Federal Railroad Administration

Cant Deficiency, Curving Speeds

and Tilt

Brian Marquis – Mechanical Engineer

Volpe National Transportation Systems Center
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 1
 Federal Railroad Administration

Topics
Cant Deficiency

• Definition of Cant Deficiency

• Benefits of Operating at Cant Deficiency

• Effect of Cant Deficiency on Rail Vehicle Performance

• Use of Tilt at High Cant Deficiency

Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 2
 Federal Railroad Administration

Steady State Forces on Trains in Curves

Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 3
 Federal Railroad Administration

Definition of Cant Deficiency

• Trains operating in curves experience net lateral force (centrifugal
force) to the outside of the curve that is a function of the velocity.
• With superelevation (cant), the centrifugal force acting on the
passengers is reduced, or eliminated, by a component of the
gravitational force (weight).
• Balance speed for any given curve is the speed at which the lateral
component of centrifugal force will be exactly compensated (or
balanced).
• Cant deficiency involves traveling through a curve faster than the
balance speed and produces a net lateral force to the outside of the
curve.
• Cant deficiency is measured in inches and is the amount of
superelevation that would need to be added to achieve balance
speed.

Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 4
 Federal Railroad Administration

Definition of Cant Deficiency

Stopped Increasing Speed
Overbalance Overbalance Underbalance
Balance
(Cant Excess) (Cant Excess) (Cant Deficiency)
Lateral acceleration<0 Lateral acceleration<0 Lateral acceleration=0 Lateral acceleration>0

Center of Center of
Gravity Gravity Center of Center of
Gravity Gravity

Resultant Resultant Resultant Resultant

Superelevation Superelevation Superelevation Superelevation

Remove Decrease Superelevation Increase

superelevation to superelevation to counteracts superelevation to
create balance create balance centripetal create balance
US DOT condition condition acceleration condition
Cant Deficiency/Tilt
Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 5
 Federal Railroad Administration

Benefits of Operating at CD
• Higher curving speeds Vmax
– Depends on curve
characteristics – curvature
49 CFR 213.57 and 213.329
and superelevation (cant) Curves; Elevation and Speed Limitations
• Reduce trip time without
reconfiguring existing route E a  Eu
layout V max 
0.007D
– Strongly dependent on
route makeup
– Can improve speed on
Eu = Cant Deficiency (inches)
tangents as well
• Can reduce need for braking
or accelerating when
entering or exiting curves

Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 6
 Federal Railroad Administration

Benefits of Operating at CD
Vehicle Speed (3" Superelevation)
140

120

100 Higher Speed with 0" CD

Increasing CD 1" CD
2" CD
Speed (mph)

80 3" CD
4" CD
60 5" CD
6" CD
7" CD
40 8" CD

E a  Eu 9" CD
20 V max 
0.007D
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center Curvature (deg) Marquis / Page 7
 Federal Railroad Administration

Benefits of Operating at CD
Time per Mile (3" Superelevation)
2.5

2.0
0" CD
1" CD
Time per Mile (min)

1.5 2" CD
3" CD
4" CD
5" CD
1.0 6" CD
7" CD
8" CD
0.5 9" CD
Lower Trip Time
with Increasing CD

0.0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center Curvature (deg) Marquis / Page 8
 Federal Railroad Administration

Benefits of Operating at CD
Time Savings per Mile Over Balance Speed (3" Superelevation)
1.2

Larger Time Savings

1.0 with Increasing CD
Time Savings per Mile (min)

1" CD
0.8
2" CD
3" CD
4" CD
0.6
5" CD
6" CD
7" CD
0.4
8" CD
9" CD
0.2

Greater Time Savings in Higher Degree Curves

0.0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center Curvature (deg) Marquis / Page 9
 Federal Railroad Administration

Benefits of Operating at CD

• Example Trip Time Comparison for 2 routes

– Route 1: NEC Boston to Washington DC
– Route 2: Seattle to Portland

• This analysis does not include tangent miles

and assumes speed in curve is constant at
either Vmax or the maximum operating
speed (the lesser of the two)

Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 10
 Federal Railroad Administration

Benefits of Operating at CD
Percentage of Track Length Below Curvature
100

90

80
Percent of Track Length (%)

70

60

50 Curves on NEC (129.3 miles)

40 Curves Seattle to Portland (71.0 miles)

30 * This analysis does not include tangent miles

20 and assumes speed in curve is constant at
either Vmax or the maximum operating
10 speed (the lesser of the two)

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Curvature (deg)
Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 11
 Federal Railroad Administration

