The Design of Train Wheels is Genius

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 12 січ 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 10 тис.

  • @drakerector4997
    @drakerector4997 Рік тому +119185

    I can confidently say that this has never crossed my mind even once in my lifetime, but now that I have watched this clip, this is absolutely fascinating

  • @wesjameson
    @wesjameson Рік тому +30449

    “No need to reinvent the wheel here…” Trains: “well actually…”

    • @SideWinder_999
      @SideWinder_999 Рік тому +269

      1880ish: let’s make them out of paper!

    • @Hindu9054
      @Hindu9054 Рік тому +98

      how would they brake or stop? this wheel is dangerous.

    • @SideWinder_999
      @SideWinder_999 Рік тому +479

      @@Hindu9054 what was 3d printed was a dramatisation they look like the flanged one except they're slightly curved and then disk brakes or whatever blahblah

    • @novas-requiem
      @novas-requiem Рік тому +125

      @@Hindu9054maybe that +the high weight and speed is why it takes a train a mile to break

    • @Hindu9054
      @Hindu9054 Рік тому +13

      point@@novas-requiem

  • @p4tchPL
    @p4tchPL Рік тому +10607

    One of my favourite quotes in engineering is "the simplest way to do it is the best way to do it".

    • @synexiasaturnds727yearsago7
      @synexiasaturnds727yearsago7 Рік тому +87

      Occam's razor

    • @NordpantsMcDragonpuncher
      @NordpantsMcDragonpuncher Рік тому +24

      Then please explain the BMW engine

    • @p4tchPL
      @p4tchPL Рік тому

      @@NordpantsMcDragonpuncher yeah I'm good thanks

    • @shira_yone
      @shira_yone Рік тому +92

      ​@@NordpantsMcDragonpuncherare they the best? Don't think so.

    • @NordpantsMcDragonpuncher
      @NordpantsMcDragonpuncher Рік тому +22

      @@shira_yone what are you on about? The BMW is a mediocre engine that is over engineered because German engineers like fucking over mechanics.

  • @mcswizz9609
    @mcswizz9609 8 місяців тому +189

    These the kinda simple explanations that represent a great teacher

  • @fpl_cricket
    @fpl_cricket Рік тому +7480

    This is how trains turn without a differential! My dad taught me this when I was little, and this is an excellent visualization!

    • @saleem2991
      @saleem2991 Рік тому

      ​@@leveluxtorduChad pfp

    • @Kyle_402
      @Kyle_402 Рік тому +34

      @@leveluxtorduAlways one of you in an upload.
      “AcKtChUaaLly….” 🥴
      Nobody asked.

    • @elliott.aka.blooky
      @elliott.aka.blooky Рік тому +28

      @@Kyle_402 i asked

    • @markgachoka5295
      @markgachoka5295 Рік тому +40

      ​@@Kyle_402so i guess you just enjoy misinformation?😮

    • @Truth4Lyf
      @Truth4Lyf Рік тому +5

      ​@tryagain5410 nothing wrong with a correction

  • @voldemort008
    @voldemort008 Рік тому +20101

    As a train conductor, I can confirm we do indeed use wheels.

    • @strawberryme08
      @strawberryme08 Рік тому +120

      Ya maybe this is the model for another country? 🤔

    • @kadamseth3817
      @kadamseth3817 Рік тому +81

      Wyd if I jump in front and u don’t have enough time to stop

    • @gandydancer823
      @gandydancer823 Рік тому +64

      He is not taking into consideration the wheel trucks. But what do I know I'm only track maintenance.

    • @Chunky246
      @Chunky246 Рік тому +72

      I can confirm that train conductors, in my country, are mostly on strike.

    • @Robertinater4546B
      @Robertinater4546B Рік тому +82

      ​@@kadamseth3817My uncle is a train conductor. A man stood in the middle of the tracks and he didn't have enough time so he splattered the man. My uncle is still haunted by that to this day.

  • @NickAndriadze
    @NickAndriadze Рік тому +4598

    Trains are actually one of if not the single coolest and most important vehicles in the history of humanity. Not only they were the first ever fast, motorized way of transportation, they could (and still *can)* transport an insane amount of weight at good speed and safety. And to make them work, people had to come up with and use an insane amount of innovative technology.

    • @supertuesday600
      @supertuesday600 Рік тому +57

      The most important vehicle created is the Bicycle.

    • @VulpineCortex
      @VulpineCortex Рік тому +131

      @@supertuesday600 not really, I'd think of a bicycle as just a combination of a cart and an improvement of walking. It only transforms an already pretty common modes of transport.
      Trains on the other hand were the first to be a practical application of artificial (non-biological) power applied to land transportation. They are still the best in that regard provided there is infrastructure in place. IMO an ideal world would only have just permutations of:
      - walking
      - cycling
      - trains
      - boats / ships
      cars and planes would only be used in specialized application: cars for rural areas, planes for high speed (eg. organ transplants, etc).

    • @supertuesday600
      @supertuesday600 Рік тому +13

      @@VulpineCortex You might as well say trains are giant carts in wheels and giant steam kettle which are very common too when trains were invented

    • @mj31382
      @mj31382 Рік тому +5

      I think semiconductor is even more amazing

    • @JustRememberWhoYoureWorkingFor
      @JustRememberWhoYoureWorkingFor Рік тому +14

      ​@@VulpineCortexa world with almost no cars and planes? Here comes the ecofascism!!

  • @towertimesgaming4319
    @towertimesgaming4319 7 місяців тому +10

    Ngl this is why trains are so amazing. They're so complex and require so much enginuity. A train operator has to know what he's doing or else bad things might happen. Trains are amazingly fascinating and are beautifully engineered. This is why I love them

  • @atomicbrothers8600
    @atomicbrothers8600 Рік тому +3799

    I think also cool as it turns it actually leans into the turn like someone on a motorcycle so there’s a lower center of gravity which helps train from tipping over

    • @nikoraasu6929
      @nikoraasu6929 9 місяців тому +66

      not the point of the design, and it does not matter as much as you think

    • @unliving_ball_of_gas
      @unliving_ball_of_gas 9 місяців тому +20

      ​@@nikoraasu6929 yeah, because trains have wheels on two sides..

    • @seigeengine
      @seigeengine 8 місяців тому +78

      @@nikoraasu6929 Thank you for demonstrating how to be completely unlikable.

    • @nikoraasu6929
      @nikoraasu6929 8 місяців тому +36

      @@seigeengine thank you for i dont give s shit

    • @Sparklysssss
      @Sparklysssss 8 місяців тому +24

      @@nikoraasu6929 womp womp 💀

  • @jhinjuicyplays9419
    @jhinjuicyplays9419 Рік тому +17770

    Can we just appreciate the clear explanation and the awesome examples.

    • @ValerieReagan
      @ValerieReagan Рік тому +170

      Never thought anyone could make train wheels interesting to me, dude did a great job

    • @iwanttwoscoops
      @iwanttwoscoops Рік тому +82

      love that he printed out the uneven dumbbell wheel for the explanation. I’ve seen this explained a few times and while that prop isn’t necessary for most to understand, it sure is damn clear

    • @skully70
      @skully70 Рік тому +9

      Modern version of those 1950s educational videos!

