Learn the basics of rail vehicle engineering, for a career in rail or as a hobbyist.
What you will learn
You will be able to classify rail vehicles and to know their fundamental differences to road vehicles. This will help you to formulate requirements.
You will know the structural elements of rail vehicles, so you can discuss technical features confidently.
The knowledge of longitudinal and lateral dynamics will provide you with important basics to perform your own calculations.
You will learn the basics of manufacturing rail vehicles, which will help you to understand the processes of rail vehicles.
Why take this course?
The rail industry is thriving worldwide and offers plenty of interesting jobs. The design and manufacturing of rail vehicles is different from other engineering tasks in several aspects. This course will introduce you to the most important differences in order to prepare you for a potential career in rail.
Learn the basics of rail vehicle engineering to work in sustainable transportation:
- Learn to classify rail vehicles according to operation or vehicle type
- Get to know the main differences between road and rail transport
- Identify structural elements of rail vehicles and their requirements
- Understand longitudinal and lateral dynamics of rail vehicles, including hunting movement and wheel rail contact
- Find out how rail vehicles are manufactured
This course will help you find out why rail vehicles are designed as they are and how this links to operational requirements.
The course was developed based on introductory lectures held at Aachen university of applied sciences as part of the course on economics and technology of railways (in German). It provides you with a primer that helps you to acquire jobs in the booming and future oriented railway industry.
While there are several textbooks on the subject, I don’t know of any online course to give you quick access. Even if you wish to use a textbook, this course will help you to enter the subject.