Issues

All articles from the Railway Reports available on this website are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Issue No. 200, 2023

Editorial
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1. Longitudinal Sectioning of Overhead Contact Lines in Stations on Single-Track Lines
Damian DRATWA

Pages: 139-151

Summary. The length of standard gauge rail lines under the management of PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. is 18,522.503 km, including 11,940.509 km of electrifi ed lines. In order to ensure reliable power supply to the electric traction, as well as to ensure that work can be carried out when the voltage on the overhead contact lines is switched off or as a result of a breakdown, sectioning is used. By electrically sectioning the overhead contact line, specifi c sections of it can be switched off. The impact on station capacity as a result of a power outage in the overhead contact line depends on how the sectioning is performed. Th is performance is not strictly defi ned in the case of stations on single-track lines, where the sectioning of the overhead contact line is done in diff erent ways. The article analyses the impact of longitudinal sectioning on the possibility of running trains by electric traction, using the example of two sections of single-track railroad lines No. 15 and No. 16.

Keywords: overhead contact line, longitudinal sectioning, station capacity, track closures, maintenance of overhead contact line
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 2. Factors Determining the Development of Rail Passenger and Freight Transport on the Example of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship
Marek GRAFF

Pages: 153-170

Summary. The availability of EU funds for the modernization of infrastructure, including railways (infrastructure renovations and rolling stock purchases) has led the local authorities of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship to acquire diesel-powered rolling stock initially and later electric, too. Renovations of the railway network are – on the one hand – carried out by the infrastructure owner Polskie Linie Kolejowe (PLK), which is managed centrally, and – on the other hand – more complicated due to costs as well as legal and procedural issues (the need to comply with EU law). Thus, for example, the modernization of LK 91 Kraków – Rzeszów only began in 2011; for comparison, the first diesel vehicles were purchased by the Marshal’s Office of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship in Rzeszów in 2004, and electric vehicles in 2013. As more vehicles were acquired (by mid-2023 the number – including those ordered – was 49) and the infrastructure was renovated. Th en it was decided to launch a Suburban Agglomeration Railway (PKA), connecting Rzeszów with towns located up to 50 km from the capital of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship via the existing railway infrastructure. A comprehensive modernization of Rzeszów Główny Station is underway now including renovation of the station building. Also, due to the proximity of the border with Ukraine, the modernization of the eastbound railway lines and border stations of PLK and UZ (1435 + 1520 mm) started a few years ago. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, they proved to be much needed given the need to transport refugees and international aid to Ukraine.

Keywords: Podkarpackie Voivodeship, PLK, PKA (Suburban Railway in Podkarpacie), Jasionka Airport
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3. Basic Variants of the Analytical Method of Designing Track Geometric Layouts

 Władysław KOC

Pages: 171-185

Summary. The article presents (and extends) the basic assumptions of the analytical method for designing track geometric layouts. The individual elements of the layout (straight sections, circular arcs and transition curves) are described using mathematical equations and connected with each other while maintaining the condition of tangent compliance. The method covers various design cases: asymmetrical case, with transition curves of the same type and the same length, an asymmetrical case, resulting from diff erent types and lengths of transition curves, as well as methods of designing compound and reverse curves. The work presents a detailed design procedure for the typical, most common case in which the transition curves are symmetrical in relation to the circular arc. Two basic variants diff ering in the location of the local coordinate system are considered. In the standard (universal) variant, the location of the beginning of the system in the PL-2000 system is not known and is determined only in the final phase of the procedure. Due to this, some interpretation problems may arise. In the case of a symmetrical geometric layout, these diffi culties can be avoided thanks to the introduced modifi cation consisting of locating the origin of the local coordinate system at the intersection of two main directions of the route. The article presents computational algorithms for both discussed variants. The benefits of the introduced modifi cation are illustrated by the presented computational examples.

