Steel rails are the load bearing and guiding elements in a railway or tramway track. Individual fragments are bolted or welded together forming a continuous line that supports railcar wheels. The cross section of the rail segment, or the profile, has varied over time and by application area.
Two sets of modern rail elements in common use include train and tram. The train rail profile is an asymmetrical I-beam with a wide flat-bottom that fits on the railroad track. Wheels rest on top of the rail, with wheel flanges extending downwards on the insides of the rails. A grooved head characterizes tram rail segments. In this configuration, the wheel flange sits within the groove on the rail head.
What is the primary material used for manufacturing modern rails?
The primary material for modern railway rails is high-quality, high-carbon steel alloy, chosen for its exceptional strength, hardness, toughness, and wear resistance to withstand heavy loads, impacts, and extreme conditions. Specific compositions vary with application (e.g., high manganese for cold climates, copper for coastal areas), but all modern rails are sophisticated rolled steel products.
Key material properties:
- High Carbon Content: Increases tensile strength and hardness, crucial for bearing weight and resisting wear.
- Manganese: Enhances strength and abrasion resistance.
- Low Impurities: Phosphorus and sulfur are kept low to prevent brittleness and improve impact resistance.
- Additives: Other elements like silicon, nickel, or copper are added to tailor performance for specific environments, such as extreme cold or corrosive coastal areas.
| Steel Grade | C(%) | Si | Mn | Cr | V | P | S | Tensile Strength (Rm/MPa) |
| U71Mn | 0.65~0.76 | 0.15~0.58 | 0.70~1.40 | – | – | ≤0.035 | ≤0.030 | ≥880 |
| U75V | 0.71~0.80 | 0.50~0.80 | 0.75~1.05 | – | 0.04~0.12 | ≤0.035 | ≤0.030 | ≥980 |
| U78CrV | 0.72~0.82 | 0.50~0.80 | 0.70~1.05 | 0.30~0.50 | 0.04~0.12 | ≤0.035 | ≤0.030 | ≥1080 |
| U77MnCr | 0.72~0.82 | 0.10~0.50 | 0.80~1.10 | 0.25~0.40 | – | ≤0.035 | ≤0.025 | ≥980 |
| U76CrRE | 0.71~0.81 | 0.50~0.80 | 0.80~1.10 | 0.25~0.35 | 0.04~0.08 | ≤0.035 | ≤0.025 | ≥1080 |
Since 2008, GNEE RAIL has been supplying steel rails of different grades for more than 18 years, steel rails from GNEE is highly recommened in China and abroad.Wtih cutting edge equipment, GNEE produces high quality steel rails that meet with requirements of most countries. Standard rail, head hardened rail, heavy rail,light rail,crane rail and other types are all available here, as one of the China main rail supplier, GNEE RAIL has been working on supplying economical green railway products all over the world.
| Classification | Height(mm) | Head (mm) | Bottom (mm) | Thick(mm) | Weight (kg/m) | |
| Light Rail | 8 KG/M | 65 | 25 | 54 | 7 | 8.42 |
| 9 KG/M | 63.5 | 32.1 | 63.5 | 5.9 | 8.94 | |
| 12 KG/M | 69.85 | 38.1 | 69.85 | 7.54 | 12.2 | |
| 15 KG/M | 79.37 | 42.86 | 79.37 | 8.33 | 15.2 | |
| 18 KG/M | 80 | 40 | 80 | 10 | 18.06 | |
| 22 KG/M | 93.66 | 50.8 | 93.66 | 10.72 | 22.3 | |
| 24 KG/M | 107 | 51 | 90 | 10.9 | 24.46 | |
| 30 KG/M | 107.95 | 60.33 | 107.95 | 12.3 | 30.1 | |
| Heavy Rail | 38 KG/M | 134 | 68 | 114 | 13 | 38.733 |
| 43 KG/M | 140 | 70 | 114 | 14.5 | 44.653 | |
| 45 KG/M | 145 | 67 | 126 | 14.5 | 45.546 | |
| 50 KG/M | 152 | 70 | 132 | 15.5 | 51.514 | |
| 60 KG/M | 176 | 73 | 150 | 16.5 | 60.64 | |
| Crane Rail | QU 70 | 120 | 70 | 120 | 28 | 52.8 |
| QU 80 | 130 | 80 | 130 | 32 | 63.69 | |
| QU 100 | 150 | 100 | 150 | 38 | 88.96 | |
| QU 120 | 170 | 120 | 170 | 44 | 118.1 | |
