TRACK STRUCTURES-VOLUME IV. EFFECTS OF TRACK GEOMETRY (IRREGULARITIES) ON THE DYNAMIC BEHAVIOR OF A RAILWAY VEHICLE ON TANGENT TRACK

The objective of this report is to evaluate the effects of various track irregularities on the dynamic behavior of railway vehicles moving over tangent track which meets the FRA standards. Two different freight cars are used for the study. The peak to peak roll angle of the carbody, center plate loads, wheel loads and accelerations are investigated for different track errors and combinations thereof. It is found that track classification according to irregularities and speed limit is not appropriate. This type of classification does not identify the severity of dynamic loads to which the track and vehicle components are subjected. Also, in some cases vehicles will perform better at speeds greater than the specified limit and are subjected to undesirable conditions when operated within the speed limit.