Rail Car Adhesion and

Wheel Slide Protection Systems

Delivered by: Gil Olvera
Originating from: Downtown Baltimore Office

REMOTE PARTICIPANTS
 Please mute your phone by dialing *6*. To un-mute, dial *6* again.
 Please do NOT put your phone on HOLD.
 If your screen freezes, please log out and then log in again before
contacting the STV Help Desk.
• STV is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of
Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/CES). Credit(s)
earned on completion of this program will be reported to AIA/CES
for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members
and non-AIA members are available upon request.

This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional

education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed
or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any
material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using,
distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

• Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will

be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

2
 Learning Objectives
At the end of this program, participants will be able to:

1. Discuss the difference between wheel slide,

wheel slip, and wheel creep in rail vehicles.
2. Determine why wheel slide happens.
3. Calculate the “adhesion demand” by knowing
only the train deceleration rate and grade.
4. Advise others on why wheel flats should be
avoided.
5. Describe how a wheel slide protection system
works.
3
What is Wheel Slide, Slip, Creep?
 Wheel slide is the condition where one or more axles on
a rail car or locomotive lock or stop spinning and slide
along the rail.
 Wheel slip occurs when axles spin faster than theoretical
speed during acceleration due to low “Adhesion.”
 Wheel creep occurs when adhesion is low and axles
spin slower than theoretical speed but do not lock.
 All three are caused by traction or braking forces and
insufficient adhesion between running rail and wheels.
 Focus of this presentation is Wheel Slide, which is very
detrimental to rail equipment and impedes system
operation.

4
Why Slip – Slide Happens
 Most trains run with steel wheels on steel rails.
 Lack of adhesion will cause the wheel to lose
rolling action, thus causing a slip or complete
slide under load from traction or braking effort.
 Adhesion Demand is the minimum level of
friction required to keep a wheel rolling on rails.
 Adhesion demand is often stated as a %, (i.e.
0.20 = 20%).
 When actual adhesion is below the demand, the
wheels will start slipping or sliding.

5
Why Slip – Slide Happens
 A locked wheel delivers less retarding force than
a rotating wheel with brakes applied and
extends the braking distance.
 Locked wheels will cause flat spots, which are
highly undesirable.
 Brake systems most prone to wheel slide have
disc brakes only.
 Tread brakes allow some amount of wheel
cleaning or scrubbing to increase adhesion.

6
Wheel Flats
 Wheel flat damage is the result of sustained
sliding.
 With increasing speeds, flats create a loud,
buzzing noise that disrupts passenger comfort.
 Flats cause high impact loading and vibrations
that damage rails and truck-mounted equipment.
 Heat generated from sliding can alter wheel
steel micro-structure (embrittlement), causing
spalls and voids.
 Repairs are costly; cars are out of service for
wheel turning or wheel replacement.

7
Flat Spots

8
Flat Spots

9
Flat Spots

10
Wheel Flat Avoidance
 Modern rail vehicles are equipped with a wheel
slide protection (WSP) system.
 WSP is typically part of the brake system scope.
 Sanding system is often included with WSP
 Train operators can minimize wheel slide by
braking earlier with a lower brake rate and
“drive” the train into the station.
– Wheel slide system has a good chance of preventing
flats under very low adhesion.

11
What is Adhesion Demand?
What is Adhesion Demand
 Adhesion demand is the minimum level of
friction required to keep a wheel rotating on
running rails.
 The adhesion demand can be calculated and
depends on the acceleration or braking rate.
Does not depend on weight, passenger load,
or speed.
 Equation: The instantaneous deceleration or
acceleration rate in (f/s/s) divided by gravity
rate (32.17 f/s/s).
 Grade is factored in as needed.

12
Adhesion Demand
Adhesion
The adhesion demand is affected by uphill and downhill
grade (slope). Uphill grade reduces adhesion demand;
downhill increases adhesion demand.

