Specifications of Railway track material
Jan 22, 2026
A steel rail serves as a continuous guideway, providing a durable surface that ensures minimal friction, consistent traction, and safe vehicle navigation. Its hardness, metallurgical composition, and rolling profile design determine its wear resistance and service life.
GNEE RAIL delivers a complete range of rails to meet all global standards, including AREMA/ASCE 25–175 lb, DIN536 crane rails A55–A120, and UIC50–UIC60, together with full support for customized lengths, rail fastening systems, pre-assembly, and quality certification documentation.
Specifications of Railway track material
Railway track material specifications focus on high-carbon steel for rails, balancing hardness (0.65-0.85% Carbon) and toughness (Manganese 0.7-1.4%), with tight controls on impurities (P, S <0.04%) for strength and wear resistance, plus specific dimensions (weight/meter, height) and treatments like alloying (V, Cr) or heat treatment for high-speed/heavy-haul lines, all conforming to standards like UIC, AREMA, or DIN.
Common Steel Grades for Railway Rails
| Steel Grade | Composition | Characteristics | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| U71Mn | C 0.71%, Mn 1.0% | High wear resistance, toughness, fatigue strength | Standard railway and crane rails in China & export |
| U75V | C 0.75%, Mn 1.2%, V 0.1% | Higher strength, heat-treated, crack-resistant | Heavy-haul lines, high-speed rails, industrial crane rails |
| R260 (EN) | C 0.72%, Mn 1.2% | General-purpose carbon-manganese steel, good toughness | European railways, mainline tracks |
| R350HT (EN) | C 0.78%, Mn 1.25%, heat-treated | High hardness and fatigue resistance | Curves, heavy-haul, high-wear areas |
| JIS Rails (15KG–CR100) | Medium/high-carbon, Mn controlled | Durable, suitable for Japanese load conditions | Japan & export rails |
| AREMA/ASCE (115RE–136RE) | Carbon-manganese alloys | Strength and toughness defined by grade number | North American mainline and freight rails |
| AS Rails (31KG–89KG) | High-carbon, Mn alloyed | Heavy-haul, high-wear applications | Australian mining & freight lines |
Key Mechanical Properties of Rail Steel
| Property | Typical Values | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yield Strength | 300–700 MPa | Depends on grade and heat treatment |
| Tensile Strength | 500–900 MPa | Higher for heat-treated or alloyed rails |
| Hardness (HB) | 250–400 | Head wear resistance; higher for R350HT or U75V |
| Elongation | 10–15% | Ensures toughness, prevents brittle failure |
| Impact Toughness | ≥40–60 J at 20°C | Higher for curves or cold climates |
| Fatigue Resistance | High | Designed for millions of wheel load cycles |
International Standards For Rails
As a professional rail fastener supplier, GNEE RAIL can provide different standard steel rail such as GB,American, BS, UIC, DIN, JIS, Australian and South Africa which used in railway lines, cranes and coal mining.
