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.
GNEE RAIL have developed a range of high-performance elastic rail pads for stiffness requirements and various application areas-from trams through standard gauge railways to heavy haul lines, especially those for E-type rail fastening systems and SKL type rail fastening systems with material of HDPE/EVA/Rubber, with following properties respectively.
| 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 characteristics do rail pads for heavy-haul tracks have?
Heavy-haul rail pads need extreme durability, high compressive strength, excellent shock absorption, and resistance to wear/environment (UV, temp), typically using tough materials like specialized rubber or polyurethane to handle massive axle loads, reduce track stress, and dampen heavy vibrations, ensuring long life and stable performance under severe conditions.
Key Characteristics:
- High Mechanical Strength: Must resist immense pressure and shearing forces from heavy freight, often requiring compressive strength above 25MPa for heavy haul.
- Exceptional Damping & Vibration Absorption: Absorb high-frequency vibrations and impacts, reducing noise and protecting the track structure.
- Superior Wear & Fatigue Resistance: Materials like polyurethane offer 3-5x more wear resistance than rubber, crucial for high-frequency impacts and shear.
- Low Compression Set: Maintain their shape and elasticity over time, preventing performance decay under constant heavy loads.
- Environmental Resilience: Resist UV, ozone, and extreme temperature fluctuations to ensure long service life (15-20 years for HDPE pads).
- Material Choice: Often made from high-strength rubber, tough polyurethane, or composites that balance strength (HDPE) with elasticity (Rubber).
The Functionality of Rail Pads in Railway Systems
Vibration Reduction and Noise Mitigation
One of the primary functions of rail pads is the reduction of vibrations and noise generated by trains. When a train traverses uneven track sections, the resulting vibrations can lead to discomfort for passengers and can also contribute to degradation of the track structure over time. Rail pads effectively absorb these vibrations, providing a quieter ride and extending the lifespan of both the tracks and adjacent structures.
Load Distribution and Impact Absorption
Rail pads serve to distribute the concentrated loads from the train wheels over a larger surface area of the sleeper beneath. This not only helps minimize localized stress but also inhibits the deformation of the railway infrastructure. They provide an essential cushioning effect that absorbs impacts, ensuring that track and sleeper systems remain intact, and facilitating safe and reliable train operations.
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.