Sumitomo Metals Gets Large Order of Steering Bogies for Subway

Sumitomo Metal Industries and Sumitomo Corporation announced on Thursday they got order of 240 steering bogies for new type of subway car from Tokyo Metro. Sumitomo Metals and Tokyo Metro developed the bogies equipped steering devices, which is designed to allow the axle to self-align with curvature. Tokyo Metro uses the bogies to new type of car for Ginza line as first application of the bogies with steering devices to subway car in Japan.

Traditional railway bogie has two sets of fixed axles and wheels. The fixed axle causes a squeal noise on the curved rail. The steering bogie can move in line with curved track to minimize the noise. The steering bogie can also reduce friction between flange of the wheel and the rail contributing to longer wheel life.

Steering bogies were difficult to make despite of long research history by many railway research institutes and makers. Sumitomo Metals conducted many tests and has accumulated data to improve the structure. Through the efforts, the firm succeeded to develop simple structure bogies with excellent performance on curved track.