Benefits of Operating at CD
NEC: 129.3 miles, 125mph maximum speed
Seattle-Portland: 71.0 miles, 80mph maximum speed
100
90 NEC
90
Seattle - Portland
80
73
68
70
Trip Time (min)

60
53
50

40
* This analysis does not include tangent miles
30 and assumes speed in curve is constant at
either Vmax or the maximum operating
20 speed (the lesser of the two)
10

0
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center Cant Deficiency (in) Marquis / Page 12
 Federal Railroad Administration

Benefits of Operating at CD

• Estimate of reduction in trip time in previous example

does not account for all factors that affect actual trip
– Time strongly dependent on route makeup – order of curves, etc.
– Although equipment qualified for higher CD, Vmax in a particular
curve may not be achievable due to constraints of neighboring
curves, etc.
– May not want to maintain to higher track class corresponding to
higher speed
– Higher CD may permit higher speed on tangents as well
– Reduces need for slowing down when entering a curve
– Reduces need for accelerating when exiting a curve
– Etc.

Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 13
 Federal Railroad Administration

Benefits of Operating at CD
325 10

300 5

275 New Haven Boston

0
7" CD speed for curve
MP 75 MP 225
250 9" CD speed for curve

7" Line Speed

225
9" Line Speed
Speed (mph)

200
MP MP Class 9
175 155 170
10 Short Curves
150
Xing Class 8

125 Class 7

100 Class 6

Class 5
75 Class 4
Xing
50 Interlockings
Bridge Class 3
Providence
25 MP 185
Class 2
Class 1
0
150 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Curve Number Marquis / Page 14
 Federal Railroad Administration

Effect of CD on Vehicle Performance

• Increase in lateral force exerted on track during curving

– Increased deterioration of track, lower safety margin for curving,
and may result in unsafe wheel force conditions

• Decrease in load on wheels on inside rail

– Increased risk of vehicle overturn, especially if high winds present

• Reduction in margin of safety associated with vehicle

response to track geometry variations
– Suspension elements operating at performance limits

• Increase in net steady stated carbody lateral acceleration

– Decreased passenger ride comfort
– Tilt can be used at high cant deficiency to reduce the net lateral
acceleration acting on the passengers

Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 15
 Federal Railroad Administration

Effect of CD on Vehicle Performance

Stopped Increasing Speed
Overbalance Overbalance Underbalance
Balance
(Cant Excess) (Cant Excess) (Cant Deficiency)
Lateral acceleration<0 Lateral acceleration<0 Lateral acceleration=0 Lateral acceleration>0

Center of Center of
Gravity Gravity Center of Center of
Gravity Gravity

Resultant Resultant Resultant Resultant

Superelevation Superelevation Superelevation Superelevation

Remove Decrease Superelevation Increase

superelevation to superelevation to counteracts superelevation to
create balance create balance centripetal create balance
US DOT condition condition acceleration condition
Cant Deficiency/Tilt
Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 16
 Federal Railroad Administration

Use of Tilt at High Cant Deficiency

Operating at High CD Operating at High CD
without Tilt with Tilt
Lateral acceleration>0.12 Lateral acceleration<0.12

Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 17
 Federal Railroad Administration

Use of Tilt at High Cant Deficiency

Cant Deficiency at which Tilt-body Compensation Becomes Necessary

10

9 The choice of tilt is dependent on the

criterion for lateral acceleration, the
8 roll suspension of the vehicle, and the
desired level of CD to make trip time.
Cant Deficiency (inch)

3
Limit of 0.1g
Suspension
2 with No
Limit of 0.15g
Carbody Roll Typical Roll Limit of 0.12g Soft Roll Suspension
1 Suspension

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Suspension flexibility (S) Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 18
 Federal Railroad Administration

Use of Tilt at High Cant Deficiency

Rstatic
S
 track

where

 track  angle between track plane and horizontal (superelevation)

Rstatic  roll due to superelevation (measured relative to track plane)

Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 19
 Federal Railroad Administration

Use of Tilt at High Cant Deficiency

Benefits – not a complete list
• Addresses ride comfort at higher cant deficiency
– Reduces steady state lateral acceleration felt by passengers
• Allows operation at higher cant deficiency by meeting
regulatory requirements on steady state lateral acceleration
• Has little to no effect on wheel rail forces or derailment safety

Drawbacks – not a complete list

• Compatibility with clearance envelopes for existing lines and
equipment
• Increased suspension complexity and maintenance
• Motion sickness

Cant Deficiency/Tilt
US DOT Volpe Center
Marquis / Page 20