Railroad car coupling simulator and method

摘要

An efficient and effective computerized apparatus and method for determining the effects of railroad car humping on cargo in railroad cars. The invention broadly comprises a twelve-wheel test cart mounted on a pair of rails for simulating a rail car; an impact structure for simulating rail cars during humping; an electric motor drive unit for accelerating and propelling the test cart toward the impact structure, a series of hydraulic accumulator springs and valves for decelerating the test cart during the humping of the test cart with the impact structure, and a programmed computer for controlling test variables. The test apparatus allows the levels of severity to be readily changed and the test cart to be positively coupled to the impact structure or to rebound from the impact structure.