Gondola cars: technical characteristics. Gondola cars are universal

The construction of freight cars is carried out in such a way that in the future the transported raw materials and products remain intact. In addition, such railway equipment should be collected in such a way that it would be possible to carry out the transportation as quickly as possible. There are several types of freight cars. Transportation can be carried out, for example, by hoppers or on platforms. All these models have different technical characteristics. Gondola cars are universal, however, at the moment are the most common type on the railways, used universally.

Design Features

The main distinguishing features of such cars are the absence of a roof and high sides. The goods transported in this case are poured or placed in the body on top - with the use of special equipment. Today a special kind of gondola cars equipped with a removable roof is often used on Russian railways. The advantage of such models is the convenience of loading in combination with the possibility of transportation, including products or raw materials sensitive to adverse weather conditions.

What can be used for?

Gondola cars are intended for transportation, especially loose and piece cargo. It is also possible to transport small-sized and packaged in them. So, for example, in gondola cars such bulk cargoes are often transported, as:

• iron ore;
• Crushed stone and gravel;
• An empty breed (on dumps);
• coal;
• Logs and lumber;
• Grain of rye, wheat, etc.

It is for transporting such goods and have models without a roof suitable technical characteristics. Gondola cars are usually designed for a track of 1520 cm, and therefore can only be operated in Russia and the countries of the former CIS.

Common models

By now, several types of universal gondola cars are used on the Russian railways. In the marking of each of them is usually present the figure 12. It means it is a gondola car. Different models can differ in different ways: maximum load capacity, volume, length, design speed, service life.

Specifications

From what parameters the gondola cars differ, first of all, its performance depends. In the table below, you can see which particular model has technical characteristics. Gondola cars, considered in it, are used on the Russian railways most often.

The dimensions of the gondola, as you can see, can vary considerably. Depending on this, this or that model can be used to transport different volumes of cargo. The performance of gondola cars from this indicator, however, is practically independent. The main impact on the economic profitability of using a particular model has a completely different factor. The performance of the car is determined in the first place, taking into account its carrying capacity.

Brakes all such models are equipped not only with pneumatic automatic, but also with manual parking. Also in most cases, gondola cars have an automatic coupler designed to hold together the units of the vehicle without human intervention.

Body Construction

The technical characteristics of this main part of the gondola are special. The frame of the bodies of the models of this kind is strengthened by a spinal (passing along the central axis) beam, consisting of two welded Z-profiles. A freight gondola car is usually made of metal. At the same time, its skin has trough-shaped punches. The sides of the body of gondola cars are strengthened with a special frame consisting of upper and lower straps, corner, intermediate and pivot pillars.

The frame of the body of the car rests on the chassis. On it, among other things, there are elements of brake equipment and shock-traction devices. In the car body there are usually two end doors. They are necessary, first of all, to facilitate the work of forklifts. The latter, in the presence of such a supplement, have the opportunity to call directly inside the gondola car. In addition, self-propelled vehicles are often loaded through the doors.

The bottom of open wagons is usually equipped with hinges, staples and hooks designed to secure loads. These elements allow you to deliver goods to your destination intact and intact.

Loading and unloading hatches of gondola cars

Lumpy raw materials are poured into such cars, as already mentioned, from above. Unloading can be done in two ways. Sometimes it is performed on a special tilting device with a receiving chamber. But most of the bulk cargo is poured yet through the floor, which is the covers of several hatches. In this case, the car is previously driven to special tracks with receivers on both sides. Further, the lid holders are knocked out for the load to be poured. Most often gondola cars are equipped with fourteen lower hatches. Sometimes their number is 16. For models equipped with a removable cover, there are also upper hatches. They are used for loading bulk material or products.

Special purpose gondola cars and hoppers

It is universal models with unloading hatches that are considered to be the most convenient in operation, since they have excellent technical characteristics. Special purpose gondolas, however, can also sometimes be used on railways. Unloading hatches in such models are missing, and their side walls are deaf. There are also no end doors in their bodies. Such gondola cars are used mainly for transportation of special cargoes on closed routes.

