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| Re: Wheel Axels (343455) | |||
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Re: Wheel Axels |
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Posted by Broadway Lion on Sun Nov 26 11:37:48 2006, in response to Re: Wheel Axels, posted by Fulton Frank on Sun Nov 26 09:39:13 2006.   Going around a sharp curve the outside wheel must rotate more rapidly than the inside one in order to not slip (friction). This cannot happen with a solid axel. But you are wrong, and that is exactly what they do. But Railway wheels are not flat from inside to outside. They have a taper from the flange to the inside. The outside diameter by the flange is much greater than the inside diameter of the wheel. On tangent (straight) track, the flange is no where near the railheads. The train can go for miles and miles, and the flange will never touch the rail. But when the train goes around the curve, the outside wheel rides closer to the flange, and the inside wheel rides closer to the axle. This differential is what allows a solid wheelset to negotiate the curves without slipping or friction. When the (N) train goes around the corner at Canal Street, the high pitched squeal you hear is the flange rubbing against the railhead. They used to squirt grease in there to reduce that friction and noise, but nowadays railroads use water for this purpose, which is cheaper, more environmentally friendly, and is not tracked all over the wayside. ROAR [Now the LION will look to see what other replies you have gotten.] |
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