The paper is an overview of polygonal wear and generated noise of train wheels in recent years. Besides explaining the related concepts and definitions of wheel polygonal wear, the paper also lists the causes of polygonal wear and the relationship between polygonal wear and noise. The related domestic and abroad researches on train wheel polygonal wear mainly focus on the effect of wheel polygonal wear on wheel-rail dynamics, the generation and development mechanism of wheel polygonal wear and the detection and evaluation of wheel polygonal wear. In this paper, noise generated by vibration, vibration caused by wheel polygonal wear and noise arising from wheel polygonal wear are reviewed. The domestic and abroad research progress on train maintenance are both summarized. The paper also gives some advice on overhaul of trains with polygonal wear in wheels.