Why train wheels are designed like that

[Retro]

Ever wondered why trains have angled wheels with flanges? To keep the thing on the track is the obvious answer, but exactly why this is needed isn't so well understood by most people, nor how they steer round curves. This nerdy video with CGI animations explains the physics very well for train enthusiasts everywhere.

Nerd level: high.

 

[Tiffany]

Oh, I missed this....I guess I've loved trains since my childhood. My dad had a whole train village he would put up every year at Christmas.

I'll watch the video, thanks!

 

[Retro]

I'd have loved to see that train village.

Do you have any pictures you can share?

 

[Tiffany]

If there are pictures, they would likely be at my mom's house. She has a lot of photo albums but when my parents divorced she wasn't able to get all of the pictures and my dad's third wife (mommie dearest II) has been holding hostage what's left of our family pictures. Sometime over the next week, I'll take a look in my albums and see if I by chance have any and when I go to my moms next Friday, I'll take a look too.

The train village was built on a huge wooden platform that my dad covered with green sand paper-like paper. The track went completely around the outside edge. There were buildings, houses, a train station, street lights and tunnels. It was pretty awesome. He sat the platform on two saw horses.

 

[Retro]

That village sounds wonderful.

Shame about how mommie dearest II is being difficult and please don't go to too much trouble over this. It's only a casual request in case you'd like to share.

 

[Tiffany]

It was a fun time of year....we always looked forward to it.

Actually, I'm kind of interested now in seeing if we have any pictures of it. Happy to look. My mom, lately, has been enjoying going through her photo albums when I visit. She will enjoy going on the hunt to find any Christmas pictures of the train village.