Metal Plating of Friction Surfaces of the “Wheel–Rail” Pair

It is shown that in conditions of significant increase of railway transport speeds, requirements for the safety of the friction–mechanical “wheel–rail” subsystem are increased. In order to solve the above problem, a method is proposed for metal plating “wheel–rail” friction surfaces by applying thin films of soft metal, for example, aluminum, with different values of hardness, on surfaces of rolling wheels and wheel ridges of locomotives. On the basis of quantum-chemical calculations, it has been proved that metal plating of the friction surfaces of the “wheel–rail” system provides a chemical bond between wheel steel and aluminum and the formation of a strong protective film. The performed bench tests of the “wheel–rail” model friction subsystem by methods of tribospectration identification of friction processes and dynamic monitoring of changes in elastic-dissipative bonds confirmed the formation of stable dynamic bonds in friction contact. The results of the research formed the basis of the creation of the algorithm of axial control of “wheel–rail” interaction processes at realization of forces of longitudinal and transverse creep, as well as at optimization of modes of vibrodynamic metal plating working surfaces of other tribosystems, of vehicles operating in heavy load–speed conditions of operation.