Sequence for bogie change at Ungheni

[AdamWW]

Does anyone know how all the manoeuvring is carried out for the bogie change at Ungheni when travelling on the Bucharest to Chișinău train?

Not too easy to see from the inside (or to remember everything that went on), and I haven't been able to piece things together from Youtube videos.

I presume the train is delivered to the gauge change area using the standard gauge Romanian diesel locomotive that brought it from Iași, as moving a train on standard gauge with a Russian gauge shunter on interlaced track doesn't sound too practical, never mind issues of coupler incompatibility.

My memory is of the train reversing back towards the border then forwards onto the gauge changing track but it may be at fault.

Quite an experience anyway - in fact the train would have been even without the gauge change.

 

[FormerBritInMe]

I always wondered how they made sure the bogies for 1520mm were compatible with the ones for 1435mm that came off the carriages, and vice versa on the way back. For example braking systems would have to match so that the brake cylinder could be linked to the brake components on the bogie. I suppose it works if all of the carriages are the same type.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

IIRC each carriage has its own bogies for both gauges, and for legal and insurance reasons bogies cannot be swapped between carriages. Before the train arrives, the gauge changing crew have to check the train formation, find the correct bogies for each carriage and line them up on the track in the right order.

P.S. According to a comment on Simply Railway's video on the Bucharest-Chisinau train, the standard gauge bogies are shared but the broad gauge bogies belong to individual carriages.

@SimstraTimas
1 year ago
The bogies of Russian gauge cars are always waiting for their original car. On the European gauge, these cars use any available bogies corresponding to the type of car. In addition, one of the bogies of the passenger car is connected to the drive of the undercar generator, since these cars cannot receive power from the locomotive.

 

[popeter45]

when these carriages get changed between gauges i know the end cars have to get their couplers changed to be compatible with each gauges locomotives but is the same done for intermediate carriages?, do they keep using the same couplers throughout the trip or also have to swap?

 

[MarcVD]

when these carriages get changed between gauges i know the end cars have to get their couplers changed to be compatible with each gauges locomotives but is the same done for intermediate carriages?, do they keep using the same couplers throughout the trip or also have to swap?

Never been to Moldavia, but in Brest Litovsk, where similar operations take place, all couplers are changed. Which is normal : How would they do if one carriage was defective and had to be removed from the train otherwise ? Cars are lifted separately and do not remain attached while the bogies are swapped. Have pictures of that if anyone is interested .

 

[izvor]

My only daytime experience of a gauge changer was travelling from Chernivtsi (Ukraine) to Suceava (Romania). It was a long time ago but my memory is that the procedure was:

It was a long train, which was split into at least 2 sections of, say, 4 carriages each, which were shunted into adjoining sidings. Our set was the first to be changed so, after the bizarre experience of having passports checked and bags searched while 10 feet off the rails, I was free to open the window and watch the process in the adjacent siding.

The carriages were lifted up off their bogies together. I don't recall them being separated beforehand. The bogies were then joined together (by hand?) and attached to a cable running along the four-foot. They were then winched away - very speedily - and eventually the new bogies appeared in similar fashion. There was clearly a big problem now - wrong gauge maybe? - and after a lot of shouting the new bogies were whizzed off and another set came in. Then separated, positioned in correct place, carriages carefully lowered onto them. Train reformed and away.

As I say it was around 20 years ago, I didn't dare take any photos due to border sensitivities, and my memory may be at fault on details so feel free to correct.

My other memory of that journey was the guard coming through the train closing all the carriage windows as we approached the border. It was a hot day and we were not happy... until the train slowed down and we passed through a disinfectant spray. I think this was a Soviet thing as I have noticed derelict spray machines at other borders.