Wheel rail contact damage from high adhesion locomotives, and damage mitigation from steering bogies

The development of improved traction control and adoption of AC traction motors has led to the development of high adhesion locomotives. Rollingstock manufacturers have been successful in marketing these high adhesion locomotives to train operators because of the increase in continuous tractive effort these locomotives provide allowing larger trains to be hauled over ruling grades. Some concerns have been held by track infrastructure owners in the Australian rail industry about the rail damage associated with high adhesion locomotives in operation on the tight curves associated with ruling grades. This paper uses vehicle dynamics simulation to determine the wheel rail contact forces of high adhesion locomotive operations on steep grades (up to 1 in 37) and compares the advantages to be gained from the use of distributed power and steering bogie designs to current locomotives and head end trains. The reduction of the available adhesion due to wheelset angle of attack is demonstrated by the simulation.