New Measuring Methods for Wheelset Angle of Attack of Railway Vehicle on Curves

Abstract

New measuring methods for the wheelset angle of railway vehicles on board and on the ground have been developed by the Railway Technical Research Institute in Japan. With these methods, the wheelset angle of attack has been measured on curves in field running tests of limited express trains on a narrow-gauge commercial line. The measured results are as follows. (1) The measuring accuracy of these methods attained the targetted levels. (2) The higher the velocity and the larger the curve radius, the smaller the steady angle of attack. The steady angle of attack of the first wheel is 0.28 degrees, and that of the second wheel is 0.02 degrees for a curve radius of 400 m at a velocity of 110 km/h. (3) The measurement and simulation results for the wheelset angle of attack are in agreement.