Rail pads are a critical component of railway infrastructure that play an essential role in ensuring the smooth and safe operation of trains. These pads are placed between the rails and the rail seat, serving as a cushion to absorb shock and vibration caused by passing trains.
Why is the use of Rail Pads essential for railway operational safety?
Rail pads are essential for railway safety because they act as a vital cushion, absorbing shock and vibration from trains, which prevents damaging stress and wear on rails and sleepers, reduces noise, improves track stability by preventing misalignment, and extends the lifespan of the entire track structure, ensuring reliable, smooth, and safe operations.
What is the function of a railroad pad?
In general, the main functions of rubber rail pads are reducing the high-speed vibration and impact of steel rails, protecting the railroad bed and the sleepers, and conduct electrical insulation to the information system. During the application, the rubber rail pads are often composed to the air. So in order to prolong the lifetime of rubber rail pads, we should improve the ageing resistance, cold-resistant, heat resistance and rot resistance of rubber rail pads.
What materials are used to manufacture elastic rail pads?
Elastic rail pads are made from various polymers and rubbers like Natural Rubber (NR), SBR, EPDM, and Polyurethane, often blended with additives like silica for durability, or plastics like HDPE and EVA, sometimes combined with metal for high-performance systems, all chosen for their cushioning, insulation, and load-bearing properties to reduce vibration and noise in railways.
| 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 is the hardness of a rail pad?
Rail pad hardness varies by material but is typically specified in Shore hardness (A scale) or stiffness (KN), with common values like Shore 90A (for EVA) up to 98A, or stiffness ranges of 90-130 KN, designed to provide essential elasticity, dampen vibrations, and protect sleepers from rail impact, often using rubber or plastic composites.
- Rubber Rail Pads: Often around Shore 72-80 (Shore A scale), or specified by stiffness (e.g., 90-130 KN).
- EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) Pads: Can be harder, with requirements like ≥90A.
- HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) Pads: May reach ≥98A hardness.
As a professional rubber rail pad manufacturer GNEE RAIL can produce various standards of rubber rail pads and other rail fasteners. If you want to build a railway line, do not hesitate to contact us, we can supply all types of rubber rail pads with different materials. If necessary, we can make customized rubber rail pad production.