Why do trains shake?

Question

Why do trains shake?

Answer 1

Or as Roy Acuff used to sing, "listen to the jingle, the rattle and the roar..."

Ever notice people often describe the approach of a tornado as, "it sounded like a train was going by."

Never, a train sounds like a tornado's coming?

The Association of American Railroads in the last several years tightened up the allowable impact ot flat spots.  If you spend much time trackside, you'll notice not so many flats any more.

Answer 2

railways are not parallel and not at he same height so the minuscule differences and the joints between 2  rails   produce that shake

Have you travelled Ina train in France it does not shake as much as American trains do, longer rails , concrete tracks is the difference.

Answer 3

I assume you mean "shake the ground."

A lot of weight in motion is going to shake things up.  Road engines tip the scale at around 200 tons a copy, with many freight cars being only 50 tons lighter, with most averaging around 138 tons each.

Most of todays main track incorporates CWR (continuous welded rail) as a means of reducing the amount of maintenance needing to be done where there are rail joints, primarily in the form of grinding.  So, much of the old "clickety-clack" is gone.

But, where there are switches involved, the "frog" (that portion of the switch that allows the wheels to pass from one rail to the other) are always banging away as equipment passes.

Another significant source of cacophony and pounding are the wheels on the cars themselves.  They are often rolling along with "flat spots" on the tread, usually the result of a sliding wheel.  When these are serious, they are really pounding on the rail.  If tolerance (2") is exceeded, the car must be "set out" at the first opportunity until it is repaired by the car department.

But, it is still tonnage that shakes its surroundings while under way.  After all, if you have 10,000 to 16,000 tons moving by you, something's gotta give................

Answer 4

any heavy moving object with contact with a solid ground for sure will shake, the more heavy the more shake. the can minimize the shake by using absobers. evey car shake too...

Answer 5

Because they are extremely heavy and powerful and they are moving at a high rate of speed pulling alot of weight behind them.

Answer 6

Trains shake because the body is not rigidly fixed to the boogies (Those underneath parts that comprise the wheels), so part of the boogies shaking is transmitted to the car body. The shaking of the boogies is due to the rails condition and the soil condition.If there are gaps between the rails this will cause more shaking.That is why continuous welded rail is best. Also ballasted rail is better than rails just on soil.

Answer 7

The rails expand and contract with temperature, so they can't be laid without a gap.  Gap means click...every wheel that goes over the gap.  As it gets faster, you have the rhythm of the rails (not a shake), of the familiar clickey clack clickey clack...very soothing at times.