Tilting train

Introduction

Curved railroad tracks are usually tilted. The tilt angle is based on a particular speed and has the effect that at this speed the passengers do not experience the centrifugal force. This makes the ride more comfortable. The disadvantage is that if a train halts in a curve, the tilting is not comfortable.

If a train moves faster than corresponds with the tilt angle of the track than the passengers do experience (part of) the centrifugal force, which is not comfortable. This restricts the allowable speed more than the (essential) requirement that the centrifugal force does not push the train off the track, that would happen only if the speed would be much higher.

Tilting trains

Tilting trains are trains of which the upper part, in which the passengers are seated, can be tilted sideways. In a curve to the left, it tilts to the left to compensate the centrifugal push to the right, and conversely.

The train may be constructed such that inertial forces cause the tilting, or it may be controlled by a computer.

Trains with tilting by inertial forces:

• Talgo Pendular[?] (Spain)

Trains with tilting controlled by a computer:

• ICE-T[?], also called ICT (Germany), tilting version of ICE
• X2000[?] with tilting mechanism of ABB (Sweden)
• Pendolini[?] (Italy) (a version of the pendolino is being introduced by Virgin Trains in the United Kingdom).

Also, in the 1970s and 80s British Rail tried unsuccesfully to build a tilting train called the Advanced Passenger Train.