What are the functions of rails in railway?

A steel rail is a shaped steel track element that forms the direct contact surface for wheels, guiding vehicle movement while transferring concentrated wheel loads into sleepers and the track foundation. Its primary purpose is to maintain alignment, gauge, and load-bearing continuity along the entire route.

GNEE RAILWAY RAILWAY supplies steel rails in full international standards, including GB light rails and heavy rails from 8–60 kg/m, UIC50, UIC54, UIC60, DIN 536 crane rails A55, A65, A75, A100, A120, QU70, QU80, QU100, QU120, JIS 15KG–CR100, AS1085 31KG–89KG, BS11:1985 profiles, and AREMA/ASCE 25–175 lb, together with cutting to length, drilling, and fastening system matching services.

What are the functions of rails in railway?

Rails are similar to steel girders. These are provided to perform the following functions in a track.

(a) Rails provide a continuous and level surface for the movement of trains.

(b) Rails provide a pathway which is smooth and has very little friction. The friction between the steel wheel and the steel rail is about one-fifth of the friction between the pneumatic tyre and a metalled road.

(c) Rails serve as a lateral guide for the wheels.

(d) Rails bear the stresses developed due to vertical loads transmitted to them through axles and wheels of rolling stock as well as due to braking and thermal forces.

(e) Rails carry out the function of transmitting the load to a large area of the formation through sleepers and the ballast.

What steel are rails made of?

Railway rails are primarily made from high-quality, hot-rolled carbon steel, often with added manganese for strength, or from specialized alloy steels with elements like chromium, vanadium, or molybdenum for enhanced wear resistance, hardness, and fatigue resistance, especially for high-speed or heavy-haul lines. Advanced techniques, including heat treatment (quenching & tempering) and controlled cooling, further improve these properties for demanding applications.

Key Compositions & Types:

• High Carbon Steel: The most common base, containing about 0.6% to 0.8% carbon and significant manganese (0.7-1%), providing excellent hardness and durability for standard lines.

• Alloy Steel: Includes elements like manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), or vanadium (V) for superior performance in harsh conditions, offering better toughness and wear resistance.

• Heat-Treated Steel: Rails (either carbon or alloy) that undergo controlled heating and rapid cooling to harden the head, ideal for curves, switches, and high-speed railways.

What are the different standards for steel rail?

Steel rail standards vary globally, with major ones including AREMA (US, by weight in lbs/yard like 136RE), UIC/EN (Europe, by kg/m like UIC60, EN 13674 series), JIS (Japan, like 50N, 60N), BS (British, like BS11), and GB (China), each defining specific material properties, dimensions (weight, height, profile), and performance for different railway needs like heavy-haul or high-speed.

As a professional rail fastener supplier, GNEE RAILWAY RAILWAY can provide different standard steel rail such as GB,American, BS, UIC, DIN, JIS, Australian and South Africa which used in railway lines, cranes and coal mining.

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