Steel Rail and Railway Sleepers

Steel rail

As an important part of railway track, steel rail has the function to guide the train, bear the huge pressure from the wheel, and spread the pressure to railway sleepers. Speaking technically, the rolling surface of steel rail must be continuous, smooth and low in resistance to support the train wheels.
steel rails samples

Steel rail material

Modern rail is typically made of hot rolled steel with a profile of an asymmetrical rounded I-beam. Unlike other usages of iron and steel, steel rails are subject to very high stresses and have to be made of very high quality steel alloy. It took many decades to improve the quality of rail materials, including the change from iron to steel. The stronger the steel rails and the rest trackwork, the heavier and faster the trains the train can carry.
steel rails and workplace

Steel rail classifications

By convention, steel rails are graded by weight over a standard length. Heavier steel rail can support greater axle loads and higher train speeds beyond sustaining damage than lighter rail, but the cost is relatively higher.
Steel rails in China
1. Crane rail: QU120, QU100, QU80, and QU70. They are most consisting of manganese steel.
2. Heavy rail: the 38kg, 43kg and 50kg standard are most widely used. Besides, as to some lines with high speed and large freight volume, the 60kg steel rail is the best choice.
3. Light rail: light rail can also be classified into two types, GB (China national standards) of 9, 12, 15, 22, 30kg/m and YB (Metallurgy Department Standard) of 8, 18, 24kg/m and so on.
International standards of steel rails
In international market of steel rails, there are many typical types. For example, the BS series of British, include 90A, 80A, 75A, 75R, 60A and so on, the DIN series of Germany, the ASCE series of America, the JIS series of Japan and the UIC series of International Union of Railways.

UIC860-O standard steel rail/UIC54 steel rail/railway for UIC54

Size: UIC54, UIC60

Standard UIC860-o standard/EN-13674-1

Material: 900A/1100

Length: 12-25m

UIC 860 Standard Rails
SIZE	DIMENSION (mm)				WEIGHT (kg/m)
SIZE	A	B	C	t	WEIGHT (kg/m)
UIC	54	70	159	16	54.43
UIC	60	74.3	172	16.5	60.21

BS11-1985 standard steel rail

Size: BS50'O', BS60A, BS60R, BS70A, BS75A, BS75R, BS80A,BS80R, BS90A, BS100A, BS113A

Standard: BS11-1985 standard

Material: 700/900A

Length: 8-25m

BS11:1985 Standard Rails
SIZE	DIMENSION (mm)				WEIGHT (kg/m)
SIZE	A	B	C	t	WEIGHT (kg/m)
50O	52.39	100.01	100.1	10.32	24.833
60A	57.15	114.3	109.54	11.11	30.618
60R	57.15	114.3	109.54	11.11	29.822
70A	60.32	123.82	111.12	12.3	34.807
75A	61.91	128.59	114.3	12.7	37.455
75R	61.91	128.59	122.24	13.1	37.041
80A	63.5	133.35	117.47	13.1	39.761
80R	63.5	133.35	127	13.49	39.674
90A	66.67	142.88	127	13.89	45.099
100A	69.85	152.4	133.35	15.08	50.182
113A	69.85	158.75	139.7	20	56.398

American standard steel rail

Size: ASCE25, ASCE30, ASCE40, ASCE60, ASCE75, ASCE85, ASCE90, ASCE115, ASCE136, ASCE175

Standard: ASTM standard, AREMA standard

Material: 700/900A/1100

Length: 6-12m, 12-25m

SIZE	DIMENSION (mm)				WEIGHT (kg/m)
SIZE	A	B	C	t	WEIGHT (kg/m)
ASCE 25	38.1	69.85	69.85	7.54	12.4
ASCE 30	42.86	79.38	79.38	8.33	14.88
ASCE 40	47.62	88.9	88.9	9.92	19.84
ASCE 60	60.32	107.95	107.95	12.3	29.76
ASCE 75	62.71	122.24	122.24	13.49	37.2
ASCE 85	65.09	131.76	131.76	14.29	42.17
ASCE 90	65.09	142.88	130.18	14.29	44.65
ASCE 115	69.06	168.28	139.7	15.88	56.9
ASCE 136	74.61	185.74	152.4	17.46	67.41
ASCE 175	109.86	152.4	152.4	38.1	86.8

JIS E 1103/1101 standard steel rail

Size: 15kg, 22kg, 30A, 37A, and 50N, CR73, CR100

Standard: JIS E1103-93/JIS E1101-93

Material: According to JIS e standard

Length: 9-10m

JIS E 1103/1101 STANDARD
SIZE	DIMENSION (mm)				WEIGHT (kg/m)
SIZE	A	B	C	t	WEIGHT (kg/m)
JIS 15KG	42.86	79.37	79.37	8.33	15.2
JIS 22KG	50.8	93.66	93.66	10.72	22.3
JIS 30A	60.33	107.95	107.95	12.3	30.1
JIS 37A	62.71	122.24	122.24	13.49	37.2
JIS 50N	65	153	127	15	50.4
CR 73	100	135	140	32	73.3
CR 100	120	150	155	39	100.2

Australian standard steel rail

Size: 31kg, 41kg, 47kg, 50kg, 53kg, 60kg, 66kg, 68kg, 73kg, 86kg, 89kg

Standard: As 1085 standard

Material: 900A/1100

Length: 8-25m

AS 1085 Rails
Size	Dimension(mm)				Weight(kg/m)	Material	Length(m)
Size	Head(mm)	Height(mm)	Bottom(mm)	Web(mm);	Weight(kg/m)	Material	Length(m)
31KG	63.5	117.5	108	11.5	31.5	900A/1100	8-25
47KG	70	141.3	127	14.3	46.5	900A/1100	8-25
50KG	70	154	127	15	50.8	900A/1100	8-25
60KG	70	170	146	16.5	61	900A/1100	8-25
68KG	73.4	186	152	17.5	67.6	900A/1100	8-25
73KG	70	157	146	32	73.63	900A/1100	8-25
86KG	102	102	165	84.11	85.5	900A/1100	8-25
89KG	102	114	178	51	89.81	900A/1100	8-25

Railway Sleepers

A railway sleeper or called rail tie is a rectangular support for the rails in railroad tracks. Generally laid perpendicular to the steel rails, railway sleepers could transfer loads to the track ballast and subgrade, hold the rails vertical and keep them spaced to the correct gauge.
Railway sleepers are traditionally made of wood, but pre-stressed concrete is now also widely used, especially in Europe and Asia. Steel railway sleepers are common on secondary lines in the UK; plastic composite ties are also employed, although far less than wood or concrete. As of January 2008, the approximate market share in North America for traditional and wood railway sleepers was 91.5%, the remainder being concrete, steel, azobé (red ironwood) and plastic composite.
wooden railway sleepers and steel railway sleepers

Besides steel rails, AGICO can also supply steel railway sleeper of both UIC865 Series Steel Sleepers and BS-500 Series Steel Sleepers, with specifications as below.

UIC865 Series Steel Sleepers
SIZE	STANDARD	MATERIAL	LENGTH
UIC54	UIC865	According to customer's requirements	According to customer's requirements
UIC60	UIC865	According to customer's requirements	According to customer's requirements

BS-500 Series Steel Railway Sleepers
SIZE	STANDARD	MATERIAL	LENGTH
BS75A	BS 500-2000	SAE1522 ST52.3 20MnK SS490 Q255A	1830mm 1900mm 2000mm
BS75R
BS80A
BS90A
BS100A
BS113A

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