Rail Overview: Types, Features, Functions & Applications in Rail Transit

Overview of Rail

Railway rails are the core basic components of the rail transit system, and they bear the functions of guiding, bearing and power transmission when the train is running. As the direct contact carrier between the train and the track, the quality of the rails directly affects the safety, stability and economy of railway transportation. This product is made of high-strength alloy steel materials, combined with advanced heat treatment and precision processing technology, to meet the long-term use requirements under heavy load, high speed and complex geological environment, and is widely used in trunk railways, urban rail transit, mining dedicated lines and industrial railways.

Parameters Table of Rail

Parameter category	Technical indicators
Material	U71Mn, U75V, PD3, BNbRE and other high carbon microalloy steel (in accordance with GB/T 2585, EN 13674, ASTM A1 and other standards)
Rail type	Heavy rail (60kg/m, 75kg/m), medium heavy rail (50kg/m), light rail (43kg/m, 38kg/m)
Length	12.5m, 25m (standard length), supports customized cutting (such as 100m long rails for seamless lines)
Cross-sectional dimensions	Head width 70-75mm, waist thickness 16.5-20mm, bottom width 132-150mm (adjusted according to model)
Hardness	Surface hardness ≥280HB (Brinell hardness), core hardness ≥260HB
Tensile strength	≥880MPa (U71Mn), ≥980MPa (U75V)
Chemical composition	C: 0.65-0.77%, Si: 0.15-0.35%, Mn: 0.70-1.20% (typical value)
Surface quality	no cracks, folds, scars, end slope ≤1:500

Features of Railway Rail

High strength and wear resistance

• Microalloying technology (such as adding V, Nb and other elements) is used to refine the grain structure, improve fatigue resistance and extend service life.

• The surface is fully quenched, the hardness uniformity is improved by 30%, and the wear resistance is more than 2 times that of ordinary rails.

Fatigue and fracture resistance

• By optimizing the cross-sectional geometry (such as asymmetric rail head design), the contact stress concentration is reduced and the risk of peeling off is reduced.
• Low-temperature impact toughness ≥40J (-20℃), adapting to extreme climates in high-cold areas.

Precise geometric tolerance

• Straightness ≤0.5mm/m, straightness error <0.3mm, ensuring the smooth operation of the train.
• Supports online laser detection, and the dimensional accuracy meets ISO 9001 and EN 13674 standards.

Environmental protection and sustainability

• The waste heat recovery technology is used in the rail production process, reducing energy consumption by 15%; waste rails can be 100% recycled and reused.

Functions of Rail

Load-bearing and guiding functions

• Dynamic load-bearing capacity reaches 25 tons/axle weight (75kg/m rail type), meeting the needs of heavy-duty freight trains.
• The rail head profile matches the wheel tread of high-speed trains (such as S1002, CN60, etc.), reducing wheel-rail noise by 5-8dB.

Adapt to complex working conditions

• Corrosion-resistant coating technology (such as zinc-aluminum-magnesium alloy coating), salt spray test ≥1000 hours, suitable for coastal and chemical areas.
• Excellent anti-peeling performance, passed 5 million rolling contact fatigue tests (RCF).

Seamless compatibility

• Aluminum thermite welding and flash welding joints are reserved, and the strength of the welding joint is ≥95% of the parent material, supporting the laying of ultra-long seamless lines.

Application Scenarios of Railway Rail

Trunk railways
Applicable to passenger dedicated lines and heavy-load freight channels with speeds of 120-350km/h (such as Daqin Railway and China-Europe Express).

Urban rail transit
Metro, light rail, and tram systems, matching small radius curves (R≥150m) and high-frequency start-stop conditions.

Industrial and mining railways
Open-pit mines and port collection and distribution systems, bearing the impact of heavy-loaded mining cars (axle weight 30-40 tons) and complex terrain.

Special environment railways
Alpine railways (such as the Qinghai-Tibet Railway) and tropical rainy areas (such as the Southeast Asian railway network), resist temperature difference deformation and wet heat corrosion.

Package of Railway Rail

Polybag+Carton box+Wooden case/Pallet, according to customer’s request

Company Profile

Luoyang Fonyo Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. was founded in 1998, covers an area of 72,600㎡, with more than 300 employees, 32 technicians, including 5 senior engineers, 11 assistant engineers, and 16 technicians. It has been rated as Luoyang Engineering Technology Center, Luoyang Technology R&D Center, and National High-tech Enterprise for many times.
Our production capacity is 30,000 tons per year. Currently, we mainly produce cast steel, cast iron (gray iron, ductile iron, etc.), processing of finished product and component assembly for locomotive,railcar,high-speed trains, mining equipment,wind power,etc.Our products have been exported to Russia, the United States, Germany, Argentina, Japan, France, South Africa,Italy and other countries.

FAQS

Q1: Are you a manufacturer or trading company?
A: We are a manufacturer. Our company was founded in 1998, with nearly 30 years in casting industry, a total area of 72,600㎡, with a factory building area of 51,000㎡.
Q2. What are your main products?
A: We primarily focus on steel casting, iron casting, finished product machining, and component assembly production for locomotive, railcar, high-speed trains, mining equipment, wind power,etc.
Q3: How precision can you produce casting parts?
A: We have the capability of producing casting parts with different casting processes. The production is strictly comply with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO45001,EN15085, IRIS.
Q4. Can you produce according to the samples?
 Yes, we can produce by your samples or technical drawings. We can build drawings for you after we get your samples too.
Q5: How do you do Quality Control before delivery?
A: Quality inspection is a very important factor to guarantee the quality of steel casting parts. We follow 3 times of inspection during the whole production process. And we will provide material testing report, dimensional testing report, and mechanical properties testing report to our clients before delivery.

It you are interested in any products,please feel free to contact us.
Contact: Stella Liu
Email:sales@railwaypart.com
Mobile:+8615515351287