Visiting stations, many noticed that during the parking of trains, special workers often walk along them and tap on wheels. If the staff of Russian Railways did not perform this action, then there would be much more accidents on the rails. So what safety measures are followed?
The emergence of trains
The vehicle was invented at the beginning of the 19th century. The British authorities saw great prospects in steam locomotives, so they gave the green light to the construction of the world's first railway. The opening took place on September 27, 1825, it ran between Stockton and Darlington.
The first train was called Locomotion, which in the future began to be applied to other similar transport models. Locomotives still travel the rails of most countries.
Interesting fact: A locomotive is a train car equipped with an engine, but many people mistakenly call it a whole train.
For several decades, steam locomotives have appeared all over the world. They were engaged in the delivery of goods and passengers. Gradually, engineers began to increase the power of the steam engine and improve trains. Already at that time they seriously approached the design of wheels for trains and endowed them with a number of features.
Pair of wheels
The trains move on special wheelsets. They consist of two wheels firmly mounted on the axle. Most often, the structure is made of steel.Details are fixed so that during movement the axis also rotates. This increases reliability and reduces the likelihood that the wheel will fly off the axle.
Designs for conventional wagons, for locomotives and steam locomotives are slightly different, but have a certain feature. Since the wheels do not rotate around the axis during the ride, the designers go for a little trick. Closer to the car, their diameter is greater than at the edges. Therefore, when the train begins to undergo a turn, on one side the wheel touches the rails with a large diameter and passes a large distance per unit of time.
Accordingly, the axis, and with it the entire structure, begin to turn in the opposite direction. Since the wheelsets are made of steel, their strength is very high. Before they become unusable, they manage to drive several hundred routes.
Interesting fact: the wheelset is designed on average for 20-25 thousand kilometers. However, due to the nature of the track, additional pressure may be applied to the wheels. Because of this, cracks and chips appear on them, which can provoke an accident.
Why during a stop they knock on the wheels of a train?
If there are problems with the wheel while driving, the driver can emergency stop at the side of the road and fix the breakdown. With trains, the situation is different. In the event of chips and cracks on the wheel, you will only be able to find out about them upon arrival at the next station, since train inspections are not carried out during movement.Therefore, each train is regularly checked for flaws right at the stop, until it sets off further.
One of the verification methods is just tapping on wheels. The worker takes the tool and runs along the train on both sides, striking the wheels and mounts, after which he listens to the sound. If, after a knock on steel, a ringing clang is heard, then the wheelset is okay. A dull noise is a sign that the structure is not integral, there is a crack or defect.
Interesting fact: some think that Russian Railways workers are knocking on wheels to knock down trash from the train body.
In the event of a defect, the car is sent to the depot, where damaged wheels are replaced. After that, he is returned to his place, and the train continues following the route.
During the stop, they knock on the wheels to check for chips and cracks. If a dull sound is heard upon impact, this indicates a violation of the integrity of the wheelset. The sound also determines the degree of wear of the bearings. In case of defects, the carriage is sent to the depot to eliminate them.
