Patent ID: 8371231

Claim:
A rail vehicle comprising: a first truck that includes: a first axle uncoupled from a traction system of the rail vehicle; a first suspension assembly coupling the first axle to the first truck, the first suspension assembly having respective mechanical characteristics to apply a first portion of a rail vehicle weight to the first axle of the first truck; a second axle coupled to the traction system of the rail vehicle; and a second suspension assembly coupling the second axle to the first truck, the second suspension assembly having respective mechanical characteristics different than the mechanical characteristics of the first suspension assembly to apply a second portion of the rail vehicle weight to the second axle, the second portion of the rail vehicle weight being greater than the first portion of the rail vehicle weight so that the rail vehicle weight is asymmetrically distributed to the first axle and the second axle to transmit a corresponding incremental amount of tractive effort for a given amount of a driving torque applied to the second axle via the traction system of the rail vehicle, wherein the first axle and the second axle comprise axles having substantially equal weight-carrying capability; a second truck comprising a third axle and a fourth axle coupled to the traction system; and a rail vehicle ballast disposed on the rail vehicle closer to the second truck than the first truck so that the rail vehicle weight is asymmetrically distributed to the second truck and the first truck so as to allow transmitting a corresponding incremental amount of tractive effort for a given amount of a driving torque applied to the third axle and fourth axle of the second truck via the traction system of the rail vehicle.