Keywords railroad, analytical design method, modifi cation of the local coordinate system, calculation algorithm, sample geometric layouts
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4. Key Issues Related to Permanent Way in the Work of Professor Henryk Bałuch
Andrzej MASSEL

Pages: 187-191

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5. Overview of the Areas of the Railway Research Institute Activities
Marek PAWLIK

Pages: 193-207

Summary: Railway transport employs mechanical, pneumatic, electrical, electrotechnical, relay, and electronic programmable solutions, as well as hydraulic, optical and laser-based solutions for the construction and everyday exploitation of various infrastructure and rolling stock functionalities and for supporting and documenting both operation and maintenance. The safe and reliable operation of railways depends, to a significant extent, on the proper interaction of the various technical and procedural solutions. It is based on normative documents, approval procedures and rules regarding handling technical, operational and organisational changes. The article presents the railway system’s technical complexity as well as types and formal constraints of the normative and legal documents defining technical and procedural requirements, using both of them as a background for showing the Railway Research Institute’s areas of activities from technical competencies and research facilities used in approval processes to involvement in the development of normative documents.

Keywords: railway infrastructure, railway rolling stock, approval processes, normative documents
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6. Environmental Impacts of High-Speed Rail. Part 1: Acoustic Impacts
Krzysztof POLAK

Pages: 209-216

Summary: The article discusses issues related to acoustic impacts generated by high-speed railways. It indicates the most important legal regulations concerning noise in railway transport and characterises the main sources of noise generated by highspeed railway lines. It attempts to determine the negative acoustic impact on various elements of the environment during the construction, operation and decommissioning of a high-speed railways. Furthermore, it also outlines the most frequently applied solutions to minimise this impact.

Keywords: noise, acoustic impact, high-speed railway, environmental impact of high-speed railway
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7. Electrical Endurance of DC Switching Devices
Artur ROJEK

Pages: 217-227

Summary: The article focuses on the electrical endurance testing of direct current switching devices, such as high speed circuit breakers, switch disconnectors and contactors. It presents the normative requirements for these tests and provides sample results obtained during testing conducted in the electrical laboratory of the Department of Electrical Power Engineering at the Railway Research Institute. The most commonly tested switching devices have nominal voltages of 900, 1800, and 3600 V DC, with nominal currents of up to 6.5 kA. The article also discusses phenomena and hazards that may occur during electrical endurance testing.

Keywords: electrical endurance, high speed circuit breaker, switch disconnector, contactor, DC breaking
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8. Change of the Electric Traction Power Supply System in Poland From 3 kV DC to 25 kV AC
Artur ROJEK

Pages: 229-241

Summary: The article compares the 3 kV DC and 25 kV AC railway electric traction power supply systems. Both systems were characterised, including their requirements in terms of power supply to traction substations, system losses and the influence of the choice of system on the parameters of railway traffic.

Keywords: electric traction power supply system, 3 kV DC system, 25 kV AC system, energy losses, catenary
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9. Research Issues Regarding the Impact of a Rolling Stock on a Trackside Train Detection Systems Devices
Łukasz ZAWADKA, Dominik ADAMSKI

Pages: 243-249

Summary: The paper characterises the operation and basic components of track occupancy devices that are currently used on the PKP PLK S.A. network. Furthermore research methods of measurement of railway vehicles impact on track circuits and axle counter systems as well as wheel set axle impedance measurement that are performed in Railway Research Institute were described. Examples of measurement results were presented for each of the described methods.

Keywords: track circuits, axle counters, interference, magnetic fields, EMC
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10. Aerodynamic Phenomena Caused by the Passage of a Train. Part 6: Other Infl uences. Summary of Series
Andrzej Zbieć

Pages: 251-257

Summary: This series of articles describes the aerodynamic phenomena caused by the passage of a train, characterising the effects that a train running at high speed has on itself, other trains, trackside objects and people. This impact can be of two types − generated pressure and slipstream. Apart from the literature analysis, the author’s research is also taken into account. The sixth part of the series describes mixed aerodynamic impacts on people, as well as other types of impacts, and summarises the entire series.

Keywords: rolling stock, high speed railways, aerodynamic phenomena
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All articles from the Railway Reports available on this website are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Issue No. 180, 2018

Editorial
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1. Problem of Damage to Curved Switch Rails in Ordinary Turnouts
Marcin Czarnecki, Robert Bińkowski

Pages: 79-86

Summary: The article presents the problem of excessive wear of curved switch rails in ordinary railway turnouts, which is characterized by spallings and the decrement of material on a certain length of the switch rail near the tip. The problem is important, as such wear arises in turnouts on railway lines after several months of exploitation following modernization. The probable reasons behind the excessive wear of switch rails in railway turnouts are indicated on the basis of laboratory tests performed in accordance with PN-EN 13674-1:2011 and PN-EN 13674-2+A1:2010, as well as on the basis of simulations and analyses carried out by the finite element method (FEM).

