Multi-unit rail vehicle for commuter traffic

A multi-unit rail vehicle having multiple pivotably interconnected car bodies for commuter traffic, with each of the pivotably interconnected car bodies of the vehicle being supported, via rubber springs as secondary shock absorbers, on a driving bogie that is disposed below the center of that car body via a pivot mounting with wheel sets also arranged centrally independent the car body in order to solve a problem of height of the vehicle as well as balancing of moments of force transmitted to the wheel sets and that has longitudinal members arranged to the sides of the rail vehicle so as to avoid having a vehicle floor substantially higher than an adjacent street level combination further comprising:

• at least one drive motor for each of said driving bogies, with each drive motor being mounted to and disposed transversely below the pertaining car body, being disposed off to the side, and being located beyond a pivot range of the associated bogie, and with transfer of torque being effected from a given one of said drive motors to at least one wheel set of said associated bogie via drive shaft means and reduction gear mechanism means, said drive shaft means being located substantially transversely of a longitudinal axis of said vehicle and also being offset from the pivot range of the associated bogie to compensate for longitudinal movements thereof resulting from turning movements of the driving bogie;
• and
• angled-off cross members interconnecting said longitudinal members of a given driving bogie, each of said cross members including a mid-section positioned lower than the level of said longitudinal members so as to accommodate, with clearance, a uniform level central walkway that extends in the pertaining car body through the entire vehicle,
• a given driving bogie having a longitudinal axis and a point of rotation, and having two drive motors mounted to the car body and operatively connected to the driving bogie via shaft means and reduction gear mechanisms, said drive motors located in the substantially diagonally opposite locations underneath the car body, the drive shaft means of which are essentially disposed parallel to axles of the wheel sets of said bogie and beyond the pivot range of said driving bogie, relative to said point of rotation, said drive motors are disposed diagonally across from one another on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis;
• and said reduction gear mechanisms disposed outside of said wheel set so that entry and exit can be effected without complicated and inconvenient step constructions, and that a passenger can walk along an entire train at the same level without having to negotiate steps and the like.