5 Types of Railway Fasteners System

Railway fastener systems are crucial to ensure track stability and safe train operation. SKL, KPO, Nabla, WJ-8 and E-type railway fastener systems are the most widely used types. ​

SKL Railway Fastener System​

The SKL system has three types: SKL 3, SKL 12 and SKL 14. It is mainly composed of SKL spring bars, SS35 spiral spikes, flat washers, plastic sleeves, guide plates and rail pads. SKL spring bars provide buckle pressure to stabilize the rails; SS35 spiral spikes are responsible for tightly connecting the components to the sleepers; flat washers increase the contact area and disperse the pressure; plastic sleeves play an insulating and positioning role; guide plates assist rail installation to ensure accurate positioning; rail pads buffer the impact of train operation and reduce component wear. This system is commonly used in European railways and has a good performance on ordinary railways and some heavy-load railway branches. It can adapt to a certain degree of heavy-load transportation needs and maintain track stability.​

KPO Railway Fastener System​

The KPO system adopts a unique clamp design, mainly composed of KPO clamps, fastening bolts, rail pads and insulating components. The KPO clamp directly clamps the bottom of the rail to provide strong clamping force to prevent the rail from moving; the fastening bolts are used to adjust the tightness of the clamp to ensure stable clamping pressure; the rail pad has shock absorption and noise reduction functions to reduce the impact of train operation on the track structure; the insulating components effectively isolate the current to prevent the track components from being damaged by electrochemical corrosion. Its advantages are easy installation and convenient disassembly, which is convenient for track maintenance and repair. It is widely used in urban rail transit, industrial railway dedicated lines and other scenarios, and can well meet the needs of frequent start-stop and line adjustment. ​

Nabla Railway Fastener System​

The Nabla system includes Nabla spring bars, embedded iron seats, insulating gauge blocks, rubber pads and other components. Nabla spring bars have a special shape and a unique buckling method, which can generate stable and balanced buckling force to accurately maintain the track gauge; the embedded iron seat is firmly installed in the sleeper, providing solid support for the entire system; the insulated gauge block not only adjusts the track gauge, but also plays an electrical insulation role; the rubber pad buffers the impact of train travel, reduces track vibration, and improves the comfort of train operation. It is widely used in international railway projects and is suitable for all types of railway lines, especially in high-speed railway construction with high requirements for track stability and strict standards for the elasticity and durability of the fastener system. ​

WJ-8 Railway Fastener System​

WJ-8 type fastener consists of spiral spikes, flat washers, spring bars, insulated gauge blocks, gauge baffles, rail pads, iron pads, elastic pads under iron pads, and embedded sleeves. In order to meet the height adjustment of the rails, there are also rail fine-tuning pads and iron pads for height adjustment. The spring bars are divided into W1 type (14mm diameter, for general sections) and X2 type (13mm diameter, may be used on bridges); the rail pads are rubber pads (general sections) and composite pads (on bridges); the gauge baffles are divided into WJ8 gauge baffles for general sections and WJ8 joint gauge baffles for rail joints; the insulating blocks are divided into I type (general sections) and II type (rail joints); the spiral spikes are divided into S2 type (rail height adjustment is not more than 15mm) and S3 type (greater than 15mm). This system is specially designed for high-speed railway shoulder ballastless tracks. It has high buckle pressure, good elasticity and insulation performance. It can effectively resist the huge force generated by high-speed train operation and ensure track stability. It is widely used in my country's high-speed railway lines. ​

E-type railway fastener system​

The E-type system is based on the E-type spring bar, and also includes insulating gauge blocks, rubber pads, embedded iron seats, etc. The E-type spring clip generates strong buckling pressure with its elasticity to firmly fix the rails; the insulating gauge block adjusts and maintains the gauge to achieve electrical insulation; the rubber pad buffers and reduces shock to reduce component wear; the embedded iron seat provides reliable support for the system. It is suitable for a variety of railway scenarios. On ordinary trunk railways, it ensures track stability and meets daily passenger and freight transportation needs; on special terrain lines such as mountain railways, by adjusting the model parameters, the constraints on the rails are enhanced to ensure the safe passage of trains through complex sections.