    • @alexaecho4273
      @alexaecho4273 Рік тому +1

      The mom realistic Examples

    • @FallenHermit
      @FallenHermit Рік тому +3

      Good Idea without results////
      Well The cone wouldn't be able to bear the weight of the train.
      And
      Compared to train width the cone width is too narrow.

  • @JohnLattanzio98
    @JohnLattanzio98 Рік тому +33624

    Bro's recording in a wind tunnel 😂

  • @keithkowalchuk2046
    @keithkowalchuk2046 9 місяців тому +148

    Train wheels are also mounted to an assembly called a truck that also swivels as the unit enters a curve

    • @ImGoingSupersonic
      @ImGoingSupersonic 8 місяців тому +9

      Yea,i was going to say that. They are on a swivel and train wheels do not look like the video.

    • @HugeRademaker
      @HugeRademaker 7 місяців тому +2

      Not necessarily. Plenty cars on just two axels.

    • @HugeRademaker
      @HugeRademaker 7 місяців тому +2

      @@ImGoingSupersonicHe says it is exaggerated. Train wheels exactly look like this.

    • @NewmanAttack
      @NewmanAttack 6 місяців тому

      ​@HugeRademaker no, they don't. The shape is barely noticeable to the eye.

    • @HugeRademaker
      @HugeRademaker 6 місяців тому +5

      @@NewmanAttack It's my job. The wheels are conical shaped.

  • @pomegranatekat2061
    @pomegranatekat2061 Рік тому +4062

    This has answered a question from my childhood that i honestly had forgotten and i now feel enlightened

    • @Steveddie93
      @Steveddie93 Рік тому +28

      Watch Practical Engineering. Longer, better video explaining. His channel is great

    • @beatnik6806
      @beatnik6806 Рік тому +6

      Same 😂

    • @amumuimo8530
      @amumuimo8530 Рік тому +7

      Except the middle bar wobbles. Creating a very shakey ride.

    •  Рік тому +2

      Was the question "what's a flange?"

    • @vipe650r
      @vipe650r Рік тому +2

      That sounds like a great moment to have. How fun.

  • @bladactania
    @bladactania Рік тому +1669

    An additional tidbit: the angle of the "cone" of the wheels affects the speed and curvature of the track a train can safely run on while maintaining this effect.

    • @priyobayuramadhan1284
      @priyobayuramadhan1284 Рік тому +47

      Yes. You can literally see the wheel becomes 'wiggly' when moving through straight track, this is called hunting motion. And the design of railway vehicle must consider this as the speed limit. 😅

    • @AnthonyCD-o7y
      @AnthonyCD-o7y Рік тому +8

      Okay, now do a high speed magnetic train.
      Lol the USA is the only first world western nation that still uses this outdated system

    • @haraptenang.3408
      @haraptenang.3408 Рік тому +5

      But the small contact area of ​​the wheels and rails also affects the strength of the brakes, it also placing the center of weight right in the middle of the rail so it can damage the rails more quickly, the limited area of ​​surface contact is also can cause serious problems just because the rail sections are not smooth, so the rails inner side require more maintenance for the train operations.

    • @SlapShotTakes
      @SlapShotTakes Рік тому +9

      My brother in Christ we didn’t get bombed. Also our country is the size of multiple European countries. We were prob busy defending the free world, making blockbuster films, medical breakthroughs and putting a man on the moon.

    • @shelbypowell9919
      @shelbypowell9919 Рік тому

      We had trains, then we tore up the tracks for cars@@SlapShotTakes

  • @youriricher1123
    @youriricher1123 Рік тому +4967

    I love this part of YT shorts. Learning things you never asked to learn but you're happy to learn anyway

    • @grimmshredsanguinus2915
      @grimmshredsanguinus2915 11 місяців тому +21

      Indeed : D

    • @qwerty-kd7ry
      @qwerty-kd7ry 11 місяців тому +12

      When was the last time you went on a bumpy ride like it would be if the wheels would actually look like that? Can't you see the wheels bouncing?
      The secret is in the tracks,and the angle the wheels turn

    • @Hazzy_1x
      @Hazzy_1x 11 місяців тому +13

      Learning more then school tbh

    • @Sandhy12341
      @Sandhy12341 11 місяців тому +7

      ​@@Hazzy_1x couldn't agree more 😂

    • @Sandhy12341
      @Sandhy12341 11 місяців тому +5

      It's like the saying: "You learn new things everyday" ✨

  • @AbsenceOfLogic
    @AbsenceOfLogic 3 місяці тому +1

    This is a reminder of how much genius engineering we all rely on and also take for granted every day. Too many people don't appreciate science as much as they should.

  • @zachkieri1185
    @zachkieri1185 Рік тому +604

    This is also part of why train cars are not directly attached to the wheel but instead “float” on top so they don’t tip over while the wheels follow the track

  • @rsovi6621
    @rsovi6621 Рік тому +1821

    As a passenger, I can’t confirm how comfortable my train wobbles on turns.

    • @operatord4s118
      @operatord4s118 Рік тому +40

      They do but not for the reason he’s portraying

    • @jayeshsaroj3944
      @jayeshsaroj3944 Рік тому +60

      To overcome that issue compartments of the train can be provided with very good suspensions for the jerky movements.

    • @clicheguevara5282
      @clicheguevara5282 Рік тому +22

      As a train, I'm insulted.

    • @fourierrocket
      @fourierrocket Рік тому +3

      Ever see a motorcycle when the front wheel starts wobbling?

    • @kvgiris
      @kvgiris Рік тому +1

      ​@@operatord4s118what reasons?

  • @breadstick64920
    @breadstick64920 9 місяців тому +803

    I build rail roads for a living and think about this kind of stuff constantly

    • @Bdavis2475
      @Bdavis2475 5 місяців тому +1

      Cool 😊

    • @Allen21758
      @Allen21758 3 місяці тому +1

      I just wonder how well it would work with high profile cars. Seems the lean could make them topple over.

    • @pauleliot6429
      @pauleliot6429 3 місяці тому

      can i connect to you with some ideas?

    • @rosemarietolentino3218
      @rosemarietolentino3218 3 місяці тому

      It’s already been done you can stop thinking about it.

    • @breadstick64920
      @breadstick64920 2 місяці тому

      @@Allen21758 the wheight is what basically holds the train to the track if the wheels were to life 3 inches off the rail the whole thing would derail because it's only a 3 inch flange that holds the wheels in place while the weight keeps it held down

  • @caddysouth8401
    @caddysouth8401 4 місяці тому +1

    Yes...this is genius 👏 and I am happy to learn this 😊
    THX....

  • @whatintheworld7624
    @whatintheworld7624 Рік тому +1960

    not only does it adjust on turns, but it also leans into the turn so it won't tip over.

    • @jensenraylight8011
      @jensenraylight8011 Рік тому +56

      yes, also, the passenger will all become a liquid at the end of the ride, the train shake them a little too hard

    • @Roolax17
      @Roolax17 Рік тому +7

      @@jensenraylight8011exactement.
      Complètement ridicule.

    • @blackwhite2361
      @blackwhite2361 Рік тому +19

      You forgot that the wobbling can derail the train.

    • @nemonucliosis
      @nemonucliosis Рік тому

      But this "GENIUS" invention is "GENIOUS"

    • @dessertlimbo
      @dessertlimbo Рік тому +1

      is it also one of the principles for like belt drive gears as well?

