Why do trains run on tracks?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Steel on steel has low friction
Trains can't steer — Wrong. Trains don't steer because they don't need to—tracks handle direction. But that's not why tracks exist.
Steel on steel has low friction ✓ — Correct! Steel wheels on steel rails create very low friction, allowing trains to pull huge loads efficiently. A train can move 100 tons with the same energy a truck uses for 1 ton! Tracks also guide direction.
Roads can't support trains — Wrong. Roads can support heavy vehicles. Tracks exist for efficiency—steel on steel friction is far lower than rubber on asphalt.
More Transportation questions
- Why can one runway crash cripple a whole airport?
- Why isn't a go-around always possible at the last moment?
- Why doesn't a radioed 'Stop!' mean instant braking?
- Why can one runway emergency make a second mistake more likely?
- Why do runway crashes often come from several small failures at once?
- Why doesn't a jet's anti-collision system simply stop a runway crash?
