DEVELOPMENT OF A METHODOLOGY FOR CONDUCTING FORENSIC EXAMINATIONS OF RAILWAY TRANSPORT ACCIDENTS AT HUMPS

Purpose. The purpose of the study is to justify the need to develop a methodology for determining the braking power of retarders in the context of forensic examinations of railway incidents on marshalling yards. Methods. The research was conducted based on an analysis of literature sources dedicated to regulating the speed of cut roll-downs at humps, utilizing methods of train traffic safety theory and mathematical simulation modeling of hump processes. Results. The register of forensic examination methods does not include methods for investigating processes on marshalling yards, therefore research aimed at substantiating the development of a method for determining the braking power of wagon retarders and its use in forensic examinations of railway incidents on marshalling yards is relevant. Regulatory documentation governing the technical condition indicators of car retarders does not establish clear and unambiguous criteria for their deactivation for repair due to insufficient braking power. Loss of braking power due to the unsatisfactory technical condition of car retarders can lead to the realization of a railway transport accident mechanism even under conditions where the actual actions of hump operators comply with regulatory requirements. Establishing the actual braking power of retarders is possible by determining the pressing forces of the shoes on the car wheels. To determine the pressing forces of retarder shoes, a measurement-recording station based on TMA32 strain gauge equipment is used. The primary measuring instrument is the KFP5P1-10-200(A12) strain resistor, installed in a dosimeter attached to a metal insert simulating a car wheel rim. Pressure in the pneumatic supply system of the retarder is recorded in real time by the MD-10TS pressure sensor, installed in place of the manometer on the retarder's control station. Determining the actual braking power of retarders enables verification of the sufficiency of the retarders' braking power based on an analysis of compliance with a set of conditions. Scientific novelty. The necessity of developing a methodology for determining the actual braking power of wagon retarders within the framework of forensic examinations of railway accidents on marshalling yards has been substantiated. Practical significance. The results obtained in this work can be used as source data for developing and registering methods for determining the braking power of railcar retarders, identifying the root cause of railway incidents, and constructing their mechanisms.