Rail squeal
Rail squeal is a screeching train-track friction sound, commonly occurring on sharp curves.
Squeal is presumably caused by the lateral sticking and slipping of the wheels across top of the railroad track. This results in vibrations in the wheel that increase until a stable amplitude is reached.[1]
Lubricating the rails has limited success. Speed reduction also appears to reduce noise levels.[2]
The mechanism that causes the squealing also is the cause of wear and tear that is happening to both rails and wheels.
Factors
Factors include:[citation needed]
- Accelerating, coasting or braking
- Diameter of wheel
- Powered or unpowered wheels
- Radius of curve
- Rail lubrication
- Slant of rail (typically 1 in 20)
- Superelevation or cant
- Type of train
- Weather (rails wet or dry) (slippery rail)
- Wheelbase
- Worn profile of wheel
- Worn profile of rail
See also
References
- ^ Rudd, M.J. (1976). "Wheel/rail noise—Part II: Wheel squeal". Journal of Sound and Vibration. 46 (3): 381–394. doi:10.1016/0022-460X(76)90862-2.
- ^ Barnt Green Rail Noise - summary by Les Bailey
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