Could anyone explain to me how ZWT trucks work…how they differ from other trucks like the Blomberg truck and their advantages and disadvantages?
I think that this is a hi-adhesion truck that Alco used. [:)] Anything else I 'm not for sure.
Yes, I beleive you’re right about that. I was reading an article yesterday about the MLW M420 and it mentioned the Zero Weight Transfer Trucks. I googled ZWT trucks which got me nowhere.
My understanding was that trucks had a tendency to slightly unload one axle, similar in concept to an automobile lifting its front end under heavy acceleration. Obviously then one of the axles would be likely to slip prematurely, since with less weight bearing on the rail its adhesion would be less. And when one axle slipped, with the older technology power was reduced to all four axles. By some ingenuity in design of the suspension this weight transfer was supposedly eliminated. A downside was that ZWT and ride quality were somewhat incompatible.
Perhaps someone else can comment with more experience and authority.
John