Why don't locomotive train wheels have rubber tires?

Every vehicle on the road today, whether it's a baby carriage or a motorcycle or a truck or a car, has rubber tires, even planes land on rubber tires. The reason trains have steel tires is that when the train was invented rubber tires didn't exist. read more

The reason trains have steel tires is that when the train was invented rubber tires didn't exist. Steel tires also reduce rolling friction and experience less resistance compared to rubber tires. As for trains, when they came along, it was the smoothness of the track and the regularity of the steel that allowed the use of hard metal wheels. read more

Now, the original question was why the wheels are metal.(steel, in fact). It is correct that steel wheels on steel rails have low friction. That is a benefit of trains versus trucks and buses. read more

Some steam locomotive wheels had tires bolted through the rim, or with a second smaller shoulder machined on the inside face of the tire. This shoulder was severely limited in size as it had to pass over the wheel centre for assembly. read more

The rubber tires have three times the traction of steel wheels. This means that far less time is spent speeding up and slowing down, and the train is at cruising speed more of the time. The end result is that more trains can make the run over a day, moving more people. read more