Inst. Brake Rate (f/s/s)

Adhesion Demand = ------------------------ + or (-) Grade
32.17 (f/s/s)

Add Grade, if downhill

Subtract Grade, if uphill

13
Adhesion Demand

Here is an example:
 Train brakes at 3.0 mphps.
 Rate converts to 4.40 f/s/s.
 Downhill grade is 2.0%.
 Adhesion Demand is:
4.40 +.02 = 0.16 (16%)
32.17

14
Braking adhesion demand in rail and
rubber tire vehicles

 Passenger Rail 2.0 – 5.0 f/s/s = 0.05 - 0.16

 Tractor-Trailer 15.5 f/s/s = 0.48
 City transit bus 17 f/s/s = 0.53
 Pick up truck 28 f/s/s = 0.88
 Automobile 30 f/s/s = 0.95
 Formula 1 race car 70 f/s/s = 2.18

15
Low Adhesion Conditions

 Normal adhesion between dry, clean steel rails

and wheels typically is above 0.10 or 10%.
 Low adhesion under moist, wet conditions is
under 10% and can be near 5% under icy
conditions.
 Worst-case adhesion under slippery leaf film can
be below 5%.

16
Low Adhesion Causes

 Moisture from condensation, rain, frost, snow,

ice storms.
 Dirty rails from environmental soot, dirt/mud,
debris build-up on surfaces.
 Autumn leaves falling on rails and constantly
crushed from train traffic leave a slippery pectin
film which becomes hard and wax-like, hard to
rinse off.

17
Leaf matter gets everywhere

Dried leaf matter found in track brake assembly

18
Wheel Slide Protection System
Definition: A automatic system added to each rail vehicle to
detect, control, and prevent wheel slides.

 System is closed loop micro-processor controlled with axle

speeds as primary inputs and brake effort modulation as the
primary output.
 Speed sensors measure each axle rotation.
 Speed signals connected to the WSP controller are
measured and compared to each other or a reference ground
speed.
 If one or more axles have lower rotation speeds than the
reference axle, the system sees that as nearing slide.
 Micro-processor alters braking on/off in pulses on one or more
trucks to allow a controlled amount of creep and re-gain axle
rolling.

19
Wheel Slide Protection System
 WSP is “per truck based” and controls the truck
braking where the sliding axle is detected.
 Per axle control requires a dump valve
(apply/release) on every axle. However this
increases complexity, lowers reliability, and, in many
applications, not entirely advantageous.
 Computer can determine the correct reduction of
braking with constant adjustment until the slide is
under control, also trying not to under-brake and
increase braking distance.
 Wheel creep can be controlled at higher speeds to
improve adhesion.
 Resulting braking rates and distances are affected.

20
Wheel Slide Protection System
 WSP can work down to very low adhesion
levels, e.g., 5% (0.05).
 A safety timer is set to around 5 seconds and
shuts off WSP if the slide is not controllable.
 Automatic sanding system is activated when
wheel slide signal indicates WSP is active.
 Air and hydraulic brakes work similarly.
Hydraulic brakes have faster response times
due to fluid being incompressible.
 Hydraulic brakes are used in light rail and urban
trams.

21
WSP System 2-Truck Car Example

ECU1 ECU2

MR

BCU1 BCU2

DMV DMV

22
WSP Equipment
 WSP Electronic Control Unit:
– May be stand alone or integrated into brake
ECU.
– Each car may have one control unit with
separate control boards per truck, or may
have one separate control unit per truck.
– WSP software is specialized, tunable for each
application with various adjustable
parameters.

23
WSP Equipment
 Dump Magnet Valve:
– Typically a two solenoid valve (apply/release)
assembly for rapidly venting, holding, and
recharging brake cylinder pressure (BC), one
per truck.
– Valve unit is mounted close to the truck BC
piping for rapid response.
– Uses Main Reservoir (MR) supply for
recharging or piloting.
– Uses pressure transducer for BC pressure
feedback.

