Wheel/Rail Profiling

An optimized wheel/rail interface provides numerous benefits to railroads and car owners. Those benefits include reductions in:

● Derailment Potential

● Wheel Wear

● Rail Wear

● Train Resistance

● Fuel Consumption

● Wheel Shelling and Spalling

● Noise from Wheel Squealing

Rail Sciences has been active in helping railroads optimize both the shape of the rail and the shape of the wheel for various railroad applications.The wheel/rail interface is important because, as a railroad wheel rolls along the rail, energy is consumed and wear occurs on both the wheel and the rail. The amount of wear and the level of energy consumed are directly influenced by the size and shape of the wheel/rail contact patch. Different wheel/rail profiles are preferable depending on rail weight, wheel size, and train speed. For example, heavy haul, low speed railroads may require a more tapered wheel profile in order to facilitate heavy curvature, whereas, a high speed passenger or transit operation may benefit from a more cylindrical wheel profile.

RSI uses the most modern technology available, the Beena Vision LazerView profiling system, to measure and quantify the shape of the wheel. RSI collects and analyzes wheel/rail profile data under various operating scenarios. RSI uses this information to provide clients with the optimum shape of the wheel and/or the rail for different operating situations.