Wheels and Axles

The invention of the wheelset is well into its second century, and improvements in its performance and costs are continually being demanded: increased axleload, higher speed, lower maintenance costs - all must be satisfied to keep railways competitive. However these demands must be balanced against the safety needed from the one rail vehicle component which is gauranteed to cause an incident if it fails. This text presents the papers given at an IMechE seminar held in April 1999 that reviewed both sides of the debate concerning the wheelset. The volume should be of interest to railway engineers, industry suppliers, and all those connected with the railways and civil engineering.