Why are train wheels so big?

The wheels were part of the mechanical advantage, the “gearing” if you will. Passenger locomotives, designed for high speeds had the large wheels. Big wheels, more track covered with one revolution. Freight locomotives, designed to pull heavy loads more slowly, had smaller wheels.



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To help the wheels stay on the track their shape is usually slightly conical. This means that the inside of the wheel has a larger circumference than the outside of the wheel. (They also have a flange, or raised edge, on the inner side to prevent the train from falling off the tracks.)

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Balancing. On locomotives with side rods, including most steam and jackshaft locomotives, the driving wheels have weights to balance the weight of the coupling and connecting rods.

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How could a train possibly move along the tracks without wheels? Trains that hover just above the tracks are actually possible due to magnetic levitation, or maglev for short. These trains use powerful magnets to stay in the air. Magnets generate a magnetic field.

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To help the wheels stay on the track their shape is usually slightly conical. This means that the inside of the wheel has a larger circumference than the outside of the wheel. (They also have a flange, or raised edge, on the inner side to prevent the train from falling off the tracks.)

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Under normal operation, a wheel may obtain a tread temperature of 550 °C (1,022 °F). Under severe braking conditions, the generated thermal energy can contribute to thermal shock or alteration of the wheel's mechanical properties.

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Slippery rail, or low railhead adhesion, is a condition of railways (railroads) where contamination of the railhead reduces the traction between the wheel and the rail. This can lead to wheelslip when the train is taking power, and wheelslide when the train is braking.

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It is used to help prevent leaves and other plant matter sticking to the rails and causing traction issues for trains.

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Freight, Engine, Locomotive, Car. How much does a train Weigh? A train can weigh anywhere from 4,000 tons (8,818,490 lbs) to 20,000 tons (44,092,452 lbs) or even more in some cases.

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Freight and passenger rail rely almost exclusively on diesel power. The latest diesel innovations contribute to cleaner air and reaching climate goals. According to the Association of American Railroads, in a typical year, US freight railroads move around 1.7 billion tons across nearly 140,000-miles of track.

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Doing so can lead to severe damage to the train, derailment, or even endanger the lives of passengers and railroad workers. Why are there crushed stones alongside rail tracks? This is a good question with an interesting answer. The crushed stones are what is known as ballast.

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