Subject:
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Re: Tilting trains (Used to be: how did James Mathis make his tilting trains?)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Sun, 10 Feb 2002 03:20:25 GMT
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Viewed:
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969 times
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In lugnet.trains, James Mathis writes:
> No. Even in real-life trains, I'm not sure that making a train tilt through
> a curve necessarily enables it to go any faster than it could if it didn't
> tilt. It is my understanding that tilting the train cars is more to keep
> passengers more comfortable (and saucers on the table)-- orients the
> perceived direction of gravity to remain closer to perpendicular to the floor.
>
> I think that the maximum speed through curves is more based on the location
> of the center of mass above the track and radius of the curve. The speed,
> center of mass, and radius of curve all determine the force (centripetal)
> and consequent torque that acts to tip the train car over (derail) through
> the curve.
>
> Banking the track tilts a train, too, but it tips both the cars and the
> wheels. The result is higher speeds than if the track weren't banked.
> Banking the track through curves permits both greater max speed and
> passenger comfort, irrespective of whether the train cars tilt. In banking
> the track, the angle between the direction of the centripetal force and the
> surface of the track is reduced. This allows for greater speed through
> the curve before the train would tip over. Think NASCAR banked oval tracks.
> I don't think that only tilting the train cars is the same thing.
>
> I know this is a pretty inadequate explanation--maybe pretty wrong?
>
> So, I don't think that tilting the brick-built train should necessarily
> yield higher speeds through the curves. Wish it did. In fact, with the
> brick-built train, I am wondering if the swinging motion actually tends to
> throw the train off the track as it enters the curve. ??
>
> later,
> James Mathis
LECTURE LECTURE LECTURE LECTURE LECTURE LECTURE LECTURE LECTURE LECTURE
I have a 'Ultimate Visual Dictionary' and it has a pair of pages about
tilting trains, though it only mentions the Pendolino and a 'French tilting
train' that it dosn't name. Anyway, it describes the mechanics of the
tilting train.
Whenever a train turns on a curve, a centrifugal force is created that
pushes the interior of the car to the outside of the curve (the obtuse part
of the curve)thus resuting in objects moving. You feel that same feeling as
when a car turns. This results in some passenger discomfort.
\ \
\ \
\ \
/ / __\
/ / /
/ / Centrifugal force
/ /
Train tracks on curves are always banked to about 6 degrees. However,
on tilting trains, a hydraulic system on the truck frame(it would be the
bogie plate on Lego trains, I belive)pushes the car above it towards the
acute angle of the curve(the opposite of the direction of the Centrifugal
force)at angle of about 8 degrees, thus compensating for about 70% of the
centrifugal force, increasing passengar comfort.
\ \
\ \
\ \
/_ / / __\
\ / / /
Sideways / / Centrifugal force
force / /
produced by
tilting.
The total tilt of 14 degrees results with greeater comfort and safety.
ALSO the tilt allows speeds up to 30% higher then normal.
The end.
John Henry Kruer
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Message has 2 Replies:
Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: How did James Mathis make his tilting trains?
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| (...) No. Even in real-life trains, I'm not sure that making a train tilt through a curve necessarily enables it to go any faster than it could if it didn't tilt. It is my understanding that tilting the train cars is more to keep passengers more (...) (22 years ago, 9-Feb-02, to lugnet.trains)
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