Managing the wheel-rail interface: the Dutch experience

Abstract: this chapter discusses ProRail’s practical approach and projects to manage wheel–rail interfaces together with its partners, the transport operators and maintenance contractors. Policy and projects from both the rail and the wheel maintenance perspective are discussed. Phenomena such as railway noise levels and rolling contact fatigue have been reasons to intensify contacts with partners in the industry and the users of the railway network since 2000. This has led to strategic research programmes, together with the academic world (see e.g. Chapter 13 for research on squats and Chapter 12 for research on track irregularity). This chapter provides a general overview of the state of play and is not intended to include all details of wheel–rail interface management. A list of references is included in the final section for further reading on Dutch wheel–rail interface research.