Wheel-rail corrugated wear is composed of two main phenomena: wheel polygonization and rail corrugation. The interaction forces between the wheel and rail increase as a result of corrugated wear, which leads to fatigue damage in the track and vehicle components. Different types of vehicles excite various modes, such as the P1 and P2 forces of the rail, as well as the third-order modes of the rail between wheelsets. A combination of experimental and numerical simulation methods was used to investigate the initial formation of wheel-rail corrugated wear. Then a dynamic model representing the coupling between a high speed train vehicle and rail, as well as a wear model based on Mather’s period jump theory, were established for the formation of corrugated wear. The wear process is utilized to further elucidate its formation mechanism.