stackyFACTSIf train wheels were perfect cylinders, every curve in the track would result in catastrophic derailment.
If train wheels were perfect cylinders, every curve in the track would result in catastrophic derailment. To solve the problem of the outer wheel needing to travel further than the inner wheel on a turn, engineers made train wheels slightly conical. This brilliant application of geometry allows the train to naturally shift outward on curves, seamlessly adjusting the wheel's circumference without requiring a differential.
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