The repeatability of rail wheel damage measurements is considered in this study. The authors investigated the measurement repeatability of vertical force dependence on wheel-rolling surface damage nature and suggested ways to reach higher repeatability. To investigate wheel-rolling surface damage impact on vertical force measurement repeatability, the results of measuring forces with different measurement systems were compared first. Another critical issue was estimating the deviation field for the measured force values. The box and whisker principles were used. Different types (shapes) of rail wheel damages and rolling stock operating conditions were examined by field tests. The article presents the dependence determined by the authors, and how the repeatability of the wheel damage measurement depends on the speed of the rolling stock.

Graphical representation of laws governing the abrasion of locomotive wheelsets shows different distribution of values obtained for oiled and not oiled wheelset tyres. When wheelset tyres are oiled, the much higher deviation of abrasion values can be observed. This allows us to assume that oiling is more important for reducing the wear of not heavily loaded wheelset tyres.