Two Standards, Two Jobs
The GB 60kg/m rail is a railway heavy rail produced to GB/T 2585, used for mainline, high-speed and heavy-haul track where trains share the rail with sleepers, ballast and elastic fastenings. The DIN A75 profile is a crane rail produced to DIN 536, laid on crane runways and gantry tracks where a steel wheel rolls on a flat head under slow, concentrated vertical loads. Confusing the two in a purchase order produces rails that cannot mate with the local fastening system or the crane wheel.
What DIN A75 Actually Is
DIN 536 defines the German crane rail series A45, A55, A65, A75, A100, A120 and A150. The number refers to the nominal head width in millimetres. Crane rails are designed with a low overall height, a very thick web and a wide, flat head, because the crane wheel sits directly on the head and the rail sits directly on a steel girder or a continuous support rather than on sleepers. A75 has a unit weight of approximately 56.2 kg/m and is supplied in 11.8 to 12 m lengths in steel grades around 880 N/mm2 tensile strength, with head-hardened variants for high-duty runways. It is not a railway track rail and it is not covered by the railway rail standards.
Profile Comparison
| Parameter | GB 60kg/m (GB/T 2585) | DIN A75 (DIN 536) |
|---|---|---|
| Product family | Railway heavy rail | Crane rail |
| Theoretical weight | 60.64 kg/m | Approx. 56.2 kg/m |
| Rail height | 176 mm | Low profile (typically below 100 mm) |
| Head | 73 mm wide, rounded running surface | Wide, flat head for crane wheel |
| Web | 16.5 mm | Thick web for vertical stiffness |
| Base | 150 mm, for sleeper/ballast support | Narrow base for steel girder fixing |
| Typical grades | U71Mn, U75V (GB/T 2585) | 900A or 880 class per DIN 536 |
Material and Steel Grade Notes
GB 60kg/m rails are produced in pearlitic rail steels such as U71Mn and U75V, with controlled carbon and manganese levels, specified limits on phosphorus and sulphur, and optional head hardening for wear resistance. The DIN A-series crane rails are commonly ordered in the 900A material family or in grades around 880 N/mm2 tensile strength, and for heavily loaded runways the head is induction or slack hardened to raise wear life. When a crane rail is supplied, the certificate should state the DIN 536 profile, the steel grade and the hardness treatment; when a GB rail is supplied, the certificate states GB/T 2585 and the grade such as U71Mn.
Why the Two Rails Cannot Be Interchanged
Fastening compatibility: GB 60kg/m rail mates with elastic fastenings whose gauge plates, rail pads and clips are profiled to the 73 mm head and 150 mm base. A crane rail has no matching elastic fastening system.
Wheel contact: a railway wheel profile is conical and matches the rail head radius; a crane wheel is cylindrical and flat. Running a train on crane rail or a crane on railway rail causes rapid wheel and rail wear.
Joint design: railway joints use fishplates bolted to the web, while crane rails are typically welded or connected with fishplates specific to the DIN 536 profile.
Standards and certification: rail projects are inspected against GB/T 2585, EN 13674-1 or AREMA; a crane rail cannot satisfy railway acceptance criteria, and vice versa.
What to Specify When You Buy
For a railway line, specify the rail standard (for example GB/T 2585 U71Mn 60kg/m, or EN 13674-1 60E1), the length, and the hardness requirement. For a crane runway, specify DIN 536 A75 (or A100/A120 by wheel load), the steel grade and whether the head must be hardened, plus the fishplate or welding detail. Supplying the profile drawing together with the purchase order eliminates most mismatches.
FAQ
Is DIN A75 a heavy rail for railway tracks?
No. DIN A75 is a crane rail defined by DIN 536, used on crane runways and gantry tracks. Railway heavy rails are defined by standards such as GB/T 2585, EN 13674-1 or AREMA.
Can DIN A75 be welded to GB 60kg/m rail?
Not as a running rail. The two profiles differ in head, web and base geometry, and the weld joint would fail under railway wheel loads. Welding is only considered for closure pieces on special equipment track, with a dedicated procedure and ultrasonic testing.
What is the weight of A75 crane rail?
Approximately 56.2 kg/m, supplied in 11.8 to 12 m standard lengths.
Which materials are used for GB 60kg/m rail?
Pearlitic rail steels U71Mn and U75V are the common grades, with optional head hardening for heavy-haul and high-speed wear conditions.
How do I know which profile my project needs?
Check the running equipment: if wheels are railway profiles on sleepers with elastic fastenings, use a railway rail standard; if the load is a crane wheel on a steel runway girder, use DIN 536 or the equivalent crane rail standard.