Keywords: railway turnout, turnout switch rail, non-metallic inclusions, tension stresses, finite element method
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2. Research on the Operational Properties of the New Generation of Railway Carbon Contact Strips Designated for Pantographs. Part I
Paweł Kwaśniewski, Krystian Franczak, Grzegorz Kiesiewicz, Tadeusz Knych, Andrzej Mamala, Artur Kawecki, Szymon Kordaszewski, Wojciech Ściężor, Radosław Kowal, Artur Rojek, Wiesław Majewski, Marek Kaniewski, Roman Majnusz, Romuald Wycisk, Michał Śliwka

Pages: 87-91

Summary: The system of supplying railway traction vehicles with electricity is carried out through direct contact of the contact wires with contact strips of the pantograph of the locomotive. Since 2011 in Poland, in accordance with the interoperability specification of the TSI LOC & PAS, the previously used copper contact strips have been prohibited and the use of carbon contact strips has been forced. Due to the lack of domestic solutions dedicated to railway contact lines powered with DC 3 kV, foreign solutions were adopted. In order for the contact strips to be used in Polish railway lines managed by PKP PLK S.A, they must meet a number of requirements regarding their operational properties. The first part of the article presents research on the new generation of carbon contact strips manufactured by Carbo-Graf in accordance with EN 50405:2006, which is specified in TSI LOC & PAS.

Keywords: carbon contact strips, carbon composite, pantograph, railway, contact system
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3. Preprocessing Algorithms of Vision Research Damage to Concrete Railway Sleepers
Piotr Lesiak, Aleksander Sokołowski

Pages: 93-99

Summary: The paper presents algorithms for the preprocessing of the visual method of detecting damages of concrete railway sleepers. It starts with acquiring images of the surface of the sleepers, by selecting the recorded frames of the images. Then, the color image is transformed into monochrome, so as to obtain the highest contrast possible. The Kanan and Cottrell algorithms were used for this purpose. A simple way is to segment the damage images of the sleepers, by thresholding, in order to binarize them. However, more elaborate algorithms are recommended. For this purpose, images are denoted using a median filter and further morphological operations to extract the edge of damage. For this purpose, noise is removed from images using a median filter, and morphological operations are carried out, to extract the edge of damage. In addition, texture images of the surface of the sleepers are used, removing them from the visual content. As the criterion for selecting the preprocessing algorithm, the shape of the image histogram and its standard deviation were assumed. Such prepared images form the basis for further assessment of the size of damages (cracks and voids) and classification of concrete sleepers.

Keywords: railway track, concrete sleeper, image processing algorithms
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4. Sulfur in Railway Elements
Ireneusz Mikłaszewicz, Marcin Czarnecki

Pages: 101-104

Summary: The article presents the influence of sulfur as a harmful chemical element in railway elements working under load. The Baumann test shows the segregation of sulfur in the cross-section of the wheelset axle pivot, rail, wheel tyre and coupling elements. The tests were carried out in accordance with the standards PN-87/H-05414, ISO 4968:1979, PN EN 13674-1 + A1:2017, PN EN 13261: 2011, PN-84/H-84027/06, PN-EN 10083-3: 2006 and PN-EN 15566:2016-11, which require the de-termination of sulfur content and its distribution in those elements.

Keywords: sulfur, Baumann test, railway elements
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5. Magnetic Flux Leakage Method of Railway Rails Defects diagnostics and its Place Among Mobile Means of Non-destructive Testing
Vitalij Nichoha, Volodymyr Shkliarskyi, Volodymyr Storozh, Yurij Matiieshyn,
Liubomyr Vashchyshyn

