November 2001

NEW DEVELOPMENTS FOR

TILTING TRAINS
Alessandro ELIA
Tilting Systems Director
 New Developments for tilting trains

A view of the prototype 3 kV EMU train ETR401 VT610 DMU for DB Railways

Goal of Pendolino project:

• to improve service speed on regional lines, with quite poor track quality,
• mantaining full safety and
• a comfort level compatible with then-offered one

Activity started in Italy around 1966, up to mid '70,

The first tilting unit (Y0160) was build and tested in early '70,
The first EMU in service, the ETR401 was delivered in 1975.
The series production of ETR450, entered in service in 1988.
The VT610 was delivered on early '90s

SLIDE 1 - The approach, the prototype, first application in Italy and Germany
 New Developments for tilting trains

Body bolster
Hydraulic tilting
actuators

Tilting rods
Bogie bolster

Active Lateral
Suspension

Electro-Hydraulic Pendolino Tilting mechanism Pendulum mechanism Pneumatic Active

tilting bogie and bogie frame and hydraulic actuator Lateral Suspension

The new bogie has been developed starting by 1991 and the ETR460 train is in service from 1994.
Bogie architecture basically unchanged in respect of Etr450/VT610:

New features: :
• tilting system totally underfloor
• body bolster simplified connection
• redesigned axlebox guide
• simplified bogie frame concept
Improved Traction concept and car body design:
• DC/AC traction power systems, designed for bi-current and three-current solutions.
• wider modular carbody, in large extrusions profiles
• pressure tightness, in two different options (pressure-sealed, pressurised)

SLIDE 2 - The Electro-Hydraulic Pendolino

 New Developments for tilting trains
.

ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM - BLOCK SCHEME

SENSOR θ1, θ2, θi ,

ZNR
BOX
SE ÿ ωZ θi
DRU
WNR
α θi
α α

θi θi
α θi
DRU DRU

α α I α α I
I
α measured angle SA SA
α angular rate
I current motor
ÿ lateral acceleration
ω vertical axle gyro CARBODY
z Z

ω
z
Y X

Tilt command scheme

The reference signal is measured through the acceleration of a non-tilting part of the vehicle (bogie frame).
The gyroscope measures the roll angular velocity of the bogie frame.
System starts to tilt following through the gyroscope the transition's geometry.
After a short time, the accelerometer signal is added.
On the cars following, the reference signal is basically the acceleration

SLIDE 3 - The Tilting command concept.

 New Developments for tilting trains

Pantograph

Support levers and

Body bolster
Hydraulic tilting equalizer
actuators

Tilting rods
Bogie bolster

Active Lateral
Suspension
Pantograph frame

Bodyshell cublicles

Articulated joint

Bogie bolster

Tilting mechanism Pendulum mechanism Tilting mechanism and Pneumatic Active

and bogie frame and hydraulic actuator hydraulic actuation system Lateral Suspension

The new bogie has been developed starting by 1991 and the ETR460 train is in service from 1994.
Bogie architecture basically unchanged in respect of Etr450/VT610:

New features: :
• tilting system totally underfloor
• body bolster simplified connection
• redesigned axlebox guide
• simplified bogie frame concept
Improved Traction concept and car body design:
• DC/AC traction power systems, designed for bi-current and three-current solutions.
• wider modular carbody, in large extrusions profiles
• pressure tightness, in two different options (pressure-sealed, pressurised)

SLIDE 4 - The Electro-Hydraulic Tilting Bogie

 New developments for tilting trains
.

Roller mechanism and Electro-mechanical Electro-mechanical Active Lateral Suspension

electro-mechanic actuator bogie assembly tilting actuator in electro-mechanical
tilting bogie

Tilting mechanism: Roller link between the tilting bolster and the bogie frame.
Electromechanical Tilting Actuator: planetary roller spindle + brushless motor driven by Electric Power Unit..
Secondary suspension = single air-spring + two roll-bars.
Longitudinal traction link drives anti-yaw dampers.
No Active Lateral Suspension is required by swept envelope.
Active Lateral Suspension where very high levels of comfort are required
Pantograph is controlled vs. catenary by an active electromechanical servo-system ( brushless motor + sliding
frame)

SLIDE 5 - The Electro-Mechanic Tilting Bogie

 New developments for tilting trains

8°

TAct

Tilting
centre

Centre of
w' gravity

Kinematics of tilting and self-centring effect

Tilting systems is intrinsically self-centring in case of fault.

During the tilting phase, centre of gravity is kept approximately at the same position.
During the tilt rotation the reaction centre position guarantees the stability
No reaction is transmitted to bogie; therefore, effects to wheel/rail are negligible.

SLIDE 6- Self-centring effect .

 New developments for tilting trains

ELECTRICAL HYDRAULIC
SUPPLY
EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM - BLOCK SCHEME

CONTROL SIGNAL
SENSOR θ1, θ 2, θi,
ZNR
SWITCH ON/OFF Oil level BOX
HYDRAULIC
SIGNAL SE ÿ ωZ θ
i
POWER Temperature DRU
GENERATION Oil pressure WNR
α θ
HEAD INTERMEDIATE INTERMEDIATE HEAD i α α
VEHICLE VEHICLE VEHICLE VEHICLE

HYDRAULIC
Serial line 2 Serial line 2
POWER θi θi
α θi
Serial line 1 Serial line 1
DRU DRU
HYDRAULIC JACK
DELIVERY POSITIONING
REFERENCE ERROR α α I α α I
SIGNAL CARBODY I
MASTER SLAVE SLAVE MASTER SIGNAL
TILTING
UNIT UNIT UNIT UNIT ELECTRONIC SERVOVALVE HYDRAULIC KINEMATIC α measured angle SA SA
CONTROL UNIT JACKS MOTION α
O O O O
angular rate
U

N
I
U
T
N
I
U
T
U
T
N
I T
P N
I
I current motor
P P P
P
U
U P
U
U U
P
U
U
T
P
U ÿ lateral acceleration
ωz
T T T
T
T T T
vertical axle gyro Z CARBODY
FEEDBACK
SIGNAL
ω
ANGLE z

TRANSDUCER Y X

Train control system Hydraulic tilting Electro-mechanical tilting

functional scheme functional scheme

SLIDE 7 - Tilting control system

 New developments for tilting trains

SLIDE 8 - Pendolino in the world

 New developments for tilting trains

SLIDE 9 - Developments - High Cant deficiency bogies, with EM actuators and tilting rods
 New developments for tilting trains

SLIDE 10 - Developments - TILTRONIX concept

 New developments for tilting trains

SLIDE 11 - Developments – Semi active lateral Suspension

 New developments for tilting trains

ACTIVE
ACTIVE
DAMPING COEFFICIENT [ Ns / m ]

Hydraulic
Hydraulic

FREQUENCY [ Hz ]

0
0 5 10 15 20

SLIDE 12 - Developments – Active Dampers

New developments for tilting trains