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As a result of tension increase and significantly loads on the overhead contact lines, there is need to research the tensile stress value for contact and messenger wires. In this paper, the author reviewed the wires operation conditions concerning the thermo-mechanical load. The author has analyzed the results of contact wires low-temperature creep tests. The real rate of contact wires creep is as appropriate as the standard values. At the same time, copper wire elongation is faster than bronze. The author has provided results about contact and messenger wires ultimate tensile stress tests, heated at different temperatures. The ultimate tensile stress rate for the copper and bronze contact wires is reducing by 9 % with temperatures increasing. The ultimate tensile stress rate for the cop-per messenger wires is reducing by 11 %, for the bronze wires - by 4 %, with rising temperatures to 150 °С. Test results have shown that heating of copper wires to temperatures above 90 °С and bronze wires to temperatures above 120 °С leads to a significant immediate reduction of strength. Working conditions for the overhead contact lines wires are close to the critical one. It is not sufficient for reliable and safe operation Author offers to modify regulatory requirements for contact and mes-senger wires concerning permissible heating and also not to divide short-term and long-term heat-ing and only to leave permissible heating.