Cars have differential gears in their wheels to help them corner smoothly. Trains have no such thing — the axle is solid and unbending. So how do trains take corners without the axle breaking or the train going off the track? Richard Feynman explains:

Think about this on your next train ride.

Happy Friday!

Enhanced by Zemanta
Kent Anderson

Kent Anderson

Kent Anderson is the CEO of RedLink and RedLink Network, a past-President of SSP, and the founder of the Scholarly Kitchen. He has worked as Publisher at AAAS/Science, CEO/Publisher of JBJS, Inc., a publishing executive at the Massachusetts Medical Society, Publishing Director of the New England Journal of Medicine, and Director of Medical Journals at the American Academy of Pediatrics. Opinions on social media or blogs are his own.

Discussion

1 Thought on "What Keeps a Train on a Track? It's Not What You Might Think"

It’s a fact, FACT I tell you that car differentials are the most diabolical majick. There’s no way the laws of physics allow them to work. I once made one out of technical lego. I still don’t understand how it works. I mean I know, but I don’t understand. So it’s gotta be majick.

Comments are closed.