  • @FreedomIII
    @FreedomIII Рік тому +4510

    What's even cooler, because this design creates occilation that throws a train off the tracks at high speeds, Japanese bullet trains have the angle on their wheels halved. This mitigates the ability for the train to occilate itself off the track (and the slow, smooth turns of bullet train tracks helps make it so those shallower-angled wheels can still navigate the rails well enough 😊)
    edit: wtf why does this have 2k likes? (≧∀≦) (evidently nearly 4 now?)

    • @jockellis
      @jockellis Рік тому +104

      The difference is that the wheels were designed for the tracks of the bullet trains, tracks that were built solely for those passenger trains. American rail wheels have to be able to negotiate tight industrial sidings as well as wide, smooth curves

    • @armandoromero9525
      @armandoromero9525 Рік тому +5

      I was today's old when I learnt this!😳😳😳😳👍👍👍

    • @givemyaccountback-jd4sk
      @givemyaccountback-jd4sk Рік тому +9

      Life, is roblox

    • @givemyaccountback-jd4sk
      @givemyaccountback-jd4sk Рік тому +4

      @@suspicioussand You earned 500 gold

    • @bigmandennis9121
      @bigmandennis9121 Рік тому +3

      Before I read this, I basically came to the same conclusion. Unless a mechanism is created to balance out both sides so that when one side goes down and the other side goes up, then going at high speed the train would wovel. Something would need to be created that would need to keep the train leveled as one side rises and the other side lowers. Kind like how those camera accessories they have now, where no matter if it's lowered or turned, the camera always remains straight forward and leveled

  • @jeandunham1363
    @jeandunham1363 Рік тому +2595

    How the hell did i not realize that the coneshape makes so much sense for something like that

    • @shizuxo
      @shizuxo Рік тому +5

      Go to school

    • @jeandunham1363
      @jeandunham1363 Рік тому +58

      @shizuxo I'm I'm school fir someone completely unrelated for a reason

    • @Shadic-rf8dg
      @Shadic-rf8dg Рік тому +147

      @@shizuxo I mean schools aren't usually teaching about the wheel design of trains (unless you are going to college for engineering that sort of thing).

    • @conetall.u
      @conetall.u Рік тому +8

      ​@@shizuxoi learn this when i as a kid in middle school playing alone with my wheel like watermelon skin along the road edges. Well Guess there's no need for extensive learning to know such thing😕

    • @admincomands1602
      @admincomands1602 Рік тому +1

      idk maybe u didnt think about it

  • @prathameshprafulhole2662
    @prathameshprafulhole2662 9 місяців тому +1

    Such a simple but genius technique

  • @Ollitopay
    @Ollitopay Рік тому +997

    The geometry also keeps the load centered. If you flip the wheels inside out, the train will fall off the tracks. Thanks for the demo. Great content

    • @Kris-fd9xs
      @Kris-fd9xs Рік тому +2

      The geometry splits the track?

    • @Skylancer727
      @Skylancer727 Рік тому +15

      ​@Kris-fd9xs he kinda butchered the explanation. What he means is since the flange is on the inside of the rails if the car tips in a turn and sit on only outer wheels it stays in the rails. If we put the flange on the outside of the rail it will just slide off in the same situation.
      But in reality the purpose of putting the flange on the inside was mainly just that it's easier to make switches. Just think how the hell you'd make a switch otherwise.

    • @Ollitopay
      @Ollitopay Рік тому +2

      I meant the geometry of the wheels as a whole. The load being centered is more of a function of the taper of the wheels than the position of the flange. The reaction force of the wheels is upward and inward toward the center. If the wheels were flipped inside out, the same forces would be upward and outward. The train would always be pulled to one side of the tracks or the other instead of the reaction forces of each side pushing toward each other in the middle.

    • @Mr._Bellic
      @Mr._Bellic 9 місяців тому

      Not only that, but the wheels would turn at exactly the wrong speed. The outer wheels would turn too slow and the inner wheels would turn too fast. The opposite should be true; outer wheels would rotate faster (larger surface area, same time to rotate, larger circumference/second, more linear momentum/second) and the inner wheels would rotate slower (smaller surface area, opposite explanation.)

  • @terrenusvitae
    @terrenusvitae Рік тому +599

    An elegantly simple design and a concise and effective explanation.

  • @NoriMori1992
    @NoriMori1992 Рік тому +2292

    I honestly never thought about how train wheels work! Thanks for bringing it up!

    • @thespectresociety
      @thespectresociety Рік тому +3

      I was just watching a show yesterday and wondered how trains actually take turns? My logic was the flange to stop it derailing but that's where I stopped, seeing this now I'm so intrigued

    • @18nwk
      @18nwk Рік тому +8

      Track are turning very slow simply. You never saw damn train? They don't have cones instead of fkin wheels, they just driving slower and tracks are as straight as poaible

    • @WhoThisMonkey
      @WhoThisMonkey Рік тому +1

      ​@@thespectresociety
      Your reasoning you mean.
      Logic doesn't change from person to person, it works one way and one way only.
      It is also a learned subject, the vast majority of people never once look into what logic is, and how it works.
      Yet so many people claim to be logical... 🤦🏼‍♂️

    • @thespectresociety
      @thespectresociety Рік тому

      @@WhoThisMonkey logic isn't just one way my friend. Depending on several factors. Logic alters itself greatly, it takes many forms.
      I don't mean to be argumentative of course, I'm just informing you that picturing logic as just One Set Way is in itself, Hilariously....illogical

    • @railsplitters79
      @railsplitters79 Рік тому +5

      @@18nwkas stated in the video, the cones are an exaggeration of actual train wheels. But actual train wheels are small towards the outside and larger towards the inside This allows them to slightly shift in the way the cones demonstrate in the video. just to a much lesser degree.

  • @finallyfriday.
    @finallyfriday. 5 місяців тому

    I've always been impressed with whoever engineered this physical solution. I never tire of reviewing the issue.

  • @avinnash076
    @avinnash076 Рік тому +541

    Probably one of the most educational short I've seen a long time. Thank you sir👏

    • @EmmanuelGbiaye
      @EmmanuelGbiaye Рік тому +1

      already knew this

    • @undertheneonlights
      @undertheneonlights Рік тому +1

      Complete lies.

    • @aruprishi8111
      @aruprishi8111 Рік тому

      Copied from
      Practical Engineering

    • @Redditard
      @Redditard Рік тому

      ​@@aruprishi8111🤧 well he's still not hurting him in anyway

    • @thenameisalie6
      @thenameisalie6 Рік тому +1

      ​@@aruprishi8111I also saw Grady's video, but are we really sure that this short is a copy? Look at the dates

  • @texaswunderkind
    @texaswunderkind Рік тому +3371

    Engineers. They're not just the annoying dads ruining your scouting troop's Pinewood Derby.

    • @trevorhegstrom2816
      @trevorhegstrom2816 Рік тому +22

      Looking at you, Mr. Forman.

    • @SignalCorps1
      @SignalCorps1 Рік тому +55

      As an engineer, I know I have annoyed my family and many occasions, but hopefully I’ve done some good along the way too.

