Optimising running gear

Railway vehicles are complex machines, meaning their running gear require regular maintenance.
Addressing this need is EU-Rail, which delivered technical demonstrators covering three key areas.

CBM is a maintenance strategy that monitors the condition of an asset to determine when maintenance is
needed.

Solutions delivered

• Hardware architecture and main components
• Hardware and software architecture, components and algorithms
• Bogie component diagnostic system
• Health monitoring of high-speed trains
• Train-borne ultrasonic detection system

Work focused on reducing the wear of wheels and rails, as well as avoiding noise in curves.

Solutions delivered 

• Active hydraulic actuator
• Hydro elastic bushing
• Electromechanical actuators
• Active steering system

Assessing the benefits of active or semi-active suspension systems to boost passenger comfort.

Solutions delivered 

• Computer model (virtual twin) of two-axle metro car
• Design of experiment to select most suitable active dampers

1. CBM has the potential to reduce rail wear and track settlement and to enable the early detection of potential failures in running gear.
2. Promising new radial steering solutions include the use of active hydraulic actuators, hydro-elastic bushing, electromechanical actuators, and a system to actively steer single-axle running gear.
3. Future trains will run faster, and virtual tests and simulations show that active suspension will likely be the best way to ensure passenger comfort.