Not really "real railroad" but I machine my own model drive wheels. One side is cast iron, polished. The other side is a slightly higher grade of iron, used in some plumbing pipe applications. The "grip" I get on steel rails is dramatically different from an imported locomotive with plated steel tires.
We also find that once the plating wears off the imported model, traction improves noticeably. Maybe that's part of it - real railroads use a grade of steel that more closely resembles iron for wheels.
