Types of passenger and freight cars

Within the reform of the railway transport the main emphasis shall be placed on the solution of further development and improvement of different types of passenger and freight cars. А саr, as known, is a railway rolling stock unit designed for transportation of goods and passengers.

The passenger and freight car fleet consists of a great variety of cars for various purposes and designs. There are several kinds of freight and passenger cars. Among them there is a day coach. Besides, day coaches are formed of compartments seating on each side for 6 passengers with an open aisle in the center.

There are several kinds of sleeping cars. There is the nine-section drawing room car. It has nine sections on either side of the center aisle.

Sleeping cars outfitted with generally berths allow passengers to sleep through their night-time trips, while the couchette cars provide more basic sleeping accommodation. Long-distance trains often require baggage cars for the passengers' luggage.

The cars in a freight train are seldom all alike there are different kinds of cars for different bulks of freight.

The simplest type of freight car is the flat car. It is merely a platform car with neither sides nor ends above the floor. Along the sides and the ends of the floor of the flat car there are usually a number of metal pockets in which wooden stakes may be placed, if necessary to hold freight on the car.

The most common type of a car is the box car. The body of the car is merely a huge box with a sliding door on each side, and in the center of the roof, extending from one end of the car to the other is a narrow “running board”, over which trainman may walk or run.

The other type is a refrigerator a special kind of box cars. The walls and roof of a refrigerator car are waterproof and airtight and they are “insulated” to keep out the heat of the air. They are made of several layers of material between the inner and outer layers is the insulating material, once or more layers of hairfelt cockboard or other substance, through which heat will not pass readily.

The doors of the car are also insulated they are of swinging type on the older cars but newer ones have sliding doors. All doors are made so that may be tightly closed.

A type of car that has became popular is covered hopper car. Such car looks very much like an ordinary hopper car but instead of being open it is roofed over.

Another type of car is the container car. It is a flat car or gondola car carrying several removable containers or boxes which may be lifted from the car and set upon a drag or to a motor truck.

A tank car has a long cylindrical tank instead of a steel body. On the top of the tank is a dome, with an opening through which the tank is filled and sometimes emptied. Most tank cars are built of steel, but tank cars also are made of other materials, such as alluminium or ware also used. The products transported in the tank cars may interact in the certain conditions with the environment and cause their pollution.

III. Tasks

Reading Comprehension

1. Прочитайте уважно текст. Вам необхідно визначити, які з поданих нижче тверджень відповідають змістові тексту. Запишіть номери цих речень.

1.The passenger and freight car fleet consists of some cars for various purposes and designs. 2. There is only one type of passenger cars. 3. Long-distance trains often need baggage cars for the passengers' luggage. 4. A flat car has sides and ends above the floor. 5. The most popular freight car is covered hopper car.6. Most tank cars are built of alluminim and ware.

2. Перегляньте текст ще раз і знайдіть у ньому відповіді на такі запитання.

1. What is the main idea of the text? 2. What kinds of cars are existed in the railways nowadays? 3. What types of passenger and freight cars are mentioned in the text? 4. What does a flat car look like? 5. Where may wooden stakes be placed? 6. What is a refrigerator car? 7. Why are the walls and a roof of a refrigerator car insulated? 8. What doors are used in cars? 9. What is a container car? 10. What materials are used for building tank cars?

Vocabulary Exercises

3. Доберіть до термінів у лівій колонці визначення, котрі подані праворуч:

1. А boxcar A) is a car for the transportation of liquids or gases.

2. A flat car B) is a similar to gondolas but with the bottom dump doors for easy unloading of things like coal, ore, grain, cement, ballast and the like.

3. A gondola car C) is a railroad car with an open top but enclosed sides and ends, for bulk commodities and other goods that might slide off.

4. A hopper car D) is a similar to gondolas but with the bottom dump doors for easy unloading of things like coal, ore, grain, cement, ballast and the like.

5. An open wagon E) a box shape with the roof and a side or end doors.

6. A tank car F) is used for larger loads that don't load easily into a boxcar.

4. З’єднайте терміни правої колонки з їх перекладом у лівій. Утворіть із з’єднаними словами 10 словосполучень.

1.A freight car A) слой, прокладка

2. A sleeping car B) вагон-платформа

3. To insulate C) перевозити

4. A floor D) кузов

5. A flat car E) повітронепроникний

6. To place F) розташовувати

7. To hold G) спорожняти

8. A waterproof H) спальний вагон

9. An airtight I) водонепроникний

10.A layer J) вантажний вагон

11. To carry K) ізолювати

12. A body L) пол

13. To empty M) ізолювати

5. Доберіть до термінів у лівій колонці переклад з правої колонки. Утворіть з словосполученнями 7 речень.

