to increase the dead sprung weight of the car relative to the weight of the lading. In the embodiments in which multi-unit articulated freight cars are employed, such as for auto rack rail cars, the ballast is located preferentially toward the coupler end trucks. The trucks for the railcar have an increased wheel base and damping located to provide a greater moment arm and bearing face to encourage a higher threshold for rail car hunting.

Abstract: An auto rack rail road freight car is provided for carrying low density, relatively high value, relatively fragile lading. The car has a relatively soft suspension and an empty vertical bounce natural frequency of less than 2.0 Hz. The car also has additional ballast to increase the dead sprung weight of the car relative to the weight of the lading. In the embodiments in which multi-unit articulated freight cars are employed, such as for auto rack rail cars, the ballast is located preferentially toward the coupler end trucks. The trucks for the railcar have an increased wheel base and damping located to provide a greater moment arm and bearing face to encourage a higher threshold for rail car hunting.

Abstract: A running gear for a rail vehicle having sprung longitudinal members of plastic, connected to one another by means of a cross-member structure and at their free ends to axle-boxes for rail wheels. In order to obtain optimal stability of the wheelset guidance with reduced loading of the sprung longitudinal members, the longitudinal members each has at least two flexural springs between the ends of which in each case an axle-box is fixed in symmetrical arrangement.