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Vehicles
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Railway Vehicles and Infrastructure
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Railway Vehicles and Infrastructure

A special issue of Vehicles (ISSN 2624-8921).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2024) | Viewed by 8294

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Pedro Antunes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Railway Research, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK
Interests: railway dynamics; vehicle–track interaction; pantograph–catenary interaction; finite element method; multibody system dynamics; co-simulation; hard-ware-in-the-loop
Dr. Hugo Magalhães

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
IDMEC, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: wheel-rail contact; vehicle dynamics; pantograph dynamics; vehicle-turnout in-teraction
Dr. Pedro Aires Montenegro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CONSTRUCT-LESE, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
Interests: railway infrastructures; railway engineering; bridge dynamics; vehicle dynamics; train-bridge interaction; fatigue of railway bridges; structural engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We kindly invite you to contribute with your research to the Special Issue of the journal Vehicles, entitled “Railway Vehicles and Infrastructure”.

Railway vehicles play a key role in the transportation sector. Either to move passengers or freight, these are subject to tight operating requirements while interacting with the rail infrastructure. The increasing demand for cost-efficient, environmentally friendly, and fast travel puts pressure on the research and development of new technological solutions. The research on railways is a multi-disciplinary topic in which coupling the vehicle and the infrastructure is often required. It has become increasingly important to develop numerical applications that are able to handle the dynamic behaviour of these systems and provide accurate and reliable analyses. These not only permit a better understanding of the dynamic phenomena in play but also can be part of the design and homologation process, allowing for the accelerated development of new railway technology. Experimental testing also has a significant role in railway research, wherein a bridge with virtual testing can enhance the pace of new findings and developments.

This Special Issue aims to cover all aspects related to the railway vehicle and its interaction with the infrastructure. This includes vehicle–track interaction as well as pantograph–catenary interaction. Theoretical, experimental, and computational investigations (or a combination of these) are welcome. We encourage the submission of interdisciplinary research involving the railway vechicle and its intearaction with the track, rail, foundations, bridges, tunnels, and overhead line, among others.

Dr. Pedro Antunes
Dr. Hugo Magalhães
Dr. Pedro Aires Montenegro
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Vehicles is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • railway dynamics
  • vehicle dynamics
  • vehicle–track interaction
  • pantograph–catenary interaction
  • wheel–rail contact
  • railway infrastructure
  • railway bridges
  • computational modelling
  • maintenance
  • railway technology
  • rolling stock

