रेल फिश प्लेट्स की व्याख्या: प्रकार, मानकों, आयाम और चयन मार्गदर्शिका

रेल फिश प्लेट, संयुक्त बार के रूप में भी जाना जाता है, दो रेल सिरों को जोड़ने और ट्रैक की निरंतरता बनाए रखने के लिए उपयोग किए जाने वाले आवश्यक घटक हैं. इनका व्यापक रूप से मेनलाइन रेलवे में उपयोग किया जाता है, मेट्रो सिस्टम, industrial rail tracks, क्रेन रेल, खनन रेलवे, and other rail infrastructure projects.

Although modern railways increasingly use continuously welded rail (सीडब्ल्यूआर), rail joints remain necessary in turnouts, पुलों, अस्थायी ट्रैक, औद्योगिक साइडिंग, क्रेन रेल सिस्टम, and maintenance applications. Selecting the correct fish plate is therefore critical for track safety, load transfer, और दीर्घकालिक विश्वसनीयता.

This guide explains rail fish plate types, अंतरराष्ट्रीय मानक, सामग्री विशिष्टताएँ, DIMENSIONS, manufacturing methods, and practical selection criteria for railway projects.

Rail Fish Plate in Railway Fastening Systems

A rail fish plate is only one component within a complete railway fastening assembly. In jointed track systems, fish plates work together with several other track components to maintain rail alignment and transfer wheel loads safely through the track structure.

Typical components used together include:

• रेल मछली प्लेटें
• मछली बोल्ट और Nuts
• रेल क्लिप्स
• रेल पैड
• स्लीपर

Each component serves a specific purpose. Rail clips provide clamping force, rail pads reduce vibration and impact, fish bolts secure the joint, and sleepers distribute loads into the ballast or supporting structure. Proper interaction between these components is essential for long-term track stability.

What Is a Rail Fish Plate?

A rail fish plate is a steel bar with pre-drilled bolt holes, installed in pairs on both sides of a rail joint. It is secured with fish bolts and nuts, clamping two rail ends together to form a continuous running surface.

The primary functions of a rail fish plate include:

• Load transfer across the rail gap
• Maintaining vertical and horizontal alignment
• Accommodating thermal expansion in jointed track
• Supporting signaling requirements in insulated joints

A poorly specified or poorly manufactured fish plate can lead to rail-end batter, bolt loosening, joint pumping, थकान टूटना, and ultimately increased maintenance costs.

Common Rail Fish Plate Products We Manufacture

Fonyo manufactures a wide range of standard and custom rail fish plates for railway, मेट्रो, औद्योगिक, और क्रेन रेल अनुप्रयोग.

UIC Standard Fish Plates

Common profiles include:

• UIC60 Fish Plate
• UIC54 Fish Plate
• UIC50 Fish Plate
• S49 Fish Plate

These products are widely used in railway projects throughout Europe, एशिया, अफ़्रीका, और मध्य पूर्व.

AREMA Joint Bars

Common North American profiles include:

• 136आरई संयुक्त बार
• 132आरई संयुक्त बार
• 115आरई संयुक्त बार
• 100आरई संयुक्त बार

AREMA joint bars are commonly used on freight railways, industrial spurs, and passenger rail networks.

क्रेन रेल मछली प्लेटें

For industrial and crane rail systems, हम निर्माण करते हैं:

• A45 Fish Plates
• A55 Fish Plates
• A65 Fish Plates
• A75 Fish Plates
• QU70 Fish Plates
• QU80 Fish Plates
• QU100 Fish Plates

Custom Fish Plates

हम भी प्रदान करते हैं:

• Insulated Joint Bars
• Compromise Joint Bars
• Joggled Fish Plates
• Drawing-Based Custom Designs

Custom manufacturing is available according to customer drawings, रेल प्रोफाइल, और परियोजना विशिष्टताएँ.

Types of Rail Fish Plates by International Standard

Rail fish plates are manufactured to different dimensional profiles depending on the rail section they connect. The three dominant standard systems are UIC (यूरोपीय), अरेमा (उत्तर अमेरिकी), and DIN (industrial rail). Each system defines its own set of rail profiles and corresponding joint bar dimensions.

UIC Fish Plate (यूरोपीय मानक)

The International Union of Railways (यूआईसी) standard covers the most widely used rail profiles in Europe, एशिया, Africa and the Middle East. UIC fish plates are designed to match specific UIC rail sections and comply with UIC 864 performance requirements.

Common UIC fish plate profiles include:

UIC fish plates are typically available in 4-hole and 6-hole configurations, with 6-hole being the standard for mainline applications. They are manufactured from hot-rolled steel with minimum tensile strength of 550-700 MPa depending on the grade specified.

AREMA Joint Bars (North American Standard)

The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (अरेमा) standard governs rail infrastructure in North America. AREMA joint bars are covered under Chapter 4 of the AREMA Manual and are designed for specific AREMA rail sections.

