– How do trains stay on the track?

Question

I’ve googled it but just can’t seem to grasp it. How do they stay on as well as they do at such high speeds, with so few incidents of crashing or derailing? Especially when anything could be lying across the track waiting to get lodged in the wheels.

I hear so often that trains are so safe, but I don’t think I can get over my anxiety with them until I understand *why* they’re safe.

In: 29

Answer 1

The wheels are shaped like this –/ and the track is shaped like this |__|.

Since the train is really heavy, the wheels never slip out of the track. If the train takes a turn too fast well… even good design has its limits.