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TEXT 7
Passenger and freight cars
Railroad cars are grouped in two general categories, passenger cars and
freight cars. Each car has a coupler at each end. This device links the cars together.
Cars also have air brakes, which are connected to a master control in the
locomotive.
On most passenger trains, the cars consist mainly of coaches. The majority
of coaches have seats for 50 to 90 passengers. Double-deck coaches on commuter
trains seat from 150 to 170 people. Some passenger- train cars provide card tables,
refreshments, or other services that are not generally available on coaches. These
cars are called bar, chair, club, lounge, parlor cars. Other passenger-train cars
include baggage cars; dining cars; sleeping cars; and dome cars, which have a
dome-shaped upper level that enclosed in glass for sight-seeing.
Freight cars differ in shape and size according to the freight they are
designed to haul. They range from boxcars for carrying general freight to specially
designed cars for new automobiles. Many newer freight cars are similar to older
types except that they are longer have been redesigned to carry different kinds of
freight. Piggyback cars, for example, are common flatcars specially equipped to
hold truck trailers or containers. Other flatcars are fitted with two-or three-level
racks for hauling new automobiles.
In the early 1980’s railroads began eliminating the familiar caboose at the
end of freight trains. Monitoring devices can now perform duties once handled by
crew members riding in the caboose. In the mid-1980’s, some railroads began to
adopt a “carless” technology, using truck trailers with either attached or detachable
railroad wheels. Such trailers can run on a railroad or on a high-way. Railroads also
began to explore the idea of integral trains. An integral train consists of cars
permanently coupled in units of various lengths. The train moves as a unit to its
destination and back.
Railroads have greatly improved the safety of railroad cars over the years.
One the chief improvements have been to reduce the danger from overheated
journal boxes. On older cars, each end to an axle turns on solid surfaces enclosed
in a journal box. A box may become overheated through lack of lubrication and so
become hotbox. A hotbox, in turn, may burn away the end of an axle and so cause
a derailment. On newer cars, the use of roller bearings rather than solid surfaces at
the ends of axles has helped reduce the number of hotboxes. Railroads have also
installed electronic devices called hotbox detectors at various points alongside
railroad tracks. As trains pass by, the devices detect any hotboxes. This information
is electrically transmitted to a central control station. Workers at the central control
station radio the train crew to remove cars with hotboxes from the train.
Exercise 1
Give the Ukrainian equivalents for the following English words and word –
combinations:
improved the safety, the use of roller bearings, began to adopt, on solid surfaces,
which are connected, three-level racks, on newer cars, monitoring devices, to link,
to detect, double-deck coaches, to consist of, to be electrically transmitted,
commuter trains, the train crew, so cause a derailment, except, the chief
improvements, to reduce, baggage cars, attached or detachable railroad wheels, to
install electronic devices, sleeping cars, upper level, different kinds of freight, a
high-way, to explore, in shape and size, air brakes, available, an integral train.
Exercise 2
What’s the English for:
нестача змащення, тверда поверхня, бригада потягу, зменшити небезпеку,
пристрій з’єднує вагони, місце призначення, прикріплювати або
відкріплювати, спальний вагон, перегрівається, більшість вагонів,
встановлювати, спеціально обладнаний, забезпечити, послуги, безпека, різні
види вантажу, повітряні гальма, інформація передається, двоярусний вагон,
застосовувати ідею, значно покращується, використовувати, у хвості потяга,
таким чином спричиняє, виконувати обов’язки, приміські потяги, купе,
спалити.
Exercise 3
Answer these questions:
1. What kinds of railroad cars do you know?
2. What device does link the cars together?
3. How many seats do the majority of coaches have?
4. What services do some passenger cars provide?
5. Why do freight cars differ in shape and size?
6. What kinds of freight cars do you know?
7. How are piggyback cars equipped?
8. What can now perform duties once handled by crew members riding in the
caboose?
9. What is a “carless” technology?
10.When did it begin to use?
11.How have railroads greatly improved the safety of railroad cars over the
years?
12.The use of roller bearings rather than solid surfaces at the ends of axles has
helped reduce the number of hotboxes, hasn’t it?
13.How is this information transmitted to a central control station?
Exercise 4
Choose the correct affirmations.
1. Railroad cars are … in two general categories.
a) made
b) grouped
c) built
2. Passenger trains consist of …
a) coaches
b) railcars
c) flatcars
3. Freight cars… in shape and size according to the freight.
a) carry
b) grow
c) differ
4. Piggyback cars are common flatcars specially… to hold truck trailers or
containers.
a) equipped
b) transmitted
c) overheated
5. Railroads began …the familiar caboose at the end of freight trains.
a) using
b) linking
c) eliminating
6. Such trailers can… on a railroad or on a high-way.
a) build
b) run
c) repair
7. An integral train …cars permanently coupled in units of various lengths.
a) consists of
b) depend on
c) according to
8. A box may become… through lack of lubrication and so become hotbox.
a) frozen
b) broken
c) overheated
9. This information is electrically… to a central control station.
a) transmitted
b) turned on
c) turned off
10.Workers radio the train crew to… cars with hotboxes from the train.
a) repair
b) remove
c) paint
С.р.6. Вагони.
Письмове виконання самостійної роботи в окремому зошиті.
Original work №6
Theme: Cars
Task: write down the text“Cars”, translate it in writing using the vocabulary.
Answer the questions.
Cars
Railway passenger train cars are of many different types and vary
considerably in design due to the various kinds of traffic to be handled. Formerly
all the passenger cars were made of wood and equipped with hand brakes, coal or
wood burning stoves and oil lamps. At the present time very few of cars in service
are of wooden construction, the majority being of steel construction. Steel
passenger cars are much safer then wooden cars, they can be built to carry a great
number of passengers, and if properly cared for them last longer than wooden cars.
Comfort and sanitary conditions are now given first consideration. A typical
modern passenger car is about 23.6m long, seat 48 passengers, weights 50 tons, is
of steel construction, and is carried on four-wheeled trucks. All coaches are fitted
with a hot water heating system and lighted by electricity. Improved seats and toilet
facilities have added to the comfort of the travelers. Increasing attention is also
given to artistic interior finish.