A B1) a sliding door а) рідкі вантажі2) a coupling mechanism b) розвантажувальний люк3) a discharging hatch c) запобігающий клапан4) an end door d) механізм зчеплення5) a floor covering e) торцеві двері вагона6) liquid goods f) настил підлоги7) a safety valve g) розсувні двері 6.З’єднайте слова рядка A з їх синонімами у рядку B.

A) A coach, a seat, a section, a different, a truck, a large, to use, freight, a kind

B) goods, a passenger car, a type, a big, a various, a berth, a compartment, a bogie, to perform.

7. Продовжіть речення та перекладіть їх.

1. There are different kinds of cars for different kind of …. 2. The simpliest type of a car is the …. 3. The most common type of a car is the …. 4. The walls and roof of a refrigerator car are …. 5. The doors of the car are also …. 6. Some of the tank cars which carry acids, chemicals are lined with …. 7. The day coaches are formed of compartments seating on each side for 6 or 8 …. 8. It is a flat car or gondola car carrying several removable ….

8. Заповніть пропуски сполучниками (for, at, to, of, with, with, of, between,out).

The car is designed … passenger service … speeds up … 160 km/hr. It consists … an all-metal body, a welded steel uderframe and running gear. The car ends are outfitted … automatic couplers and shock-absorbing draft gear. The body interior is sheathed … plywood sheets and finished with plastics. Thermal-insulating sheets … foamed plastic are laid … the outer and inner walls to keep … cold.

An uderframe – подрамник, рама, a running gear – ходовая часть,

a draft gear - сцепной прибор, амортизирующее устройство

Vocabulary Practice

9. Прочитайте наступні речення та доведіть, що вони правильні. Використовуйте фрази: As far as I know (remember), to my mind, I suppose, without saying, frankly speaking, allow me to observe, as I was going to observe, to tell the truth, they say, in fact, unfortunately, unexpectedly.

1. Box cars are primarily employed to transport valuable commodities and products requiring protection from the weather or against breakage.

2. Hopper cars constitute the second class of freight cars owned by the railways.

3. Open-top hopper cars are used most widely in the movement of coal from mines.

4. The covered hopper car represents one of the greatest growth patterns evident in recent railroad history.

5. The tank-car is a type of a freight car which body is made in kind of one of some barrels equipped with the loading and unloading and other devices which provide the safe transportation of goods.

6. The frame is the jointing part of the car which serves as the basis for the barrel, supports on the running gears and on it’s an automatic coupling and braking equipment is installed.

IV. Grammar Exercises

1. Прочитайте речення та складіть по 5 спеціальних запитань (Wh-questions) до кожного речення. Запропонуйте вашим співрозмовникам відповісти на складені питання.

1. This car is designed for passenger service at speeds up to 160km/h.

2. It consists of an all-metal body, a welded steel underframe and running gear (two four-wheel trucks trucks without pedestals, with double spring suspension and single-piece axle boxes on theroller bearings).

3. Each compartment of the car has an upholstered lower sofa, an armchair, a table and an upper folding upholstered berth.

4. The car is equipped with an air-conditioning system, individual water heating, a power plant with an axle drive, flexible platforms with metal accordions, an automatic and a hand brakes.

2. Перекладіть речення на українську мову та поясніть вживання конструкції пасивного стану (Passive Voice).

1. High-speed trains are said to be introduced on this section of the mainline early next year. 2. Mr. Smith is considered to be the best expert in brake systems. 3. The introduction of tilting trains is sure to reduce journey time on this line. 4. The timetable is known to be changed for the summer period. 5. The delegation is expected to arrive on Monday, but no precise information has been given. 6. The agreement is unlikely to be reached by the end of the week. 7. The parts and joints of the platform are made of the low-alloy and cast steels of premium quality.3. Використайте конструкції пасивного стану (Passive Voice) замість активного (Active Voice) та перекладіть речення українською мовою. Поясніть вживання конструкції пасивного стану (Passive Voice). E. g. They consider box cars to be convenient for transporting bulk freight. → Box cars are considered to be convenient for transporting bulk freight. 2. Customers use open-goods cars for transportation of coal, iron ore, etc. 3. They equip open-goods vehicles with special hatches. 4. They carry liquid goods in tank cars. 5. They are paying much attention to container traffic. 6. Last year they operated only flat wagons to transport bulky freight. 7. They will prevent damage to the car using safety equipment. 8. They haven’t fixed the tank to the frame. 9. The stewardess helped the old lady to fasten her seatbelt. 10. The two expert teams obtained comparable results. 11. Specifications for the new engine to draw up by our expert team. 12. The bogie to simplify for easier maintenance. 13. Russian and Finish railwaymen to reach an understanding to operate high-speed trains between Turku and St. Petersburg. 14. This speed record to certify by Guinness World Records as a world maglev speed record.

