Bogie exchange

Bogie exchange is a system for operating railway wagons on two or more gauges to overcome difference in the track gauge. To perform a bogie exchange, a car is converted from one gauge to another by removing the bogies or trucks (the chassis containing the wheels and axles of the car), and installing a new bogie with differently spaced wheels. It is generally limited to wagons and carriages, though diesel engines can be exchanged if enough time is available.

Bogies exchange operation in Ussuriisk (near Vladivostok) at the Chinese–Russian border

Bogie change station at Chop, Ukraine station, Ukraine, which connects to Hungary and Slovakia

Wagons and carriages

Bogie wagons can have their gauge changed by lifting them off one set of bogies and putting them back down again on another set of bogies. The pin that centres the bogies and the hoses and fittings for the brakes must be compatible. A generous supply of bogies of each gauge is needed to accommodate the ebb and flow of traffic. The bogies and wagons also need to have standardized hooks, etc., where they may be efficiently lifted. Four-wheel wagons are not suitable for gauge change.

Engines

Steam

Steam engines can be designed for more than one gauge, by having, for example, reversible wheel hubs that suit two alternative gauges. This was done in the 1930s and beyond in Victoria for possible gauge conversion, though no engines were ever converted in this manner other than one heritage engine (R766). Some 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in) Garratt locomotives of East Africa were designed for easy conversion to 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge, though again none ever was.

In the southern United States, some steam locomotives built by Baldwin were designed for easy conversion from 1,524 mm (5 ft) to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in).

Diesel

Diesel locomotives have bogies like wagons and carriages, only with more cables for the traction motors and take a little longer to convert. In Australia, some classes of diesel locomotives are regularly gauge-converted^{[citation needed]} to suit traffic requirements on the 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in), 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in), and 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) networks.

Since the 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) networks are not all connected to each other, being separated by deserts or lines of other gauges, they are bogie-exchanged or piggybacked on road or rail vehicles when transferred between these networks.

Raising or lowering

Raise

The simplest way to carry out bogie exchange is to lift the wagons off the bogies and replace them back on new bogies. This may require the wagons in a train to be uncoupled, and continuous brakes disconnected. As the bogies are swung out of the way, they sway, which wastes time settling them down.

Lower

Another way of carrying out bogie exchange is to lower the bogies onto a trolley in a pit, after which the trolleys are rolled out of the way and others return. This keeps the train couplings and continuous brakes connected. In addition, the bogies never need leave a solid surface, so they can be wheeled in and out more quickly. This method was used at Dry Creek railway station, Adelaide.^[1]

International

Australia

Between 1961 and 1995, Australia had five bogie exchange centres, which opened and closed as gauge conversion work proceeded. The gauges served were 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) and 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in), though the 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Queensland did acquire 100 bogie-exchange compatible QLX wagons just in case. All the wagons involved had wagon codes ending in "X", such as VLX.

The centres were:

Dynon, Melbourne, Victoria
Wodonga near Albury on state border.
Port Pirie, South Australia ^[2]
Peterborough, South Australia
Dry Creek, Adelaide, South Australia - the youngest and most modern^[3]^[4]^[5]

The busiest facility was that at Dynon, in a typical year (1981–82), 24,110 wagons were bogie exchanged, an average of 66 per day. This was done by one shift of 18 men, compared with the 100 men required if the same amount of freight were transferred wagon to wagon.^[6]

Belarus

Brest, Belarus – between 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) and 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) at the border to Poland

Bolivia

Bogie exchange was used between 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) and 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in) gauge on the Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia Railway.

Canada

Between 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) standard gauge and the 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) of the former Newfoundland Railway (Terra Transport) at Port aux Basques

China

A bogie exchange station exists at the Chinese border to Mongolia. Both the Moscow-Beijing passenger train (Trans-Siberian) and freight trains get their bogies exchanged. Mongolia has Russian gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in), China has 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in). Also, a bogie exchange station was placed farther east at the Russian/Chinese border crossing at Zabaykalsk/Manzhouli.

Finland

A bogie exchange station exists in the Port of Turku with a short stretch of 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) gauge railway. Freight cars get their bogies exchanged. SeaRail train ferries go from Germany and Sweden. They carry no passenger trains, and passengers must walk by foot to Turku Harbour railway station opposite the ferry terminals. Finland has 1,524 mm (5 ft) broad gauge.

Germany

A bogie exchange station in the port of Mukran serves train ferries that go to and from Russia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which have 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) broad gauge.

Iran

Jolfa - c1950, between 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) and 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) (Russian gauge)
Sarakhs - c1990, between 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) and 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) (Russian gauge)
Zahedan - 2009, between 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) and 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) (Indian gauge)
Baku - 2012, To be developed in Amirabad port, Caspian Sea, between 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) and 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) (Russian gauge)

Kazakhstan

Druzhba, KZ - Alashankou, CN between 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) and 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in).

Moldova

Ungheni between 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) and 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in).
Ungheni-Iaşi
Cantemir-Falciu
Giurgiuleşti-Galaţi

North Korea

Tumangan, North Korea – between 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) and 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) (Russian gauge) at the border to Russia.

The bogies of the direct sleeping car Moscow - Pyongyang, which runs twice monthly, are exchanged here. ^[7]

Peru

Between 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) standard gauge and 3 ft (914 mm) on the Ferrocarril Central Andino, including locomotives

Romania

Vadul Siret between 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) and 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) at the border with Ukraine.
Halmeu between 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) and 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) at the border with Ukraine.
Ungheni between 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) and 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) at the border with Moldova.

