Railways around the world are investing in
research and monitoring to understand more
about the complex problem of wheel squeal,
which often occurs at tight bends in some parts
of the rail network.
It is caused by ‘stick-slip’ interaction between
the wheel tread and the running surface of
the rail and the sound that’s created can be
extremely irritating to people nearby.
ARTC and rail operators have made a significant
contribution to addressing wheel squeal,
including financial contributions to the Rail
Cooperative Research Centre on curving noise,
installation of noise monitoring systems and
through undertaking trials and monitoring
programmes on our network. ARTC is also
investing in rail lubrication as an option for
mitigating wheel squeal in the Adelaide Hills in
South Australia.
In this region, ARTC operates and maintains
a continuous rail noise monitoring system
(RailSQAD) that has the ability to identify noise
generated by individual wheel sets. This data is
provided to all customers electronically to allow
them to investigate and maintain wagons that
are repeatedly generating wheel squeal.
In addition, ARTC has installed an ‘Angle of
Attack’ system at Heathfield in the Adelaide
Hills, which provides additional data to
customers on bogie alignment. The systems
were installed at a cost of more than $1 million,
invested between ARTC and the rail operators
using the network.
POLLUTION REDUCTION
PROGRAM IN THE HUNTER
VALLEY
As the track owner of the Hunter Valley rail
network in NSW, ARTC is licenced by the NSW
Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
ENVIRONMENTAL
FREIGHT FACTS*
One freight train replacing
trucks between Melbourne
and Brisbane reduces carbon
emissions by the same
amount as a household
of 3 people going without
electricity for 46 years.
Compared to a truck, in
one year a freight train
travelling between Melbourne
and Brisbane reduces
carbon emissions by the
same amount as planting
600 hectares of trees.
If rail had 40% share of
the North South transport
market then there would
be a reduction in accident
and carbon costs of around
$300 million a year. This is
expected to grow to around
$630 million by 2030.
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