A rail vehicle includes an airbag assembly having a housing, an airbag, a lid, at least one vessel and an aesthetic body panel. The airbag assembly is installed at an end of the rail vehicle. The airbag is placed inside the housing and the lid closes the housing. The lid is attached to the airbag so that it is located at a bottom portion of the airbag when the airbag is fully deployed. The lid and the aesthetic body panel, distant by a gap when the airbag is stored, are provided with compatible connecting interfaces so that the aesthetic body panel attaches to the lid through interconnection of the connecting interfaces upon inflation of the airbag with the pressurized fluid. The aesthetic body panel protect the inflated airbag from wear against the ground on which the rail vehicle travels.

A rail vehicle includes an airbag assembly having a housing, an airbag, a lid, at least one vessel and an aesthetic body panel. The airbag assembly is installed at an end of the rail vehicle. The airbag is placed inside the housing and the lid closes the housing. The lid is attached to the airbag so that it is located at a bottom portion of the airbag when the airbag is fully deployed. The lid and the aesthetic body panel, distant by a gap when the airbag is stored, are provided with compatible connecting interfaces so that the aesthetic body panel attaches to the lid through interconnection of the connecting interfaces upon inflation of the airbag with the pressurized fluid. The aesthetic body panel protect the inflated airbag from wear against the ground on which the rail vehicle travels.

A draft and buffer apparatus for a track-guided vehicle includes a coupling rod and a draft yoke for connecting the coupling rod to the vehicle body. An energy-dissipating device is arranged between the vehicle and the coupling rod for receiving draft and buffer forces. The energy-dissipating device includes a reversible energy-dissipating unit and is configured so as to cause the force flow of the buffer loads transmitted thereto from the coupling rod and of the draft loads transmitted via the draft yoke thereto to be conducted through the energy-dissipating device and to be transmitted to the vehicle body. The energy-dissipating device further includes an irreversible energy-dissipating unit providing irreversible energy dissipation. The energy-dissipation device is mounted within the axial extent of the draft yoke when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

A draft and buffer apparatus for a track-guided vehicle includes a coupling rod and a draft yoke for connecting the coupling rod to the vehicle body. An energy-dissipating device is arranged between the vehicle and the coupling rod for receiving draft and buffer forces. The energy-dissipating device includes a reversible energy-dissipating unit and is configured so as to cause the force flow of the buffer loads transmitted thereto from the coupling rod and of the draft loads transmitted via the draft yoke thereto to be conducted through the energy-dissipating device and to be transmitted to the vehicle body. The energy-dissipating device further includes an irreversible energy-dissipating unit providing irreversible energy dissipation. The energy-dissipation device is mounted within the axial extent of the draft yoke when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

A railcar yoke for a railcar energy absorption/coupling system. The yoke includes a rigid and elongated top wall joined to and axially extending from a back wall toward an open forward end of the yoke along with a rigid and elongated bottom wall joined to and axially extending from said back wall toward the open forward end of the yoke. The top and bottom walls of the yoke are separated by a distance whereby allowing an energy management system to be disposed therebetween. Each of the top and bottom walls of the yoke have two forward-facing stops thereon and which extend in opposed lateral directions from each other. The forward-facing stops on the top wall of the yoke are arranged in a generally coplanar relationship with the two forward-facing stops on the bottom wall of the yoke.

A railcar yoke for a railcar energy absorption/coupling system. The yoke includes a rigid and elongated top wall joined to and axially extending from a back wall toward an open forward end of the yoke along with a rigid and elongated bottom wall joined to and axially extending from said back wall toward the open forward end of the yoke. The top and bottom walls of the yoke are separated by a distance whereby allowing an energy management system to be disposed therebetween. Each of the top and bottom walls of the yoke have two forward-facing stops thereon and which extend in opposed lateral directions from each other. The forward-facing stops on the top wall of the yoke are arranged in a generally coplanar relationship with the two forward-facing stops on the bottom wall of the yoke.

Methods and systems for a mounting device for mounting debris deflector to transportation vehicles such as light rail which helps to position the deflector at the front or rear end of vehicles are disclosed. The mounting device is located between the deflector and transportation vehicle and includes a longitudinal member having a proximal end and a distal end, a first base plate rigidly connected to the proximal end of the longitudinal member, and a second base plate rigidly connected to the distal end of the longitudinal member. Further, the first base plate may be connected to understructure of the transportation vehicle, and the second base plate may be connected to the debris deflector.

A coupler pivot. A coupler (10) comprises at least a first gimbal (31; 32) defining a pivot that is secured to a mounting (41) for securing to a frame member of a vehicle, the pivot also being secured to a buffer column (39) part of which protrudes on an opposite side of the pivot to the mounting (41) such that the buffer column (39) is moveable relative to the mounting (41) with at least two degrees of freedom. The buffer column (39) defines a free (42) end that is remote from the mounting (41) and that is securable to a further member. The buffer column (39) also includes both a reversible buffer that attenuates buff and draft forces acting between the free end (42) and the mounting (41) and also a non-reversible buffer that attenuates buff forces acting between the free end (42) and the mounting (41) and attaining or exceeding a predetermined energy threshold, the reversible and non-reversible buffers overlapping over at least part of their lengths in the buffer column (39) which in turn overlaps at least one of the pivots.

A coupler pivot. A coupler (10) comprises at least a first gimbal (31; 32) defining a pivot that is secured to a mounting (41) for securing to a frame member of a vehicle, the pivot also being secured to a buffer column (39) part of which protrudes on an opposite side of the pivot to the mounting (41) such that the buffer column (39) is moveable relative to the mounting (41) with at least two degrees of freedom. The buffer column (39) defines a free (42) end that is remote from the mounting (41) and that is securable to a further member. The buffer column (39) also includes both a reversible buffer that attenuates buff and draft forces acting between the free end (42) and the mounting (41) and also a non-reversible buffer that attenuates buff forces acting between the free end (42) and the mounting (41) and attaining or exceeding a predetermined energy threshold, the reversible and non-reversible buffers overlapping over at least part of their lengths in the buffer column (39) which in turn overlaps at least one of the pivots.

An anti-climbing protection apparatus for a rail vehicle includes at least one buffer supported by an energy absorption element connected to a rail vehicle frame. In order to permit such a protection apparatus to be produced economically, to reliably prevent overriding and to be comparatively easy to retrofit, a bearing element is fastened to an end of the energy absorption element facing away from the vehicle frame. The bearing element supports an anti-climbing protection device at an end thereof protruding in a vertical direction from the buffer. In the event of a crash, a horizontally oriented stop, in cooperation with the front of the rail vehicle, permits an anti-climbing protection element of the anti-climbing protection device to be brought from the stop into an anti-climbing protection position extending outward over the buffer.