Steel rails are known to be an integral part of railway tracks. The type of steel rail is usually divided by weight. For example, we often say a 50kg rail, which means rails with a weight of 50kg/m, and so on. There are 38kg rails, 43kg rails, 50kg rails, 60kg rails, 75kg rails, etc. There are also 24kg rails and 18kg rails, of which rails of 43 rails and above are generally called heavy rails, otherwise, the steel rails weight below 43kg are called light rail. There is a special kind of steel rail that is called crane rail. Crane rail is used for crane railway.
| 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 | |
Which steel is used in rails?
Railways use specialized high-carbon steels, often alloyed with elements like manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), or vanadium (V) for enhanced strength, hardness, and wear resistance, with common grades like R260 and R350HT offering excellent performance under heavy loads, especially in high-speed or high-traffic areas. These steels are chosen for their durability, ability to withstand intense pressure, and resistance to fatigue and abrasion.
Key Types of Rail Steels:
- High-Carbon Steel: The basic material, providing strength and hardness.
- Manganese Steel (R260Mn): A popular choice for general use, balancing strength and wear properties.
- Heat-Treated Steels (R350HT, R350LHT): Undergo controlled heating and cooling for superior hardness and strength, ideal for curves and high-speed lines.
- Alloy Steels: Contain elements like chromium, vanadium, or niobium for even greater resistance to wear, fatigue, and corrosion, used in demanding applications.
The chemical composition of train track steel
| No. | Element | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Improve the strength, hardness, and wear resistance of the rail. The carbon content of domestic rails is 0.65% to 0.82%. When the carbon content is relatively high, the steel becomes brittle, and its plasticity index will be significantly reduced. At the same time, it will increase the chance of white spots in the steel. |
| 2 | Si | It is easy to combine with oxidation and can play the role of removing bubbles in the metal. The steel contains an appropriate amount of silicon, which can improve the hardness and wear resistance of the steel. The content of domestic rail steel is generally 0159-0.9%, but too much content will make the steel hard and brittle, and it is easy to produce pores in the weld. |
| 3 | Mn | It is a beneficial element that can improve the strength and wear resistance of steel and increase the toughness of steel. It can remove harmful iron oxide and sulfide inclusions in the steel. The manganese content is generally controlled between 0.6% and 1.54%. Steel with a manganese content of more than 1.2% is called medium manganese steel, and its wear resistance is very high. |
| 4 | Cu | It is a beneficial element. Steel contains a small number of copper compounds, which can improve the fatigue resistance and corrosion resistance of steel. The copper content of domestic steel rails is generally between 0.10% and 0.40%. If the rolling process of the copper-containing rail is not good, fish-like cracks will occur on the surface of the rail |
| 5 | P | It is a harmful element. The biggest hazard of phosphide is to reduce the plasticity and toughness of the steel. Especially at low temperatures, the cold brittleness of the steel increases, which easily leads to broken rails, and its content is controlled at no more than 0.04% |
| 6 | S | The sulfur is a harmful element. It is often left in the steel in the form of granules. When the rail is rolled, it is rolled together with the steel into sheets, which causes delamination or longitudinal cracks in the rail. The amount of sulfur is controlled at no more than 0.05% |
The hardness of hot-rolled railway track metal
| Material | Tensile Strength / Mpa | Hardness / HB |
|---|---|---|
| U75V | ≥980 | 280~320 |
| U78CrV | ≥1080 | 310~360 |
| U76CrRE | ≥1080 | 310~360 |
| U77MnCr | ≥980 | 290~330 |
The hardness of heat-treatment railway track metal
| Material | Tensile Strength / Mpa | Hardness / HB |
|---|---|---|
| U75V | ≥1180 | 320~380 |
| U78CrV | ≥1280 | 370~420 |
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.
