Damage causes of the railway axles – case study

The article presents a study of analyzed cases of operational damages of the railway axles, which caused the derailment of the rolling stock. A case of twisting the axle journal and cracking the axle journal in freight wagons will be presented as an example. Both considered cases concern samples that have been in operation for decades and are made of unalloyed steel commonly used at this time. The scope of the tests included verification of the material properties, inspection of fractures, MES simulations, and description of the cause-effect sequence leading to the incidents. The presented material can be used to raise awareness and improve the competence of operational staff employed in the entities in charge of maintenance (ECM).