    • @alpacaofthemountain8760
      @alpacaofthemountain8760 Рік тому +4

      I wish to do the same

    • @xlostmanx5693
      @xlostmanx5693 Рік тому

      @@trevorhegstrom2816yooo 😮

    • @Big5mokE719
      @Big5mokE719 Рік тому +1

      Lmao best comment I've seen in weeks

  • @thejar3724
    @thejar3724 Рік тому +745

    Only problem is that at higher speeds, trains can derail themselves because this wheel design can cause them to rock side to side, even on a straight track. So trains basically have a built in speed limit.

    • @damnusename
      @damnusename Рік тому +2

      What is that speed limit?

    • @paulhall8027
      @paulhall8027 Рік тому +98

      It’s called Harmonic rock and in 20 years as a railroader, I’ve never seen it.

    • @SyteCYer78
      @SyteCYer78 Рік тому +54

      freight trains can do it at very slow speeds on old rickety track, too. But how much faster than 300+ MPH do you want to go?

    • @dreadavis9751
      @dreadavis9751 Рік тому +35

      Speed limit will be based on train track build quality

    • @Muscovy7
      @Muscovy7 Рік тому +32

      Theoretically yes, practically this almost never happens unless the track is already falling apart.

  • @kurifodomokuzai6667
    @kurifodomokuzai6667 5 місяців тому +2

    When one wheel is larger than the other while going around a curve is called “stagger”. Just like an Indy car going around the track at the Indy 500. The outer wheels are larger than the inner wheels causing the car to turn slightly without turning the wheel.

  • @FOEHMR0024
    @FOEHMR0024 Рік тому +152

    There is a wear condition called hallow tread where the tread becomes inverse causing the wheel to straddle the railhead. This condition causes the wheel to hunt because it wants to go straight only.

    • @twobrotherskayaking4736
      @twobrotherskayaking4736 5 місяців тому

      7.9.3 Hollow tread
      A visual examination of the wheel will be necessary to determine if a hollow tread is
      evident.
      Note: Class 1 hollow tread, class 2 hollow tread, class 4 hollow tread and class 5 hollow
      tread classifications are not relevant.
      7.9.3.1 Class 3 hollow tread
      The maximum permissible tread hollowing is 3 mm nominal, as determined using the
      wheel gauge as shown in Figure 11. Refer to Figure 20 for wheel hollow tread gauge.
      Action Required:
      Locomotives and passenger vehicles must have inspection details recorded by the
      operator and be scheduled for wheel turning within 14 days of detection.
      Freight vehicles must be worked out of service for repairs.
      Speed Restrictions: No speed restriction for any vehicle with a hollow tread.
      I have read the Engineering Standard
      Rolling Stock
      ESR 0330
      WHEEL DEFECT MANUAL
      Version 1.2 and there are multiple ways a train wheel can become defective along with 5 classes of severity.
      It looks to me like this type of wheel would require a completely different track profile and one that is not currently available.
      Also, as this is not currently in use. Good luck getting the FRA and AAR approval!
      It's like pulling teeth to get a new technology online with the current outdated, antiquated railroad systems that operate our nation's railroads.

  • @willbroshears5015
    @willbroshears5015 Рік тому +2927

    It’s similar to a differential gearbox that is used in automobiles. When wheels on an axle turn, the wheels have different RPM. The larger diameter wheel takes longer to make a full rotation than the small wheel on trains, allowing the turn. Cars accomplish this with a complex gearbox that rotates the wheels at different rates, since the wheels are the same size. Technically trains don’t have a differential, but the concept is very similar to that seen in cars.

    • @rougezeus2154
      @rougezeus2154 Рік тому +78

      Hate to be that guy but trains don't have differentials. The wheels are on a fixed axle but the shape is designed in a way it acts as a differential does. Allowing wheels to spin at different speeds. Cars on the other hand do have differentials because the wheels are the same size it just needs the same effect for turning and the differential does that

    • @DearLilBunBun
      @DearLilBunBun Рік тому +28

      Pretty sure it's NOT a differential.
      I get what you're saying, but cleverly designed wheels /= differential.
      As the other person stated, the differential is the mechanism that makes the wheels spin at different speeds to turn, trains do not do this, and don't have differentials.
      For anyone else reading this. Your car has a differential, and if it's a 4x4, it has two differentials. The differentials change how fast each wheel spins, so you can turn smoothly. If you turn left, the left wheels on your vehicle have to travel much less ground, than the wheels on the right, so the wheels on the right rotate FASTER than the left wheels. If your wheels rotated at the same speed while you turned, it would be hard to control, your axle would be under immense stress, and could snap, and you could skid off of the road. You'd have to slow down SIGNIFICANTLY to make any turns at all.

    • @ferrumignis
      @ferrumignis Рік тому +5

      @@DearLilBunBun A 4x4 may have three differentials.

    • @willbroshears5015
      @willbroshears5015 Рік тому +8

      @@rougezeus2154 thanks for the clarification. I had differential in quotes, but that might not have made it clear. I’ve edited the comment based on your feedback. Thanks! 🙂

    • @n.gineer8102
      @n.gineer8102 Рік тому +3

      Nope, not the same.

  • @auroraofclanborealis
    @auroraofclanborealis Рік тому +455

    My childhood love of trains has been reawakened.

    • @konfettikopf
      @konfettikopf Рік тому +5

      A kid once asked me how it comes that the train shakes so much. Other than wind and tracks changes I had no real answer. Now if I ever get asked again, I know more thx.
      woops I didn't mean to comment on another comment haha
      Anyway thx for the later explanation!!
      To give some more context, we were in a day care situation with many kids who loved to talk about our travel that day while sitting in a train. That one kid however was suddenly frightened of the trains movement and thought it was super unsafe. I explained that even if the wind partly caused the shaking it is perfectly safe to use the train. It is much safer than us driving by car and so on. I think a more exact and informed explanation would have calmed her down more. It was important that she felt a little more ok with the situation since a few younger kids became anxious after she said that taking the train is unsafe, it might just derail like that. After making sure everyone knew that wouldn't happen right now, I just went on asking them about how excited they were for the trip. So their lil heads would be occupied with something else other than everyone dying.

    • @Latviešu_Amēlija
      @Latviešu_Amēlija Рік тому

      ​@@konfettikopfbruh

    • @MONKE-ud7dp
      @MONKE-ud7dp Рік тому

      It’s called autism

    • @polandballrbx9954
      @polandballrbx9954 Рік тому +2

      @@konfettikopfafter a while the wheels on these trains are no longer smoothen, they are slightly flat on some angles. So thats why you can feel some bumps, and aswell as the fact that the tracks might be already worn out

    • @josephcasias
      @josephcasias Рік тому

      Autism

  • @xxPenjoxx
    @xxPenjoxx 3 дні тому

    Thank you for the interim orange 3D model (1 large, 1 small). It was the moment of understanding for me.

  • @MrJoncovert
    @MrJoncovert Рік тому +1088

    I used to weld trains in a shop for TTX and the wheels do have a slight angle to them. But they also have a flange on the inside.
    It’s also pretty cool how the “de-railer” works.

    • @jeffhill2355
      @jeffhill2355 Рік тому +2

      Of course, all rail curves are spiral curves as well.

    • @knuckle12356
      @knuckle12356 Рік тому +9

      ​@@jeffhill2355what does that mean? Like the rails do a corkscrew twist whenever they turn? I'm not understanding. Clarify? Peas & carrots!

