Students acquire knowledge in the design, construction and structure of rail vehicles.
In addition to the introduction to the historical development of rail vehicle technology, the students learn the relationships between vehicle, operation and transport infrastructure and can describe them on a mathematical basis.
The lecture aims at teaching the system structure with the consideration of interfaces, vehicle components as well as drive and auxiliary operations. Normative basics for the operation and approval of vehicles should be mastered by the students.
In the accompanying lecture hall and practical exercise and, if necessary, excursion, the students become acquainted with practical calculation in relation to rail vehicle components and are enabled to deal professionally with specialists from the field of rail vehicle technology.
After an introduction to the lecture, the fundamentals of rail vehicle technology are briefly presented to the students. The lecture is subsequently divided into four dominant sections. The first section deals with the "rolling stock" - the "rail vehicle" system - whereby the topics of car body, interior and ride comfort are considered in greater depth. Static calculations, acoustic designs as well as vibration behavior are components of the lecture.
In the second section, the individual components of the rail vehicle are examined in greater depth. Topics such as running gear, wheelset and vehicle running, braking systems, tilting technology as well as drive and power transmission are part of the lecture and practical exercise.
The third section deals with energy conversion and control in rail vehicles. Here, complementary components on rail vehicles, such as pantographs, fuel tanks, energy conversion devices, safety devices, etc. are considered.
In the further section, the considerations of safety and normative bases for the operation and approval of the vehicles are also elaborated. The exercises include independent calculations by the students with assistance on vehicle vibrations in relation to ride comfort, energy conversion and traction power calculations for train movements.
In two accompanying excursions, the acquired knowledge is imparted in preparation for the examination.