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 5310 KiB  
Article
A New Strategy for Railway Bogie Frame Designing Combining Structural–Topological Optimization and Sensitivity Analysis
by Alessio Cascino, Enrico Meli and Andrea Rindi
Vehicles 2024, 6(2), 651-665; https://doi.org/10.3390/vehicles6020030 - 31 Mar 2024
Viewed by 575
Abstract
Rolling stock manufacturers are finding innovative structural solutions to improve the quality and reliability of railway vehicles components. Structural optimization processes represent an effective strategy for reducing manufacturing costs, resulting in geometries easier to design and produce. In this framework, the present paper [...] Read more.
Rolling stock manufacturers are finding innovative structural solutions to improve the quality and reliability of railway vehicles components. Structural optimization processes represent an effective strategy for reducing manufacturing costs, resulting in geometries easier to design and produce. In this framework, the present paper proposes a new methodology to design a railway metro bogie frame, combining structural–topological optimization methods and sensitivity analysis. In addition, manufacturing constraints were included to make the component design suitable for production through sand-casting. A robust sensitivity analysis has highlighted the most critical load conditions acting on the bogie frame. Its effectiveness was verified by carrying out two different structural optimizations based on different loadings. Two equivalent designs were obtained. Computational times were positively reduced by about 57%. The maximum value of stress was reduced about 23%. This new methodology has shown encouraging results to streamline the design process of this complex mechanical system, allowing researchers to also include manufacturing requirements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Railway Vehicles and Infrastructure)
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21 pages, 7005 KiB  
Article
An Estimation of the Energy Savings of a Mainline Diesel Locomotive Equipped with an Energy Storage Device
by Ievgen Riabov, Sergey Goolak and Larysa Neduzha
Vehicles 2024, 6(2), 611-631; https://doi.org/10.3390/vehicles6020028 - 29 Mar 2024
Viewed by 430
Abstract
The method of improving a two-section mainline diesel locomotive by using energy storage in the traction system is considered. A mathematical model was developed to study the movement of a diesel locomotive based on the recommendations and provisions of the theory of locomotive [...] Read more.
The method of improving a two-section mainline diesel locomotive by using energy storage in the traction system is considered. A mathematical model was developed to study the movement of a diesel locomotive based on the recommendations and provisions of the theory of locomotive traction. For this purpose, the movement of a diesel locomotive as part of a train along a given section of a track was studied. It was determined that the use of an energy storage device on a diesel locomotive will allow up to 64% of the energy spent on train traction to accumulate. The use of energy storage in the accumulator during electrodynamic braking ensured a reduction in fuel consumption by about 50%, regardless of the options for equipping the traction system of the diesel locomotive with an energy accumulator. It is established that regardless of the options for equipping the traction system of the diesel locomotive with an energy storage device, the indicators characterizing the degree of use of the diesel engine do not change. These research results can be used in works devoted to the improvement of the control system of energy exchange between the accumulator and traction engines of diesel locomotives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Railway Vehicles and Infrastructure)
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10 pages, 248 KiB  
Article
Modernization of Railway Wagons for Customer Satisfaction and Safety
by Eva Nedeliaková, Michal Valla and Matej Masár
Vehicles 2024, 6(1), 374-383; https://doi.org/10.3390/vehicles6010015 - 05 Feb 2024
Viewed by 556
Abstract
This article focuses on the assessment of the efficiency of the modernization of railway wagons intended for passenger transport. The modernization of railway wagons is an important step towards ensuring the safer and more efficient operation of railways. However, this modernization is not [...] Read more.
This article focuses on the assessment of the efficiency of the modernization of railway wagons intended for passenger transport. The modernization of railway wagons is an important step towards ensuring the safer and more efficient operation of railways. However, this modernization is not without risks and, in addition to its many positive effects, it can also bring new challenges in the form of breakdowns and technical problems. Failures in passenger rail vehicles are a challenge facing manufacturers and transport operators, and identifying the relationships between these failures can help to improve the design, manufacture, and maintenance of these vehicles. Passenger rail vehicle failures can vary in nature, whether mechanical, electrical, or inside the vehicle. This paper attempts to provide a comprehensive view of the effectiveness of passenger rail car retrofitting based on the data collected and statistical analyses. The article further focuses on the description of selected rail passenger wagons, describes the analyses of the statistical data using the correlation between the selected rail wagon failures and their significance, in addition to whether the impact of modernization reduces the number of rail wagon failures. The results of this statistical analysis can be used to better understand the impact of modernization on different aspects of passenger transport and will help in making future investment and policy decisions in this area. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Railway Vehicles and Infrastructure)
14 pages, 784 KiB  
Article
Ride Comfort Improvements on Disturbed Railroads Using Model Predictive Control
by Alexander Posseckert and Daniel Lüdicke
Vehicles 2023, 5(4), 1353-1366; https://doi.org/10.3390/vehicles5040074 - 12 Oct 2023
Viewed by 922
Abstract
This paper proposes a control strategy for active lateral secondary suspension that uses preview data. Based on a derived analytical model, a model predictive controller (MPC) is implemented. The influence of the track irregularities upon carbody lateral dynamics is considered explicitly. The controller [...] Read more.
This paper proposes a control strategy for active lateral secondary suspension that uses preview data. Based on a derived analytical model, a model predictive controller (MPC) is implemented. The influence of the track irregularities upon carbody lateral dynamics is considered explicitly. The controller developed is applied to a full-scale rail vehicle model. Ride comfort is evaluated according to EN 12299. Multibody simulations show that there is a significant increase in continuous ride comfort on poor-quality tracks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Railway Vehicles and Infrastructure)
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21 pages, 343 KiB  
Article
Securing the Future Railway System: Technology Forecast, Security Measures, and Research Demands
by Simon Unger, Markus Heinrich, Dirk Scheuermann, Stefan Katzenbeisser, Max Schubert, Leon Hagemann and Lukas Iffländer
Vehicles 2023, 5(4), 1254-1274; https://doi.org/10.3390/vehicles5040069 - 25 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1345
Abstract
The railway industry—traditionally a conservative industry with low adaption speed for innovation—is currently entering its digitization phase. The sector faces a challenge in integrating new technologies and approaches into the employed—often safety-critical—systems. Keeping the systems secure while conforming to the demanding safety norms [...] Read more.
The railway industry—traditionally a conservative industry with low adaption speed for innovation—is currently entering its digitization phase. The sector faces a challenge in integrating new technologies and approaches into the employed—often safety-critical—systems. Keeping the systems secure while conforming to the demanding safety norms creates previously unknown problems. In the last decades, the number of attacks on the railway system has increased. Furthermore, with standardized digital technologies, the attack surface will keep growing. Therefore, in this work, we look into the foreseeable future of the railway system and present 21 likely use cases. We analyze these use cases regarding possible threats, rate the severity of these threats, and deduce and rate necessary countermeasures. To this end, we model these use cases and the corresponding threats and countermeasures using Attack Graphs. We use a graphical solution for the risk and security analysis due to advantages over other methods, i.e., table-based solutions, like simplified presentation and an easier understanding of relationships, dependencies, and interactions between various elements. From these Attack Graphs, we extracted 14 commonly recurring attack strategies. After analyzing 49 countermeasures regarding their current maturity and further research and standardization demands, we identified 21 in need of further investigation. This implies that 21 necessary countermeasures to secure these future use cases require further research to apply to railway systems or require standardization. These results will help researchers focus on the necessary research and standardization and railway operators to ensure the security of their systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Railway Vehicles and Infrastructure)
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29 pages, 6132 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Causes of Railway Track Gauge Narrowing
by Péter Bocz, Nándor Liegner, Ákos Vinkó and Szabolcs Fischer
Vehicles 2023, 5(3), 949-977; https://doi.org/10.3390/vehicles5030052 - 10 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1422
Abstract
On behalf of MÁV Hungarian State Railways Ltd., the authors carried out a research and development (R&D) project on behalf of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Highway and Railway Engineering, on the subject of “Research and investigation of the [...] Read more.
On behalf of MÁV Hungarian State Railways Ltd., the authors carried out a research and development (R&D) project on behalf of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Highway and Railway Engineering, on the subject of “Research and investigation of the causes of gauge narrowing by finite-element modeling in running track and turnout, and under operational and laboratory conditions”. The main objective of the research was to investigate the causes of localized defects of gauge narrowing in railway tracks based on machine and manual track measurements, laboratory measurements, and theoretical considerations. The measures proposed as a consequence of identifying the causes could significantly contribute to reducing the number and extent of local defects in the future. Furthermore, the research aims to develop new theories in less scientifically mature areas and provide procedures and instructions that professional engineers and practitioners can easily apply. The main areas of research, which are not exhaustive, are as follows: (i) the evaluation of the measurement results provided by track geometry measuring and recording cars; (ii) on-site investigations in the railway track in terms of gauge and rail profile measurements; and, based on these, (iii) the selection of concrete sleepers, which were removed from the track and subjected to more detailed geometrical investigations in the laboratory, together with the components of the rail reinforcement; (iv) the track–vehicle connection, tight running in straight and curved track sections under track confinement; (v) modeling of the stability and deflection of the rail when the rail fastenings lose part of their supporting function; and (vi) finite element modeling of the concrete sleepers under operating conditions such as slow deformation of the concrete, temperature variation effects, and lateral support on the ballast. In the already-narrowed track section, the tight vehicle running is not the cause of the track gauge narrowing but a consequence, so it is not investigated in this paper. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Railway Vehicles and Infrastructure)
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Review