    • @fuzznut25
      @fuzznut25 Рік тому +10

      Not fun to be a part of a derailment though lol

    • @alcoholicindenial
      @alcoholicindenial Рік тому +1

      Working in the FMO rn, everything I've heard about the shops is they're slave houses lol

    • @Alucard_Official
      @Alucard_Official Рік тому

      I was gonna say...😂

  • @tateyboy
    @tateyboy Рік тому +525

    These kinds of shorts are actually interesting and somewhat educational and worth watching

    • @bgold2007
      @bgold2007 Рік тому

      Yes. There are longer YT videos on this but the ,3d printing makes it cute and so is value enhanced rather than the short which is just the standard rip-off short on yt

    • @rainbs2nd
      @rainbs2nd Рік тому +2

      When they're real, yeah. But it's very easy to find videos spreading misinformation on YT Shorts.

    • @janpatzold1347
      @janpatzold1347 Рік тому

      @@rainbs2nd like this one?? ^^ this is not the real shape of train wheel. if it would, you would fly around. trains have axes with 2x2 wheels and these are able to rotate.

    • @OrigIswed
      @OrigIswed Рік тому +4

      ​@@janpatzold1347 this is real. Train wheels are tapered they don't rotate on an axis as you're suggesting. Yes they aren't a cone but the video is demonstrating the effect of the tapering.

    • @janpatzold1347
      @janpatzold1347 Рік тому

      @@OrigIswed yes they are tapered but if you google for train axis you see what i mean

  • @porkchop4401
    @porkchop4401 Рік тому +441

    As a fromer employee at a Greenbier I can say this. The wear on train wheels can be nuts. And a fresh one is strangely satisfying to see.

    • @lawrencemitchell3024
      @lawrencemitchell3024 Рік тому +12

      I worked on the tracks around Oxford in the early 90s, i used to wonder why the train wheels were not flat when i'd see the tracks worn on the insides.

    • @amumuimo8530
      @amumuimo8530 Рік тому +6

      @@lawrencemitchell3024 because it involves a lot more than just that. New braking system with cone wheel..(explain that1)
      Plus suspension is a major problem with these. Watch the middle bar. It will eventully rattle anything its attached to apart.

    • @ayeflippum
      @ayeflippum Рік тому

      *nunyu buz* "...can say this:"

  • @anvitaomraju1274
    @anvitaomraju1274 9 місяців тому +2

    That was absolutely CONICAL 😂😂

  • @LR-ee2uu
    @LR-ee2uu Рік тому +919

    I'm by no means a clever person, but I admire and totally respect our designers and engineers who are.
    Thank you is not enough for your work and the benefit it gives to our lives. THANK YOU. 🖖

    • @josephmurphy417
      @josephmurphy417 Рік тому +8

      I will inform my uncle Chris of your thanks

    • @h___p___2036
      @h___p___2036 Рік тому +6

      Thanks

    • @JustRememberWhoYoureWorkingFor
      @JustRememberWhoYoureWorkingFor Рік тому

      That's what they get paid for after all

    • @LR-ee2uu
      @LR-ee2uu Рік тому

      @@JustRememberWhoYoureWorkingFor
      That is a very unthinking reply.
      My respect is not that they DO.
      It's that they CAN.
      Money has NOTHING to do with it.
      Scammers get paid, but their contribution to anyone else is zero.
      It's the brain to work these things out in the first place is what I respect.
      Can YOU?

  • @HavasiP
    @HavasiP Рік тому +598

    Need a followup on how this works going through switches.

    • @Nordkampf
      @Nordkampf Рік тому +30

      What is there to know about switches? It's basically one is a curved track and the other is straight, two pieces of track move closing the gap depending on the lined track. The frog isn't that complicated either it's just a piece of two tracks with a little piece cut out for the flange way

    • @HavasiP
      @HavasiP Рік тому +22

      @@Nordkampf Just thought it'd be interesting to see it explained in the same way. Frogs, guard rails and wing rails and specially crossing noses that can move or maybe four-way switches.

    • @starbournehero771
      @starbournehero771 Рік тому

      ua-cam.com/video/_M6vhDvmtrI/v-deo.htmlsi=y0It4dtL_1s4_SZI

    • @operatord4s118
      @operatord4s118 Рік тому +5

      Train wheels irl look like the one with flanges because they don’t go on turns like that one and would derail at anything about 2 centremeters per year

    • @ja.935g67
      @ja.935g67 Рік тому +1

      The train hovers over switches 😂

  • @EidolonPoet
    @EidolonPoet Рік тому +347

    I now understand Sheldon's fascination for trains.

    • @johnp5250
      @johnp5250 Рік тому +4

      I like trains...

    • @ninthcloud6331
      @ninthcloud6331 Рік тому +1

      Who is Sheldon?

    • @TruthSeeker8834
      @TruthSeeker8834 Рік тому +1

      ​@@ninthcloud6331A nerd of Comic book

    • @thearaucariafarmer556
      @thearaucariafarmer556 Рік тому +2

      They're giant beautiful beasts of steel. Theyll be in the fossil record for eons to come.

    • @hasslejar
      @hasslejar Рік тому +1

      @@ninthcloud6331 just a wierdo who lives in Pasadena, California.

  • @bristratostar7908
    @bristratostar7908 5 місяців тому +1

    Just when I thought I couldn't love trains even more ❤ 🚂

  • @3_ormorecharacters
    @3_ormorecharacters Рік тому +854

    i need an hour long video of those silly cone wheels going on a long ass track 😭😭🙏

  • @ohboy2592
    @ohboy2592 Рік тому +159

    This is why wheels are measured on a regular basis to keep them in spec. They either cut/turn the wheel when out of spec or replace it. Only a 1/4” or so of the wheel actually touches the rail

    • @moonshinershonor202
      @moonshinershonor202 Рік тому +2

      Maintainers keep the world running.

    • @Juan0824
      @Juan0824 Рік тому

      I’m a Carman and seen some wheels in really bad shape has you wondering how some of these trains haven’t derailed lol

  • @brianfpp540
    @brianfpp540 Рік тому +43

    Even at my old age I still learn new things, I had no idea train wheels were like this.Thanks for the info.

  • @Guest1y
    @Guest1y 8 місяців тому +3

    I learnt about this the hard way in GMOD

  • @Digzitify
    @Digzitify Рік тому +440

    Train conductor from Sweden here. I know this is only about the wheel itself, but there is more to it. The bogie of a tracked vehicle is rotatable in the horizontal plane so that it can turn in the passage of curves. In addition to dividing the load on several wheels, a bogie is important for the running characteristics of the rail vehicle. The rolling paths of the wheels are conical, which makes them self-centering. If the wheel axle rolls to the left on the track, the left wheel will travel a little further than the right because the diameter increases on the left and decreases on the right. The bogie then gets a slight turn to the right and the axle steers towards the center again, etc. Under the running characteristics of rail vehicles, this is described in more detail and how passive and active radial steering in a bogie improves comfort. At the same time, this conicity causes the diameter of the outside wheel to increase and the inside diameter to decrease, which compensates for the fact that the outside rail is longer than the inside.

    • @JinnaiT
      @JinnaiT Рік тому +35

      the what of a what makes it what?

    • @DistracticusPrime
      @DistracticusPrime Рік тому +13

      Thank you! That was a concise deep dive. The combination of active and passive radial steering is such an elegant solution!