Common AREMA joint bar profiles include:

AREMA joint bars are typically 24-inch or 36-inch length, साथ 4 या 6 bolt holes. The steel grade requirement per AREMA is typically Grade 55 (minimum yield strength 55 ksi / 380 एमपीए) या उच्चतर, with Charpy impact testing required for certain applications.

मुख्य अंतर: UIC vs AREMA Fish Plate

DIN Fish Plate (औद्योगिक & क्रेन रेल)

For industrial railways, crane runways, and specialized track systems, DIN standards define rail sections and corresponding fish plates. Common applications include overhead crane rails (A series), light crane rails (KS series), and mine railways.

DIN fish plates are generally lighter than mainline counterparts and may use different bolt patterns. They are specified by the DIN rail profile number — for example, a DIN A 65 fish plate matches an A 65 क्रेन रेल. These components are often custom-manufactured due to the wide variety of crane rail profiles in service.

Rail Fish Plate Dimensions and Specifications

Fish plate dimensions vary according to rail profile, rail weight, परिचालन की स्थिति, और लागू रेलवे मानक.

Typical specifications include:

Dimension details should always be verified against the applicable railway standard or project drawings.

For non-standard applications, custom machining and OEM production are available.

Types of Rail Fish Plate by Design & आवेदन

Beyond the standard profile-based classification, fish plates are also categorized by their design features and intended use case.

Standard Joint Bars (4-Hole / 6-Hole)

The most common type, designed for general-purpose rail joints on plain line track. Four-hole bars are used on lighter rail sections and secondary lines; six-hole bars provide greater clamping force and are standard for mainline and heavy-haul applications. The additional bolt holes distribute the joint load more evenly and improve resistance to rail-end batter.

Insulated Joint Bars (IJs)

Insulated joint bars incorporate a layer of insulating material — typically epoxy-fiberglass composite — between the bar and the rail web. They electrically isolate two track sections for signaling and train detection purposes. The insulation must maintain integrity under cyclic loading, temperature extremes and moisture exposure. Insulated joints are critical components in modern signaling systems and require strict quality control during manufacture.

Compromise Joint Bars (Transition Bars)

When two different rail sections need to be joined — for example, transitioning from UIC 60 यूआईसी को 54 — a compromise joint bar is used. It has an asymmetric profile: one half matches the heavier rail section and the other half matches the lighter section. Compromise bars are precision-machined to ensure the running surface and gauge face align correctly across the transition.

Joggled (Cranked) मछली की प्लेटें

Joggled fish plates feature an offset or crank in their profile, designed to fit around obstructions at the rail joint. They are commonly used at switch and crossing (एस&सी) assemblies, in tight-clearance locations, and where standard fish plates would interfere with adjacent track components. These are typically custom-fabricated items.

Material Specifications for Rail Fish Plate

The material quality of a fish plate determines its fatigue life, wear resistance and safety margin. Rail fish plates operate under high-cycle fatigue conditions — every wheel pass applies a load cycle at the joint — so material selection is critical.

Common Steel Grades

कलई करना & Corrosion Protection

Fish plates may be supplied with the following surface treatments depending on environmental conditions:

• Black / oiled finish — standard for general applications
• हॉट-डिप गैल्वनाइजिंग — for corrosive environments (coastal, tropical)
• Sherardizing — zinc diffusion coating for uniform thread protection
• Painting / एपॉक्सी कोटिंग — specified for certain metro and tunnel applications

Corrosion protection selection should consider the full service environment: नमी, salt exposure, chemical exposure (औद्योगिक साइडिंग), and maintenance accessibility.

Material selection directly affects fatigue resistance, पहनने का प्रदर्शन, और सेवा जीवन. Similar material control principles are widely applied to other railway components such as railway wheels, रेल क्लिप, बोगी कास्टिंग, and fastening system parts.

How Rail Fish Plates Are Manufactured

The manufacturing process plays a significant role in determining mechanical performance and dimensional accuracy.

A typical production process includes:

1. Raw Material Inspection
2. Hot Rolling or Forging
3. उष्मा उपचार
4. सीएनसी मशीनिंग
5. Precision Drilling
6. सतह का उपचार
7. अंतिम निरीक्षण
8. पैकेजिंग और शिपमेंट

At Fonyo Heavy Industries, every production stage is controlled through documented inspection procedures and full material traceability.

Quality Control Measures

Inspection typically includes:

• रासायनिक संरचना विश्लेषण
• Tensile testing
• कठोरता परीक्षण
• आयामी निरीक्षण
• कोटिंग की मोटाई माप
• दृश्य सतह निरीक्षण

Third-party inspections such as SGS, बी.वी, and TÜV can also be arranged according to project requirements.

How to Choose a Reliable Rail Fish Plate Manufacturer

Selecting the correct fish plate is important, but selecting the right manufacturer is equally critical.

