LECT-31 - Traction and Tractive Resistances

TRACTION AND TRACTIVE RESISTANCES
Traction and Tractive Resistance
• There are number of forces which resist the movement and speed of a
train.
• The tractive force due to steam/diesel/electric should be adequate to

overcome the resistance by the locomotive.
There are the following resistances:

1. Train resistance
2. Resistance due to track profile
3. Resistance due to starting and acceleration
4. Wind Resistance
Train Resistance
• It has three components

❑ Resistance independent of speed
❑ Resistance dependent on speed
❑ Atmospheric resistance
Resistance independent of speed
Rolling resistance (the resistance to the motion of a train, running at a constant speed
is offered by the friction between metal surfaces of rails and the wheels, it consists of
the following:
1. Journal resistance: It is the friction of the locomotive, wagons and compartments

itself. It depends upon the type of bearing, lubricant used and temperature of the
atmosphere
Train Resistance
Frictional resistance: It is the rolling friction due to the resistance offered to the
movement of steel wheels on steel rails.
Train Resistance: It is caused due to wave action of rails.
Resistance due to Internal parts: It consists of the resistance between cylinder

and rim of driving wheels, resistance of other moving parts of locomotives and
wagons.
The total train resistance independent of speed is estimated by the following

formula:
𝑹𝒕𝟏 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟏𝟔𝒘
w is weight in tonnes
Train Resistance
Resistance Due to Wave Action
When a train moves with speed, a certain resistance develops due to the wave action of the train.
Similarly, track irregularities such as longitudinal unevenness and differences in cross levels also offer
resistance to a moving train.
Resistance dependent on speed (Rt2)

• Track irregularities
• Due to vertical movement of wheels
• Due to flange friction and oscillation
Train resistance dependent of speed is estimated by the following formula:

𝑹𝒕𝟐 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟖𝒘𝒗
w is weight in tonnes
v is in kmph
Atmospheric resistance
• When a vehicle moves with speed, a certain resistance develops, as the
vehicle has to move forward against the wind.
• Wind normally exerts maximum pressure when it acts at an angle of 60° to
the direction of the movement of the train.
where A is the exposed area of vehicle (m2) and V is the velocity of wind (km/h).
𝑹𝒕𝟑 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟔𝒘𝒗𝟐
Rt3 is the wind resistance in tonnes;
w is weight in tonnes; v is in kmph
Resistance due to track profile
• It has two components: Resistance due to gradients and Curves

Resistance due to gradients
Assuming that a wheel of weight W is moving on a rising gradient OA, the following forces act on
the wheel.
(a) Weight of the wheel (W), which acts downward
(b) Normal pressure N on the rail, which acts perpendicular to OA
(c) Resistance due to rising gradient (R4), which acts parallel to OA
Resistance due to gradients
The value s 20 kg/tonnes

Resistance due to curves
For B.G. 0.0004wD
For M.G. 0.0003wD
For N.G 0.0002wD

w is weight in tonnes; D is degree of curve
Resistance due to starting and acceleration

• Resistance due to start: 0.15 w1+0.005w2 (w1- wt. of loco in tonnes, w2- wt. of vehicle in tonnes
• Resistance due to acceleration: 0.28wa
• a= acceleration in kmph/sec.
Wind resistance
• Wind resistance can be obtained by the following formula:
Rt3 = 0.000017AV2
A= exposed rea of the train in sq. meter
V= Speed of wind in kmph
Total Resistances
Total Resistance= Train resistance independent of speed+ Train resistance dependent on speed+
Resistance due to starting and acceleration+ Resistance due to wind
Compensated gradient for curvature
• Curve resistance is quite often compensated or offset by a reduction in the gradient.
• In this way, the effect of curve resistance is translated in terms of resistance due to gradient.
• The compensation is 0.04% on BG, 0.03% on MG, and 0.02% on NG lines for every 1° of the curve.
• This will be clear through the solved example given below.
(Q) Calculate the compensated gradient on a BG track with a 4° curvature on a

