ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Railway tire

Hey kiddo! So, have you ever seen a train go by? Do you see those big, round circles around the wheels? Those are called railway tires!

Now, you know how when you go on a bike ride, the wheels go round and round and they touch the ground, right? Well, trains also have to touch the ground as they move, and that's where the tires come in.

The tires are made of a really strong metal called steel, and they're kind of like big rubber bands that wrap around the wheels of the train. This helps the train stay on the tracks and not slip or slide around.

But do you know what's really cool about railway tires? They're not just a regular circle shape. They actually have a little bit of a bulge in the bottom, kind of like a donut that's been squeezed a little bit.

This bulge helps the train grip the tracks better and not slide around as it moves along. It's like when you have a ball that's a little bit squishy - it's easier to hold on to and not let it slip out of your hands.

So, there you have it - railway tires are the big, strong metal bands that wrap around the wheels of a train and help it stay on the tracks. And they're shaped like big, squishy donuts to help the train grip the tracks and stay safe as it moves along. Cool, huh?