Running Gear with a Steering Actuator, Associated Rail Vehicle and Control Method

A running gear for a rail vehicle, the running gear comprising:

• first and second independent wheel assemblies on opposite first and second sides of a longitudinal vertical median plane of the running gear, each of the first and second independent wheel assemblies comprising:
• an independent wheel, and
• a bearing assembly for guiding the independent wheel about a revolution axis fixed relative to the bearing assembly,
• wherein, in a reference position of the running gear, the revolution axis of the first independent wheel assembly and the revolution axis of the second independent wheel assembly are coaxial and are perpendicular to the longitudinal vertical median plane,
• one or more steering actuators for moving the bearing assembly of at least one of the two independent first and second wheel assemblies away from the reference position in a longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal vertical median plane,
• a wheel flange contact detection unit for detecting a contact between a flange of the independent wheel of any of the two independent first and second wheel assemblies with a rail, and
• a controller for controlling the one or more steering actuators based on signals from the wheel flange contact detection unit.