Russia

Zabaikalsk (450 km from Chita) with China
Grodekovo (116 km from Ussuriisk and 224 km from Vladivostok) with China
Khasan - North Korea (315 km from Vladivostok).^{[citation needed]}
Kholmsk, Sakhalin Island. The bogie exchange is necessary to enable Russian mainland cars to run on the Sakhalin railways, which use the 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge.^[8]
Kaliningrad

Spain

At Irun, between 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) and 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 ²¹⁄₃₂ in) (Iberian gauge)
At Portbou, between 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) and 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 ²¹⁄₃₂ in)

Tunisia

Between 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) standard gauge and 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in) (meter gauge), including locomotives

Ukraine

Chop between 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) (Russian gauge) and 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) at the border to Hungary and Slovakia.
Jagodin between 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) (Russian gauge) and 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) at the border to Poland.

Transfer time

Bogie exchange conversion times were:

Dynon, Australia - one wagon every 7.3 minutes
Brest - one rail car takes less than 1 hour^[9]
Zabaykalsk - one rail car takes 5–6 hours^{[citation needed]}
Erenhot - one rail car takes 5–6 hours^{[citation needed]}

Variable gauge axles

Variable gauge axles in a automatic track gauge changeover system (ATGCS) is a newer and faster development than bogie exchange. While bogie exchange is "obvious" and brute force, VGA/ATGCS is "subtle, hidden", and elegant. The SUW 2000 ATGCS requires a changeover track about 20 m long, with a shed if snow is around compared to a small marshalling yard required by bogie exchange.

Axle exchange

An alternative to variable gauge axles and bogie exchange is axle exchange.

References

↑ Catch Point - November 2007 - p35 - picture of lowering method
↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1271610
↑ http://www.trainweb.org/mystation/gauge1.txt
↑ Ian Patterson & Partners
↑ Technology in Australia 1788-1988, Chapter 7, page 477
↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
↑ Travelogue Vienna - Pyongyang via Tumangan
↑ Сахалинская узкоколейная железная дорога (The narrow-gauge railways of Sakhalin) (Russian)
↑ Current stop in Brest is 1 hour 50 minutes which is border control, custom control and the rest is bogie exchange

External links

Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons
Transfer of gauge, a useful railway invention - Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 - 1954) Sunday 8 June 1902 Supplement, page 1

[1] Catch Point - November 2007 - p35 - picture of lowering method

[2] ttp://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1271610

[3] ttp://www.trainweb.org/mystation/gauge1.txt

[4] Ian Patterson & Partners

[5] Technology in Australia 1788-1988, Chapter 7, page 477

[lee-6] Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

[7] Travelogue Vienna - Pyongyang via Tumangan

[8] Сахалинская узкоколейная железная дорога (The narrow-gauge railways of Sakhalin) (Russian)

[9] Current stop in Brest is 1 hour 50 minutes which is border control, custom control and the rest is bogie exchange

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v t e Track gauge (list)
Minimum-gauge Minimum-gauge railways	15 in (381 mm) 400 mm (15 ³⁄₄ in) 16 in (406 mm) 18 in (457 mm) 19 in (483 mm) 500 mm (19 ³⁄₄ in) 20 in (508 mm) 21 in (533 mm) 1 ft 10 in (559 mm)
Narrow gauge	2 foot and 600 mm 750 mm (2 ft 5 ¹⁄₂ in) 760 mm (2 ft 5 ¹⁵⁄₁₆ in) 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) 800 mm (2 ft 7 ¹⁄₂ in) 891 mm (2 ft 11 ³⁄₃₂ in) Swedish three foot 900 mm (2 ft 11 ⁷⁄₁₆ in) 3 ft (914 mm) 950 mm (3 ft 1 ³⁄₈ in) Italian metre gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in) metre gauge 1,050 mm (3 ft 5 ¹¹⁄₃₂ in), 1,055 mm (3 ft 5 ¹⁄₂ in), 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) 1,093 mm (3 ft 7 in), 1,100 mm (3 ft 7 ⁵⁄₁₆ in), 1,200 mm (3 ft 11 ¹⁄₄ in) 4 ft (1,219 mm) 4 ft 1 in (1,245 mm), Middleton Railway 4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm), Scotch gauge 4 ft 6 ¹⁄₂ in (1,384 mm), Scotch gauge 4 ft 7 ³⁄₄ in (1,416 mm) 4 ft 8 in (1,422 mm), almost standard gauge 4 ft 8 ¹⁄₄ in (1,429 mm) 1,432 mm (4 ft 8 ³⁄₈ in)
Standard gauge	4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in/1,435 mm, Stephenson gauge
Broad gauge	1,440 mm (4 ft 8 ¹¹⁄₁₆ in) 1,445 mm (4 ft 8 ⁷⁄₈ in) 1,450 mm (4 ft 9 ³⁄₃₂ in) 4ft9.375in 1,458 mm (4 ft 9 ¹³⁄₃₂ in) 4 ft 10 ⁷⁄₈ in (1,495 mm), Toronto gauge 5 ft/1,524 mm and 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in), Russian gauge. 5 ft 2 ¹⁄₄ in/1,581 mm and 5 ft 2 ¹⁄₂ in/1,588 mm, Pennsylvania gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm), Irish gauge 5 ft 4 ¹⁄₂ in (1,638 mm), Baltimore gauge 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 ²¹⁄₃₂ in), Iberian gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm), Indian gauge 7 ft ¹⁄₄ in (2,140 mm), Brunel gauge 3,000 mm (9 ft 10 ¹⁄₈ in), Breitspurbahn 8,200 mm (26 ft 10 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in), Lärchwandschrägaufzug 9,000 mm (29 ft 6 ⁵⁄₁₆ in), Krasnoyarsk ship lift
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