Steering and Stability of the Bogie: Vehicle Dynamics and Suspension Design

Recent progress in the development of railway vehicle bogies and other forms of running gear is reviewed, with particular reference to the conflict between stability and curving. It is shown how the demand for much greater performance in terms of speed, ride quality and cost of ownership generated by the renaissance of the railways which has occurred in the last quarter century has been matched by a much more scientific and innovative approach to vehicle dynamics. In this approach, a correct physical understanding of the mechanics of the railway bogie has been converted via mathematical modelling and advanced computer techniques into a tool for innovation which has generated practical improvements in suspension technology.