A rail pad, also named rail rubber plate, is usually used between tie plates and sleepers or between rails and tie plate. The rail pad is made of elastic polyurethane mat and usually used on concrete sleepers. The rail pad can protect the concrete sleeper from abrasion and impaction, and it can also decrease the vibration from the passing train. It is believed that rail pad functions in two ways: diminish shock and distribute load. The thickness of our rail pads ranges from 5mm to 25mm,but usually the height should not to be so high in case the movement relative to the rails.
How many railway pads are needed in a railway system?
The number of rail pads depends on track design, but for standard ballasted track with concrete sleepers, you typically need two pads per sleeper (one under each rail foot), leading to roughly 3,000 to 3,600 pads per kilometer, as each kilometer uses around 1,300-1,700 sleepers, with different types (rubber, HDPE, EVA) used based on load, environment, and vibration needs.
Factors Influencing Quantity & Type of railroad pad:
- Track Type: Heavy-haul cargo lines need more robust pads (like HDPE) than city metro lines.
- Environment: Cold regions use EPDM rubber; sunny areas might use UV-resistant HDPE pads.
- Material: Rubber, HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene), and EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) are common, chosen for vibration damping, insulation, and durability.
| 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. |
What is the hardness of a rail elastic pad?
Rail elastic pad hardness varies by material (Rubber, EVA, Polyurethane) and application, typically ranging from 70-80 Shore A for standard rubber pads, higher for EVA/Polyurethane (e.g., 95A), and measured in Hardness (Shore) as degrees or specified by stiffness (kN/mm) for different categories (soft, medium, hard). They are designed with low initial stiffness to maintain contact but high stiffness under wheel loads to absorb shocks and vibration, with specific hardness values like 72-80 Shore A or 95A common for rubber/EVA pads.
| HDPE Rail Pad | |||
| Technical Parameter | Unit | Technical Requirement | Value |
| Density | g/cm3 | 0.95-0.98 | 0.95 |
| Tensile Strength | Mpa | ≥19 | 19 |
| Elongation | % | >80 | 150 |
| Melting Point | ℃ | 170-190 | 190 |
| Insulation Resistance | Ω | ≥1×1010 | 3.5 ×1010 |
| Hardness | A | ≥98 | 98(A) |
| Rubber Rail Pad | ||
| Technical Parameter | Unit | Value |
| Stiffness | KN | 90-130 |
| Hardness Shore A | ℃ | 72-80 degree |
| Electronic Resistance | Ω | ≥ 106 |
| Tensile Strength before Aging | Mpa | ≥12.5 |
| Elongation before Aging | % | ≥250 |
| EVA: Polyethylene 80%, Vinyl Acetate 20%. | |||
| Technical Parameter | Unit | Technical Requirement | Value |
| Density | g/cm3 | 0.95-0.98 | 0.95 |
| Tensile Strength | Mpa | ≥15 | 16 |
| Elongation | % | >500 | 550 |
| Melting Point | ℃ | 170-190 | 170 |
| Insulation Resistance | Ω | ≥1×1010 | 5.0 ×1010 |
| Hardness | A | ≥90 | 92(A) |
GNEE RAIL provides exceptional elastic rail pads of various types for high-speed railways, normal-speed railways, and cranes. Especially the rail pads made of rubber, EVA, TPEE, and HDPE are very popular with customers. Our railway rubber pads fit the rails such as UIC54, UIC60, BS80lbs, BS100lbs, etc. We have more than 130set of machines in our production lines which can reach an annual production capacity of up to 2000, 000 pieces of rail pads. We offer a wide range of rail pads and other track materials at competitive prices.