What causes flange squeal?


What causes flange squeal? Wheels and rails have the shape they do to allow curves to be negotiated – if there was less clearance between the rails and the wheels, they would constantly be rubbing and making flange strike the gauge face, causing the high pitch noise and excessive wear on wheels and rails.


Why do train tracks hiss?

Strictly hissing is likely brakes and would be close to a train that's starting. But If you mean the high-pitched singing sound you get well before a moving train arrives, that is the result of transmission of sound waves along the track.


How loud is a subway train?

But what was measured exceeds that limit: The samples show the average noise levels on all subway platforms and on all subway rides (inside subway trains) is between 72.5 and 76.5 dB and between 74.1 and 75.8 dB, respectively.


How many decibels is a train squeal?

Generally, squeal noise of 100–110 dB is generated when a train passes through a curve about 7.5 m from the center of the rail; this is 15–20 dB higher than the rolling noise of the vehicle, and one or more pure tone noises occur at frequencies of 400–10,000 Hz [5].


Why do trains go clickety clack?

The clickety-clack of a train rolling along a railroad is a familiar sound to many people. This unique sound is caused by train wheels passing over rail joints, which are used to hold sections of rail together. The joints are needed in locations where full welded rail is not possible.


What is the train horn rule?

Under the Train Horn Rule (49 CFR Part 222, issued on August 17, 2006), locomotive engineers must begin to sound train horns at least 15 seconds, and no more than 20 seconds, in advance of all public grade crossings.


Why do trains honk two long one short one long?

Two short whistles mean that the engineer acknowledges that he or she heard or saw a signal that affects movement. Three short ones mean that the engineer intends to make a reverse movement. Two long, one short and one long mean trains are approaching a highway or street crossing. And the list goes on.


Why do trains honk longer at night?

The reason that trains honk their horns so much at night is because it's dark and the trains aren't so easy to see. Even though the lights are on, you sometimes can't see them coming, especially around the many blind curves that Gilroy has, like the one near Leavesley and the one near the train station.