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<div> If I understand it, the general point of this thread was to ask if the differential action of the tapered wheels would be better accomplished by a fixed axle with independently rotating wheels.  Part of the reason for the question is that the fixed, tapered wheels occasionally squeal on curves. One big advantage I see for the fixed, tapered wheels is that an axle only requires two bearings, whereas independently rotating wheels each require two bearings, so four bearings per axle.  The outboard bearings on the existing system are easy to get at and change compared to inner and outer bearings needed for a wheel rotating on a fixed axle. In any case, the differential effect of the tapered wheels cannot be perfect because perfect geometry could only be obtained for a given curve radius.  So the variation in curve radius can only match on average with the changing diameters of the wheel tapers.  So, to the extent that the match is imperfect, some slippage and friction will occur between the wheels and rails. Furthermore, if a curve is pulled too slowly, the cars will stringline to the inside rail rather than throw out to the outside rail, thus reversing the differential effect and exaggerating the original wheel speed problem for curves. And then as Selector described earlier, you have the problem that the centerlines of the two axles of each truck in a curve do not intersect the centerpoint of the curve radius.  This too causes slippage between the wheels and rails. So the tapered wheel principle is not perfect, but good enough without resorting to more complicated and costly wheel speed differentiating systems that might be applied.      </div>
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