Pages: 105-119

Summary: The task of mobile railway tracks defects diagnostics is to identify and recognize dangerous defects in order to prevent possible accidents. A review of the methods for controlling the physical and mechanical characteristics of metal constructions of engineering objects of long-term exploitation, which are used under different temperature regimes and conditions, is carried out in Among the described non-destructive methods on the used physical fields are allocated: magnetic, acoustic, electromagnetic, thermal and electrical. Electromagnetic methods are successfully used in various industries, such as the railway industry, the metal-working industry, the drilling, nuclear waste storage and so on. In particular, in the railway industry, using the technique of measuring the electromagnetic field of an alternating current, checks of carriages, wheel pairs and tracks are carried out. Recently, hybrid systems of diagnostics on the basis of carriages-defectoscopes are actively used to detect defects in railway tracks while simultaneously using magnetic, ultrasonic, visual-measuring and optical methods of non-destructive control. The high efficiency of new methods for constructing the information diagnostic system (IDS) of mobile magnetic railway tracks defectoscopy objectively depends on the successful solution of the certain contradiction: this is the provision of high resolution and sensitivity of IDS for the detection, differentiation and classification of the defects signals – on the one hand, and on the other hand – reduction of the time allocated for the defectoscopic examination in the conditions of various obstacles and the need for defects detection in the early stages of their development. Solving this contradiction with the use of modern methods of railway tracks defects signals processing and new small size multichannel and component sensors forms the content of an important application problem, which is considered in this article.

Keywords: information diagnostic system, railway tracks defectoscopy, component sensors, non-destructive magnetic methods, wavelet analysis and neural networks
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6. Concept of Integrating the Łódź and Kielce TEN-T Hubs
Jan Raczyński, Tomasz Bużałek, Agata Pomykała

Pages: 121-132

Summary: The article presents an analysis of the economic and transport connections between the Łódź and Świętokrzyskie regions, in particular between Łódź and Kielce. Shortages in the railway network, which make it impossible to effectively use rail-way transport for both passenger and freight transport, were identified. An analysis was also performed concerning the use of opportunities arising from the course of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) through the territory of both regions. A program of necessary infrastructure investment was also proposed.

Keywords: transport, regional development, transportation systems
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7. Optimization of the Efficiency of Braking Energy Recovery in Rail Transport by Changing Arrival Time
Michał Urbaniak, Ewa Kardas-Cinal

Pages: 133-139

Summary: The article refers to the previous work of the authors, in which the model of traffic organization of cooperating trains including the optimization of the use of energy returned to the catenary was presented. In the presented article, the model was modified by changing the main control variable, which affects the efficient use of energy. Departure time was changed for the arrival time of the train to the stop or station. The optimization is done by controlling the arrival time to the station in the acceptable (scheduled) range while maintaining the scheduled departure time. This model assumed optimization using the interval halving method (bisection) to achieve the optimal solution. The modified optimization method has been implemented in the original model of railway traffic organization. It considers the optimal use of energy recovered during electrodynamic braking using the energy transmission strategy to the catenary, assuming the cooperation of a train pair and volume of all recovered energy and stop time at the station.

Keywords: rail transport, regenerative braking, optimization of energy recuperation, traffic organization
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All articles from the Railway Reports available on this website are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Issue No. 179, 2018

Editorial
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1. Accreditation of Calibration Procedures for Specialised Measuring Instruments Utilized in Railway Transport; Selected Issues
Klaudia Bednaruk

Pages: 7-11

Summary: The paper presents issues associated with the calibration and supervision of railway specific measuring instruments. It starts with considerations regarding the benefits associated with the measuring instruments calibration, especially regarding calibration performed by accredited laboratories. Attention is paid to the importance of maintaining traceability and keeping knowledge about measuring instruments’ errors in the context of railway transport safety. It analyses why the number of metrological laboratories offering accredited calibration of railway specific instruments in Poland is insufficient. The paper makes use of the experience of the Railway Institute Metrological Laboratory. In particular, it uses experience gained in 2017 during the accreditation of AC resistance measurements, which are utilized for accredited measurements of the resistance of slippers with fastening systems, wheel wear profile measurements with analogue callipers, buffer centre line height over rails running surface measurements and wheel tread diameter measurements based on two contact-points.