24
Electronic Controller

Knorr Bremse ASV1-S1 (MGS3 system)

Wabtec Decelostat Controller Type E7 on test bench

25
Dump Valves

Knorr Bremse ASV1-S1 (MGS3 system)

Knorr wheel slide dump valve on light rail vehicle.

26
Dump Valves

Knorr Bremse ASV1-S1 (MGS3 system)

Wabtec air dump valve unit D1 on test bench.

27
Dump Valves

Knorr Bremse ASV1-S1 (MGS3 system)

Knorr’s new advanced design, more compact, lightweight.

28
WSP Equipment
 Speed Sensors:
– One for each axle monitors RPM.
– Can be mounted on axle end, motor shaft.
– Typically “active” powered magnetic pick-up
type, single or multi-channel.
– Signal characteristics must be compatible
with WSP controller.
– Axle speed distributed to one or more ECU
or WSP controllers.

29
WSP Equipment
 Sanding System
– Sanding increases adhesion for short
durations.
– Sand is commanded to apply during WSP
activity.
– Sand is sprayed ahead of the first axle onto
rail head.
– Sanding System also is used in slip conditions
and Emergency Brake application.

30
Speed Sensor

Knorr Bremse ASV1-S1 (MGS3 system)

Honeywell speed sensor mounted to top of axle gearbox.

31
WSP Testing
 Wheel slide system performance is optimized to
specific vehicle and train operation.
 Testing now follows UIC 541-05 standard.
 WSP validation process tests reaction to low
adhesion, stable control of wheel creep, ability to
avoid sliding, and evaluating resulting braking
rates and distances.
 Low adhesion is sometimes artificially created to
induce slides and trigger the WSP.

32
WSP Testing
 Tracks are wetted ahead of lead axle using
spray system on-board test train.
 Wetting agent consists of water and detergent
such as dish soap or windshield washer fluid.
 Mixture can be adjusted depending on how
slides are induced.
 Sanding system is turned off in order to isolate
WSP performance.
 Adhesion is determined by calculation based on
deceleration rate during slide event.
 Target is to get 0.06-.08 adhesion.
33
WSP Testing

 Testing is conducted at the highest service

speeds and highest service brake rates, both
blended and friction only.
 Test conducted at empty weight as higher load
has a tendency to increase available adhesion
(mainly scrubbing tread brake shoes on tires).

34
WSP Testing

 Emergency brake WSP testing is not typically

required (WSP may not be available during EB)
 Results are reviewed as signals, axle speeds,
reference speed, and BC vs. time graphs.
 Resulting brake rates and distances are
compared to base line tests.
 Wheels are inspected for flat spots.

35
WSP Testing

Sample WSP Testing Result

36
WSP Suppliers

 Wabtec “Decelostat” air system. Current

generation is E-7 (US).
 Wabtec Poli S.P.A. “Athena” air system (Italy).
 Knorr Brake (Bremse) “MGS2” air and hydraulic
systems. New “MSG3” system. (Germany)
 Selectron “800” air system (Czech Rep.)
 SIEMENS (Germany)
 Faiveley “EPAC” air system (France)

37
Review of Objectives
1. Discuss the difference between wheel slide,
wheel slip, and wheel creep in rail vehicles.
2. Determine why wheel slide happens.
3. Calculate the “adhesion demand” by knowing
only the train deceleration rate and grade.
4. Advise others on why wheel flats should be
avoided.
5. Describe how a wheel slide protection system
works.

38
Course Evaluations
In order to maintain high-quality learning experiences, please access
the evaluation for this course by logging into CES Discovery and
clicking on the Course Evaluation link on the left side of the page.

39
Thank you for your time!

Questions??
This concludes The American Institute of Architects
Continuing Education Systems Course
STVUniversity@stvinc.com

40
Q&A

Thank you!
Please remember to confirm your attendance
today by completing the Attendance Confirmation
Survey in the STV University Learn Center.
You will receive instructions via email from
STV University.

If you do not receive the survey, contact:

STVUniversity@stvinc.com

41