A method controls the current output of a battery for driving a rail vehicle. A battery actual current I.sub.bat,ist passes via a converter to an asynchronous motor, being a drive for the vehicle. The battery actual current I.sub.bat,ist is set by control circuits as a function of a feedforward control torque M.sub.ff and a specified torque M.sub.tf. The feedforward control torque M.sub.ff is calculated using a transfer function H.sub.sys(z), which maps the torque setpoint value M.sub.soll onto the battery actual current I.sub.bat,ist as follows: I.sub.bat(z) H.sub.sys(z) M.sub.soll(z). Accordingly, a zero-point z=znmp, which lies outside the unit circle, is determined by the transfer function H.sub.sys(z). The feedforward control torque M.sub.ff is calculated as follows: M.sub.ff(z) I.sub.bat,neu(z)/(H.sub.sys(z) z) where: I.sub.bat,neu(z)=I.sub.bat,ideal(z) I.sub.bat,ideal(z=znmp) where: I.sub.bat,neu[n]=I.sub.bat,ideal[n] for all n>0, so that pole point/zero point cancellation is reached by z=znmp at the battery ideal current.

A method to determine the position of a locomotive (100) by having a first device (306) measuring the electromotive force from a propelling motor (105) and calculating the speed; combined with detection of fixed reference points by measuring of the magnetic field generated by permanent magnets (106) at known positions. At regular intervals this information is passed to a second device (108). By use of a pattern recognition algorithm the second device estimates the position and operates the locomotive according to location-based behavior. The first device characterized by having a magnetic field sensor (302) integrated on an ordinary model railroad decoder, which already supports motor measurement and packet transmission. The second device characterized by having a data packet receiver (403) and an Ethernet interface (405) for communication with a command station (109). A microcontroller (402) utilizes a parameterized representation of the model railroad layout to determine the position of the locomotive. From the position proper behavior is determined and corresponding speed commands are sent to the command station. Other methods and embodiments are described and shown.

A method to determine the position of a locomotive (100) by having a first device (306) measuring the electromotive force from a propelling motor (105) and calculating the speed; combined with detection of fixed reference points by measuring of the magnetic field generated by permanent magnets (106) at known positions. At regular intervals this information is passed to a second device (108). By use of a pattern recognition algorithm the second device estimates the position and operates the locomotive according to location-based behavior. The first device characterized by having a magnetic field sensor (302) integrated on an ordinary model railroad decoder, which already supports motor measurement and packet transmission. The second device characterized by having a data packet receiver (403) and an Ethernet interface (405) for communication with a command station (109). A microcontroller (402) utilizes a parameterized representation of the model railroad layout to determine the position of the locomotive. From the position proper behavior is determined and corresponding speed commands are sent to the command station. Other methods and embodiments are described and shown.

A drive assembly is provided for a rail vehicle, having at least one motor, at least one wheel set shaft or at least one rail vehicle wheel, and at least one elastic coupling that has at least one elastic device, wherein the at least one elastic coupling is embodied to couple the at least one motor directly to the wheel set shaft or directly to the at least one rail vehicle wheel.

A drive assembly is provided for a rail vehicle, having at least one motor, at least one wheel set shaft or at least one rail vehicle wheel, and at least one elastic coupling that has at least one elastic device, wherein the at least one elastic coupling is embodied to couple the at least one motor directly to the wheel set shaft or directly to the at least one rail vehicle wheel.

A levitated train is propelled by a system including at least a pair of wheels in cotact with a rail head. The rail head has a horizontal top surface and two vertical sides on either side of the horizontal top surface. A wheel of each wheel assembly has a cylindrical side face with flanges at the top and bottom. The cylindrical face of each of the wheels is in contact with the sides of the rail. The wheel assembly is power driven by a corresponding motor to impart motion to the train. The train is provided with a plurality of such wheel assemblies to be propelled along a rail track. The width of the wheels is greater than the width of the rail head. The flanges on the side of the wheels in a wheel assembly limit the freedom of motion of the train during the levitation.

A levitated train is propelled by a system including at least a pair of wheels in cotact with a rail head. The rail head has a horizontal top surface and two vertical sides on either side of the horizontal top surface. A wheel of each wheel assembly has a cylindrical side face with flanges at the top and bottom. The cylindrical face of each of the wheels is in contact with the sides of the rail. The wheel assembly is power driven by a corresponding motor to impart motion to the train. The train is provided with a plurality of such wheel assemblies to be propelled along a rail track. The width of the wheels is greater than the width of the rail head. The flanges on the side of the wheels in a wheel assembly limit the freedom of motion of the train during the levitation.

A service vehicle provides a platform for servicing a container handling vehicle while on a grid-based rail system of a three-dimensional storage grid of an automated storage system for storing storage containers. The service vehicle includes two or more wheel modules. Each module having a first set of wheels configured to move the vehicle along a first lateral direction of the grid-based rail system and a second set of wheels configured to move the vehicle along a second lateral direction of the grid-based rail system. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. A platform is mounted on the two or more wheel modules. The platform includes an enclosure that has at least one opening that can be closed by a barrier. The platform has a set of tracks matching the width of the tracks on the grid.

An arrangement for a rail vehicle has an electric hollow-shaft motor with a hollow rotor and a wheelset shaft that runs through the hollow rotor. The rotor is separated from the wheelset shaft at least in certain sections by a radial air gap which ensures a mechanical clearance between the wheelset shaft and the rotor. A protective material is arranged in the region of the radial air gap between the rotor and the wheelset shaft. The protective material, in the event of failure of a motor fastening of the hollow-shaft motor and subsequent support of the rotor on the wheelset shaft, separates the rotor from the wheelset shaft. The protective material is softer than the material of the wheelset shaft and softer than at least one material of the rotor.

An arrangement for a rail vehicle has an electric hollow-shaft motor with a hollow rotor and a wheelset shaft that runs through the hollow rotor. The rotor is separated from the wheelset shaft at least in certain sections by a radial air gap which ensures a mechanical clearance between the wheelset shaft and the rotor. A protective material is arranged in the region of the radial air gap between the rotor and the wheelset shaft. The protective material, in the event of failure of a motor fastening of the hollow-shaft motor and subsequent support of the rotor on the wheelset shaft, separates the rotor from the wheelset shaft. The protective material is softer than the material of the wheelset shaft and softer than at least one material of the rotor.