Modelling issues in passenger draft gear connections

A methodology of modelling elastomer and polymer draft gears in design variations inpassenger trains is developed. Different designs and methods of pre-loading and precompressing the draft gear units are incorporated into the method allowing modelling of three different designs: single pack draft gears (freight type), balanced type draft gears and floating plate type draft gears. The approach allows frictional and viscous components to be incorporated. The methodology was applied to the three draft gear design using the same polymer characteristics and the results were compared using longitudinal train simulation.