Railway wheel squeal noise is a significant environmental and operational issue, primarily caused by stick-slip friction and dynamic instabilities at the wheel-rail interface. This study investigates how stick-slip forces and the lock-in phenomenon—where slip oscillations synchronize with the wheel’s natural frequencies—amplify squeal noise. Using a pin-disk model and SoundCam for acoustic holography, the research combines experiments, simulations, and theoretical modeling to analyze the conditions triggering squeal. Key parameters like contact pressure, velocity, and material properties are examined for their influence. Results confirm that stick-slip friction is a major driver of squeal, with lock-in intensifying its persistence and amplitude. The findings suggest that modifying wheel-rail interface dynamics could mitigate noise, offering potential solutions for urban and high-speed rail systems. This work advances the understanding of squeal mechanisms and provides a foundation for future research on rail acoustics and performance optimization.