Very often, hoppers are used to transport raw materials. This is the name for models that look like a bunker. They can also be attributed to one of the types of gondola cars. The body of such models is a trapezoidal funnel with lower hatches. The advantages of this type of gondola cars include, among other things, the convenience of unloading.

Dumpers (dump cars)

The main distinguishing feature of such models are the low side walls of the body. The dimensions of the gondola car of this type are not too large. But if necessary, the boards of the dumpcars easily recline. In this case, the platform of the car itself can be tilted to the side. As a result, the load is completely emptied into the receiver. The inclination of the body in dumpcars is provided by special pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders. Such gondola cars are used mainly in the coal and metallurgical industries. In the first case, overburden rocks are transported on them, in the second - rocks or ores. The carrying capacity of dump cars can reach 145 tons or more.

Gondola cars are universal: productivity

Today, on the roads of Russia and the countries of the former CIS, only four- and eight-axle models of gondola cars run. The second variety is, of course, more productive. The carrying capacity of a four-axle wagon does not exceed 70-75 tons. The difference in this case can be plus / minus one ton. Some models of eight-axle wagons are allowed to use 130 tons of cargo for transportation. Sometimes RZhD and industrial enterprises operate and more modern expensive universal gondola cars, designed for 200 tons.

Tara

This term refers to the weight of an empty gondola car. This indicator depends mainly on the number of axes of the model, as well as on the volume of its body. Most often on the railways used gondola cars weighing 21-22 tons. However, there are also more heavy models, the weight of which is 29-43 tons.

Which factories are engaged in manufacturing

The first universal open-top wagons appeared in Russia in 1861. They were bought abroad for the Grushevskaya railway and were intended for transportation of coal. Subsequently, engineers of Russian factories copied their design, and the same wagons began to be produced directly in our country. Today, 11 large enterprises located in different regions of Russia are engaged in the manufacture of such structures.

So, for example:

1. Ural Carriage Works, created in the 30s of the last century, produces about 17 thousand of these models a year.
2. The products of the Tikhvin enterprise of this specialization account for 12% of the total Russian market.
3. The production facilities of the Tver plant are designed for the production of 1000 wagons of different designs per year. This enterprise, among other things, produces passenger carriages.
4. Kaliningrad Carriage Works delivers products to the market for more than 150 years. At the moment he is the only developer and the main supplier to the Russian dumpcar market.

The main supplier of gondola cars to the Russian market at the moment is the Urals Plant (UVZ). In addition to domestic models, RZhD is often used and manufactured in Ukraine at the Kryukovsky enterprise.

Requirements of GOST

Of course, when making gondola cars, like any other equipment, certain standards must be observed. So:

• For the production of load-bearing structures it is allowed to use only low-alloy or anti-corrosion steel;
• The gondola brake system is compulsorily equipped with composite shoes;
• When assembling individual elements, the welding methods appropriate to regulatory documents should be used.

To paint cars, according to specifications, only GOST-based paint and varnish materials should be used. Marking on the body and frame should be applied only in the places provided for in the drawings.

Cost of equipment

Buying a gondola car, an enterprise usually pays attention to its carrying capacity, ease of use, year of manufacture and service life. Basically, the cost of a specific model depends on these indicators. Wholesale prices for universal equipment start from about 650-700 thousand rubles.

Very often, enterprises do not purchase a railway freight car, but lease it. The cost of such a service is usually about 700 rubles per day.

Equipment

Together with the gondola itself, the manufacturer must, according to the standards, supply the buyer:

• Technical passport of the form ВУ4;
• Instruction manual;
• Technical description of the model.

Also, in accordance with the supply agreement, complete with the gondola car can be the repair documentation and spare parts. Transportation of purchased equipment to the place of operation is carried out as a load on its axes.