Abstract: A grounding contact (10) for an axle, particularly an axle of a rail vehicle or the like, includes a housing unit (12), a contact device (16) and a sensor device (24). The housing unit consists of a housing structure (13) and a housing cover (14), wherein the contact device consists of a sliding contact element (17) that may be attached to an axle and of a contact element (18), wherein an electrical sliding contact can be created between the sliding contact device and the contact element, wherein the sensor device consists of a signal output device and at least one sensor for acquiring operating parameters of the axle. The sensor device is arranged inside the housing unit and the signal output device is able to output at least two signals having differing structures.