WHEEL MATCHING TECHNOLOGY (WMT) FOR FIXED FROGS AND CROSSOVERS

摘要

Excessive wheel shock loads induced when travelling through worn fixed crossovers (frogs) can reduce the design life of rail vehicles while adding to track maintenance costs. At the same time, shock loads reduce the ride quality and the overall passenger experience by jarring and jerking the vehicle during crossover passage. The issue became particularly evident recently on one metro system where elevated rail impact shocks manifested themselves in an unusually high number of fatigue defects discovered during wayside frog inspections and bogie overhaul programs. To significantly reduce and mitigate the problem, an investigation resulted in the development of a simple and cost-effective frog re-profiling solution, which is currently being implemented as a system-wide retrofit. Wheel Matching Technology (WMT) is a new wayside maintenance solution that addresses the noise/vibration problem in aging fixed frogs and diamond crossovers. Based on simple root cause analysis and application of a precision profiled surface, the WMT solution can potentially restore any crossover transfer into a near impact-free condition. This paper will cover the main features of the technology as well as dynamic test results from several restorations completed on the AirTrain BOMBARDIER INNOVIA ART 200 advanced rapid transit system (1) at the John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, USA.