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11 pages, 1540 KiB  
Review
Challenges in the (Re-)Connection of Peripheral Areas to the Rail Network from a Rolling Stock Perspective: The Case of Germany
by Benedikt Hertel, Johannes Pagenkopf and Jens König
Vehicles 2023, 5(3), 1138-1148; https://doi.org/10.3390/vehicles5030063 - 09 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1525
Abstract
Currently, in the course of the German mobility transition, an increasing number of disused rail lines are already being or intended to be reactivated in order to increase capacities, decrease transport-related emissions and reconnect rural areas to passenger rail services, thus creating a [...] Read more.
Currently, in the course of the German mobility transition, an increasing number of disused rail lines are already being or intended to be reactivated in order to increase capacities, decrease transport-related emissions and reconnect rural areas to passenger rail services, thus creating a more comprehensive rail service. However, the use of state-of-the-art regional railcars on old rural infrastructure often leads to problems since they are often worn out and do not meet today’s technical standards. This applies, for example, to the axle loads and dimensions of the vehicles but also to operational aspects, such as the vehicle’s passenger capacity and accessibility. First, this work gives an overview of the available rolling stock and the given infrastructure, as well as an analysis of the (system) interfaces. Subsequently, various challenges for the re-connection of peripheral areas to the rail network were identified through data research and comparison of the vehicle and infrastructure parameters. In addition, the requirements related to possible autonomous operation and the related absence of the driver and crew personnel in the vehicle, which require new solutions in terms of safety, were taken into consideration. Orientation of future rolling stock generations towards the existing infrastructure and the required transport needs, including lower axle loads, accessibility and smaller capacities, can contribute to the economic operation of low-capacity lines and bring more passengers to public transport. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Railway Vehicles and Infrastructure)
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