{"id":547629,"date":"2026-09-22T19:28:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T09:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/railuk.com\/?p=200276"},"modified":"2026-09-22T19:28:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T09:28:16","slug":"set-unveils-actiglide-at-innotrans-2026-rethinking-the-wheel-rail-interface","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=547629","title":{"rendered":"SET unveils ActiGlide at InnoTrans 2026, rethinking the wheel\u2013rail interface"},"content":{"rendered":"
SET has today officially unveiled ActiGlide with Truemotion technology at InnoTrans 2026. ActiGlide presents a new approach to controlling movement at the wheel\u2013rail interface, delivering unprecedented benefits to ride experience, efficiency and reduction of wear.<\/p>\n
ActiGlide is the first major release from SET\u2019s innovation department, established to explore how intelligent engineering and new technology can improve the future of transport and infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Conventional railway wheelsets use conical wheels connected by a fixed axle. While this established design has underpinned rail transport for generations, it also creates an inherent compromise between low-speed curving and high-speed stability. The resulting forces at the wheel\u2013rail interface cause wheel and rail wear, rolling contact fatigue, noise and reduced ride quality. For the last 200 years many solutions have been sought but invariably resulting in treating symptoms rather than cause.<\/p>\n
ActiGlide is designed to address these limitations as a connected system, at the cause, rather than treating individual symptoms. Its Truemotion technology combines five core innovations:<\/p>\n
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Individual wheel control, with each wheel independently driven (ORBIT).<\/li>\n
In-wheel magnetic propulsion and regenerative braking (POWER).<\/li>\n
Active wheel guidance that continuously monitors wheel position relative to the rail head (PILOT).<\/li>\n
Advanced real-time control and data capture (LOGIC).<\/li>\n
Optimised suspension and the potential for continuous low-floor vehicle design (FLEX).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
By precisely controlling torque at each wheel and actively guiding the wheelset towards the centre of the track, ActiGlide delivers a step-change in wheel \/rail interface performance and control to provide a more efficient and comfortable ride experience for operators and passengers. Its design intelligently reduces creep forces, flange contact, wear and noise while improving stability, ride and adhesion performance.<\/p>\n
SET Chairman Martin Whitley said: \u201cActiGlide has the potential to fundamentally change how we think about vehicle movement on the railway. We believe there is a significant opportunity here, not only to improve performance but to create a platform for the next generation of rail vehicles.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve carefully designed ActiGlide as a flexible alternative to traditional bogie design that I am hopeful will become the basis of further railway innovations both in terms of movement systems but also many other manufacturing considerations now common limitations have finally been removed\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur launch at InnoTrans is about opening up that opportunity to the industry. We want to engage with organisations who share our ambition and can help us accelerate ActiGlide through its next stages of development and towards deployment.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n
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