The Application of Rails in Railways

Railway rails are used for laying tracks and must withstand the pressure, impact load, and friction generated during train operations. Therefore, they require sufficient strength and high toughness. Strict quality requirements are imposed, including not only the assurance of their chemical composition but also tests for mechanical properties, drop weight testing, and examination of macrostructure after acid etching. The primary heavy rail standards are 50kg/m and 60kg/m.

In China, all mainline railway rails must be certified according to CRCC (China Railway Certification Center) standards. CRCC is the internal quality certification for railway rails set by China Railway. The main producers of railway rails in China are Pangang, Anshan Steel, Baotou Steel, Wuhan Steel, and Handan Steel. Standard rail profiles include 50kg/m, 60kg/m, and 75kg/m. The 60kg/m rail is primarily laid on busy main lines, while the 75kg/m rail is used on heavy-haul lines such as the Daqin Railway. The standard rail length is 25 meters, but in recent years, efforts have been made to develop fixed-length rails of up to 100 meters.

Most railway rails require quenching processes to increase their hardness.

Source: Internet