Comparison of the wear process for eutectoid rail steels: Field and laboratory tests☆

Abstract There is a need for a reliable laboratory test with which to determine the influence of metallurgical properties on the wear resistance of railroad rails. It is now well established that, in order to be relevant, such a test must reproduce the essential features of the wear process occurring in the field. In this investigation, a detailed examination of the gauge face of a rail used in unlubricated curved track under well-documented conditions has been carried out using a combination of optical and scanning electron microscopy. The results are compared with those from a similar study of the wear surfaces of rail steel specimens tested in both a pin-on-disk and a twin-disk rolling contact wear testing device. It is shown that, provided the test conditions are chosen carefully, an adequate simulation can be produced.