Variable Change Wheelsets.

[magickmaker]

This is one of the neatest videos you'll ever see. It's the "TALGO Gauge Change Facility" in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiH4kt14yGw

Here's basically what this facility does. The Renfe train enters it at speed (about 15kmh to be exact). It starts out being Spain's broad gauge, and leaves in a narrower (US standard) gauge. This all takes place in Rado, which I suspect is in France though I could be wrong.

Here's another video of the system in action. This one actually shows the axles being changed. Water is the lubricant that the train slides on. I think, and I could be wrong here, that it "floats" on a thin film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdOKVFx5Yx0

And the last video, though in Spanish shows exactly how the whole process works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiqUwq5piRU

Now, anyone intrested in building this for any of the trainz versions? Be great if you could get the "sound" of the process down also.

 

[Captain_Collins]

Very interesting. Thank you for finding it!

 

[deeelare]

Very interesting indeed !

Again , Thanks for taking the time to share .

--- ,DLR

 

[boleamj]

Oh, this are the Brava´s boogies. They permit to change spanish sg to international gauge. Those are good videos, I always wanted to know how this worked (Thought I´m from Spain and I haven´t got idea how this worked). This is a good idea indeed in stead of changing the whole boogie like was happening until few years ago.

 

[magickmaker]

You'd think that this technology could be put to work elsewhere also. For example like in Russia or countries that border it. Placing such wheelsets under cargo cars to allow them to traverse the border non stop. Or in places like Australia, to allow trains to use the various gauges without need of a break of gauge stop.

 

[Ferrous]

VERY cool, thanks for sharing!

btw the first video is "no longer available"

 

[narrowgauge]

Interesting.

Does anybody have any information how the wheels are locked to the new gauge. They could not be allowed to float sideways, that would cause havoc at the crossing on a switch.

Cheers

Narrowgauge

 

[Klinger]

Now that is cool!!

I dont think switches are an issue, it looks like the bearing box (or what I think is the bearing box) is lifted, it unlocks the axle, and when it is dropped back down, it locks the axle back in place. So unless you life it, the axle will remain locked

 

[magickmaker]

Narrowgauge, the wheels are locked by means of a kind of bushing similar to those that hold the bearings. Once there's weight again on the bushings, it prevents them from moving to either side.