Overmod I have loved gauge-changing systems since I was very young; in fact I remember reading about the Angola Horror for the first time and thinking how easily it would have been avoided with gauge-changeable wheelsets. It has been fun to watch the technology become first cost-effective enough to be adopted and then brought operationally to quick and reliable operation.
I have loved gauge-changing systems since I was very young; in fact I remember reading about the Angola Horror for the first time and thinking how easily it would have been avoided with gauge-changeable wheelsets. It has been fun to watch the technology become first cost-effective enough to be adopted and then brought operationally to quick and reliable operation.
Yes very interesting indeed. For the freight side I can see China investing heavily in this tech to expand their BRI intiative. No more swapping containers with break of gauge rolling stock at borders, just locos.
@Balt, The engines are swapped at the break of gauge. There's sensors in the mechanism that inspect, and make sure the axles are locked into position. A physical inspection I imagine is only needed if a fault arises.
Per the first video - it looks as if all testing was done with a maximum of 3 cars. Realizing the no European country runs PSR sized US trains - still they run 30 and 40 car trains - additionally not mentioned was the axle gauge of the locomotives. Are the locomotives having their gauge changed or when a train arrives at a gauge changing location is the motive power also changed. What sort of inspection procedure will be implemented to insure that the axles are in fact locked in the desired gauge?
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
MidlandMikeHas there ever been a failure of one of these axles to maintain gauge and cause a derailment?
The use of the systems for freight axles is comparatively recent; they were only approved in mid-2019 and consolidated into WAG-TSI (the European interoperability specification for freight cars) at the end of October 2019, so there is little practical experience outside of manufacturer or experimental testing with them. I cannot really understand how these can be cost-efficient with normal rigid wheelsets on good intermodal equipment, but it isn't my case to make.
Variable axles have, of course, been in use a long time on passenger equipment, and I cannot recall an accident mentioned as attributable solely to them coming unlocked. Do not trust my recollection.
Has there ever been a failure of one of these axles to maintain guage and cause a derailment?
Talgo and Groupo Azvi produce a variable gauge axle which can go from; Iberian Gauge 1668mm to SG 1435mm, inlcuding Russian Gauge 1520mm. Pretty neat setup they have here with a track mechanism that forces the axle to match the proceeding gauge. The lifting of cars to switch bogies of differing gauges is not needed which can take hours on break of gauge lines.
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