Hyundai Rotem Trains Can Run on a Steep Curve

Hyundai Rotem has developed the world's first running gear that enables trains to run on a steep curve. The company says its new devices enables trains to run in complex and curved urban areas.

Hyundai Rotem announced on June 19 that the company succeeded in developing a running gear that allows low-floor train cars to run on a curve with a radius of 15 meters. A running gear refers to a wheel and an axle of a train car.

Current running devices are able to run only on a curve with a radius of 25 meters or longer, giving rise to restrictions on railroad route planning for densely populated areas or areas with large floating populations. In particular, it is difficult to build a new railway with a narrow radius curve.

The running device developed by Hyundai Rotem this time can run on railroads in complex downtown areas as well as on general railroads by reducing the minimum radius of a curve to 15 meters. In the case of trams running on public roads, it has become possible to build lines without limitations.

The new running gear also reduces noise significantly as the contact pressure between a wheel and a track is more than 30% less than existing devices. This also extends the life of a wheel and a track, saving operators maintenance cost.

Hyundai Rotem finished a performance test by installing the device on a test tram at its Changwon factory after a simulation test.