Wheelset (railroad)
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A wheelset is the wheel-axle (wheel and axle) assembly of a railroad car. The frame assembly beneath each end of a car or locomotive that holds the wheelsets is called the bogie or truck (North America). Most bogies have two or three wheelsets, depending on the type of car.
The above diagram does not show any flanges on the wheels!
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[edit] Conical shape
Most wheelsets have a conical shape on about 1 in 20, which amongst other things helps extract the wheel from its mold after casting. The conical shape also the effect of steering the wheelset about curves, so that flange come into play only some of the time. The rails generally slant in at the same rate as the conicity.
Queensland Railways had cylindrical wheels for the first 100 years.
Each wheelset for a standard class rail carraige in the UK cost on average £16,000.00 which for the longevity of the sets is one of the most efficient in our transport systme today at the average cost of £4000.00 per wheel that lasts over 1500000 hours in service.
[edit] Wheel and Rail Profiles
Wheel and rail profiles aren't straight, but follow specific shapes that have been found to follow curves and reduce hunting, and to reduce wear and tear.
Heavy traffic and high axle loads on iron ore railways in the Pilbara cause serious damage to wheels and rails, leading to fundimental research on the Rail-Wheel Interface. This information has been made available to the world through the International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA). [1]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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