Q. Two identical trains, at the equator start travelling round the world in opposite directions. They start together, run at the same speed and are on different tracks. Which train will wear out its wheel treads first

• Naturally, the train traveling against the spin of the earth. This train will wear out its wheels more quickly, because the centrifugal force is less on this train.
• 11 years agoHelpfull: Yes(21) No(4)
• The earth rotates from west to east.
  The train moving against its rotation will wear out its wheels.
  Hence train moving from east to west will wear out its wheels.
• 11 years agoHelpfull: Yes(13) No(0)
• There is an centrifugal force associated with movement of the reference frame: F=mv2/r
  
  This means the force acting on trains in the direction of earths center will be
  
  F 1 =mg−m(ve +vt)2 r and F 2 =mg−m(ve −vt ) 2r. And as F 1 ≠F 2 , wheels will wear out differently.
  
• 11 years agoHelpfull: Yes(0) No(1)