Running gear frame for a rail vehicle

A method for manufacturing a running gear frame for a rail vehicle, in particular, a rail vehicle having a nominal speed above 160 km/h, said running gear frame comprising a running gear frame unit defining a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis and a height axis and comprising two longitudinal beams and at least one transverse beam, wherein each of said longitudinal beams extends along said longitudinal axis of said running gear frame unit, and said at least one transverse beam extends along said transverse axis of said running gear frame unit, the method comprising:

• substantially rigidly connecting said at least one transverse beam to at least one of said longitudinal beams in the area of a joint location,
• forming said at least one longitudinal beam, at least in the region of said joint location, such that it has a longitudinal web section extending in a web plane perpendicular to said transverse axis, a web joint part of said transverse beam being connected to said longitudinal web section,
• forming said at least one transverse beam such that, at least in the region of said joint location, it is an open structure element such that, in a sectional plane perpendicular to said transverse axis and located at said joint location, said transverse beam having an open, non-ring-shaped profile cross section;
• said open profile cross section having a first free end and a second free end, wherein a transverse beam inner contour is defined by a connecting line between said first free end and said second free end and an inner circumference of said profile cross section between said first free end and said second free end,
• characterized in that
• said longitudinal web section is provided with an aperture;
• located in the region of a transverse beam projection (TBP), wherein
• said transverse beam projection (TBP) is a projection of said transverse beam inner contour along said transverse axis onto said web plane, said transverse beam projection (TBP) confining a transverse beam projection area (TBPA),
• said aperture defining an aperture projection (AP), wherein said aperture projection (AP) is a projection of said aperture along said transverse axis onto said web plane, an outer contour of said aperture projection (AP) confining an aperture projection area (APA);
• said aperture projection area (APA) at least partially overlapping said transverse beam projection area (TBPA);
• and
• said aperture projection area (APA) corresponds to at least 60%, preferably at least 75%, more preferably at least 85%, of said transverse beam projection area (TBPA).