Light Rail
With their tighter radius curves, higher braking and traction forces, the dynamics of light rail / metro systems are significantly different to those of heavy rail. This presents the system supplier with a number of challenges related to vehicle / track interaction including:
- the need to ensure a high level of ride comfort, while maximising internal space & accessibility
- to minimise the tendency towards high wheel and rail wear rates, particularly on sharp curves
- to control derailment resistance, particularly at switches and crossings
- to curve effectively whilst maintaining lateral stability on high speed sections
This tends to require a novel approach to vehicle and suspension design, combined with careful consideration of key track components (the selection of switch design in particular).
Dynamic simulation is an effective tool to help develop conceptual designs, support the detail design stage and resolve any wheel / rail related issues encountered in-service. It can also make an effective contribution to minimising whole life costs, particularly relating to the life of wheelsets, the rail head and key track components