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It is known that railway turnouts demand more maintenance than other parts of the railway track network because of large impact loads generated by the variation of wheel-rail contact conditions along the turnout and through the crossing. A method using VAMPIRE® modelling to determine the wheel impact forces due to passing turnout has been developed and presented in this article. The simulation shows that both turnout curve and crossing have significant effect on the wheel impact forces; the vertical impact forces from the turnout case are not significantly different from the wheels travelling straight through.

Lateral force components and impacts from couplers can adversely affect wagon stability. These issues are significant in longer and heavier trains increasing the risk of wagon rollover, wheel climb, wagon body pitch, bogie pitch and wagon lift-off. Modelling of coupler angles has been added to normal longitudinal train simulation to allow comprehensive study of lateral components of coupler forces. Lateral coupler forces are then combined with centripetal inertia calculations to determine quasi-static lateral forces, quasi-static vertical forces and quasi-static bogie lateral to vertical ratio, allowing the study of stringlining, buckling and wagon rollover risks. The approach taken allows for different rolling stock lengths, overhang and coupling lengths, and allows the study of angles occurring in transitions. Wagon body and bogie pitch are also studied with enhancements added to previous modelling to allow the study of wagon lift-off.

Railway operators are continually increasing the length and weight of heavy haul trains to achieve reduced operating costs and increase network capacity. With longer and heavier trains, it becomes increasingly difficult for human operators to control the train optimally. The three main objectives of train control are minimizing journey time, minimizing energy usage, and minimizing in-train dynamics. This article reviews published train control optimization methods used in passenger, freight, and long heavy haul trains with a view of determining which methods would be best applied to the optimization of heavy haul train control.

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