Abstract
This paper deals with curve negotiation of a rail vehicle with independently rotating wheels (IRW). In order to reduce the wheel lateral force, addition of two kinds of steering mechanism, forced and active ones, are examined by numerical simulation. As a result, it is shown that the active steering has a potential to improve the curving performance of a vehicle with IRW in anycurve radius. The forced steering, however, increases the wheel lateral force in tight curves of radius less equal 100 m and it can make the critical speed lower greatly.
