The full text of the article after OCR and cleanup:
"Eighteenth century mine waggons slowly evolved into 1970's freight cars.
Like dinosaurs, these cars have become too big, too heavy and too clumsy.
But are such units the only practical way to move freight along a railroad?
Santa Fe researchers pondered this. The result of their pondering and
experimentation is a 12-flanged-wheel centipede known as the 'coaxial train',
which now exists as a 1/8-scale model in the R&D laboratory at Topeka, Kan.
It is predicated on the realization that U.S. railroads will be forced to make do
with conventional - if improved - track, and on presently existing routes.
Says Railway Age: 'The Santa Fe design had to provide:
-A lowered center of gravity,
-Minimum wind resistance,
-An alternative to standard, rigid axles, to cut down on rail and wheelwear
on curves,
-Improved weight distribution,
-Modular construction, to permit maintenance to make quick repairs/parts
replacements,
-A smoother ride, through elimination of slack action,
-Power distribution evenly throughout the train, for smooth acceleration,
-A redesigned braking system.'
The coaxial train would have a diesel powered electric generator car at the head
end, whose power would be distributed to small motors on each individual wheel
in the train. The design does not incorporate such traditional devices as brake shoes,
couplers, draft gear, slack adjusters or (in the normal sense) truck side frames and
bolsters.
Coaxial trains would be built to predetermined lengths. Each train would have one
continuous center sill, which would flex around curves and still have ample strength
to support very heavy loads. Santa Fe points out that the feasibilityof the laterally-flexible
center sill has been proved in operation of welded-rail trains, in which 1440-foot rail
strings bend around curves and create no derailment problems.
The main deck of the coaxial train would be just 24 inches above top of rail.
The designers have packed a lot of hardware into that two-foot space. First, there
are the modular wheel assemblies, using wheel approximately 16 inches in diameter.
Assemblies are spaced about four feet apart. A wheel deck, fastened to the flexible
center beam, is provided for each opposing pair of wheels. No axles are used and
each wheel has its own knee-action, enabling it to stay right with the rail, no matter
how rough or curving the track. Between the wheel deck and the main deck are plastic
cushioning tubes which run longitudinally on each side of the train. These tough,
liquid-filled tubes would effectively distribute any bump on one side to all other wheels
on that side. Above the wheel decks is the main deck. This can be varied in length, but
in a prototype, it would probably be designed to handle a 40-foot container. Support
between the wheel decks and the main deck is "provided by rollers, spaced four to
each wheel deck. The main deck is fastened to the flexible center beam at only two
points, approximately one-fourth of the deck length in from each end. This two point
fastening and the angling of the support rollers toward the two points would permit the
deck to 'float' around curves.
Top speed? ATSF says 'over 100 mph.' And braking 'would be fully dynamic, with
uniform brake application, through either electrical or hydraulic systems.' Although this
Santa Re idea is supposed to be primarily concerned with container traffic, a similiar
concept might be able to carry enormous loads of bulk traffic at high speeds and still
be easy on equipment, track and costs."
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