Application of plasma surface quenching to reduce rail side wear

Hardening of the side surface of the rail head with the use of optical and electron microscopy is studied. Results of industrial tests are given. Plasma hardening of the side surface of the rail allows one to obtain a favorable structure of the surface hardened layer (mixture of troostite, bainite and martensite) with a hardness of 450-830 HV and a thickness of the quenched layer of 2.5-3 mm. Thus, this significantly increases the service life of the rails due to the 2-3-time decrease in the wear rate of the side surface of the rail. The developed unit for plasma surface hardening of the rail allows performing qualitative surface hardening in width, depth and hardness of the surface layer of the metal. This equipment can be recommended for further pilot-industrial plasma surface hardening of the rail side surface in the conditions of the East Siberian Railway.