The rail pad, also known as bottom plate, is an elastic polyurethane pad assembled between the rails and sleeper to protect the top of the sleeper from wear and impact. The initial stiffness of the rail pad is not so high that the deformation of the rails under the load of the spring is very large. This mechanism ensures that the rail pad moves as close as possible to realize close contact with the track.
How to properly install rail tie pads?
Proper rail tie pad installation involves a clean base, correct placement between the rail and sleeper/tie plate, aligning with fastener holes, laying the rail, and then securing with clips/fasteners, followed by critical initial and periodic re-tightening to specified torques for safety and longevity, ensuring no gaps or tilting.
Installation Steps
- Place the Pad: Position the rubber rail pad directly onto the prepared support (tie plate or sleeper), ensuring the center lines align with the fastening holes.
- Lay the Rail: Carefully place the steel rail onto the pad.
- Position Fasteners: Install clips or fasteners over the bolts, ensuring the clip's "nose" rests on the rail's bottom flange and the clip contacts the rail base.
- Add Insulators (If Applicable): Place rail insulators as needed to isolate the rail electrically, ensuring their edges secure the rail shoulder.
- Initial Tightening: Tighten fasteners to a specified torque (e.g., 300-350 N·m for standard track) but don't fully tighten yet, allowing for initial seating.
What are the different types of rail pads?
Rail pads are categorized by material (like Rubber, HDPE, EVA, TPEE) and structure (Grooved, Flat, Nail-type), designed to cushion rails, protect sleepers from wear, and dampen vibrations from passing trains, with specific types chosen for load, speed, and environment.
| 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. |
Why use rail elastic pads?
Rail elastic pads are used to absorb vibration, reduce noise, protect track components from wear, and provide electrical insulation, thereby increasing track stability, extending the life of the track structure (sleepers, ballast), and improving passenger comfort by creating a smoother, quieter ride. They act as a buffer between the rail and sleeper, distributing wheel loads and filtering out high-frequency impacts from passing trains.
GNEE RAIL equips 130sets machines' rail pad production line, for processing, injection, refining rubber, sulfuration , moulding and inspection etc. We have our own rail pad development engineers, designing, producing and inspecting, our annual production capacity reaching up to 2000, 000 pieces. What's more, rail pads for high-peed rail are our featured products, including both the elastic rubber plates and height adjustment pads.