Hot Wheels can be Early Warnings
Hot Wheels can be early signs of wheel failure. FRA Statistics show wheel defects to be one of the most costly derailment accidents.(Source: Federal Railroad Administration Office of Safety Analysis)
Hot Wheels can also cause false Hot Bearing Stops.
When the hand brake is left on, or the car has brake problems, heat is generated in the wheel over time. In extreme cases the heat generated by hot wheels can radiate out into the view of the bearing scanners and cause false hot bearing alarms.