A rail pad is inserted in between the rail and baseplate or sleeper. Rail pad is introduced to the railway fastening system because of its resilience or viscoelasticity which can be implemented in the intervention of fatigue cracking of sleepers. The dynamic stress from the wheel or rail impact from both regular and irregular movements is attenuated.
Why are rail rubber pads used in railway operations?
Rail rubber pads are crucial in railways to cushion impacts, reduce vibration and noise, prevent wear on sleepers, and provide electrical insulation, protecting the track structure and improving ride comfort by acting as a buffer between the steel rail and concrete sleepers. They absorb dynamic forces, distribute loads, and prevent abrasion, extending infrastructure life and enhancing safety.
- Load distribution over a larger surface
- Elimination of load concentration and the resultant fatigue stresses
- Centering of loads on the supporting element
- Absorption of uneven contact surfaces between rail and support
- Reduction of noise and vibration
- Sealing between the bottom of the rail and the top of the support
- Reduction of wear of the rail and its support
What track maintenance issues can arise from rail pad failure?
Rail pad failure leads to severe track issues like rail/sleeper abrasion, increased vibration, sleeper cracking, track wobble, and ultimately compromises stability, causing accelerated wear, rail fatigue, ballast damage, potential derailments, and requiring costly, frequent maintenance for immediate repair of these safety-critical defects.
Specific Maintenance Issues:
- Rail/Sleeper Abrasion: Without the pad's cushioning, the metal rail scrapes directly against concrete or steel sleepers, causing surface damage and weakening both components.
- Increased Vibration & Noise: Loss of shock absorption leads to excessive vibrations and noise from trains, affecting surrounding areas and track components.
- Sleeper Damage: Direct impact and force transfer causes sleepers to crack, deform, or break, compromising the entire track foundation.
- Track Instability (Wobble): Uneven stress distribution makes the track unsteady, affecting gauge (width) and alignment.
- Ballast Degradation: Increased dynamic forces and vibrations (Vehicle-Track Interaction) shake the ballast (stones) loose, leading to settlement and fouling.
- Rail Fatigue & Damage: The rail itself suffers from increased stress, leading to surface fatigue, wear, or even rail collapse over time.
- Component Loosening: Constant shaking loosens fasteners and other parts, requiring constant tightening and adjustment.
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. |
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.