What type of metal is used in rail tracks?
Rail tracks are made from high-quality, hot-rolled steel, specifically high-carbon or alloy steel, chosen for its exceptional hardness, wear resistance, and ability to withstand massive loads, friction, and temperature extremes. Different alloys (like vanadium, chromium, titanium) and heat treatments are used to create stronger, more durable rails for heavier or faster trains, with carbon steel (around 0.7-0.8% carbon) being the most common base.
Types of rail steel
Carbon Steel: The standard for most tracks, it's strong and easy to forge, with carbon and manganese content increasing its resilience.
Alloy Steel: Includes elements like vanadium, chromium, or titanium for even greater hardness, strength, and wear resistance, suitable for demanding conditions.
Heat-Treated Steel: Carbon or alloy steels that undergo controlled heating and cooling to refine their internal structure, boosting strength and toughness.
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.
| 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 | |
| Classification | Height(mm) | Head (mm) | Bottom (mm) | Thick(mm) | Weight (kg/m) | |
| Heavy Rail | 38 KG/M | 134 | 68 | 114 | 13 | 38.733 |
| 43 KG/M | 140 | 70 | 114 | 14.5 | 44.653 | |
| 45 KG/M | 145 | 67 | 126 | 14.5 | 45.546 | |
| 50 KG/M | 152 | 70 | 132 | 15.5 | 51.514 | |
| 60 KG/M | 176 | 73 | 150 | 16.5 | 60.64 | |
| Classification | SIZE(mm) | theoretical weight | |||||||||
| height | bottom width | head width | waist depth | ||||||||
| Crane rail | QU70 | 120 | 120 | 70 | 28 | 52.8 | |||||
| QU80 | 130 | 130 | 80 | 32 | 63.69 | ||||||
| QU100 | 150 | 150 | 100 | 38 | 88.96 | ||||||
| QU120 | 170 | 170 | 120 | 44 | 118.1 | ||||||
The mechanical property of railway track metal
- Strength
The ability of the rail to resist deformation and damage under load. It is often expressed in terms of strength limit, yield limit, and other indicators. The strength limit (tensile strength) means the metal material resists the tensile load and the maximum stress that can not be destroyed. The yield limit (yield strength) refers to the stress when the metal material can still produce significant plastic deformation without increasing the load. The unit is Mpa.
- Plasticity
The metal material underwent significant deformation without damage under the load and can maintain the deformed shape after the load is canceled. It is often expressed in terms of elongation and shrinkage. Elongation is the percentage of the ratio of the calibrated length to the original calibrated length after the sample is broken. Section shrinkage is the percentage of the ratio of the reduction in the fracture area of the sample to the original enthalpy area.
- Hardness
The ability of a metal material to resist the pressing of another harder object (material) into its surface. According to different measurement methods, it can be divided into Brinell hardness (HB) and Rockwell hardness (HRC).
The practice has proved that there is a certain correspondence between hardness and strength, which can be approximated according to the Brinell hardness value.
Calculate the tensile strength of the material. Such as low carbon steel 6b≈0.36HB, high carbon steel 6b≈0.34HB.
- Resilience
The ability of metal materials to resist impact loads without damage. The toughness of metal materials can be measured by the impact test and expressed by impact toughness value αk in kJ/m2.
- Fatigue strength
Under the action of alternating load, the material fractures. The ability of metal materials to resist fatigue is measured by fatigue strength. Fatigue strength is the maximum stress of a metal material under repeated alternating loads without failure.
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