Rail squeal
Rail squeal is a screeching train-track friction sound, most commonly occurring on sharp curves or heavy braking. The noise can be annoying to nearby residents, and it indicates that wear and tear is happening to both rails and wheels at a high rate.
Factors
Factors include:
- 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