Analysing Knowledge Gained in the Maintenance and Repair of Suburban Coaches of Lightweight Steel Construction.

Failures frequently experienced on suburban coaches of ultra-lightweight steel construction and their rectification are discussed with reference to pictures. Mention is made of weak points which are typical of suburban coaches of ultra-lightweight design. The design improvements introduced in the construction of new vehicles are covered in brief. The average maintenance costs are derived from an evaluation of the DB workshop statistics and subdivided into groups according to the type of failure. The results are used to predict the main failure rates, showing that maintenance is dependent on the annual mileage of the coaches. The maintenance cost proportions that are dependent on the average mileage of the vehicles are also indicated. The economic considerations governing the application of ultra-lightweight design for suburban coaches are outlined.