Keywords: calibration, accreditation, measuring instruments
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2. ICT in the Polish Railway Industry
Stanisław Gago

Pages: 13-19

Summary: The article intends to discuss the impact of the development of IT and logistics systems on the development of ICT networks in the context of practical application in the area of transport, especially in the area of railway transport in Poland. At present, PKP PLK is involved in the construction of a teletransmission network, to be used mainly with ERTMS. Ac-cording to the author, development of the network should be planned in such a way that this network is able to satisfy the current and future needs of all railway companies in the area of data transmission, making it possible for such railway companies to extend their range of ICT services to include other forms of transport. Systems of railway traffic control should be established within a physically isolated fibre-optic network (isolated fibres in fibre-optic cables).

Keywords: Broadband ICT networks, 5G technologies, ICT in the railway industry, Internet of Things (IoT), Physical Internet (PI)
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3. The Analysis of Selected Issues of Signalling System Selection for a Railway Line with Set Railway Service and Traffic Parameter
Magdalena Kycko, Wiesław Zabłocki

Pages: 21-26

Summary: One of the essential elements of the railway transport modernization in Poland is the implementation of modern systems of interoperable ERTMS / ETCS (European Rail Traffic Management System / European Train Control System) fulfilling the tasks and functions of CCS (control-command and signalling) systems. The investment process including the implementation of ERTMS / ETCS requires prior development of a number of documents, which include feasibility study, terms of reference, a description of the contract and many others. The initiation of the investment process is preceded by a series of activities including the evaluation and selection of the right target railway traffic control system for the selected railway line. Due to the interoperability requirements, it becomes necessary to develop methods for assessment of the possible ERTMS / ETCS configurations and later selection of a configuration for a railway line with predefined service and traffic parameters. The aim of the publication is to present a concept that can be considered as the basis for methods of analysis and rail control traffic system selection. The sample line, which was selected to carry out research and analysis, is a section of the selected railway line section of the railway line No. 7 due to its strategic location and traffic load.

Keywords: system, rail traffic control, ERTMS/ETC
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4. The Central Polish Airport in the Rail Transport System
Agata Pomykała

Pages: 27-35

Summary: The implementation of a multi-faceted undertaking related to the preparation, construction and commissioning of the Central Polish Airport (CPK) requires efficient transport. The selected location – 30 km from Warsaw, near Grodzisk Mazowiecki, where there already is a large concentration of transport routes and high speed railway lines are planned for construction – will facilitate the completion of this project. The article presents the transport environment of the CPK, the significant conditions and the capabilities in terms of transporting passengers to and from the airport by rail, including the division into metropolitan area and regional traffic and considering long-distance traffic, as well. One of the key requirements for the success of the project will be integrating the airport with the regional, national and international railway networks.

Keywords: railway transport, airport, transport system, integration
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5. The Accessibility of Transport as an Economic Category
Zdzisław Wojdygowski

Pages: 37-48

Summary: This article attempts to organize concepts, classifications and methods of measurement, as well as to identify the factors affecting the accessibility of transport. The available reference literature does not offer a uniform, clear and unambiguous definition of transport accessibility. Due to the necessity for a change in the direction of transport policy in relation to the development of transport, the need for a more precise interpretation of transport accessibility, essential to research or practice, has been emphasized herein. The accessibility of transport as an economic category is placed in the areas of both the supply of services and transportation needs. The importance of the issue of transport accessibility stems from the role played by transport – an area of crucial importance in ensuring economic growth of the country. The passenger transport market in Poland is an example of the significance of the linear and nodal transport infrastructure as a factor determining the quality of transport accessibility. There is also emphasis on the necessity for a gradual modernization of the transport infrastructure with the aim of improving the level of services to guarantee that the quality-related needs of today’s customers are met.

Keywords: transport accessibility, transport infrastructure, railway infrastructure
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6. Tests of Running Safety Under Large Compressive Longitudinal Forces
Andrzej Zbieć

Pages: 49-57

Summary: The article presents the cause of derailment of empty two-axle wagons placed in long freight train-sets together with bogie wagons, as well as research conducted to prevent this phenomenon, which was concluded by introducing appropriate statements in the UIC leaflet 530-2, and then in the European Standard EN 15839. It also presents activities undertaken during the preparation and performance of the tests, requirements for the test track and for the wagons’ composition in the train-set, conditions during the tests, values being measured and respective evaluation criteria, principles applicable to the result analysis, as well as a sample chart for a single ride and regressions for various criterions. Examples of wagons which were tested in this way are also given.

