Chilled Phill
Member
Hey Guys.
Just wished to gather some ideas and opinions on what my final year project for my Mechanical Engineering course should be. Naturally, since I'm posting this on a rail forum afterall, I am doing my project on something to do with rails.
Also, my project will either be research based or computer modelling based as I'm no good with making stuff with metal, wood, etc.
I spoke to the head of the rail research department at my Uni at the start of the week and we had a quick brain storm and one project which stood out from that for me was something along the lines of the "Feasibility of Light Railway Vehicles, ie "trams", on mainline railways."
I had been thinking about this project for a bit and came up with some primary issues I need to look at:
- Why?: Why would one put a tram on the mainline? Save money constructing extra specialist lines on rail-tram interchange stations (ie Altrincham on the Manc Metrolink)...that's as much as I could think of atm...
- Track: Of course, tram wheels and train wheels are very different so getting the wheels to adapt to mainline rails and tight tram lines should be a priority.
- Crash worthiness: Of course the idea of a light rail vehicle colliding with a several tonne railway vehicle is a nasty thought. Looking into recent accidents, I've earmarked the Winsford Crash of 1999 involving one of the lightest vehicles in the British Rail fleet, a 142, colliding with a Virgin WC Class 86 (87?) hauled express train head on. Other similar rail accidents to look at would be nice as well.
I swore I had more than these four and I'm aware that a majority of you are very well informed in this industry so I guess a few more objectives for my proposed project would be grand.
Oh and also any other possible ideas would be nice as well.
Just wished to gather some ideas and opinions on what my final year project for my Mechanical Engineering course should be. Naturally, since I'm posting this on a rail forum afterall, I am doing my project on something to do with rails.
Also, my project will either be research based or computer modelling based as I'm no good with making stuff with metal, wood, etc.
I spoke to the head of the rail research department at my Uni at the start of the week and we had a quick brain storm and one project which stood out from that for me was something along the lines of the "Feasibility of Light Railway Vehicles, ie "trams", on mainline railways."
I had been thinking about this project for a bit and came up with some primary issues I need to look at:
- Why?: Why would one put a tram on the mainline? Save money constructing extra specialist lines on rail-tram interchange stations (ie Altrincham on the Manc Metrolink)...that's as much as I could think of atm...
- Track: Of course, tram wheels and train wheels are very different so getting the wheels to adapt to mainline rails and tight tram lines should be a priority.
- Crash worthiness: Of course the idea of a light rail vehicle colliding with a several tonne railway vehicle is a nasty thought. Looking into recent accidents, I've earmarked the Winsford Crash of 1999 involving one of the lightest vehicles in the British Rail fleet, a 142, colliding with a Virgin WC Class 86 (87?) hauled express train head on. Other similar rail accidents to look at would be nice as well.
I swore I had more than these four and I'm aware that a majority of you are very well informed in this industry so I guess a few more objectives for my proposed project would be grand.
Oh and also any other possible ideas would be nice as well.