DERAILMENTS

RAIL WHEEL INTERACTION

• RUNNING OF A RAILWAY
VEHICLE OVER A LENGTH OF
TRACK PRODUCES DYNAMIC
FORCES BOTH ON THE VEHICLE
AND ON THE TRACK
• RAIL (TRACK) WHEEL
(RAILWAY VEHICLE)
INTERACTION-AFFECTS BOTH
TRACK AND RAILWAY VEHICLE
 EFFECT OF VEHICLE ON
TRACK
• DETERIORATION OF TRACK
GEOMETRY
• TRACK COMPONENT WEAR &
DAMAGE
• THE LARGE DYNAMIC FORCES
• VIBRATION
• NOISE
 EFFECT OF TRACK ON
VEHICLE
• SAFETY RISK
• VEHICLE RIDE
• RIDING COMFORT
• COMPONENT WEAR &
DAMAGE
 DERAILMENT CAUSES
1. OBSTRUCTION OR
DISCONTINUITY OF TRACK
2. OVER SPEED
3. IRREGULAR LOADING
4. DEFECTS IN SIGNALLING AND
INTERLOCKING
5. DEFECTS IN TRACK
6. DEFECTS IN VEHICLE
THE PROCESS OF FLANGE CLIMBING DETAILMENT.
 SITE INVESTIGATION
1. Locate POM & POD
2. Sudden Derailment – Probable Cause
• Shifting of load
• Excess speed
• Improper loading
• Sudden braking/acceleration
• Broken wheels
• Failure of vehicle/track components
• obstruction
3. Gradual Derailment
• Detailed examination of wheel
marks
• Recording defects in track &
vehicle
• Operating features
4. Preservation of clues
5. Accident sketch
 TRACK MEASUREMENTS

Stn Distance Gauge Slack or Cross level in mm (+)

No Apart tight from High (-) Low
in the exact, Under no Under
metres Correct to mm load load
condition condition
1 2 3 4 5
• Track Measurements Contd..

Marks Grinding Alignment in Remarks

on or case of curve on regarding length
sleepers rubbing 20 metres chord of transition
or rail marks on or 10 metres degree of curve
top rails chord and specified
super elevation
general alignment
6 7 8 9
Track Measurements Contd..

• Note-
1. The point of mount should be marked
station No.0 and the stations numbered
serially as (+) for measurements ahead of
site of derailment and (-) for
measurements in rear.
2. The cross level will be measured on the
left rail only as determined from the
direction of movement
Track Measurements Contd..

3. Normally, measurements will be taken at

stations 3m apart for a distance of 45
metres on either side of 0 station. They
may be taken for col.(3) (4) & (5) may in
addition be a taken at individual sleepers
for a length of 9m in the rear of 0 station.
They may be taken for a distance of 90
metres in rear where the cause of
derailment is not obvious.
Track Measurements Contd..

4. This proforma need not be filled when the

cause of derailment is obviously
established as due to major obstruction on
track, broken, axle, and/or spring having
fallen off prior to point of derailment.
5. If the track is on a curve versine must be
measured in mm in terms of Annexure 7/2
of Indian Railway Permanent Way
Manual
Track Measurements Contd..
6. Additional data regarding vertical track
profile of one of the rails should be taken
if the point of derailment/mount is within
200 metres of the theoretical change of
grade point and the change of grades is
0.5% or more. These levels should be
taken 20 metres apart and should extend
for at least 200 metres in rear of the point
of derailment. They may be taken as early
as possible after the site of accident has
been cleared.
 INVESTIGATION OF A
DERAILMENT
• While investigating into a derailment, all
track and vehicle defects and features and
operational aspects which can cause:
– Y to increase
– Q to decrease
  to increase
– +ve angle of attack to increase
– +ve eccentricity to increase
– Persistent angular running to occur should be
listed as possible contributory causes.
• Mean
Position

• Typical
(Asymm
etrical)
Position

• Extreme
Position
 1 and 2 will be varying during the run
• G = Gw + 2 tf + s
• G is track gauge 1676 mm (BG)
• Gw is wheel gauge 1600 mm (BG)
• tf is flange thickness 28.5 mm new; 16mm
worn out
 s is gauge play
= 19mm for new wheel
= 44mm for worn out wheel
Angularity of axle while negotiating a curve
SECTIONAL PLAN OF WHEEL
FLANGE AT LEVEL OF FLANGE TO
RAIL CONTACT
ZERO ANGULARITY (PLAN)
POSITIVE ANGULARITY (PLAN)
NEGATIVE ANGULARITY (PLAN)
EXAMPLES OF WHEEL SET COFIGURATION WITH
POSITIVE ANGULARITY
ZERO ANGULARITY (ELEVATION)
POSITIVE ANGULARITY (ELEVATION)
NEGATIVE ANGULARITY (ELEVATION)
FORCES AT RAIL-WHEEL CONTACT AT MOMENT OF
INCIPIENT DERAILMENT WITH POSITIVE
ANGULARITY OF AXLE.
• Resolving Along Flange Slope
• R= Q cos  + Y sin …. 1.
• For safety against derailment
• Derailing forces > stabling forces
• Y cos  + R > Q sin 
• Substituting R from equation 1
 Y cos  +  (Q cos  + Y sin ) > Q sin 
 Y (cos  +  sin ) > Q (sin  -  cos )


Y (sin    cos  )

Q (cos    sin  )
• Nadal’s Equation (1908)

