How Train Wheels Navigate Curves Without Steering: An Engineering Insight

🚆 The secret is in the shape

Train wheels do not steer like car wheels. They are fixed on the same axle, so both wheels rotate together.

The reason they can still pass through curves smoothly is the slightly conical shape of the wheel tread.

When the wheelset shifts sideways in a curve, the outer wheel runs on a slightly larger rolling diameter, while the inner wheel runs on a smaller one. That difference helps the train follow the curve naturally.

The flange is still there, but it is not meant to guide the train all the time. In normal running, most of the guidance comes from the conical wheel shape.
That is what helps railway vehicles negotiate curves — without a steering system like a car.

🎥 Video via @XyloBits

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