Keywords: running safety; reverse shunting test; longitudinal forces
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All articles from the Railway Reports available on this website are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Issue No. 181, 2018

Editorial
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1. From an Experimental Division to the Railway Research Institute
Andrzej Massel

Pages: 81-90

Summary: In 1923, in the then Ministry of Railways, an Experimental Division, with Professor Albert Czeczott as its head, was established. The purpose of the Division was to specify the characteristic structural and operational features of the particular types of steam locomotives, especially new ones, and to test inventions and devices in order to verify their value and usefulness. Most of the research was conducted in railway sections located in the Eastern Borderlands of the Second Polish Republic, in the Vilnius Directorate. By 1938, the features of 26 steam locomotives had been described.
In connection with the introduction of new, heavier types of locomotives in the 1930s, new research on track response to increased dynamic load commenced. The research was carried out by Aleksander Wasiutyński, a professor of the Warsaw University of Technology. The research carried out at the Włochy post allowed, among others, the resilience coefficient of the track bed to be determined based on the vertical bending of tracks. In 1934, the Central Research Laboratory of the Polish State Railways was established in order to improve and standardize the quality of the materials supplied to the railways. The development of railway research in Poland was interrupted by World War II. However, in 1945, the Experimental Division of the Ministry of Transport was re-established and research on railway vehicles was re-commenced. In 1951, utilizing the resources of the Division and the Central Laboratory, the Railway Science and Research Institute (today’s Railway Research Institute) was formed.

Keywords: testing, rolling stock, steam locomotive, laboratory, track
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2. Rail Vehicle Model Dynamics of Motion Along Straight Track with Vertical Irregularity
Mirosław Dusza

Pages: 91-97

Summary: During the long-term exploitation of railway tracks, possible changes in ground conditions may result in downgrading the quality of the drainage systems. The lack of adequate drainage of the track substructure leads to a lowering of the track formation cohesion ensured during the track construction phase as a result of ballast tamping. This potentially leads to pushing ballast into the subsoil, affecting the ballast which is present directly below the sleepers loaded during passage of the vehicles. As a result, the sleepers are no longer supported by ballast. The loss of support may affect a single sleeper or a set of neighbouring sleepers, depending of the length of the zone with inadequate drainage. Rail vehicle runs over such zones cause track vertical irregularities. This article is devoted to analysis of the influence of such irregularities on the rail vehicle dynamics. An arrangement model comprising a passenger coach and ballasted track was created with the VI-Rail tool. Coach runs were simulated within the range of operational speeds. Attention was paid to observation of the wheel-rail contact forces, which appeared during runs over different lengths of vertical irregularities. The obtained results are compared with currently binding criteria and regulations.

Keywords: rail vehicle dynamics, track irregularities, wheel-rail contact forces, numerical simulation
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3. Measurements of the Magnetic Fields Generated by Electronic Devices Installed on Railways Rolling Stock
Łukasz John, Artur Dłużniewski

Pages: 99-106

Summary: This paper covers the measurements of the AC and DC magnetic fields generated by electrical and electronic equipment in-stalled on rolling stock. It discusses the methodology for measuring magnetic fields with the EN 50500 standard. Moreover, it covers measuring equipment used for testing and methods of selecting measurement points inside and outside the rolling stock. The article shows exemplary results of measurements on the example of diesel and electrical railway rolling stock.

Keywords:railway rolling stock, magnetic induction, methodology of measurements, measuring equipment
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4. Analysis of Turnouts with Non-linear Curvature of Diverging Track for Different Train Running Speeds
Władysław Koc

Pages: 107-116

Summary: The paper deals with the issue of shaping variable curvature in diverging track of a railway turnout. A solution without a circular arc in the central zone, containing two zones of nonlinear curvature with the same length and zero curvature values at the end points, was adopted as a model, on the basis of previously conducted dynamic tests. The optimum type of curvature was selected from the perspective of the kinematic conditions. An analytical record of the curvature and the tangent inclination angle along the diverging track and of the Cartesian coordinates of the diverging track are presented. The obtained theoretical correlations were verified by computing. Verified correlations were used to determine geometrical parameters of some turnouts with non-linear curvature of the diverging track for different assumed train running speeds on it. The criterion was to minimize the length of the entire turnout with a predefined ordinate of the end of its diverging track.

