Driving a train can be a thrilling experience, but it also requires a great deal of skill and caution, especially when navigating through curves and bends in the tracks. In 2017, a video was recorded along a railway track connecting Ohio to Indiana, showing a train moving slowly around a bend in the tracks. This raises the question, what do you do when you’re driving a train and come across such bendy tracks?
The answer is simple: go very, very slowly. Trains are designed to travel at high speeds on straight tracks, but when they encounter curves, they need to slow down to avoid the risk of derailment. This is because the centrifugal force generated by the curve can cause the train to tip over if it is travelling too fast.
The speed at which a train can safely travel around a curve depends on several factors, including the curvature of the track, the weight and length of the train, and the weather conditions. In general, the sharper the curve, the slower the train needs to go. For example, on a curve with a radius of 500 meters, a train might be able to safely travel at speeds of up to 80 km/h, but on a curve with a radius of only 100 meters, the maximum safe speed might be as low as 20 km/h.
In addition to slowing down, train drivers can take other measures to ensure the safety of their passengers and cargo when navigating through curves. These may include adjusting the brakes and using different types of rail lubrication to reduce friction and improve stability.
Overall, driving a train requires careful attention to the track conditions and a deep understanding of the physics of locomotion. Whether you’re travelling through Ohio or any other part of the world, it’s important to take curves slowly and maintain a steady hand on the controls. After all, the safety of everyone on board depends on it.
Different types Rail lubrication? There is no such a thing, initiated by the engineer. The only acceptable lubrication between wheels and tracks is – no lubrication.
On the contrary, too much lubrication due to weather conditions, sleet, rain, or tree leaves on the tracks and so on, needs that the engineer has to minimize it. He does it with very careful breaking or very slow increasing the speed and with a device to put sand between rails and wheels while breaking or increasing speed.
This video shows no bend or curve on the rails, but a nearly destroyed track! To not derail on it, you need a speed from 0 to 3 km/h on it. If you are lucky.
I believe, this video is faked until someone tells me in all details, how to drive an engine over it.