Tilting trains: Evolution, performances et perspectives

The work gives a full view on the today's and future tilting train technologies' developments. The paper starts with an historical mention, beginning from 1950's prototypes till the latest applications, introducing the applied mechanical theories, focusing on some aspects such as the reduction of trip time under various railway operations (local, sub-urban, IC, high speed), the conditions for homologation and super-structure requirements, the evolution of normative related to the most recent studies and research, aimed on comfort for passengers, vehicle's dynamic behaviour and kinetics, The paper shows as well the target resolution towards future building of bogies in tilting applications, from the mechanical structures to the strategies of rule and control. In this context a particular system, developed in order to optimize the moving characteristics, based on a advanced and predictive control is pointed out.