Rail Sciences - Rail and Wheel Profile Optimization and Analysis

Rail Sciences Inc. (RSI) was founded in 1987 with the mission of providing the highest level of analytical consulting services to the rail industry. Our railroad experience encompasses:

• Engineering
• Operations research
• Track / train dynamics
• Operating practices
• Testing and instrumentation
• Data acquisition and analysis

RSI brings an objective viewpoint to every project. We strive to provide our clients with accurate analysis along with reported findings, conclusions, and (if requested) specific recommendations.

WHEEL / RAIL OPTIMIZATION ANALYSIS

The manner in which a rolling wheel interacts with a steel rail greatly influences the efficiency of the energy consumed at the wheel / rail contact patch. It is a fact that as a tapered steel wheel rolls along a contoured rail head energy is consumed, with resultant wear of both the wheel and rail.

The size, shape, and dimension of the elliptical contact patch between the wheel and rail is critical in determining the amount of energy consumed and the wear of the two surfaces. This issue is further compounded as the vertical loading of the wheel is increased under Heavy Axle Load (HAL) scenarios.

OPTIMIZING RAIL AND WHEEL PROFILES

RSI has been active in assisting railroads in optimizing rail and wheel profiles for specific railroad applications. Our research has shown that hollowing of the wheel tread may be detrimental to good curving and wear performance, to such a point that periodic re-profiling of the wheel may be justified. There are many variables for optimized wheel / rail interface including, but not limited to, rail weight, wheel size and train speed.

For instance:

• A high-speed passenger or transit operation may require a cylindrical wheel profile
• A heavy haul, low-speed railroad may require wheel taper to facilitate heavy curvature
• Increased derailment potential with certain types of wheel wear patterns on both the flange and tread must be considered for each wheel / rail analysis
  

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 PROFILE ANALYSIS AND RAIL GRINDING

The benefits of rail grinding have been widely publicized.

• As wheel loads increase, rail grinding becomes more and more important in order to control the excessive fatigue and resultant deterioration of the running surface
• Rail shelling on the gage corner increases the potential for the development of detail fractures, and the resultant catastrophic failure of the rail under load. This condition can be controlled with a well organized and controlled grinding program
• Excessive grinding can lead to premature consumption of rail steel, and too little or imprecise grinding can result in sub-optimal wheel / rail interface and resultant accelerated wear rates

RSI employs the most modern technology available to optimize the wheel and rail interface, using the Beena Vision LazerView to accurately measure and quantify the shape of the wheel and rail profile on an individual railroad.

The LazerView electronic profiles are directly transferable to a PDA or computer for analysis under a variety of operating scenarios. RSI is able to analyze this information and utilize it to recommend the optimum shape of either the wheel rail for a particular situation to our clients.

BEENA VISION LAZERVIEW HANDHELD WHEEL PROFILER

LazerView wheel / rail profile data is also useful in assessing derailment potential. RSI also frequently uses LazerView data to determine the potential for wheel climb derailments through analysis of the wheel flange angle and the resultant gage corner angle. Some of the other benefits of LazerView are

• Accurate, repeatable profiles
• One man operation
• Instant reports on wheel condition
• Lightweight
• Shock-resistant
• Dust-resistant
• Water-resistant
• Durable, rechargeable battery