| Standard | Examples of Rail Models | Typical Weight Range |
|---|---|---|
| GB (China) | 43 kg/m, 50 kg/m, 60 kg/m, 75 kg/m | 43–75 kg/m |
| UIC / EN | UIC50, UIC54, UIC60 | 50–60 kg/m |
| DIN 536 | A55, A65, A75, A100, A120 | 55–120 kg/m |
| JIS (Japan) | 15KG, 22KG, 30A, 37A, 50N, CR73, CR100 | 15–100 kg/m |
| AS (Australia) | 31KG–89KG | 31–89 kg/m |
| AREMA/ASCE (USA) | 115RE–136RE | 25–175 lb/yd |
| BS11 (UK) | Multiple historic and modern profiles | 50–60 kg/m |
GB Standard steel Rail
| Classification | Height(mm) | Head (mm) | Bottom (mm) | Thick(mm) | Weight (kg/m) | |
| Light Rail | 8 KG/M | 65 | 25 | 54 | 7 | 8.42 |
| 9 KG/M | 63.5 | 32.1 | 63.5 | 5.9 | 8.94 | |
| 12 KG/M | 69.85 | 38.1 | 69.85 | 7.54 | 12.2 | |
| 15 KG/M | 79.37 | 42.86 | 79.37 | 8.33 | 15.2 | |
| 18 KG/M | 80 | 40 | 80 | 10 | 18.06 | |
| 22 KG/M | 93.66 | 50.8 | 93.66 | 10.72 | 22.3 | |
| 24 KG/M | 107 | 51 | 90 | 10.9 | 24.46 | |
| 30 KG/M | 107.95 | 60.33 | 107.95 | 12.3 | 30.1 | |
| Heavy Rail | 38 KG/M | 134 | 68 | 114 | 13 | 38.733 |
| 43 KG/M | 140 | 70 | 114 | 14.5 | 44.653 | |
| 45 KG/M | 145 | 67 | 126 | 14.5 | 45.546 | |
| 50 KG/M | 152 | 70 | 132 | 15.5 | 51.514 | |
| 60 KG/M | 176 | 73 | 150 | 16.5 | 60.64 | |
| Crane Rail | QU 70 | 120 | 70 | 120 | 28 | 52.8 |
| QU 80 | 130 | 80 | 130 | 32 | 63.69 | |
| QU 100 | 150 | 100 | 150 | 38 | 88.96 | |
| QU 120 | 170 | 120 | 170 | 44 | 118.1 | |
UIC 860 Standard Steel Rail
| Standard: UIC860 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | Dimension(mm) | Weight (kg/m) | Length(m) | |||
| Head | Height | Bottom | Thickness | |||
| UIC50 | 70 | 152 | 125 | 15 | 50.46 | 12-25 |
| UIC54 | 70 | 159 | 140 | 16 | 54.43 | |
| UIC60 | 74.3 | 172 | 150 | 16.5 | 60.21 | |
DIN 13674-1-2003 Standard Steel Rail
| Standard：DIN 536 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | Dimension(mm) | Weight (kg/m) | Length(m) | |||
| Head | Height | Bottom | Thickness | |||
| A55 | 55 | 65 | 150 | 31 | 31.8 | 10-12 |
| A55 | 65 | 75 | 175 | 38 | 43.1 | |
| A75 | 75 | 85 | 200 | 45 | 56.2 | |
| A100 | 100 | 95 | 200 | 60 | 74.3 | |
| A120 | 120 | 105 | 200 | 72 | 100 | |
JIS E 1103/1101 Standard Steel Rail
| Standard: JIS E 1103/1101 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | Dimension(mm) | Weight (kg/m) | Length(m) | |||
| Head | Height | Bottom | Thickness | |||
| JIS 15KG | 42.86 | 79.37 | 79.37 | 8.33 | 15.2 | 9-10 |
| JIS 22KG | 50.8 | 93.66 | 93.66 | 10.72 | 22.3 | 9-10 |
| JIS 30A | 60.33 | 107.95 | 107.95 | 12.3 | 30.1 | 9-10 |
| JIS 37A | 62.71 | 122.24 | 122.24 | 13.49 | 37.2 | 10-25 |
| JIS 50N | 65 | 153 | 127 | 15 | 50.4 | 10-25 |
| CR 73 | 100 | 135 | 140 | 32 | 73.3 | 10-12 |
| CR 100 | 120 | 150 | 155 | 39 | 100.2 | 10-12 |
Since 2008, GNEE RAIL has been supplying steel rails of different grades for more than 18 years, steel rails from GNEE is highly recommened in China and abroad.Wtih cutting edge equipment, GNEE produces high quality steel rails that meet with requirements of most countries. Standard rail, head hardened rail, heavy rail,light rail,crane rail and other types are all available here, as one of the China main rail supplier, GNEE RAIL has been working on supplying economical green railway products all over the world.
