How to calculate rail weight?

Rail track is an essential component of rail track, and its function is to guide the train wheels moving forward by withstanding the enormous pressure pushed by the wheels. Steel rail shall provide smooth, stable and continuous rolling surface for the passing train wheels. In electrical railway or automatic block section, railway track can also be used as track circuit.

How to calculate rail weight?

To calculate rail weight, you find the weight per unit length (like pounds per yard or kilograms per meter) for a specific rail profile (e.g., 115RE, 52kg), then multiply that by the total length needed for your track; the rail's weight rating reflects its strength for axle loads and speeds. For shipping, you calculate actual weight (physical) or dimensional weight (volume) using L x W x H.

Key Factors Influencing Rail Weight

The required rail weight for a track depends on:

• Axle Load: Heavier trains need heavier rails.

 

• Train Speed: Higher speeds demand stronger, heavier rail.

 

• Track Gauge: The distance between the rails.

 

• Ballast Cushion: The depth of stone beneath the sleepers.

Types of  Track Rail

Steel rail profiles consist of a head at the top. The web supports the head and is comparatively thinner. At the base of the component is the foot that rests on the track.

• Bullhead profiles feature equal cross sections at the head and foot of the item. The concept behind bullhead devices was intended to enable reuse. However, the actual design did not have the required symmetry to facilitate reusability and involved substantial construction and maintenance costs. Flat-bottom solutions replaced this construction.

• Flat-bottom rails or flanged T-rails in the North America feature a broader, flat foot at the base. This asymmetrical profile is now the most common product worldwide.

• Grooved rails have a troughed structure, or flangeway, at the head. The wheel flanges lie within the flangeway while the remaining part of the head is load bearing. Grooved rails are ideal for tramways presenting constraints on the space available to lay a dedicated rail track.

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.

our Rail Products Range:

In addition to steel rails, GNEE RAIL also offers a wide range of rail components. We take quality and safety as our core in all products, rigorously testing every component to meet the highest industry standards. Contact us today to discuss your specific requirements.