Rails are an important part of railways and mainly serve the following functions: 1. Support and guide the train. The load capacity and speed of trains are very high. In order to ensure safe travel, a solid and stable foundation is required, and rails are this foundation. 2. Share the train load. Steel rails can share the load of trains, ensure smooth running of trains, and avoid wear and tear on the roadbed. 3. During high-speed driving, the rails also play a role in shock absorption and buffering. Since the rails ensure the stability of the train, the vibrations that occur during driving will be absorbed by the rails, reducing the impact on the car body and personnel, and improving the safety and comfort of operation.
Which of the rails are mostly used in railway track?
The flat-footed rail, also known as the Vignole rail, is the most widely used type globally, accounting for about 90% of tracks, favored for heavy loads, high speeds, durability, and ease of installation with its wide, flat base that sits directly on sleepers. Older designs like bull-headed and double-headed rails, requiring chairs for support, are now largely obsolete, replaced by the efficient flat-bottomed profile for modern mainlines.
Most Common Type:
- Flat-footed (Vignole) Rail: This is the modern standard, featuring a flat base for direct fastening, eliminating the need for separate chairs.
- Design: Consists of a head, web, and a wide, flat foot for excellent load distribution.
- Examples: UIC60 (Europe) and 115RE (North America) are common profiles.
| Size | A | B | C | t | Weight (kg/m) |
| UIC54 | 70 | 159 | 140 | 16 | 54.43 |
| UIC60 | 74.3 | 172 | 150 | 16.5 | 60.21 |
Older/Specialized Types:
- Bull-headed Rail: An older design where the head and foot are similar, used historically but mostly replaced by flat-footed rails.
- Double-headed Rail: Even older, now almost entirely obsolete, replaced for better performance and cost-effectiveness.
Main Types of Steel Rail
Steel rail can be divided into three basic types based on the steel rails weight. They are light rails, heavy rails and crane rails.
| 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 | |
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.
