A steel rail is a precisely manufactured track component that maintains gauge integrity, guides wheel movement, and supports structural loads across railway, port, and industrial transport systems. Its head, web, and foot work together to balance stiffness, wear resistance, and load distribution. GNEE RAIL provides a full range of international standards including GB 8–60 kg, UIC50–UIC60, DIN536 A55–A120, QU70–QU120, JIS 15KG–CR100, AS1085 31–89 kg, BS11:1985, and AREMA/ASCE 25–175 lb, along with cutting, surface finishing, and installation guidance.
What is the most common rail size?
The most common rail size worldwide is the 60 kg/m class rail, especially the UIC60 profile (also known as 60E1 under EN standards). It is the dominant choice for mainline passenger railways, heavy freight corridors, and many high-speed lines because it provides the best balance between strength, stability, and lifecycle cost.
| Profile | Standard | Dimensions mm | Section S | Mass m | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H | B | C | D | E | cm² | kg/m | ||
| 60E1 (UIC60) | EN 13674 – 1 | 172,00 | 150,00 | 72,00 | 51,00 | 16,50 | 76,70 | 60,21 |
From a technical standpoint, UIC60 has a high moment of inertia and wide base, which improves resistance to bending stress, rail head wear, and track deformation under high axle loads and frequent traffic. Typical dimensions are approximately 172 mm in height, 72 mm head width, and 150 mm base width, with a weight of 60.21 kg per meter. This geometry allows it to perform reliably at axle loads above 25 tons and at high operating speeds, which is why it has become the default profile for new mainline construction in many countries.
That said, "most common" varies by application:
- In secondary lines and mixed-traffic routes, 50–54 kg/m rails such as UIC50 and UIC54 are also very common, offering adequate strength with lower material cost and easier handling.
| Standard: UIC860 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | Dimension(mm) | Weight (kg/m) | Length(m) | |||
| Head | Height | Bottom | Thickness | |||
| UIC50 | 70 | 152 | 125 | 15 | 50.46 | 12-25 |
| UIC54 | 70 | 159 | 140 | 16 | 54.43 | |
| UIC60 | 74.3 | 172 | 150 | 16.5 | 60.21 | |
- In industrial railways and mining, light rails (8–30 kg/m) are widely used where axle loads are lower and installation flexibility is more important than long-term fatigue resistance.
| Classification | Height(mm) | Head (mm) | Bottom (mm) | Thick(mm) | Weight (kg/m) | |
| Light Rail | 8 KG/M | 65 | 25 | 54 | 7 | 8.42 |
| 9 KG/M | 63.5 | 32.1 | 63.5 | 5.9 | 8.94 | |
| 12 KG/M | 69.85 | 38.1 | 69.85 | 7.54 | 12.2 | |
| 15 KG/M | 79.37 | 42.86 | 79.37 | 8.33 | 15.2 | |
| 18 KG/M | 80 | 40 | 80 | 10 | 18.06 | |
| 22 KG/M | 93.66 | 50.8 | 93.66 | 10.72 | 22.3 | |
| 24 KG/M | 107 | 51 | 90 | 10.9 | 24.46 | |
| 30 KG/M | 107.95 | 60.33 | 107.95 | 12.3 | 30.1 | |
- In ports, steel plants, and crane runways, the most common sizes are not UIC rails but crane rails such as DIN 536 A65–A100 or QU80–QU120, which are designed for very high wheel loads and strong lateral forces rather than train speed.
| Classification | Height(mm) | Head (mm) | Bottom (mm) | Thick(mm) | Weight (kg/m) | |
| Crane Rail | QU 70 | 120 | 70 | 120 | 28 | 52.8 |
| QU 80 | 130 | 80 | 130 | 32 | 63.69 | |
| QU 100 | 150 | 100 | 150 | 38 | 88.96 | |
| QU 120 | 170 | 120 | 170 | 44 | 118.1 | |
| Standard：DIN 536 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | Dimension(mm) | Weight (kg/m) | Length(m) | |||
| Head | Height | Bottom | Thickness | |||
| A55 | 55 | 65 | 150 | 31 | 31.8 | 10-12 |
| A55 | 65 | 75 | 175 | 38 | 43.1 | |
| A75 | 75 | 85 | 200 | 45 | 56.2 | |
| A100 | 100 | 95 | 200 | 60 | 74.3 | |
| A120 | 120 | 105 | 200 | 72 | 100 | |
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.