Issue N.218 - July - August 2012

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Index

Décryptage

• Évaluation du comportement dynamique des engins

Dossier

• The fragile life of old metal structures: the cases of the Garabit viaduct

  There are still many wrought iron metallic structures dating from the origins of the railways on the national network. The accumulationof stresses, particulary under moving train loads, is a source of fatigue ageing and of damage to structures. Hence a monitoring policy adapted to these structures is needed. Computer modelling of the structures and usee of software make it possible to target and pinpoint the most sensitive parts of structures in need of inspection more regularly. A structure as large and as emblematic as the Garabit viaduc well deserved this approach.

• Test centres within the railway system

  The railway system has strong perspectives for growth in demand, resulting from a range of services suited to the issues of the 21st century and a genuine political desire to promote this mode of transport. The railway system must explore a large spectrum of opportunities to meet the challenges ingerent to this high growth, to avoid a growth crisis under the effects of a highly loss-making business model, the sustainability of which no long-term financing has yet been able to ensure. In light of these perspectives of increased usage, this article discusses how to render the railway system sustainable and presents the contribution of railway test centres to this end.

• Protection of Z2N double-decker trainsets on Line D against the effects of fallen leaves

  At the end of 2010 fallen leaves on the track caused numerous incidents for rolling stocks on Paris RER Line D, with the result that trains had be cancelled or trainset formations shortened. To prevent a recurrence of this problem, trainsets were fifted with wheel-slip detection equipement and required specific organisational arrangements in order to make the modifications to motive power units as quickly as possible.

• East-West legal interoperability: significative progress but a long-term process

  The obstacles to railway interoperability throughout Europe (and Asia) are not only technical ones. The different legal systems coexisting side by side and sometimes side by side on east-west routes inder the development of rail transport because of the cumbersome procedures, lengthy delays and costs this generates and its necessary to remedy this situation.

Info en France et dans le Monde

• ECOLOC TRAIN ou "l'énergie la moins chère est celle qu'on ne consomme pas"

• Évaluation des fonctionnements en mode dégradé de la signalisation

Passé-Présent

• Les grands ouvrages métalliques : la RGCF les soumet à une rude épreuve depuis 1893