Rail Pad is a system component that works in coordination with other fastening parts. It must be used in conjunction with rails, sleepers, rail clips, insulated gauge blocks, etc., to form a complete track fastening and cushioning system. The selection of pad thickness must align with the elastic requirements of the track design, complementing the clamping force of the rail clips. This ensures stable rail fixation while allowing for adjustment of track height deviations through its own elasticity, making it an important auxiliary component for maintaining track geometry.
How to select rail pads for extremely cold regions?
For extremely cold regions, select rail pads with superior low-temperature elasticity, specifically materials like polyurethane (PU) or hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR), which resist hardening and cracking below -40°C, unlike standard rubber that embrittles; ensure pads meet low-temperature brittle point (e.g., ≤ -40°C), high elastic recovery (≥ 75% at -30°C), and good wear resistance, passing fatigue tests for freeze-thaw cycles to maintain cushioning and track safety.
Key Material Considerations:
- Polyurethane (PU) Pads: Excellent choice for alpine/cold regions, maintaining performance down to -40°C.
- Hydrogenated Nitrile Rubber (HNBR) Pads: Superior cold resistance, with brittle points as low as -55°C and high elasticity retention.
- Avoid Ordinary Rubber: Prone to hardening, cracking, and loss of elasticity in severe cold.
Essential Performance Metrics:
- Low-Temperature Brittle Point: Must be low (e.g., ≤ -40°C) to prevent cracking in extreme cold.
- Elastic Recovery Rate: High recovery (e.g., ≥ 75% at -30°C) ensures cushioning remains effective.
- Freeze-Thaw Resistance: Critical to withstand repeated freezing and thawing without damage.
- Wear Resistance: Low wear rate (e.g., ≤ 0.5mm/year) handles increased friction from snow/ice.
Rail pad materials
| Raw Material | Rubber, EVA, TPEE, HDPE |
| Standard | UIC, AREMA, TB/T2626-95 |
| Application | 43kg/m, 50kg/m, 60kg/m, 75kg/m,115RE, UIC54, UIC60, S49 |
| Model number | 43-7-7, 43-10-7, 50-7-9, 50-10-9, 60-10-17, 60-12-17 |
| Operating temperature | -50~70 degrees |
| Certificate | MSDS, ROHS, REACH |
| Notes | They should be stored in a clean, ventilated place. Don't be in direct sunlight, and keep away from the heat source and chemical reagent. Don't touch the oil, organic solvent, and other chemicals. Banned exposure. |
Comparion of EPDE+PP-X / TPE/TPR / TPU
| Performance | EPDM+PP-X | TPE/TPR | TPU | ||
| TPV | TPO | SBS | SEBS | ||
| Tensile Strength | Δ | Ο | Ο | Ο | ◎ |
| Compression permanent deformation(100℃,168H) | ◎ | Ο | Δ | Δ | Δ |
| Operating temperature(℃) | -60~135 | -40~125 | -20~80 | -30~110 | -30~120 |
| Hot Air Aging | ◎ | Ο | X | Δ | X |
| (100℃,720H) | |||||
| Oil Resistance,3#oil | ◎ | Δ | X | Δ | Δ |
| (125℃,70H,3#oil) | |||||
| Acid and alkali resistance | ◎ | Δ | X | Δ | Δ |
| Processing technology | ◎ | ◎ | ◎ | ◎ | X |
| ◎:Excellent Ο:Good Δ: Ordinary Χ:Poor | |||||
GNEE RAIL provides exceptional elastic rail pads of various types for high-speed railways, normal-speed railways, and cranes. Especially the rail pads made of rubber, EVA, TPEE, and HDPE are very popular with customers. Our railway rubber pads fit the rails such as UIC54, UIC60, BS80lbs, BS100lbs, etc. We have more than 130set of machines in our production lines which can reach an annual production capacity of up to 2000, 000 pieces of rail pads. We offer a wide range of rail pads and other track materials at competitive prices.