ruling gradient of 1 in 200.
Details of various resistances
Tr a c t i v e E f f o r t o f a L o c o m o t i v e
• The tractive effort of a locomotive is the force that the locomotive can generate for hauling the load.
• The tractive effort of a locomotive should be enough for it to haul a train at the maximum permissible
speed.
• There are various tractive effort curves available for different locomotives for different speeds, which
enable the computation of the value of tractive effort.
• Tractive effort is generally equal to or a little greater than the hauling capacity of the locomotive. If
the tractive effort is much greater than what is required to haul the train, the wheels of the locomotive
may slip.
Diesel Locomotive Te is the tractive effort of a diesel-electric locomotive, RHP is the rated
horsepower of the engine, and V is the velocity in km/h.
Electric Locomotive
where a is a constant depending upon the various characteristics of the

locomotive.
Hauling Capacity of a locomotive
• The hauling power of a locomotive depends upon the weight exerted on the
driving wheels and the friction between the driving wheel and the rail.
• The coefficient of friction depends upon the speed of the locomotive and the
condition of the rail surface.
• The higher the speed of the locomotive, the lower the coefficient of friction, which
is about 0.1 for high speeds and 0.2 for low speeds.
It is the product of coefficient of friction and weight on the driving wheel
Hauling capacity= μ * w * n
μ= coeff of friction
w= weight of driving axles
n= no. of total pairs of driving wheels
Question
Calculate the maximum permissible load that a BG locomotive with three pairs of
driving wheels bearing an axle load of 22 t each can pull on a straight level track
at a speed of 80 km/h. Also calculate the reduction in speed if the train has to run
on a rising gradient of 1 in 200. What would be the further reduction in speed if
the train has to negotiate a 4° curve on the rising gradient? Assume the
coefficient of friction to be 0.2.
(a) Hauling power of the locomotive = number of pairs of driving wheels × wt exerted on each pair ×
coefficient of friction = 3 × 22 × 0.2 = 13.2 t
(b) The total resistance negotiated by the train on a straight level track at a speed of 80 km/h:
R = Resistance due to friction + resistance due to wave action and track irregularities +
resistance due to wind = 0.0016W + 0.00008WV + 0.0000006WV2
Substituting the value of V = 80 km/h
R = 0.01184W
Assuming total resistance = hauling power,
(c) On a gradient of 1 in 200, there will be an additional resistance due to gradient qual to W × % of slope.
Since hauling power = total resistance,
On solving the equation further,

V = 48.13 km/h
Reduction in speed = 80 – 48.13 = 31.87 km/h = 32 km/h
(d) On a curve of 4° on a rising gradient of 1 in 200, curve resistance will be equal to
R = 0.0004 × degree of curve × wt = 0.0004 × 4 × W = 0.0016W
Hauling power of locomotive = total resistance. Therefore,

13.2 = 0.0016W + 0.00008WV + 0.0000006WV2 + 0.005W + 0.0016W
By substituting the value of W = 1114.8 t in the equation and solving further,

V = 43.68 km/h
Further reduction in speed = 48.13 – 43.68 = 4.45 km/h.
Therefore, Maximum permissible train load = 1115 t
Reduction in speed due to rising gradient = 31.87 t
Further reduction in speed due to curvature = 4.45 km/h

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TRACTION AND TRACTIVE RESISTANCES

Traction and Tractive Resistance

• The tractive force due to steam/diesel/electric should be adequate to

There are the following resistances:

• It has three components

Resistance independent of speed

1. Journal resistance: It is the friction of the locomotive, wagons and compartments

Train Resistance: It is caused due to wave action of rails.

Resistance due to Internal parts: It consists of the resistance between cylinder

The total train resistance independent of speed is estimated by the following

Resistance dependent on speed (Rt2)

Train resistance dependent of speed is estimated by the following formula:

• It has two components: Resistance due to gradients and Curves

The value s 20 kg/tonnes

For B.G. 0.0004wD

For M.G. 0.0003wD

For N.G 0.0002wD

Resistance due to starting and acceleration

(Q) Calculate the compensated gradient on a BG track with a 4° curvature on a

where a is a constant depending upon the various characteristics of the

On solving the equation further,

Hauling power of locomotive = total resistance. Therefore,

By substituting the value of W = 1114.8 t in the equation and solving further,

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