Coupler rotation behaviour and its effect on heavy haul trains

When a locomotive coupler rotates at an angle, the lateral component of the coupler force has an adverse effect on the locomotive's safety, particularly in heavy haul trains. In this paper, a model of a head-mid configuration, a 20,000-t heavy haul train is developed to analyse the rotation behaviour of the locomotive's coupler system and its effect on the dynamic behaviour of such a train's middle locomotive when operating on tangent and curved tracks. The train model includes detailed coupler and draft gear with which to consider the hysteretic characteristics of the rubber draft gear model, the friction characteristics of the coupler knuckles, and the alignment-control characteristics of the coupler shoulder. The results indicate that the coupler's rotation behaviour differs between the tangent and curved tracks, significantly affecting the locomotive's running performance under the braking condition. A larger coupler rotation angle generates a larger lateral component, which increases the wheelset's lateral force and the derailment coefficient. Decreasing the maximum coupler free angle can improve the locomotive's operational performance and safety. Based on these results, the recommended maximum coupler free angle is 4°.