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Slack Action
In railroading, slack action is the amount of free movement of one car before it transmits its motion to an adjoining coupled car. This free movement results from the fact that in railroad practice, cars are loosely coupled, and the coupling is often combined with a shock-absorbing device, a " draft gear", which, under stress, substantially increases the free movement as the train is started or stopped. Loose coupling is necessary to enable the train to bend around curves and is an aid in starting heavy trains, since the application of the locomotive power to the train operates on each car in the train successively, and the power is thus utilized to start only one car at a time. United Kingdom The UK formerly used three-link couplings, which allowed a large amount of slack. These were soon replaced on passenger stock by buffers and chain couplers where the couplings are held tight by buffers and shortened by a turnbuckle, while in most other parts of the world automatic couplin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Railroad
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of land transport, next to road transport. It is used for about 8% of passenger and rail freight transport, freight transport globally, thanks to its Energy efficiency in transport, energy efficiency and potentially high-speed rail, high speed.Rolling stock on rails generally encounters lower friction, frictional resistance than rubber-tyred road vehicles, allowing rail cars to be coupled into longer trains. Power is usually provided by Diesel locomotive, diesel or Electric locomotive, electric locomotives. While railway transport is capital intensity, capital-intensive and less flexible than road transport, it can carry heavy loads of passengers and cargo with greater energy efficiency and safety. Precursors of railways driven by human or an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Railway Coupling
A coupling or coupler is a mechanism, typically located at each end of a rolling stock, rail vehicle, that connects them together to form a train. The equipment that connects the couplers to the vehicles is the draft gear or draw gear, which must absorb the stresses of the coupling and the acceleration of the train. Throughout the history of rail vehicles, a variety of coupler designs and types have been developed worldwide. Key design considerations include strength, reliability, easy and efficient handling, and operator safety. Automatic couplers engage automatically when the cars are pushed together. Modern versions not only provide a mechanical connection, but can also couple brake lines and data lines. Different countries use different types of couplers. While North American railroads and China use Janney couplers, railroads in the former Soviet Union use SA3 couplers and the European countries use Scharfenberg coupler, Scharfenberg and Buffers and chain coupler, screw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Draft Gear
Draft, the draft, or draught may refer to: Watercraft dimensions * Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel * Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail * Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a vessel Selection processes * Draft (politics), groundswell of support to compel a candidate to run for office * Draft (sports), selection of players for professional sports teams * Conscription, selection for e.g. military service Entertainment * Draft (musician) (born 1986), electronic musician and DJ * ''Drafted'' (comics), a 2007 comic released by Devil's Due Publishing * ''The Draft'' (comics), a 1988 one-shot comic book from Marvel Comics * The Draft (band), an American punk rock band * ''The Draft!'' (film), a 2023 Indonesian science fiction horror film * WWE draft, a World Wrestling Entertainment program which drafts superstars to different WWE brands * Draughts, board game, a.k.a. checkers * The Draft (''The League''), the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Three-link Coupling
Buffers and chain couplers (or couplings) – also known as "buffers and screw", "screw", and "screwlink" – are the de facto International Union of Railways (UIC) standard railway coupling used in the EU and UK, and on some railways in other parts of the world, such as in South America and India, on older rolling stock. Buffers and chain couplers are an assembly of several devices: buffers, hooks and links, or turnbuckle screws. On the modern version of the couplers, rail vehicles are mated by manually connecting the end link of one chain which incorporates a turnbuckle screw into the towing hook of the other wagon, drawing together and slightly compressing the buffer pairs, one left and one right on each headstock. That limits slack, and lessens shunting shocks in moving trains. By contrast, vehicles fitted with the semi-automatic Janney Type E coupler can experience significant jarring during mating and shunting. Very early rolling stock had "dummy buffers", which were ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Janney Coupler
Knuckle couplers are a semi-automatic form of railway coupling that allow rail cars and locomotives to be securely linked together without rail workers having to get between the vehicles. Originally known as Janney couplers (the original patent name) they are almost always referred to as Knuckles in the US and Canada (regardless of their actual official model name, nowadays generally various AAR types in North America), but are also known as American, AAR, APT, ARA, MCB, Buckeye, tightlock (in the UK) or Centre Buffer Couplers. There are many variations of knuckle coupler in use today, and even more from the past, some variants of knuckle couplers include: Janney: the American original, a rather finicky coupler; reportedly annoying to make open and close. This design was obsolete by 1900. MCB: In the latter 1880's the Master Car Builder's Association (MCB) were faced with choosing a standard from the multitude of mutually incompatible automatic coupler designs then on offer. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scharfenberg Coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling. Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler has gradually spread from transit trains to regular passenger service trains, although outside Europe its use is generally restricted to mass transit systems. The ''Schaku'' is superior in many ways to the Janney coupler, AAR (Janney/knuckle) coupler because it also automates electrical and pneumatic connections and disconnections. However, there is no standard for the placement of these electro-pneumatic connections. Some rail operators have placed them on the sides while others have placed them either below or above the mechanical portion of the coupler. Scharfenberg as a technical design principle and brand name Scharfenberg and the abbreviation Schaku are registered trademarks of Voith Patent GmbH. For this reason, only couplings from Voith can use this name. T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Association Of American Railroads
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is an industry trade group representing primarily the major freight Rail transport, railroads of North America (Canada, Mexico and the United States). Amtrak and some regional Commuter rail in North America, commuter railroads are also members. Smaller freight railroads are typically represented by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), although some smaller railroads and railroad holding companies are also members of the AAR. The AAR also has two associate programs, and most associates are suppliers to the railroad industry. Creation AAR was created October 12, 1934, by the merger of five industry-related groups: * The American Railway Association * The Association of Railway Executives * The Bureau of Railroad Economics * The Railway Accounting Officers Association * The Railway Treasury Officers Association William George Besler was its first President. Facilities and subsidiaries The AAR is headquarter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flatcar
A flatcar (US) (also flat car, or flatbed) is a piece of rolling stock that consists of an open, flat deck mounted on trucks (US) or bogies (UK) at each end. Occasionally, flat cars designed to carry extra heavy or extra large loads are mounted on a pair (or rarely, more) of bogies under each end. The deck of the car can be wood or steel, and the sides of the deck can include pockets for Side stake, stakes or tie-down points to secure loads. Flatcars designed for carrying machinery have sliding chain assemblies recessed in the deck. Flatcars are used for loads that are too large or cumbersome to load in enclosed cars such as boxcars, but which will not be harmed by the weather. They are also often used to transport intermodal containers (shipping containers) or Semi-trailer, trailers as part of intermodal freight transport shipping. Specialized types Aircraft parts flatcars Aircraft parts were hauled via conventional Boxcar, freight cars beginning in World War II. However, gi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Draft Gear
Draft, the draft, or draught may refer to: Watercraft dimensions * Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel * Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail * Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a vessel Selection processes * Draft (politics), groundswell of support to compel a candidate to run for office * Draft (sports), selection of players for professional sports teams * Conscription, selection for e.g. military service Entertainment * Draft (musician) (born 1986), electronic musician and DJ * ''Drafted'' (comics), a 2007 comic released by Devil's Due Publishing * ''The Draft'' (comics), a 1988 one-shot comic book from Marvel Comics * The Draft (band), an American punk rock band * ''The Draft!'' (film), a 2023 Indonesian science fiction horror film * WWE draft, a World Wrestling Entertainment program which drafts superstars to different WWE brands * Draughts, board game, a.k.a. checkers * The Draft (''The League''), the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
