Growing populations in mid-sized and large urban areas continue to put a
strain on aging public transportation infrastructures. The global market for
new passenger and urban rolling stock is estimated at more than $19 billion.
Separate budgets have also been expanded for the maintenance and
refurbishing of existing cars.
Transportation authorities around the world have established more
stringent rail car performance priorities, including improved reliability, energy
efficiency, safety, noise reduction, rider comfort and ease of maintenance
as they update and replace their rolling stock fleets. Rail car manufacturers
and critical propulsion system providers are constantly developing new
technologies and components to meet ever-increasing performance targets.
RAIL APPLICATION EXPERTISES
Nuttall Gear is known throughout the industry as a leading manufacturer of
reliable gearing and gearboxes for rail car propulsion systems. For more than
25 years, major traction drive OEMs have chosen to work with Nuttall for a
wide range of gearing solutions – from stand-alone gear sets to full, multicomponent
gearbox assemblies.
OEMs rely on Nuttall Gear to consistently meet high quality and reliability
expectations when manufacturing new traction drive designs as well as
rehabilitating/reverse engineering older drive gearing components.
Nuttall Gear’s manufacturing facility is built to accommodate larger quantities
associated with new and refurbished rail car traction drive orders. In-house
test stands allow Nuttall to quickly and efficiently perform required testing of
each new gearbox before it is shipped.
HELPING TO KEEP NYC ON THE MOVE
The operating agencies of the New York Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (MTA), including New York City
Transit, Metro-North and Long Island Railroads, represent
one of the largest metro rail systems in the world. The
combined MTA fleet consists of 6,465 subway cars and
2,393 commuter cars.
Keeping the vast fleet of rolling stock in-service is a
never-ending task. Rigid maintenance schedules are
followed to prevent car shortages that could negatively
impact ridership capacities.
Transit cars have traction drive gearboxes which are
mounted to the axles and driven by electric motors. After
years of rugged service, some of the gearing inside the
gearboxes needs to be replaced due to normal wear.
Nuttall Gear has been selected to provide replacement gear
and pinion sets for the MTA transit car gearboxes. Superior
machining capabilities and exceptional quality control
procedures allow Nuttall to produce the precision
gear/pinion sets which were engineered by the propulsion
drive OEM.
COMPLEX GEARBOX ASSEMBLIES
A major fleet upgrade was undertaken by the MTA in 2002.
From 2003 through 2008, a large quantity of new M7
electric rail cars were delivered as replacements for aging
fleets on the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North
Railroad.
One of the major improvements in the new design was the
enhanced AC traction motors that allowed for much faster
acceleration from a standing stop than the older cars.
Nuttall Gear was selected to produce the complex
gearboxes, which were designed by the traction drive
OEM for the new cars. Nuttall delivered complete gearbox
units, including the gearbox, coupling, suspension (antirotational
device), ground brush assemblies and grounding
connections.
For more than 25 years, Nuttall Gear has successfully
supplied gearing and gearbox solutions for various
rail car programs in the United States, including the
Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (Boston), Maryland
Transit Administration (Baltimore), the Southeastern
Pennsylvania Transit Authority (Philadelphia), and the
Chicago Transit Authority.
Being located in Niagara Falls, New York, also allows
Nuttall Gear to meet New York state content project
requirements. This is a significant advantage when
compared to other gearing competitors.