The article presents an extended summary regarding the impact of rail damage on vibration waveforms and vibroacoustic spectrum images of vibrations. The analyzed example is based on the passage of the train depot – passenger train on a selected railway line. A short summary of the analyzed research problem is also presented.

The subject of the experimental research was a modified back-to-back test stand. During the test, the driven gear with a number of teeth z1 =16 was fixed on stationary axis. The tested gearbox worked without load and the closing gearbox was dismantled to avoid any additional vibration and noise. A mechanical system was also used which, during the tests, allowed to change the position of the above mentioned stationary axis. Gear with number of teeth z1 was fixed on a stationary axis with the arrangement of two self-aligning ball bear-ings which prevented significant changes in the angular position of axis of gear in regard of stationary axis; or fixed on a stationary axis with the arrangement of one self-aligning ball bearing which allowed significant changes in the angular position of axis of gear in regard of stationary axis. On the basis of the conducted studies, it can be stated that only in some of the analyzed cases fixing of gear with the arrangement of one self-aligning ball bearing reduces the vibration of the gearbox elements.