Systems and methods for reducing slack in a linkage chain of a vehicle truck assembly is provided. In one example, a method includes compressing a vehicle suspension by actuating an actuator with a cylinder abutted to a piston rod, the piston rod coupled to the vehicle suspension and, when deactivating the actuator, maintaining at least nominal compression on the vehicle suspension with the piston rod spaced away from a piston of the cylinder via a biasing member, the piston configured to slide within the cylinder along a central axis of the cylinder.

A railcar bogie includes: a protection target member of the railcar bogie; and a protective film including an adhesive surface stuck to the protection target member. The protective film is configured such that an impact absorbing layer and a flame-retardant layer are laminated in this order from the protection target member side. The impact absorbing layer is thicker than the flame-retardant layer.

A bogie for a railway vehicle includes a frame, at least one axle, at least one axle box internally receiving the at least one axle, and a suspension of each axle box on the frame. The suspension includes an arm supporting the axle box and at least one elastic member interposed between the arm and the frame. The frame includes a cavity for receiving each elastic member. The cavity includes an opening and a bottom. An upper end of the elastic member is engaged in the cavity through the opening and bears on the bottom.

An axle box suspension of a railcar includes: a coupler extending from the axle box in a car longitudinal direction and including a tubular portion at a tip end portion of the coupler, the tubular portion opens toward both sides in a car width direction, the coupler coupling the axle box and a bogie frame; a core rod inserted into an internal space of the tubular portion, a pair of protruding portions provided at both respective sides of the core rod in the car width direction; an elastic bushing interposed between the tubular portion and the core rod; a pair of receiving seats at the bogie frame, including a pair of recess portions and a pair of groove portions, a pair of lids supporting the pair of protruding portions fitted into the pair of groove portions, and fasteners fixing the lids to the receiving seats.

A locomotive suspension system includes a truck frame coupled with a locomotive body frame by one or more upper suspensions and a first motor suspension coupled with a first motor and the truck frame. The first motor is coupled with a first axle of the truck frame. The locomotive suspension system also includes a second motor suspension coupled with a second motor and the truck frame. The second motor is coupled with a second axle of the truck frame. The first and second motor suspensions are asymmetrically arranged on opposite sides of a bisecting plane of a truck wheelbase of the truck frame. The truck wheelbase extends from the first axle to the second axle along a length of the truck frame.

A bolster system and method of balancing a locomotive on a bolster system is provided. The bolster system is configured such that weld seams interconnect the locomotive to the bolster, and the weld seams are oriented such that when the truck or locomotive impacts another device on the rail track, the weld seams experience a shearing force along the lengths of the weld seams. In addition, prior to welding, scales such as hydraulic jacks with gauges may be used to center and balance a locomotive on a bolster. In one embodiment, four hydraulic jacks elevate the truck, bolster, and locomotive, and the locomotive is repositioned on the bolster until the hydraulic jacks have substantially similar measures.

Systems and methods for reducing slack in a linkage chain of a vehicle truck assembly is provided. In one example, a method includes compressing a vehicle suspension by actuating an actuator with a cylinder abutted to a piston rod, the piston rod coupled to the vehicle suspension and, when deactivating the actuator, maintaining at least nominal compression on the vehicle suspension with the piston rod spaced away from a piston of the cylinder via a biasing member, the piston configured to slide within the cylinder along a central axis of the cylinder.

The electric vehicle can include: a payload interface, a payload suspension, a chassis, a set of bumpers, a sensor suite, a controller, a chassis suspension, and an electric powertrain. The electric vehicle 100 can optionally include a payload adapter, a power source, a cooling subsystem, and/or any other suitable components. The electric vehicle functions to structurally support a payload, such as a cargo container (e.g., intermodal container, ISO container, etc.), and/or to facilitate transportation of a payload via railway infrastructure.

A method for reducing slack in a linkage chain of a vehicle truck assembly is provided. In one example, the method includes responding to a request to de-lift a lift mechanism by reducing pressure in an actuator coupled to the lift mechanism, where the lift mechanism is configured to transfer a load from a first axle to a second axle of the vehicle during the de-lift, and during the de-lift, maintaining the pressure in the actuator at or above a threshold pressure to maintain tension in a weight transfer device of the lift mechanism

A locomotive suspension system includes a truck frame coupled with a locomotive body frame by one or more upper suspensions and a first motor suspension coupled with a first motor and the truck frame. The first motor is coupled with a first axle of the truck frame. The locomotive suspension system also includes a second motor suspension coupled with a second motor and the truck frame. The second motor is coupled with a second axle of the truck frame. The first and second motor suspensions are asymmetrically arranged on opposite sides of a bisecting plane of a truck wheelbase of the truck frame. The truck wheelbase extends from the first axle to the second axle along a length of the truck frame.