A rail pad, also called rail rubber plate, is designed between the rail tie plate and foot of the rail, made by an elastic polyurethane mat, which is interposed between steel rails and tie sleepers to protect the sleeper top from wearing and impacting. Its defined stiffness is used to increase the elasticity of the superstructure of the ballast and reduce shock and vibration in the rail system.
How does the insulation performance of rail pads ensure track circuit safety?
Rail pad insulation ensures track circuit safety by creating electrical barriers between rails, sleepers, and fasteners, preventing stray currents from shorting the track circuit, which allows signals to correctly detect train presence, thereby avoiding signal interference, system failures, and hazardous conditions. These rubber or polymer pads stop unwanted current leakage, maintaining the rail's electrical integrity for reliable signaling, crucial for both passenger safety and efficient train operation.
- Electrical Isolation: Rail pads act as non-conductive layers, blocking electrical current from flowing away from the intended path, keeping the track circuit "clean".
- Prevents Signal Interference: By isolating the rails, they prevent stray currents from disrupting the low-voltage signals used in track circuits, ensuring trains are correctly detected.
- Maintains Circuit Integrity: They stop current from leaking to the ground or other components, ensuring the current flows through the rails as intended, which is how track circuits work.
- Reduces Corrosion: Blocking stray currents minimizes electrochemical corrosion (rust) on metal parts, which can degrade components and create electrical shorts, further protecting the system.
- Component Protection: The insulation also protects fasteners, bolts, and sleepers from electrical damage, extending their life and preventing premature failure.
How rail rubber plate Works?
In a typical track circuit, current flows along one rail, through the wheels of a train, and back via the other rail. A detector senses if current flows. If rail pads fail or aren't present, stray currents can bypass the train or short the circuit, making the system think a train is present when it isn't (or vice versa). By providing high electrical resistance, the pads ensure only the controlled current path is active, allowing accurate train detection and safe switching.
Our EVA/HDPE/rubber rail pads are with high elasticity, applying to types for rails such as rail UIC54, UIC60, BS80lbs,BS100lbs, and sizes as ordered. The pads can be customized with or without grooves, in various possible designs, depending on customers' requirements.
| Raw Material | Rubber, EVA, TPEE, HDPE |
| Standard | UIC, AREMA, TB/T2626-95 |
| Application | 43kg/m, 50kg/m, 60kg/m, 75kg/m,115RE, UIC54, UIC60, S49 |
| Model number | 43-7-7, 43-10-7, 50-7-9, 50-10-9, 60-10-17, 60-12-17 |
| Operating temperature | -50~70 degrees |
| Certificate | MSDS, ROHS, REACH |
| Notes | They should be stored in a clean, ventilated place. Don't be in direct sunlight, and keep away from the heat source and chemical reagent. Don't touch the oil, organic solvent, and other chemicals. Banned exposure. |
As a professional rail fastener manufacturer, GNEE RAIL can produce various types of rubber rail pads with different materials, such as natural rubber, EVA, HDPE and so on. In railway fastening system, rubber rail pads are often installed between the rail tracks and the concrete railway sleepers.