Methods of loading gondola cars with bulk cargo are considered and possible types of non-uniform cargo distribution in the car bodies are established. The most common methods of levelling bulk cargo in gondola cars in the Ukrainian railway network are determined. Designs of equipment for mechanization of levelling bulk cargo in gondola cars are presented, their advantages and disadvantages are considered. Based on the given analysis, it is established that the most efficient way to ensure compliance with the current regulations on the placement of cargo in cars is the timely detection of non-compliance with these requirements at the stage of loading. The analysis of existing methods for determining the non-uniformity of cargo distribution in the car bodies was conducted. Based on this analysis, a new method for determining the nonuniform distribution of bulk cargo in the car bodies is proposed, which can be used to preestimate the compliance of the actual placement of bulk cargo in the car body with the requirements of current regulatory documents immediately after loading and take prompt measures to eliminate the identified inconsistencies.

The article considers the problem of determining the rational geometric parameters of friction cable drums of capstan shunting winches. The basic technical means for performing shunting works within the cargo yards of railway stations and industrial enterprises are given. Today, shunting locomotives are the most common means of shunting works at railway stations and cargo yards of industrial enterprises. However, using them is not economically feasible for small amounts of shunting. Both sheave-type and capstan shunting winches are often used to move individual cars or groups of cars along the freight front. In the capstan shunting winches, a frictional drum of infinite coiling length is used, which rotates around a horizontal axis. It is established that the known sources give only the theoretical principles of the operation of drums of infinite coiling length and do not contain any practical recommendations for the design and operation of capstan shunting winches. The article provides a theoretical study of the forces of friction that occur between the drum and the cable, as well as between the cable lines when drums with different profiles of working surfaces are used. It was found that in shunting winches, the coefficient of friction of the rope along the drum can increase by 2.5 times, as a result of which it is necessary to increase the curvature of the profile of the drum. Also, friction forces between adjacent branches of a cable wound on a winch drum are considered. On the basis of the conducted study, recommendations on the type and geometrical parameters of cable drums of capstan shunting winches are proposed, which are aimed at extending the service life of traction cables of these mechanisms.