Belga
Brussels metro can’t understand why train wheels are going oval
Folk at the Brussels local transport
company MIVB are scratching their heads.
The wheels on the new M7 metro trains are wearing down faster than
usual. They are being blamed for extra noise
and vibrations. The transport company is
puzzled because the wheels are made by the same producer and in the same way!
Residents along the route of metro lines 1
and 5 are not happy bunnies. For months
now they have been complaining about higher noise levels and worrying
vibrations. The transport company says
the wheels are wearing down more quickly than those on older trains. The wheels
become oval-shaped and no longer round and this is causing the problems.
MIVB is now filing down the oval wheels to get
them round again, but this is no long-term solution because in time the wheels
become oval once again producing more noise and those nasty vibrations.
Half of all the wheels on new carriages
have now been worn down. The company doesn’t
really understand why this is happening.
“When we know the specific reason for the problem, we can do something about
it” says MIVB director Renaud de Saint Moulin.
Until then the wheels will continue to be
filed down. It’s costing the transport
company a small fortune in wages and other costs. Moreover, the trains need to
be taken out of service, while this happens.
“Our teams are doing their utmost to limit
the impact on survices” says Renaud de Saint Moulin .