History of the European Automatic Centre Coupler for Goods Wagons
The idea to develop an Automatic Coupler for the European Railways
In the fifties of the last century the railway were in the top position of transportation industry in Europe. The big number of stations with goods-handling resulted in dangerous and hard work for coupling and uncouple - not to underestimate the factor of time.
By this the old idea to introduce an automatic coupler came up again - as a paradox: The technically good developed European railways, with the exception of the Russian railway, used still the old hand operated hook-couplers.
The Choice of the technical Principle
From the beginning there was no doubt: Only the robust dog clutch coupler with the Wilson-profile should be used. The good results with such couplers oversee and in Russia were prominent for this. This principle had stand his proof even under hard climatic conditions and with the presents of snow. The disadvantage was: The coupler available up to this time realized the mechanical coupling only - the coupling of air and electrical lines had to coupled manually. It seemed adequate to develop an automatic coupler with an device, to couple air and electrical lines automatically too. In the following years the railway engineers were busy to collect far reaching demands for the specification of the new coupler. This resulted in a complicated - but technically realizable - design.
Important Mailstones for Development and Testing of the Automatic Coupler
| 1957 |
Studies by OSShD ('East'-railways) and UIC ('West'-railways) and practical work, mainly by Waggonbau Bautzen (Germany - Saxony), Knorr Bremse Münschen (Germany - Bavaria) and by the Russian railways. |
| 1959 |
First specification for the European automatic coupler, agreed by the two railway organisations OSShD ('East') and UIC ('West'). In this time Europe was divided by the 'Iron Curtain' and the cooperation, even between technicians, was politically influenced. An other important question was to avoid licence payments between the two 'parties'. |
| 1961 |
In Paris and Budapest twenty manufactures presented their couplers according the unified specification. After the decision, that the new coupler must function in connection with the Russian SA3-coupler, only the two German factories Waggonbau Bautzen and Knorr Bremse München remained. |
| 1963 |
Establishment of a design office in Bautzen with engineers of this factory, from Russia, and railway engineers from the Deutsche Reichsbahn. The Russian technicians transferred their experience with the SA3-coupler in the mutual work. |
| 1966 |
Production of 306 couplers by Waggonbau Bautzen and extensive testings |
| 1967 |
1st conference 'Technische Arbeitsgruppe UIC/OSShD' with the result of a mutual agreed working schedule, to develop automatic couplers at both sides with analogue characteristics, to guarantee mutual coupling capabilities. Mister Weber from Switzerland and Mister Rehnert from the Deutsche Reichsbahn presided this important meeting. The conference reflected the political contradictions between the two big blocks in Europe, the big difficulties to overcome, and the reality, that not in any case the best technical solution will win. |
| 1969 |
Start of the work by a team of engineers from the Deutsche Reichsbahn (In the chair Mister Schubert), from Waggonbau Bautzen (Dr. Reiner Seibt) and from Knorr Bremse München (In the chair Dr. Schelle) to adapt couplers, available at both sides, but in this time without mutual coupling capabilities. A special problem was the demand, to include patented solutions from both sides in a balanced relationship only. Thanks to the flexibility and inventory capabilities at both sides, most (but not all) questions could be solved in a technically satisfactory way. |
| 1970 |
Test with trains, mixed with wagons and couplers from UIC and OSShD in Sweden, in the Soviet Union, and in Minden (Germany). The tests proofed the mutual coupling capabilities and the function with the Russian SA3 Coupler.
With it the main work for the unified European automatic coupler was done. |
1970
to
1994 |
In the following years the work was concentrated to simplify and to streamline production methods. But what about the introduction the automatic coupler to the wagons? First: All European wagons are prepared to implement the new system. But Second: After a lot of meetings to agree a binding term for introduction there are no results - in the contrary, at present the introduction of a new coupling-system seems improbable. In former time, the cost-reductions for manpower, out of service time, and the possibility to increase tonnage of train seemed to compensate the costs for the new coupler-system. But unfortunately the situation has changed - new demands from the economy - for instance 'just in time delivery' - transferred lots of tonnes at the street.
This despite the European Community to be the global host for environmental protection and work safety.
After 1981 ideas came up to simplify the coupling-system with the aim to reduce the expenses for implementation. First is was proposed to limit automatic line coupling to one air line only.
After 1988 the idea was born, only to automate the mechanical coupling by use of a draw coupler - this means, the old side buffers have to remain. Prototypes of this coupler have been tested, but without practical break-through. The combination centre coupler/side buffers includes some technical problems and other technical complications. Nevertheless this coupler is offered for sale at the Knorr-Bremse home page. |
From
1994 |
In 1994 BSI-Remscheid (Germany) presented a new designed automatic centre coupler type C-AK. This coupler included all the former features of automatization. This type has the line connector directly in the body of coupler and no special device for this was necessary. This idea simplifies the design considerably and has the potential to become a compact solution of the problem. Other advantages of the new design were: More space around the coupler, improved abilities to uncouple under draft, and others.
This coupler has the potential to promote the aim of railways, to flexible service and to reduce delivery times.
In 1995 prototypes have been tested in Sweden.
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The focal point for the introduction of an automatic coupler system was, is, an will be a question of financing and profit. It seems impossible to realize the project without large subsidies, especially to the economically poorly developed countries. Only a mutual introduction during a limited period seems possible, to limit service disadvantages.
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