[en] Alterations in longitudinal and transverse momentum characteristics of charged secondaries produced in π⁺(π^-)p interactions at 8 and 40 GeV/c are analysed when the thrust direction is taken as the longitudinal axis of the center-of-mass system. The latter convention results in a substantial alteration of the transverse and longitudinal momentum characteristics of the secondary particles. The analysis of experimental data whows the distribution of charged particles versus the longitudinal variables to be dipping in the central region, which is specified by the character of the procedure for determining the principal axis of an event. At the same time, eliminated is distortion of the longitudinal- and transverse momentum characteristics of particles produced in such reactions as diffraction and fragmentation. This circumstance opens up new potentialities for isolation and studying of these phenomena