How often should rail clips be inspected?
Rail clip, also called elastic rail clip, it is used to fasten the rail tracks with railroad spike, rail pad, track bolt, rail joint bar together. It is also usually used as a part of rail fastening system. There are huge demand of rail clips on the railway line, about 7000pcs per kilometer, which is directly related to rail safety.
Rail clips should be inspected at intervals ranging from daily to annually, depending on factors like traffic volume, environmental conditions, and the specific type of track. Routine visual checks should be conducted regularly, while more thorough inspections may be required every six to twelve months, with certain high-stress applications needing more frequent checks like weekly or even after initial installation.
Inspection frequency based on usage
High-traffic or high-stress lines:
These tracks require more frequent inspections.
- Daily: Some systems, especially in heavy industrial areas or specific applications like direct fixation fasteners, may call for daily checks
- Weekly: For certain temporary joints or less busy branch lines, weekly inspections may be necessary.
- Immediately after installation: Clip tension should be checked within 72 hours of installation, followed by checks at one and three months.
Standard or low-traffic lines:
- Six months to annually: A general guideline for regular checks is every six months to a year.
- Annually: A minimum annual inspection is a common requirement for all tracks, even those with lower traffic.
What to inspect for?
- Wear and tear: Look for any signs of fatigue or deterioration that could affect performance.
- Damage: Inspect for corrosion, cracks, or mechanical damage.
- Loosening: Check that clips remain tight and secure.
- Tension: For newly installed clips, recheck the tension after 72 hours, and then at 1- and 3-month intervals. If tension drops by more than 10%, immediate action is needed.
Varieties of rail clips
A rail clip is typically a metal component used to attach the rail to the track supporting structure. Rail clips are designed to securely hold the rail laterally, while also allowing for some longitudinal movement and expansion due to temperature change and other factors.
| Name | Rail clip | |||
| Type | E clip (e1809, e2006,e2007,e2009,etc) | |||
| Skl clip (skl1,skl3,skl12,skl14) | ||||
| Or the type by customers' drawings | ||||
| Material | 60Si2MnA | 60Si2CrA | 55Si2Mn | 38Si7 |
| Chemical composition(%) | C:0.56-0.64, Mn:0.60-0.90, Si:1.60-2.00, Cr:≤0.35, P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.56-0.64, Mn:0.40-0.70, Si:1.40-1.80,Cr:0.70-1.00 P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.52-0.60, Mn:0.60-0.90, Si:1.50-2.00,Cr:≤0.35 P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.35-0.42, Mn:0.50-0.80, Si:1.50-1.80, P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 |
| Hardness | For e clip: 44-48HRC | |||
| For skl clip: 42-47HRC | ||||
| Fatigue life | for Dia.18 is 3 millions cycles without breaking | |||
| for Dia.20 is 5 millions cycles without breaking | ||||
| Surface | plain (oiled), Oxide black, color painting, HDG, Zinc Plating... | |||
| Standard refers | DIN17221, BS970, GB/T1222 | |||
As an OEM & OBM manufacturer, GNEE RAIL is capable of not only producing a wide range of internationally common types of rail clips, such as W Tension Clamp, e-Clip, Fast-Clip, SKL Tension Clamp, Nabla Blade, etc., but also customizing products tailored to our customers' specific requirements.