    • @JoshRiolu
      @JoshRiolu Рік тому +21

      @@JinnaiT Think of a train as a huge car, and a 'bogie' is like the combination of axles and wheels, except you turn the /entire axle/ instead of just the wheels on the end, and when you combine that with the fact the wheels are sloped you can kinda self-correct so unlike in the short, the ride is smooth and straight even when you're going around a curve.

    • @The_Dougie
      @The_Dougie Рік тому +10

      Yeah. What he said.

    • @mariesummers.
      @mariesummers. Рік тому +4

      ​@@The_Dougie - Lol. I'm not sure why this is so funny to me right now, but it is.

  • @deltablaze77
    @deltablaze77 Рік тому +469

    That was neat. I didn't know that.

    • @mhm6
      @mhm6 Рік тому

      why? truly think about every moment of your life that didn't allow you to know this.

    • @pollydog
      @pollydog Рік тому +8

      @@mhm6me not wondering how train wheels work?

    • @michaelhenderson6786
      @michaelhenderson6786 Рік тому +7

      @@mhm6 without being prompted, why would anybody even think to give it any consideration?

    • @dereckteegarden5482
      @dereckteegarden5482 Рік тому +13

      the average person does not know this. if you took a model of all 3 of these designs and asked people which ones were trail wheels, they would probably choose the flanged option or the first regular wheels. who knows anything about trains besides mechanics, conductors, and enthusiast's? Most people dont even know about car wheels and they drive them everyday.

    • @chocolatechip2641
      @chocolatechip2641 Рік тому

      @@mhm6 The real ignorant ones are those who shame others for expanding on their own knowledge. Knowing this doesn't make you any more of a person than @deltablaze77 . In fact, attempting to shame him on not knowing prior to this video makes you less. Truly think about every moment of typing that comment, and reflect on your actions. You clown.

  • @hydra4370
    @hydra4370 11 місяців тому +80

    I never understood how trains did curves but I always figured the flange solution made the most sense

    • @yup7242
      @yup7242 8 місяців тому +10

      It does, the reason it doesn't work in this video is because the flange doesn't touch the tracks, if it did, The train will turn without a problem

    • @HugeRademaker
      @HugeRademaker 7 місяців тому +7

      @@yup7242On trains the flanges do not touch the rails. They only do so occasionally. If they would touch the rail continuously, both the rail and the wheel would wear out pretty fast.

    • @johnschwalb
      @johnschwalb 5 місяців тому +4

      @@yup7242no. If the flanges are touching the rails something has gone wrong.

    • @chriscurbstompscm
      @chriscurbstompscm 5 місяців тому +2

      Another problem with flanges alone that wasn't mentioned in this short, is that flanges constantly contacting the rails while moving creates a LOT of friction, which would not only slow the train, but also generates a lot of heat, creating even more issues.

  • @ethanconde5096
    @ethanconde5096 8 місяців тому +2

    If He built a working train using that, that would be so cool❤❤

    • @gsleazy1975
      @gsleazy1975 8 місяців тому

      Even just 4 wheels on a base would be a cool example.

  • @wendigoxavier5977
    @wendigoxavier5977 Рік тому +944

    This is definitely one of those questions we never had until now. Genius!

    • @Karya-m7c
      @Karya-m7c 10 місяців тому +3

      You will be shaking in your train

    • @Mr._Bellic
      @Mr._Bellic 9 місяців тому

      @@Karya-m7c The bogies have suspension systems, and the wheels are not as exaggerated, and the turns are not nearly as sharp.

  • @KibatheMalinois
    @KibatheMalinois Рік тому +110

    The question I never asked but the answer I always needed. Thanks.

  • @t26e3pershingtank
    @t26e3pershingtank Рік тому +63

    They also have flanges to prevent total derailment. Unfortunately this does lead to extra wear and tear on the wheels, however that's why they're made of high grade steel

    • @Texassince1836
      @Texassince1836 Рік тому +1

      Some turns have flange greasers to keep flange wear down

    • @truedarklander
      @truedarklander Рік тому +2

      ​@@Texassince1836also helps with noise!

    • @issnake1109
      @issnake1109 Рік тому

      Love it when the train derails anyway

    • @Juan0824
      @Juan0824 Рік тому

      @@issnake1109lmao shit is dangerous have seen several.

    • @issnake1109
      @issnake1109 Рік тому

      @@Juan0824 I come from a railroad family and I have heard a lot of stories. Shit is dangerous man

  • @HeyLaserLips
    @HeyLaserLips 2 дні тому

    This just unlocked a memeory for me from primary school in the 80s. We had an awesome science teacher who brought something very similar into class one day, essentially a snaking track and various wheels like that, showing us in a fun way the principles of how each would react.

  • @poojachougule4731
    @poojachougule4731 Рік тому +115

    Mad respect for Scientists, Engineers and Scholars. They are the reason we have travelled so far so quickly when it comes to Modern World.

    • @girthbrooks39
      @girthbrooks39 Рік тому

      Thank you White people.

    • @clicheguevara5282
      @clicheguevara5282 Рік тому +3

      They're also responsible for things like nuclear weapons, weaponized social psychology, and biological warfare. They're pretty much either the best people or the absolute worst.
      Quite the dichotomy!

    • @Trumpisscum-420
      @Trumpisscum-420 Рік тому

      Yeah and those scientists, scholars, and engineers have also helped f*ck up the earth and nature beyond repair.

    • @dreadfulman5191
      @dreadfulman5191 Рік тому +3

      ​@@clicheguevara5282they are responsible for everything we have today so yea

    • @kuvyogdab2430
      @kuvyogdab2430 Рік тому +1

      And people who were in the hard labors of building it. They are people we are very grateful for.

  • @_Ingcom
    @_Ingcom Рік тому +193

    Practical Engineering has an amazing video explaining how train rails are shaped and why.

    • @SkylerBaird
      @SkylerBaird Рік тому +14

      This is all basically just stolen from that video.

    • @accordict
      @accordict Рік тому +5

      I came here to say this too

    • @Nutty151
      @Nutty151 Рік тому

      Aren't they known as "Lesics" now?

  • @FlawedbyDesign777
    @FlawedbyDesign777 Рік тому +13

    This is the same reason why a spherical ball follows the tracks. A balls axis of rotation can tilt dynamically relative to the radius of the track's curvature. The only reason why our train wheels are cone-segment-shaped rather than spherical is that spheres have a punctual point of contact with any flat surface and cones a linear one, we need the latter because it gives more surface area between tracks and wheels to spread the weight of the train on.

    • @krumbleme2
      @krumbleme2 Рік тому

      Would there be any benefit or advantage if our cars had these cone-shaped wheels?

    • @quaztron
      @quaztron Рік тому +1

      ​​@@krumbleme2 A spherical rim surface should not confer an advantage. (First, a portion of the surface of a sphere with the diameter of the rim would have too much convex curvature; to have a larger second diameter, the shape must be a portion of a toroid; that allows a slightly convex or slightly concave curvature.) The difference in shape would be too small to see or easily measure. The top of the rail is crowned, not flat, so the initial contact is a point, whether the wheel surface is perfectly conical or slightly toroidal. Under load, the wheel and rail deform slightly, increasing the area of contact. The absolute optimal wheel probably is neither exactly conical nor exactly toroidal; the optimal shape probably depends on multiple factors including the profile (shape) of the rail, the length of the axle, and the length of the bogey; it can be developed by modeling the system and refined by measuring forces and movements on working railcars.

