What Is an E-Type Elastic Rail Clip?
E-type elastic rail clips are essential components in railway track fastening systems, used to securely fix rails to sleepers or rail base plates. The dual spring arm design ensures stable rail clamping during train or crane operations, while the central bend provides additional tilt protection, enhancing rail safety and service life. The clip applies a continuous elastic clamping force to the rail foot, so the rail is held down firmly while the fastening can still absorb impact energy and follow the elastic movement of the track.
Materials and Heat Treatment
In terms of material, this series of rail clips uses high-strength spring steel 60Si2MnA or 60Si2CrA, precisely heat-treated to achieve 44-48 HRC hardness, offering high elasticity and fatigue resistance. These materials provide excellent bending strength, wear resistance and corrosion resistance, suitable for high-frequency train operations and harsh environments such as coastal, cold regions or heavy industrial lines. Special requirements for dimensions or higher strength materials can be produced as custom orders.
Specification
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | E-type rail clip |
| Material | 60Si2MnA, 60Si2CrA, 55Si2Mn or 38Si7 |
| Hardness | 44-48 HRC for E-type clips |
| Fatigue life | 3 million cycles for 18 mm diameter without breaking; 5 million cycles for 20 mm diameter |
| Surface | Plain oiled, oxide black, color painting or per customer requirement |
| Standard | DIN17221, BS970, GB/T1222 |
The table below shows the main E-clip models with their bar diameters, materials, clamping pressure, hardness and unit weights.
| Model | Diameter | Material | Under Pressure | Hardness in HRC | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E1609 | 16 mm | 60Si2MnA | Min 950 kg | 44-48 | 0.43 kg per pc |
| E1809 | 20 mm | 60Si2MnA | Min 950 kg | 44-48 | 0.61 kg per pc |
| E1813 | 18 mm | 60Si2MnA | Min 950 kg | 44-48 | 0.62 kg per pc |
| E2001 | 20 mm | 60Si2MnA | Min 950 kg | 44-48 | 0.80 kg per pc |
| E2009 | 20 mm | 60Si2MnA | Min 950 kg | 44-48 | 0.80 kg per pc |
| E2039 | 20 mm | 60Si2MnA | Min 950 kg | 44-48 | 0.80 kg per pc |
| E2007 | 20 mm | 60Si2MnA | Min 950 kg | 44-48 | 0.80 kg per pc |
| E2055 | 20 mm | 60Si2MnA | Min 950 kg | 44-48 | 0.80 kg per pc |
| E2056 | 20 mm | 60Si2MnA | Min 950 kg | 44-48 | 0.80 kg per pc |
| E2063 | 20 mm | 60Si2MnA | Min 950 kg | 44-48 | 0.80 kg per pc |
Chemical Composition of Spring Steels
| Material | Chemical Composition in Percent |
|---|---|
| 60Si2MnA | C 0.56-0.64, Mn 0.60-0.90, Si 1.60-2.00, Cr max 0.35, P max 0.03, S max 0.03 |
| 60Si2CrA | C 0.56-0.64, Mn 0.40-0.70, Si 1.40-1.80, Cr 0.70-1.00, P max 0.03, S max 0.03 |
| 55Si2Mn | C 0.52-0.60, Mn 0.60-0.90, Si 1.50-2.00, Cr max 0.35, P max 0.03, S max 0.03 |
| 38Si7 | C 0.35-0.42, Mn 0.50-0.80, Si 1.50-1.80, P max 0.03, S max 0.03 |
Specifications and Chemical Composition of Spring Steels
The dual spring arm design gives the E-clip its stable clamping behaviour. The two arms press symmetrically on the rail foot, so the clamping force is balanced and the rail is less likely to tilt under lateral loads. The central bend adds a second line of defence by resisting the tilting of the clip itself. This geometry, combined with the fatigue-resistant spring steel, gives the fastening a long service life even under high-frequency train operations and in harsh environments such as coastal, cold regions or heavy industrial lines.
Select the clip model according to the rail section, the base plate design and the required toe load, and choose the surface finish according to the local environment. During installation, ensure the clip is seated correctly in the shoulder and that both arms press evenly on the rail foot. During maintenance, inspect the clips for cracks, permanent deformation and corrosion, and replace damaged clips. Use the correct maintenance tooling to avoid over-stressing the clip during removal.
A common misconception is that hardness alone defines clip quality. The heat treatment must produce the right balance of hardness, toughness and fatigue strength; clips outside the specified hardness range can fail by brittle fracture or by excessive wear. Another misconception is that all E-clip models are interchangeable; the diameter and toe load differ between models and must be matched to the fastening system. It is also wrongly assumed that corrosion is only a cosmetic issue; corrosion reduces the section of the spring bar and shortens the fatigue life of the clip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are E-type rail clips used for? They securely fix rails to sleepers or rail base plates as part of the track fastening system.
Which materials are used for E-type clips? 60Si2MnA and 60Si2CrA spring steels are the main grades, with 55Si2Mn and 38Si7 also available.
What is the hardness range of the clips? The clips are heat-treated to 44-48 HRC.
What is the fatigue life of the clips? 18 mm diameter clips survive 3 million cycles and 20 mm diameter clips survive 5 million cycles without breaking.
Which standards apply to these clips? The clips are produced to DIN17221, BS970 and GB/T1222.
For which environments are these clips suitable? They suit coastal, cold and heavy industrial environments because of their corrosion resistance and fatigue performance.
