La técnica de la inclinación de las cajas de los vehículos ferroviarios a su paso por las curvas

The actual tendencies in the railway world and especially in the passenger transport are for more speed and maximum comfort. These two mediums constitute a reason for attracting new rail users, both in local or short and long distance journeys. The lines on which trains run are approximately 100 years old. This is a grave impediment in achieving average adequate speeds to meet the presently day necessities. The most economic, and at the same time, adequate solution, for a track with an ample margin of running speeds and loads per axle, is that fulfilled by the railways vehicles; in this case the tilting of the body is the ideal solution. Throughout the world similar solutions have been tried out in order to solve an analogous problem. The RENFE solution, with its tilted train, realized in team with the Italian Railways is amongst the most complete and adequate to resolve all the problems presented. Amongst the accomplishments hoped to be reached are: -A notable increase in speed on bends. -A notable improvement in passenger comfort. -Notable reductions in speed times, without carrying out important modifications in the actual lines. A methodology has been established for the systematic analysis of the gains in the journey times which the tilting train can proportion by circulating along the principal lines of the basic Spanish network. The study was planned in the following stages: -Definition of the ideal services under the rules of the PIC on "desirable travelling times". -Analysis of the parameters that condition the increase of speed. -Quantification of the conditionings. -Selection and priority of lines. The tests carried out, and those which are to be carried out on the defined prototype, situate RENFE in a position to offer the said experience to all those Administrations who, with similar width of rails to the Spanish, wish to resolve the problems which the desired increase in speed of their trains on the existing line presents, without modifying substantially their lines.