Keynote address: light to heavy, snail to rocket

The purpose of this address is to acknowledge several, but not all, pioneers who made a significant contribution to the science of Contact Mechanics. It also highlights the universal nature of the laws of Contact Mechanics in all branches of wheel/rail based transportation systems, and encourages the participants in their efforts to further advance an understanding of the wheel/rail interface phenomena. The address covers three major topics—problems, theories and concepts, and potential solutions and resources available.