Generic Wheel/Rail Profiles for Commuter Railroads. Research Results

摘要

The Office of Research and Development of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) sponsored a program to develop improved wheel and rail profiles specifically for commuter systems. The National Research Council Canadas (NRCC) designed wheel profiles improve on the existing profiles of many railroads by: Implementing a 75-degree wheel flange angle to minimize the potential for wheel-climb derailment. Adopting a shape similar to that generated by averaging the thousands of worn wheels analyzed in this program. Both 1:40 and 1:20 thread taper variants are provided. A set of five generic rail templates have also been designed for good compatibility with the NRCC-COM40 wheel. A key goal of these rail profiles is to spread out wear on the wheel to help it retain its favorable shape, at the same time controlling contact stress and wear.