ACTUAL STATE AND SUPPRESSION OF A LATERAL FORCE INDUCED AT GUARD RAIL IN RAILWAY TURNOUT

The guard rail existing in railway turnout receives a large lateral guiding force from running wheels. This force is one of the important factors limiting the running speed of trains at turnouts. The paper describes: (1) The results of a series of running tests on Kosei line, which clarify the actual condition inducing the force; (2) A theoretical study performed by a simulation method using a dynamic rolling stock model; and (3) The countermeasures to suppress the force at the guard rail.