  • @matthewholzinger1042
    @matthewholzinger1042 9 місяців тому +44

    It would be good to show an actual wheel from a train. The main portion is flat for going straight, but towards the flange, it does taper.

    • @thomast8539
      @thomast8539 3 місяці тому +1

      Would be helpful to see real examples in this video. Using models is only half of the job.

    • @vidviewer100
      @vidviewer100 3 місяці тому

      yes I had the same thought

  • @BlendyBoii
    @BlendyBoii Рік тому +53

    You should do more of these 3D printed visuals for cool facts :) this is really interesting

  • @ricolorenz7307
    @ricolorenz7307 Рік тому +32

    I've known this about train wheels, but it's really cool to see a physical demonstration!

  • @clubley2
    @clubley2 Рік тому +360

    There was an interactive demo of this at the York train museum in England. I remember rolling the wheels down it as a kid.

    • @fuzzeden6602
      @fuzzeden6602 Рік тому +5

      omg I remember that too, it was super fun

    • @Kohei536
      @Kohei536 Рік тому +2

      There's also one in japan, In Omiya, Saitama. The train museum is huge, with a lot of old retired trains and several bullet trains. You can also see the trains and bullet trains going in or out of omiya station. But, this was one of my favorite of the entire museum. i spent a whole hour there once.

    • @jacklee9418
      @jacklee9418 Рік тому +2

      Used to love York train museum!

    • @sexygirlmax2019
      @sexygirlmax2019 Рік тому +1

      England is so small that 3 people from it had the same experience

    • @Fenrires
      @Fenrires Рік тому +1

      Can confirm that I am in close proximity to York right now, but have never had the memorable experience of the York train museum cone wheel rail demonstration… yet

  • @everettscott4745
    @everettscott4745 4 місяці тому

    Exceptionally good explanation. Fantastic.

  • @owndamnhero3414
    @owndamnhero3414 Рік тому +119

    I saw this in Instagram and everyone was commenting how it wasn’t possible in real life. Glad to see the YT comment section is much smarter.

    • @Sports_bottle
      @Sports_bottle Рік тому +24

      Most of us on UA-cam have more than 1/4 of a brain cell, unlike some one instagram, or other platforms.

    • @amharlareef4448
      @amharlareef4448 Рік тому +16

      This was the comment I came here looking for

    • @kingpotato7183
      @kingpotato7183 Рік тому +7

      yes i noticed that too hahahahha

    • @Bystronicman08
      @Bystronicman08 Рік тому +7

      @@Sports_bottle Don't flatter yourself, UA-cam can be a cesspool of comments too.

    • @Sports_bottle
      @Sports_bottle Рік тому

      @@Bystronicman08 true

  • @brettmorton7365
    @brettmorton7365 Рік тому +6

    Best illustration of this I've seen.. 👍🏻

  • @jeonggunjin5855
    @jeonggunjin5855 10 місяців тому +13

    I didn’t know this. 😮 This is absolutely amazing and fantastic.

  • @Mohammed.AltamashKhan
    @Mohammed.AltamashKhan 6 місяців тому

    Thank you sir for the knowledge 🎉❤😊

  • @Siffy5654
    @Siffy5654 Рік тому +78

    Finally this gets some mainstream attention. Learned about this in engineering school and always thought that this was a highly underrated piece of engineering
    Edit: Another thing to mention that I remembered about this is that it also solves the issue of a differnetial gear train which would be very expensive and maintenance heavy if you had to put it on every axis of a train like you have to with cars. Here the wheels align like shown in the video and take care of the issue themselves

    • @SIDcor
      @SIDcor Рік тому

      Ok. Will it work at high speeds?

  • @aymanmansoori8936
    @aymanmansoori8936 Рік тому +1296

    My guy summarised practical engineering's video 😂

    • @OleBrouer
      @OleBrouer Рік тому +53

      This was actually made before practical engineerings video came out. But the timing definitely is funny

    • @RemizZ
      @RemizZ Рік тому +5

      Was thinking the same thing :D

    • @micromage6103
      @micromage6103 Рік тому +6

      @@OleBrouer I had to check the publish dates because I was thinking wtf. This checks out tho.

    • @thishandleisntavailable1
      @thishandleisntavailable1 Рік тому +13

      ​@@OleBrouerPractical Eng releases first on nebula so that is not true

    • @justthetip96
      @justthetip96 Рік тому +1

      Not sure if this is copyright infringement lol. I saw a much better done video on the exact same topic

  • @BirdwellingtonAmalgamation
    @BirdwellingtonAmalgamation Рік тому +93

    Fixed axle acting as a self regulating differential. That's awesome.

    • @mirandabri834
      @mirandabri834 Рік тому +3

      I thought the same thing; an outside or open working differential, lol

    • @BirdwellingtonAmalgamation
      @BirdwellingtonAmalgamation Рік тому +1

      @@mirandabri834 it's so simple it never would have even crossed my mind. Super cool!

    • @davidswanson5669
      @davidswanson5669 Рік тому

      @@mirandabri834maybe even call it a “solid state” differential.

  • @SmoochTheCat
    @SmoochTheCat 4 місяці тому

    It’s super fun to watch the train wheels 😮

  • @NathanBuildsRobots
    @NathanBuildsRobots Рік тому +24

    Awesome demonstration!

  • @HeisenbergFam
    @HeisenbergFam Рік тому +79

    The background noise while this man is explaining is truly fascinating

    • @sage_sw
      @sage_sw Рік тому

      rare footage of a heisenberg fam comment without replies

  • @jonasholzer4422
    @jonasholzer4422 Рік тому +93

    I always wondered how train tracks worked. I needed this video so much ❤

  • @atomatolike5754
    @atomatolike5754 8 днів тому +1

    I thought he was gonna say design is very human 💀👍

  • @innovati
    @innovati Рік тому +7

    Brilliant illustration! You captured the concept perfectly and made it instantly understandable

    • @kingpotato7183
      @kingpotato7183 Рік тому +1

      the instagram guys still dont get it hahahha

  • @StomeAura
    @StomeAura Рік тому +235

    Alright, but imagine this. You’re on a train, you’re enjoying a cup of tea, and then the train starts tilting like a freaking motorbike.

    • @sfm9098
      @sfm9098 Рік тому +32

      Yeah that's what keeps everything stable inside the train. Like your cup of water 😀 or tea

    • @cisium1184
      @cisium1184 Рік тому +36

      Relativi-tea.

    • @enrapture1204
      @enrapture1204 Рік тому +29

      remember that he said "this is an exaggerated version" of the train wheel. there are probably other mechanisms and techniques engineers put in the train wheel designs to prevent these from happening

    • @Mr.Thermistor7228
      @Mr.Thermistor7228 Рік тому +8

      It would actually keep you flat against the perpendicular g force the turn is pulling you towards

    • @mrspecs9211
      @mrspecs9211 Рік тому

      There are trains in the uk that do this. The problem they had was how to get trains at 125mph on tracks built in the Victorian times (1800s) and the solution was to make trains that lean into the curves so they can go higher speeds. Look up “pendolinos at wolverton”, one of the best showcases of this

  • @TheBlueScreenYT
    @TheBlueScreenYT Рік тому +12

    As someone who’s been interested in trains his whole life, I never realized this.

