A railway vehicle and method that reduces lateral force

摘要

When a railroad vehicle passes a curve, switching between longitudinal rigidities (rigidities with respect to displacement in a longitudinal direction) of air springs (6a, 6b) is performed according to the direction of travel. With regard to the air spring (6a) in which the direction of a reaction moment acting on a truck acts on a direction (C) in which the turning of the truck is impeded, the longitudinal rigidity is relatively decreased, and with regard to the air spring (6b) in which the direction of the reaction moment acting on the truck acts on a direction (J) in which the turning of a vehicle body is accelerated, the longitudinal rigidity is relatively increased. By merely adding a mechanism for switching between the longitudinal rigidities of the air spring (6a, 6b) according to the direction of travel as described above, the influence of lateral force (H, G) on a track is minimized without causing a large cost increase and an increase in unsprung mass.