What are rail clips made of?
Jan 28, 2026
A rail clip is a spring steel fastener that secures rails to sleepers or baseplates by elastic locking, controlling uplift, lateral shift, and micro-sliding while reducing vibration transmission into the track structure. This function improves fastening durability and ride stability. GNEE RAIL provides E-Type, SKL, Nabla, Pandrol(PR), KPO, Deenik, Fast Clip, crane rail, and Russian clip systems compatible with GB, UIC, DIN, JIS, AS, BS, and AREMA rail profiles.
| Model | Diameter | Weight | Material |
| Type III | Ø18 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E1609 | Ø16 | 0.43 kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E1809 | Ø20 | 0.61kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E1813 | Ø18 | 0.62kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2001 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2007 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2009 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2039 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2055 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2056 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2063 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR85 Rail Clip | Ø13 | 0.25kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR309A | Ø19 | 0.85kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR401 | Ø20 | 0.97kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR415 | Ø20 | 0.95kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR601A | Ø20 | 1.03kg/pc | 38Si7 |
| SKL 1 | Ø13 | 0.48kg/pc | 60Si2CrA |
| SKL 3 | Ø13 | 0.48kg/pc | 60Si2CrA |
| SKL 12 | Ø13 | 0.53kg/pc | 38Si7 |
| SKL 14 | Ø13 | 0.53kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| Special Rail Clip | Ø13 | 0.48kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| Russia Rail Clip | Ø18 | 0.58kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| Deenik Clip | Ø25 | 0.49-0.68kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
What are rail clips made of?
Rail clips, or elastic rail clips, are typically manufactured from high-grade, forged spring steel or alloy steel. These materials, such as grades 60Si2Mn, 60Si2Cr, and 38Si7, are selected for their high elasticity, durability, and resistance to fatigue, wear, and corrosion.
Key details regarding the composition and production of rail clips include:
- Material Composition: The most common materials include silicon-manganese (Si-Mn) steel and chromium-silicon (Cr-Si) steel.
- Manufacturing Process: They are produced through a hot forging process, which ensures a uniform, high-strength, and durable microstructure.
- Surface Treatment: To prevent corrosion from environmental exposure, they are often finished with surface treatments like oiling, oxide black, or color painting.
- Function: These clips are designed to fasten rails to sleepers, with high tensile strength that allows them to withstand vibrations and heavy loads, often holding up to 2 tons of force.
Common steel grades used for these clips include 55Si7, 60Si7, 65Si7, 55SiCr7, 60Si2MnA, and 60Si2CrA.
| Element / Grade | 60Si2Mn | 60Si2CrA | 55Si2Mn | 38Si7 (≈1.5023) | 55Si7 (≈1.0904) | 65Si7 (≈1.0906) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | 0.56–0.64 | 0.56–0.64 | 0.52–0.60 | 0.35–0.42 | 0.52–0.60 | 0.62–0.70 |
| Silicon (Si) | 1.50–2.00 | 1.40–1.80 | 1.50–2.00 | 1.60–2.00 | 1.60–2.00 | 1.60–2.00 |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.60–0.90 | 0.40–0.70 | 0.60–0.90 | 0.50–0.80 | 0.70–1.00 | 0.70–1.00 |
| Chromium (Cr) | ≤0.30 | 0.70–1.00 | ≤0.30 | ≤0.30 | ≤0.30 | ≤0.30 |
| Nickel (Ni) | ≤0.35 | ≤0.35 | ≤0.35 | – | – | – |
| Phosphorus (P) | ≤0.025 | ≤0.025 | ≤0.025 | ≤0.025 | ≤0.025 | ≤0.025 |
| Sulfur (S) | ≤0.025 | ≤0.025 | ≤0.025 | ≤0.025 | ≤0.025 | ≤0.025 |
| Key Standard | GB/T 1222 | GB/T 1222 | GB/T 1222 | EN 10089 | EN 10089 | EN 10089 |
What are the characteristics of an ERC rail clip?
Elastic Rail Clips (ERCs) are high-strength, hot-forged spring steel (typically 55Si7) fasteners designed to secure rails to sleepers, offering elasticity, vibration absorption, and high fatigue resistance. They maintain track gauge, resist lateral forces/creep, and are characterized by their self-tensioning, curved, single-piece design.
Key Characteristics and Functions:
- Material: Manufactured from high-tensile spring steel, specifically 55Si7, that is hot-formed, hardened, and tempered.
- Elasticity & Strength: They act as a spring, providing a constant, self-tensioning toe load that keeps the rail firmly in place while accommodating thermal contraction/expansion.
- Vibration Reduction: Designed to absorb track vibrations and impact energy, reducing noise and protecting the track structure.
- Resistance: Provides high lateral resistance, creep resistance, and torsional resistance.
- Design & Installation: Typically a single-piece, curved shape that is installed by hammering into a shoulder insert, often used in combinations with sleepers.
GNEE RAIL supplies E rail clips, SKL rail clips, Nabla types rail clips, KPO rail clips, and other customized types of rail clips,these rail clips are designed with high precision and made up of premium grade spring steel. GNEE has been the largest and most competitive production base of rail clip in China after more than 18 years' rail clip producing experience, and have qualification to tender nationally large and medium scaled rail projects. What's more, our rail clip can be customized according to clients' requirements.
