Asymmetric Hunting And Chaotic Motion Of Railroad Vehicles

Abstract

In this paper evidence is compiled to demonstrate that asymmetric hunting of railway vehicles and chaotic motion occur as a consequence of the instabilities of the vehicle above certain critical speeds. References are made both to theoretical investigations of mathematical models and to a scale-model roller rig experiment. These instabilites may be a cause for the un-even wear of wheels which has been observed on some unit trains running always between the same two destinations over the same line.