As one of the common railway fasteners in rail fastening system, elastic railway clips are made of forged spring steel and have many applications in railroad. No matter as a part of railway fastening system or as a railway fastener, elastic railway clips are used together with other railway components, such as rail spike, rail tie plate, rail pad and rail plastic dowel. In the railway fastening system, the main function of railway clip is fastening railway sleeper and steel rail together. The railway clip is considered as one of the best ways to ensure that steel rails not move, bend, warp, or rot.
Nabla elastic rail clips are essential components in railway fastening systems, used to securely fix rails to sleepers or rail base plates. Their design uses dual spring arms to firmly hold the rail down, while the central bend provides additional tilt protection, ensuring rail stability and safety during train or crane operations.
Nabla Rail clip specification
In terms of material, the clips are typically made from high-strength spring steel such as 60Si2Mn, 60Si2Cr, 55Si2Mn, or 38Si7, heat-treated to achieve high hardness and excellent elasticity. Oxide black or plain surface treatment enhances wear resistance and corrosion protection, suitable for various environmental conditions, including high temperature, high humidity, coastal, and heavy industrial lines.
| Name | Nabla rail clip |
| Material | 60Si2MnA |
| Hardness | Hrc41-48 |
| Sizes | As your drawing |
| Surface | plain (oiled), Oxide black, color painting or according to customer requirement |
| Standard | DIN17221, BS970, GB/T1222 |
The Nabla Fastening System is an safe and reliable system, most widely used in Europe. It can be used in Tram, LRT, Metro, Main Line and High Speed tracks. The special shape of the Nabla blade generates a dynamically stable toe load on the rails when the nut is torqued.
| Item | Part Name | Pcs / Set | Types | Material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nabla Clip | 2 | Thickness: 4mm or 4.5mm | 60Si2MnA 60Si2CrA |
| 2 | Rail Insulator | 2 | For Rail of UIC54,UIC60, 50kg rail,60kg. |
Reinforced Nylon 66 or PA66 |
| 3 | Screw Spike | 2 | For Rail of UIC54,UIC60, 50kg rail,60kg. |
Grade 4.6: Q235; Grade 5.6: 35# Grade 8.8: 45# |
| 4 | Nut | 2 | Can be customized | Grade 5: 35# Grade 8: 45# |
| 5 | Spring Washer | 2 | 18.25x34x78mm | 65Mn |
Elastic Rail Clip Manufacturing Process
- Raw material
- Shearing
- Heating to forging temperature
- Forming
- Quenching – Tempering
- Inspection – Packing
Raw material refers to a long spring steel rod. The first step is to shear the raw materials into the required length. Then put the sheared spring steel into the heating furnace. The temperature in the furnace is 950-1000℃. After heating, the clips are formed through three stages of bending by hot molding equipment. After forming, the elastic rail clips are conveyed to a quenching oil tank. After quenching, the elastic rail clips are tempered at 400-500°C. The elastic rail clips are finally oiled and packed. The elastic rail clips must have a hardness between 40 and 48 HRC.
GNEE RAIL offers different kinds of railway fasteners to meet client's requirements, such as Elastic Rail Clip and Clamp, Rail Screw Spike, Plastic Dowel, High Tensile Track Bolt with Nut, Rail Base(Tie) Plate, Rail Fish Plate, Railway Shoulder(Insert), Fish Bolt, Railroad Rubber and EVA Pad, etc. Samples and drawings provided by customer, we will manufacture qualified products accordingly.
Click here to obtain the detailed product catalog of GNEE RAIL.
