The IORE electric locomotives are some of the most powerful inthe world. The locomotives, working in pairs, weigh 180 tons each.They can pull up to 68 iron-ore wagons weighing 120 tons each. Thewagons are coupled together using SA-3 couplers that were designedin the Soviet Union in the 1930s.
- The wheels on the locomotives have a maximum diameter of 1250mmwhen new and a minimum diameter of 1150mm when worn. If each of theelectric motors on the drive axles (of which there are 6 perlocomotive) can generate a maximum torque of 115kNm, what is themaximum tensile force that the wagon couplers must withstand whenthe train is starting from rest?
- If each electric motor has a constant power output of 920kW,what total force do they apply when the train is travelling onhorizontal track at a speed of 60km/h?
- c) If we assume that the force in part (b) is purely aresistive force due to the air and scales as v2, withwhat constant speed in km/h can the train climb an incline of 10‰?
