High-Speed Lateral Stability of a Freight Car Related to Modifications of Conventional Trucks

High speed lateral stability of freight cars is one facet of a truck performance mode requiring improvement in control. A 70-ton (63.6-mt) freight car truck of conventional three-piece design was analyzed and tested on a dynamic simulator leading to recommendations for truck modifications to improve high speed lateral stability. These modifications and others were later field tested with a 70-ton (63.6-mt) freight car to demonstrate the degree of control derived from single as well as multiple changes to the truck. The results are presented in terms of RMS graphs.