Key evaluation criteria include:

विनिर्माण क्षमता

• Forging and rolling capacity
• CNC machining capability
• Custom production capability

गुणवत्ता आश्वासन

• सामग्री प्रमाण पत्र
• निरीक्षण रिपोर्ट
• Traceability system

मानकों का अनुपालन

• यूआईसी
• में
• अरेमा
• से

Project Experience

Manufacturers with experience in railway, मेट्रो, industrial rail, and international export projects are generally better equipped to meet project-specific requirements.

How to Choose the Right Fish Plate: A 5-Step Process

कदम 1: Identify Your Rail Profile

The fish plate must match the rail section exactly. Check your rail marking: UIC rails are stamped on the web with the profile designation (उदाहरण के लिए:. “UIC 60”). AREMA rails carry similar markings (उदाहरण के लिए:. “136 दोबारा”). If the markings are worn, measure the rail height and head width or consult engineering drawings.

कदम 2: Determine the Applicable Standard

Your project specification will dictate whether UIC, AREMA or DIN standards apply. This is typically driven by geography — European-funded projects specify UIC/EN, North American projects specify AREMA — but may also be determined by the railway operator’s internal standards or the engineering consultant’s design basis.

कदम 3: Assess Operating Conditions

Key factors to evaluate:

• एक्सल लोड — heavier loads may require higher-grade steel or longer fish plates
• Annual tonnage — high-traffic lines demand better fatigue resistance
• रफ़्तार — high-speed lines have tighter alignment tolerances
• Curvature — curved track imposes additional lateral forces on joints
• Environment — coastal, tropical or chemically aggressive environments require appropriate coatings

कदम 4: Select Bolt Hole Configuration

Match the fish plate bolt hole pattern to your fish bolt specification. The most common configurations are:

• 4-छेद — secondary lines, मेट्रो, ट्राम की भांति हल्की रेल
• 6-छेद — mainline, भारी दौड़, उच्च गति

Bolt hole diameter must correspond to the fish bolt diameter. Common sizes: M22, एम24, M27 for UIC systems; 7/8″, 1″ for AREMA systems.

कदम 5: Verify Manufacturing Quality Requirements

Confirm that the manufacturer provides:

• सामग्री परीक्षण प्रमाण पत्र (रासायनिक संरचना, तन्यता ताकत)
• Dimensional inspection reports
• Coating thickness measurement records (यदि लेपित हो)
• Third-party inspection availability (एसजीएस, बी.वी, TUV, वगैरह।)

Frequently Asked Questions About Rail Fish Plates

What is the difference between a fish plate and a joint bar?

They are the same component. “मछली की थाली” is the term used in British and international English; “संयुक्त पट्टी” is the North American (अरेमा) term. Both refer to the steel bars used to connect two rail ends at a joint.

Can I use a UIC fish plate on an AREMA rail?

नहीं. UIC and AREMA rail sections have different profiles, and their fish plates are not interchangeable. Using the wrong standard will result in poor contact at the rail web and fishing angles, leading to accelerated wear and potential failure.

How many fish plates do I need per rail joint?

Two — one on each side of the rail web. A standard rail joint uses a pair of fish plates (one left, one right) secured by fish bolts.

What bolt torque is required for fish plate installation?

Torque values depend on bolt size and grade. For M24 Grade 8.8 मछली बोल्ट, typical torque is 250-350 एनएम. For 1″ AREMA bolts, 400-600 ft-lbs is common. Always follow the project specification or manufacturer’s recommendation.

Do fish plates come in matched pairs?

हाँ. Fish plates are supplied and installed in matched pairs — the left and right bars are mirror images. Ordering is typically by the pair or by the set (pair + बोल्ट).

How do I identify the correct fish plate for my rail?

Check the rail marking on the web, or measure the rail profile. Our engineering team can assist with profile identification from rail dimensions or photographs. CAD drawings are available for verification.

What is the difference between a 4-hole and 6-hole fish plate?

Six-hole fish plates provide more clamping force and better load distribution. They are commonly used on mainline and heavy-haul railways. Four-hole fish plates are typically used on lighter rail sections and secondary tracks.

Can rail fish plates be manufactured according to drawings?

हाँ. Custom fish plates can be produced according to customer drawings, rail profile measurements, or project specifications. Engineering review and drawing verification are typically provided before production.

Need Custom Rail Fish Plates or Joint Bars?

Luoyang Fonyo Heavy Industries manufactures यूआईसी, अरेमा, से, क्रेन रेल, and custom rail fish plates for railway infrastructure projects worldwide.

Our engineering team can assist with:

• Rail profile identification
• Fish plate selection
• CAD drawing verification
• Material specification review
• OEM manufacturing

In addition to fish plates, we also supply मछली बोल्ट, रेल क्लिप, रेल पैड, रेलवे स्लीपर, and other railway track components.

Contact us today for technical support, engineering consultation, and quotations.