As　the　rapid　development　of　railway　transportation,　the　wear　damage　between　wheels　and　rails　is　increasingly　severe,　significantly　impacting　the　safety　and　efficiency　of　train　service.　A　novel　heavy-haul　wheel　(NW) steel　with　superior　rolling-slide　wear　resistance　is　presented.　Additionally,　the　microstructure　evolution　and　hardening　mechanisms　of　the　wheel　steel　after　wear　were　analyzed　by　various　characterization　methods.　The　results　indicate　that　NW　wheel　steel,　characterized　by　finer　pearlite　lamella　and　low　content　of　proeutectoid　ferrite,　demonstrates　exceptional　wear　resistance　under　axle　loads　of　200　and　400　kN.　Compared　to　CL65　steel,　the　wear　rate　of　NW　wheel　steel　is　reduced　by　28%　and　exceeds　that　of　most　reported　wheel　steels.　After　wear,　the　surface　material　of　the　wheel　steel　experiences　significant　deformation,　forming　a　gradient　strain　layer　with　microstructure　and　hardness　exhibiting　gradient　changes　along　the　depth　direction.　The　topmost　material　undergoes　refinement　and　dislocation　multiplication,　leading　to　a　substantial　increase　in　surface　hardness.　Moreover,　NW　steel　exhibits　more　severe　surface　dislocations　and　increased　hardness　at　higher　axle　loads.　Therefore,　by　controlling　the　pearlite　content　and　reducing　the　lamellar　spacing,　a　gradient　strain　layer　with　enhanced　hardening　capabilities　can　be　achieved,　thereby　improving　the　wear　resistance　of　the　wheel　material.　©　China　Iron　and　Steel　Research　Institute　Group　Co.,　Ltd.　2025.