Physical Networks' Approach in Train and Tram Systems' Investigation

Large vehicles on rail networks are complex, nonlinear, engineering systems that perform translator motion. Apart from system components' nonlinearities, there are environmental influences as well, through railroad characteristics' changes on the long routes. On the one side, we have historical or legacy systems, still in place, and on the other, there are state-of-the-art train compositions that are capable of achieving extremely high ground speeds of transportation. In both cases reliability and safety are the primary objectives in system maintenance and system design. Global physical networks approach is presented here, and applied in this investigation. Physical quantities like speed, force, power, and energy are studied, monitored, and presented. The main contribution of this modeling application is in its capability to obtain various data from any part of the system which could be used for the improvement of overall system safety and reliability.