What is the rubber pad for railway track?
Rail Pad (Under-Rail Pad) is an elastic functional component installed between the bottom of the rail and the sleeper (or track slab). Common materials include rubber, cork-rubber composites, polyurethane, EVA, and others, characterized by high elasticity, aging resistance, and resistance to compression deformation. It is an indispensable cushioning and vibration-damping component in railway track structures, directly impacting track stability and service life.
| Rubber Rail Pad | ||
| Technical Parameter | Unit | Value |
| Stiffness | KN | 90-130 |
| Hardness Shore A | ℃ | 72-80 degree |
| Electronic Resistance | Ω | ≥ 106 |
| Tensile Strength before Aging | Mpa | ≥12.5 |
| Elongation before Aging | % | ≥250 |
Core Functions of Railway Pads
- Cushioning Impact Loads
Absorbs wheel-rail impact forces generated during train operation through its elastic deformation, reducing the direct transmission of loads to sleepers and the track bed. This helps prevent sleeper cracking and loosening of track bed particles, lowering the risk of structural damage to the track.
- Noise and Vibration Reduction
The elastic material blocks vibration transmission paths, reduces high-frequency noise generated by wheel-rail contact, and mitigates the impact of track vibrations on the surrounding environment and train compartments. Suitable for noise reduction scenarios such as urban subways and passenger-dedicated lines.
- Balancing Stress Distribution
Fills minor gaps between the rail and sleeper, ensuring even force distribution on the rail bottom. Prevents localized stress concentrations that could cause rail wear or sleeper crushing, maintaining the precision of track geometry.
Main Applications of Railroad Pads
- Adaptability to Diverse Track Types
Suitable for various lines such as high-speed railways, conventional railways, heavy-haul railways, and urban subways. Material formulations and structural designs are optimized based on load intensity and operational speed differences.
- Compatibility with Different Sleeper/Track Slab Types
Compatible with various bases such as concrete sleepers, wooden sleepers, and track slabs, and adaptable to rail specifications ranging from 43 kg/m to 75 kg/m. Perfectly matches mainstream fastening systems like SKL and WJ.
- Performance in Complex Environmental Conditions
Maintains stable performance in harsh environments such as extreme temperatures (-50°C to 70°C), humidity, saline-alkali conditions, and oil contamination. Suitable for railway construction in special regions like plateaus, coastal areas, and frigid zones.
- Meeting Specialized Functional Needs
For specific requirements such as vibration and noise reduction, heavy-duty wear resistance, and long-term anti-aging performance, customized pad products made from special materials (e.g., cork-rubber composites, fiber-reinforced polyurethane) are available. Complies with international/industry standards such as UIC 864 and EN 13481.
As a professional and veteran rail fastener manufacturer, GNEE RAIL has been certified by iso9001/2008. Up to now, we have more than 130 sets of machines in our railway pads production lines, and the annual production capacity can reach 2, 000, 000 sets. Our product serves clients all over the world and gets unanimous praise.
Our railway pads have a wide range of materials and types, such as rubber rail pad, HDPE rail pad, EVA rail pad, crane rail pad, etc. And there are two patterns for your selection- grooved or studded. They are suitable for various models of high-speed rails, regular rail, and crane rail.