V. Tests

1. Identify the underlined word or phrase that must be changed in order for the sentence to be correct.

1. The box car is a car the body of which is a large tank with a sliding door

A B C

on each side.

D

2. The flat car is a boxmountedon a frame and bogies.

A B C D

3. The flat carhasa roof.

A B C D

4. Much attention is being paid to introducing special refrigerator cars.

A B C D

5. Tank cars are equipped with special devices forfastening freight.

A B C D

6. The tank car is designedfor transportation ofautomobiles.

A B C D

7. The tank car isa car the volume of which is about 36 cubic meters.

A B C D

8. The box cars are filled with the liquid through hatches in the top part of a

A B C D

wagon.

9. The hopper cars dischargetheir freight by gravity through roof hatches.

A B C D

10. Cementis mainly transported by open-top hopper cars.

A B C D

VI. Extra Reading

1. Виконайте переклад тексту.

Cooperation of Scandinavian rail car designers The recent project developed by Danish State Railways’ (DSB) design office includes the new four-car trainsets for Intercity express services in Denmark and Sweden. The most interesting aspect of the design process was that of combining two railway cultures and traditions to create an interior for a train which operates not only between Denmark and Sweden but internally in each European country. The design team spent a lot of time breaking down cultural and language barriers and generating the enthusiasm which lasted through the whole process. The result is the train based on the Scandinavian design tradition of simplicity and functionality. Modern materials such as wood veneer, leather, and carpets with 80% wool content are used. Fluorescent lighting is concealed in order to avoid a harsh glare and is supplemented by reading lights over the seats. Wide entrance doors and gangways as well as a low floor 600mm above the top of the rail in each set are examples of this. The low-floor area is divided into two parts. Bicycles and bulky luggage will be on the one side, whereas normal seating area with space for wheelchairs will be on the other side. The entrance doors and toilet for the handicapped are in the centre; there is enough space for fold-down seats and prams. There are two small lifts at each end allowing through-passage for catering trolleys. Transparency is used to create a feeling of security: partitions and doors are made of glass, therefore one can almost see from one end of the train to the other. These trains, which incorporate some of the most popular features of the IC3 sets, are the first Intercity trains where it has not been necessary to take ferry crossings into consideration. This has given the designers more freedom regarding the train’s length and width. Each set has 208 seats including 21 fold-down seats. The trains will be equipped with a satellite navigation system which, besides giving precise arrival information, will allow passengers at stations to see where unoccupied seats are located in the approaching train. At present this system is being installed in existing Intercity trains. DSB’s blue colour combined with grey has been chosen for the external livery and, with the elegantly formed nose and sleek sides, the train promises to be a design success. The four-car train has five bogies and is constructed of aluminium. It weighs 140 tonnes. There are four Iveco diesel engines. And the train has a top speed of 200km/h. The initial order is for 83 sets worth DKr 5 billion ($US 606 million). Production started in September 2001 and delivery will take place between mid-2003 and the end of 2005. Further 67 sets have been ordered.2. Виконайте переклад речень.Експлуатуватися в межах кожної европейської країни; викликати ентузіазм; звичайні місця; довжина и ширина состава; заказ на вартість.3. Виконайте переклад речень. To create an interior for a train; the design team; to break down barriers; a low floor 600 mm. above the top of the rail; a feeling of security besides giving precise arrival information; initial order.4. Дайте відповіді на запитання у письмовій формі.

1. What project does this text tell about? 2. What traditions were used to create an interior for these trains? 3. Do these trains operate only in Denmark? 4. What are the two most important features of these trainsets? 5. What materials are used for the train interior? 6. Why is lighting comfortable in these trains? 7. What conveniences are provided for the handicapped and for babies? 8. Why do the newly developed trains longer and wider than traditional IC3 sets? 9. How many seats are there in each set? 10. What system will help passengers to get precise arrival information? 11. What are the main technical features of these trains?

Unit 2