A method for the state-based maintenance of a coupling arrangement of a track-bound vehicle includes the steps of: providing coupling arrangement data and surroundings data; transmitting the coupling arrangement data and/or the surroundings data to a data processing system and determining a target specification for a maintenance requirement of the coupling arrangement as a function of the coupling arrangement data and the surroundings data; recording images of the coupling arrangement for optical reproduction of an actual state and transmission to the data processing system; and evaluating an optical actual state of the coupling arrangement from the images taking account of the target specification, which is formed from the operating data and the state data, for the maintenance requirement at an evaluation time and taking the evaluating as a basis for correcting the target specification.

The present invention discloses a method for monitoring status of a railcar draft gear in an assembly. The assembly comprises the draft gear and a coupler. At least one accelerometer or strain sensor is installed. The at least one accelerometer is configured to measure acceleration or deceleration of the coupler. The at least one strain sensor is configured to measure strain exerted on the coupler. Data collected on the acceleration or deceleration, or the strain is analyzed by algorithms to ascertain status of the draft gear.

A railroad car including a plurality of penetration resistant and protective structures including a penetration resistant and protective underframe, penetration resistant and protective first end, second end, and center bulkheads, penetration resistant and protective first, second, third, and fourth side walls, and protective first and second roof hatches, all configured to protect internal cylinder assemblies, the pipes that communicate the gas from the cylinders of the cylinder assemblies, and the safety critical valves, regulators, and other equipment connected to such cylinders and pipes of the railroad car in an accident (such as a derailment, crash and/or roll-over).

A railroad car including a plurality of penetration resistant and protective structures including a penetration resistant and protective underframe, penetration resistant and protective first end, second end, and center bulkheads, penetration resistant and protective first, second, third, and fourth side walls, and protective first and second roof hatches, all configured to protect internal cylinder assemblies, the pipes that communicate the gas from the cylinders of the cylinder assemblies, and the safety critical valves, regulators, and other equipment connected to such cylinders and pipes of the railroad car in an accident (such as a derailment, crash and/or roll-over).

A catching device for a shunting coupling has a catching body with an end stop, a right-hand side lateral stop, and a left-hand side lateral stop that together form a holding body with an inner region delimited on three sides and an open side. The open side can be closed by a lock and the open side is dimensioned such that a specified shunting coupling can be moved into the inner region through the open side. The catching device has at least one elastic and/or elastically mounted stop element on one of the stops. There is also described a rail vehicle with such a catching device and also a method for locking a shunting coupling.

A catching device for a shunting coupling has a catching body with an end stop, a right-hand side lateral stop, and a left-hand side lateral stop that together form a holding body with an inner region delimited on three sides and an open side. The open side can be closed by a lock and the open side is dimensioned such that a specified shunting coupling can be moved into the inner region through the open side. The catching device has at least one elastic and/or elastically mounted stop element on one of the stops. There is also described a rail vehicle with such a catching device and also a method for locking a shunting coupling.

A damping element for a rail vehicle including a first section for fastening to a rail vehicle and a second section for introducing a force acting horizontally upon the rail vehicle. A monitoring system for the dampening element including a sensor attached to the dampening element for sensing a change in a distance between the first section and the second section, a data memory, a processing unit designed to determine information regarding the change in the distance and to store said information in the data memory and a local energy supply device for the autonomous supply of the processing unit.

A damping element for a rail vehicle including a first section for fastening to a rail vehicle and a second section for introducing a force acting horizontally upon the rail vehicle. A monitoring system for the dampening element including a sensor attached to the dampening element for sensing a change in a distance between the first section and the second section, a data memory, a processing unit designed to determine information regarding the change in the distance and to store said information in the data memory and a local energy supply device for the autonomous supply of the processing unit.

A railcar coupling aid is provided to link a sequentially aligned pair of railcars having unactuated couplers so that such couplers may become engaged on a portion of rail more conducive to their actuation or so that such couplers may be serviced at a more convenient location along the rail. It may comprise a first and second length of rugged and flexible material spaced apart by a first and second crossed portion of such material. The crossed portions define a space configured to receive both of a pair of opposing coupler draw heads therethrough. When the net is draped over the opposing draw heads, each of the first and second lengths may be secured to themselves around one each of the coupler's draw shafts. Thus, each railcar may be at least temporarily linked to one another in a manner that avoids risking injury to railworker limbs.

A railcar coupling aid is provided to link a sequentially aligned pair of railcars having unactuated couplers so that such couplers may become engaged on a portion of rail more conducive to their actuation or so that such couplers may be serviced at a more convenient location along the rail. It may comprise a first and second length of rugged and flexible material spaced apart by a first and second crossed portion of such material. The crossed portions define a space configured to receive both of a pair of opposing coupler draw heads therethrough. When the net is draped over the opposing draw heads, each of the first and second lengths may be secured to themselves around one each of the coupler's draw shafts. Thus, each railcar may be at least temporarily linked to one another in a manner that avoids risking injury to railworker limbs.