Any vehicle can have either one unit of equipment or a combination, that is, the vehicle is either single or has links. In simple words, rolling stock is a vehicle transporting people, goods or special equipment.
Detailed examples will be presented below with explanations of what this phrase means, how the equipment is maintained. The topic will be useful to adults and children.
What is rolling stock
Rolling stock means railway and road transport:
But officially, the term is still more used on the railway, on the subway and in tram depots.
What is it like? Each vehicle must have a place where you need to control starting, acceleration, braking, and cornering. This is usually a cabin. It is available in the bus, truck, locomotive, tractor. Most often, trains and freight vehicles have several components: a train has a locomotive and wagons, a truck has a cab, trailers, vans and so on.
Let’s study in detail all the same railway rolling stock, since it is one of the most popular, and the terminology belongs to him more.
The main parts of the rolling stock
Any vehicle has wheels in pairs of four units. Depending on the length of the equipment, the number of pairs of wheels may increase. Also, at least one pair of wheels must have an engine or gearbox that transmits torque from the engine to the wheel. The heavier the transport, the more engines it can have. The composition of trains is slightly different from cars, because two or four or more cars are driven by a locomotive.
Any rolling stock is a unit of equipment interconnected. This process is carried out by an automatic coupler mechanism, which is located at the ends of cars and locomotives.
What is rolling stock
Rail transport is divided into several types according to purpose and field of operation:
- suburban electric trains;
- long-distance passenger trains ;
- freight trains;
- special equipment;
- household trains;
- subway;
- tram.
As you can see, rolling stock is a large form of transport.
Although individual units that are currently not linked to other units of technology, for example, a diesel locomotive, electric locomotive or trolley, are also them.
How is it served?
Every wagon, locomotive and other transport equipment are serviced on time. It is a set of measures for the care of rolling stock. This event helps in time to notice and eliminate malfunctions that are detected by external inspection with special tools and devices.
For example, purging equipment, wiping the windows of the driver’s cab, tapping trolleys, wheelsets, automatic couplings in order to identify defects (cracks). And also temperature measurement is carried out on all elements and on equipment subjected to strong heating.
As a rule, technical maintenance (MOT) is carried out once every 1-2 days during the call of the train to the depot or during parking at the station.
How are wagons and locomotives repaired
Less commonly, maintenance is carried out on rolling stock repairs (trains, wagons, and locomotives). Previously, there were several types of repairs (current repair of TR-1, TR-2, TR-3, overhaul of KR-1 and KR-2, medium repair). The numbers indicate the volume of work performed. TR-1 was the simplest type, and overhaul of KR-2 was the most voluminous and complex. Currently made easier - DR (depot repair) and ZR (factory repair). It is worth noting that there are two more types of repairs that are unscheduled: wheel pair turning and accidental repairs (if the malfunction occurred suddenly).
What exactly is done on rolling stock by a technical worker? Usually, a mobile unit is placed on a repair stall with a jack, a crane. A locksmith, under the guidance of a master or engineer, must raise the body of the locomotive or car so that the cart can be rolled out, under which the wheelsets are located.
During the repair, all necessary equipment is removed, various devices, wires and mechanical components, as well as the pneumatic system, are checked for defects.
During overhaul, body painting and installation of various equipment are also carried out. At the end of all work, a special commission checks the condition of the equipment. If everything is in order, the car / locomotive is sent to run-in to carry out diagnostics on the way.
Who controls
Rolling stock - transport, which is controlled by at least one person, that is, by the driver. If in two persons, then we are talking about the driver and his assistant, who monitors the signals of traffic lights, the situation outside the locomotive (cab).
It is the driver who carries out the movement of trains, is responsible for the safety of goods (in freight traffic) and passengers (in passenger traffic).
Rail transport is not the only example of rolling stock. In conclusion, it is worth considering interesting information telling how it originated. The fact is that as early as the 17-18th centuries, people began to invent vehicles capable of transporting more people and goods. The first railway was created, which was completely wooden. On it they let horses with small wagons. Then the horses were replaced by steam locomotives. And so the rolling stock, existing to the present, was born.