Keywords: railway turnouts, diverging track, curvature modelling
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5.  Research on the Operational Properties of the New Generation of Railway Carbon Contact Strips Designated for Pantographs. Part II
Paweł Kwaśniewski, Krystian Franczak, Grzegorz Kiesiewicz, Tadeusz Knych, Andrzej Mamala, Artur Kawecki, Szymon Kordaszewski, Wojciech Ściężor, Radosław Kowal, Artur Rojek, Wiesław Majewski, Marek Kaniewski, Roman Majnusz, Romuald Wycisk, Michał Śliwka

Pages: 117-121

Summary: Along with the continuous expansion and modernization of railway lines in Poland, there is a need for new solutions designed to transfer electricity in the traction contact lines. One of the key elements of the electricity transfer from the traction contact lines to locomotives is the carbon contact strip. In Poland until 2011, contact strips made of copper were used which caused much faster wear of contact wires. The order to use carbon contact strips, due to the lack of domestic solutions, meant that foreign solutions in this area were adopted. Due to the type of Polish railway lines, which are supplied with 3 kV DC, adapted contact strips show a number of problems during operation in traction lines in Poland. This article is the second part of the study of the new generation of contact strips and has been focused on the research of exploitation properties that enable their use in railway lines managed by PKP PLK S.A., namely the President of UTK List.

Keywords: carbon contact strips, carbon composite, pantograph, railway, contact system
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6. Non-Metallic Materials in Rail Vehicles – Application and Recycling
Jolanta Maria Radziszewska-Wolińska

Pages: 123-127

Summary: The article features the reasons for the relative lack of interest in the recycling of rail vehicles and presents available methods for recycling plastics (mechanical, raw material, biological and energetic recycling) as well as some materials made from natural raw materials. Prorecycling activities are also discussed. It is pointed out that the success of recycling requires cooperation within social, technological, economic, manufacturing, environmental and political realms.

Keywords: plastics, mechanical recycling, raw material recycling, energy recovery, circular economy, rail vehicles
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7. Co-financing of the Activities of Railway Infrastructure Managers Under the Multi-Annual Program Based on Article 38a of the Polish Law on Railway Transport
Marek Stolorz

Pages: 129-137

Summary: The article discusses the issue of changes to the system of financing railway infrastructure managers, which the concepts of a multi-annual program and a multi-annual contract implementing this program have been introduced to. The existing solutions allow the comprehensive co-financing of the operations of infrastructure managers with public funds, unlike the previous solutions, where the focus was only on investment operations. The multi-annual program is also a way to guarantee financing over a longer period of time, being a form of departure from the principle of budget annuality. Thanks to the program and the accompanying multi-annual contract, it is guaranteed that an infrastructure manager will receive public funds; however, its activities have to be in accordance with the contract. A multi-annual contract may also be executed between an infrastructure manager and a local government entity; however, this is not obligatory, and therefore may have a negative impact on regional railway infrastructure. The article also presents the evolution of the solutions concerning the financing of railway infrastructure managers and briefly discusses each of them.

Keywords: multi-annual program, multi-annual contract, law on railway transport, infrastructure managers, financing of infrastructure
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8. Environmentally Friendly Recycling of Wooden Railway Sleepers
Andrzej Wojciechowski, Adam Doliński, Jolanta Maria Radziszewska-Wolińska, Marta Wołosiak

Pages: 139-146

Summary: The paper presents directions for ensuring development while protecting the environment and natural resources. Mineral raw materials and natural energy resources should be replaced by secondary raw materials from post-consumer and post-production waste, which is constantly increasing. These demands are the basis of the Community program: Zero Waste for Europe. The circular economy concept should also be implemented in the rail sector to ensure proper waste management as well as energy savings and material recovery. The recycling process should include, among others, depleted wooden railway sleepers impregnated with creosote oil, which cause a great environmental problem.
The principles of application and requirements for wooden railway elements impregnated with creosote oil are discussed. There are also factors that impede a comprehensive approach to recycling of the products concerned. At the same time, methods for the thermal decomposition of organic waste by thermolysis and properties of the obtained products from old wooden railway sleepers are characterized.

Keywords: thermal decomposition, waste, Circular Economy, creosote oil, railway sleepers
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