Y tan   

Q 1   tan 
For Safety: LHS has to be small. RHS has to be large
Y  Low
Q  High
  Low
tan   Large
• TAN 
  = 90º would indicate higher safety. But with
slight angularity, flange contact shifts to near tip.
Safety depth for flange reduces. Derailment
proneness will increase.
• ANGULARITY
• Angularity is inherent feature of vehicle
movement. If the vehicle has greater angularity 
should be less for grater safety depth of flange tip.
But there is a limit to it, as this criterion runs
opposite to that indicated by Nadal’s formula.
• On I.R., for most of rolling stock  = 68º
12’ (flange slope 2.5:1)
• However, for diesel and electric locos, the
wheels encounter greater angularity for
negotiation of curves and turnouts,  is kept
lower as 60º. For uniformity, same 
adopted for all wheels.
• With wear  increases, but results in greater
biting action, hence increase in .
• OTHER FACTORS INFLUENCING NADAL’S
FORMULA:-
  INCREASES WITH INCREASED  (PROF.
HEUMANN).

 
0 .0
(acting upwards for
0 .0
positive angularity)
0.02 0.27
*Greater eccentricity (positive angularity) increases
derailment proneness as flange safety depth reduces.
*Persistent Angular Running
As positive angularity increases derailment proneness,
persistent angularity leads to greater chances of
derailment.
• NOTE
• Not possible to know values of Q, Y, , 
& eccentricity at instant of derailment.
Therefore, calculations by NADAL’s
formula not to be attempted. A qualitative
analysis by studying magnitude of defects
in track/vehicle analysis by studying
magnitude of defects in track/vehicle and
relative extents to which they contribute to
derailment proneness, should be done.
 DEFECTS/FEATURES AFFECTING 

1. Rusted rail lying on cess, emergency x-

over
2. Newly turned wheel – tool marks
3. Sanding of rails (on steep gradient,
curves)
4. Sharp flange (radius of flange tip < 5mm)
increases biting action
 DEFEECTS/FEATURES FOR
INCREASED ANGLE OF ATTACK
 INCREASED PLAY BETWEEN WHEEL
SET & TRACK DUE TO -
 Excessive slack gauge
 Thin flange (<16mm at 13mm from flange tip for
BG or MG)
 Excessive clearance between horn cheek and axle
box groove
 Sharp curves and turnouts
 Outer axles of multi axle rigid wheel base subject
to greater angularity, compared to inner wheel
DEFECTS / FEATURE FOR
INCREASED POSITIVE
ECCENTRCITY
WHEEL FLANGE SLOPE
BECOMING STEEPER (THIS
DEFECT REDUCES SAFETY
DEPTH AS ECCENTRICITY
INCREASES)
DEFECT/FEATURES CAUSING
PERSISTENT ANGULAR RUNNING
 DIFFERENCE IN WHEEL DIA MEASURED
ON SAME AXLE
 INCORRECT CENTRALISATION &
ADJUSTMENT OF BRAKE RIGGING AND
BRAKE BLOCKS
 WEAR IN BRAKE GEARS
 HOT AXLE
• HIGHER COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION
• DIFFERENT BEARING PRESSURES
• STABILITY ANALYSIS
• Q & Y – Instantaneous values,
measurement by MEASURING WHEEL
• Hy = Horizontal force measured at axle
box level
• Q = (Vertical) spring deflection x spring
constant
• Nadal’s Formula

Dry Rail 0.33

Y tan   
 Wet Rail 0.25
Q 1   tan  Lubricated Rail 0.13
Rusted Rail 0.6

for =68º, =0.25

RHS works out to 1.4, rounded off to 1.0 for a factor of safety
On I.R. Hy/Q measurement over 0.05 sec.
It is one of he criteria for assessing stability of Rolling Stock
• LIMITING VALUES OF Y/Q RATIO VS TIME
DURATION
• DIRECTION OF SLIDING FRICTION AT TREAD
OF NON-DERAILING WHEEL
• CHARTET’S FORMULA

Y Qo
 K1  K 2
Q Q
tan   
K 1   '
1   tan 
K2 = 2(’+  )

  2
'

 = Angle of coning of wheel  = 1/20 = 0.05

 = 0.25 K1 = 2 K2  0.7
• FOR SAFETY

y Qo
 2  0.7
Q Q

 Y >2Q – 0.7Qo
 2Q <Y + 0.7Qo
As Y  0 2Q <0.7Qo  Q < 0.35Qo
Instantaneous Wheel Load Q should not drop below
35% of nominal wheel load Qo
• (a) Linear oscillation; (b) rotational oscillation
 TRACK & VEHICLE DEFECTSS CAUSING
VARIOUS PARASITIC MOTIONS
A. TRACK DEFECTS PARASITIC MOTION
• X-Level • Rolling
• Loose Packing • Bouncing, Rolling
• Low Joint • Pitching
• Alignment • Nosing, Lurching
• Slack Gauge • Nosing, Lurching
• Versine Variation • Nosing, Hunting
VEHICLE DEFECTS CAUSING PARASITC
MOTION

A. VEHICLE DEFECT PARASITIC MOTION

• Coupling • Shuttling, Nosing
• Worn wheel • Hunting, Nosing,
Lurching
• Ineffective spring • Bouncing, Pitching,
Rolling
• Side Bearer Clearance • Rolling, Nosing
• In-effective Pivot • Nosing
Contd…..

TRACK DEFECT MODE OF AFFECTS’

OSCILLATIONS VALUE
Low joint Bouncing & Pitching Q
Unevenness
Loose Packing
Alignment Lurching, Nosing & Y
Gauge Fault Rolling Q
Twist Rolling Q
The above track defects when occurring in cyclic form would cause
external excitation
Hence, Adequate Damping Necessary