  • @LuvidPlays
    @LuvidPlays 2 місяці тому +1

    Add a hole in the middle of the circle wheel, like this 🟥🟥

  • @TFryTurtle
    @TFryTurtle Рік тому +141

    Now, this dude knows his shapes! Good job, Billy.

  • @LittleKokeshiDoll
    @LittleKokeshiDoll Рік тому +253

    I used to work on freight train cars including changing the wheels, They're basically a morph between the model with the flange and the cone.

  • @aadammohiuddin6844
    @aadammohiuddin6844 Рік тому +40

    Wait this explains so much. If anyone has ever taken NJ Transit or Amtrack in NYC there is always a bend after Secaucus before you go under the Hudson River. It's such a sharp turn that everyone on the train leans to the right basically leaning yourself on the window. This video is a great example of why that happens.

    • @armadillito
      @armadillito Рік тому +3

      That would mostly be a centrifugal effect, wouldn't it? There's a tiny bit of lean due to the wheel geometry but it really is pretty tiny.

    • @NoFretBrettCSSMBFF
      @NoFretBrettCSSMBFF Рік тому +4

      Tracks are often *Banked* for corners, as well... allows safer travel at speed...

    • @Capajebo
      @Capajebo Рік тому

      That is just basic physics, the thing described in the video is engineering and has to do with the adjustment of the radius/speed of each individual wheel in a turn.

    • @mishimakazuya6167
      @mishimakazuya6167 Рік тому

      Not just that, the rails itself are tilted in sharper curvatures

    • @polycrystallinecandy
      @polycrystallinecandy Рік тому

      It happens because it's a turn (centrifugal force). It also happens in a car with normal wheels.

  • @lemyoboi
    @lemyoboi 5 місяців тому +1

    That ride on that train would be insane 😂

  • @OdgeBrown
    @OdgeBrown Рік тому +14

    I didn't realise how much I needed to know this. Sensational explanations and modelling!

  • @Torsoman2.0
    @Torsoman2.0 Рік тому +898

    Now I know why Sheldon was so fascinated with trains😂
    Edit: thnx guys/gals for the likes XD 😌
    Ps:
    🫴🍪

    • @oropyt
      @oropyt Рік тому +11

      yea, but i am not sure if this is safe because this wont be stable on rail, and with the center of gravity of the train and speed, it might have rollovers

    • @Noktarash1990
      @Noktarash1990 Рік тому +5

      This is not how train wheels look like.

    • @oropyt
      @oropyt Рік тому +3

      @@Noktarash1990 well yes, but this video it showing how smoothly it turns without derailing but it will cause more derail and rollovers in my opinion

    • @BigTexGuitarz
      @BigTexGuitarz Рік тому +9

      Wow 3 commenters out of 3 don’t understand this is just a model of the concept created to facilitate the understanding of how and why train wheels are designed the way they are.

    • @BigTexGuitarz
      @BigTexGuitarz Рік тому

      Fk Sheldon and that obnoxious simple minded comedy show

  • @raizeld3294
    @raizeld3294 Рік тому +41

    According to a B&O Railroad engineering report from the 1830s that I read, engineers at the time were taking into consideration the coefficient of friction between the rails and the track so that the net force applied by the wheels on the rails (on a straight section at least) in the horizontal direction is zero.

  • @markmendozavano
    @markmendozavano 2 місяці тому

    I like it when the internet tells me something interesting and deep. The simplest solution can be the best solution.

  • @ProducerX21
    @ProducerX21 Рік тому +19

    That train better have some damn good suspension

    • @montalbert
      @montalbert Рік тому +1

      A set of conical wheels doesn't require a different kind of suspension on a train.

    • @ProducerX21
      @ProducerX21 Рік тому

      @@montalbert I guess I’ll take your word on it. It just really seems like the motion caused by the wheels moving like that would be felt by the cabins above

    • @montalbert
      @montalbert Рік тому +1

      @@ProducerX21 you are right, but in this video, the curvature of the railing relative to the size of the wheels has been greatly exaggerated for educational purposes. Usually, a train makes a 90 degrees turn over the course of a few hundred meters, so the curvature is much bigger and the conical shape of the wheels is barely noticeable.

  • @multipletanksyndrome
    @multipletanksyndrome Рік тому +8

    So simple, elegant, and brilliant

    • @undertheneonlights
      @undertheneonlights Рік тому +1

      You forgot false.

    • @0Mister-Sun0
      @0Mister-Sun0 3 дні тому

      @@undertheneonlightswhat the fuck is false about this? am I blind and deaf or something? Did I miss part of the video? Because I don’t remember any part that was false.

  • @richrobin7070
    @richrobin7070 Рік тому +10

    I literally never thought about how train wheels work but that was pretty fascinating ngl

  • @sam0wings
    @sam0wings 8 місяців тому +1

    That’s actually so simple, yet so smart 😅

  • @jimhood1202
    @jimhood1202 Рік тому +44

    Similar principle used to be used to move beer barrels on rails in breweries.

  • @keegans5695
    @keegans5695 Рік тому +7

    It's basically the simplest form of differential steering possible, and as far as I know the only way it's possible with a solid axle.

  • @robertobaldessarini6681
    @robertobaldessarini6681 Рік тому +77

    Imagine being on a train with those wheels... they be hitting harder than saturday night

    • @babyfaec
      @babyfaec Рік тому

      What do you mean?

    • @damianpanowicz4177
      @damianpanowicz4177 Рік тому +12

      ​@@babyfaecI assume he thinks that the whole train would start shacking like mad

    • @coltonconner782
      @coltonconner782 Рік тому

      He’s not wrong plus it’ll be to costly

    • @404JNF
      @404JNF Рік тому +15

      @@coltonconner782lol, train wheels ARE shaped like this. His example is exaggerated, but train wheels all have a diminishing radius exactly like he explained.

    • @robertobaldessarini6681
      @robertobaldessarini6681 Рік тому

      @@damianpanowicz4177 yeah

  • @Rachelebanham
    @Rachelebanham 5 місяців тому

    Who comes up with ideas like this!!! Genius

  • @BarneyBarnett
    @BarneyBarnett Рік тому +5

    Amazing demonstration, as you can see a conical wheel traveling on a paralell track causes something callwd hunting ocilation which leads to instability

    • @RyanHefley
      @RyanHefley Рік тому

      I believe it is called homing oscillation
      Nope you are right, hunting oscillation.

    • @babyfaec
      @babyfaec Рік тому +1

      That's why they make the train track twist and turn a bit all across the train line. :)

  • @joshmcnulty5950
    @joshmcnulty5950 Рік тому +34

    Best short I’ve watched this year hands down

  • @sfm9098
    @sfm9098 Рік тому +6

    That is freaking genius. Also great explanation. Never thought about how trains turn. Even though I work on vehicles. Specifically wheel alignment. Nice. Started learning from an old man 30 years ago and racecar drivers around the area would bring cars to him to set them up for a specific track. That info brings music to my mind 🤔

  • @bornkinggamer3347
    @bornkinggamer3347 5 місяців тому +1

    I usually forget things in YT shorts but this actually stuck with me.