The aim of this paper is to show a predictive method with CAE instruments for the estimation of the residual stress of a railway wheel. Residual stresses evaluation, in fact, represent one of the requirements of the European standard EN13262 for the homologation of a wheel, but no input or suggestion is given by such standard about the possibility of estimating them before production starting. These stresses are mainly due to the parameters of the heat treatment process, basically consisting in an austenitizing followed by rim quenching and tempering. This process is simulated through Magmasoft. Starting from the results of this simulation, in order to validate the method a comparison of different approaches is carried out and the residual stresses distribution is estimated using Magmasoft (Finite Volume) and ANSYS (Finite Element). The results are finally compared with the residual stresses distribution calculated through ANSYS according to prescriptions of the US standard AAR S-669 and with the experimental results coming from the strain gauges measurement according to the European standard EN13262.