What are the different standards for steel rails?
Jan 14, 2026
Steel rail, also called rail track, is a vital part of railway track system. Steel rail undertake the task of guiding train wheel and transferring load from locomotive to railway sleeper. As an essential component of railway track structure, the quality and material of steel rail directly impact the safety and service life of railway track.
What are the different standards for steel 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.
Chinese standard
1.Crane rail: QU120,QU100,QU80,QU70. They are most consist of manganese steel.
| Classification | Height(mm) | Head (mm) | Bottom (mm) | Thick(mm) | Weight (kg/m) | |
| 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 | |
2.Heavy rail: the 38kg,43kg,50kg standard are widely used. Besides, as to some lines with high speed and vast capacity, they all use the 60kg rail tracks.
| Classification | Height(mm) | Head (mm) | Bottom (mm) | Thick(mm) | Weight (kg/m) | |
| 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 | |
3.Light rail: light rail can also classified into two types, GB (China national standards) of 9kg,12kg,15kg,22kg,30kg/m and YB (Metallurgy Department Standard) of 8,18,24kg/m and so on.
| 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 | |
Abroad
Among the rail track market in the world, there are many typical types. For example, the BS series (such as 90A, 80A, 75A, 75R, 60A and so on) of British, the DIN series of Germany, the ASCE series of America(such as 115RE, 136RE), the JIS series of Japan and the UIC series of International Union of Railways(such as UIC54, UIC60).
AREMA standard
AREMA standard was formulated by the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association. American standard railway products especially steel rail generally adopt the AREMA standard. Common types include AREMA 115, 119, 132, 133, 136, 147. And so on.
| Standard: ASTMA1, AREMA | |||||||
| Size | Dimension(mm) | Weight (kg/m) |
Material | Length (m) | |||
| Head(mm) | Height(mm) | Bottom(mm) | Web(mm) | ||||
| ASCE 25 | 38.1 | 69.85 | 69.85 | 7.54 | 12.4 | 700 | 6-12 |
| ASCE 30 | 42.86 | 79.38 | 79.38 | 8.33 | 14.88 | 700 | 6-12 |
| ASCE 40 | 47.62 | 88.9 | 88.9 | 9.92 | 19.84 | 700 | 6-12 |
| ASCE 60 | 60.32 | 107.95 | 107.95 | 12.3 | 29.76 | 700 | 6-12 |
| ASCE 75 | 62.71 | 122.24 | 122.24 | 13.49 | 37.2 | 900A/1100 | 12-25 |
| ASCE 85 | 65.09 | 131.76 | 131.76 | 14.29 | 42.17 | 900A/1100 | 12-25 |
| 90RA | 65.09 | 142.88 | 130.18 | 14.29 | 44.65 | 900A/1100 | 12-25 |
| 115RE | 69.06 | 168.28 | 139.7 | 15.88 | 56.9 | 900A/1100 | 12-25 |
| 136RE | 74.61 | 185.74 | 152.4 | 17.46 | 67.41 | 900A/1100 | 12-25 |
| 175LBs | 109.86 | 152.4 | 152.4 | 38.1 | 86.8 | 900A/1100 | 12-25 |
JIS standard
JIS standard is suitable for Japanese standard railway track. Japanese standard steel rail has low technical requirement, but high product level. JIS standards for rail list as below:
- JIS E1101: hot-rolled rails
- JIS E1123: heat treated end of rails
- JIS E 1120-1994: Heat treated rails
| Standard: JIS E1103-91/JISE 1101-93 | |||||||
| Size | Dimension(mm) | Weight (kg/m) |
Material | Length (m) | |||
| Head(mm) | Height(mm) | Bottom(mm) | Web(mm) | ||||
| JIS 15KG | 42.86 | 79.37 | 79.37 | 8.33 | 15.2 | JIS E standard | 9-10 |
| JIS 22KG | 50.8 | 93.66 | 93.66 | 10.72 | 22.3 | 9-10 | |
| JIS 30KG | 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 | |
Normal JIS standard steel rail include JIS 37kg, 40kg, 50kg, 60kg and etc.
UIC standard
UIC standard was formulated by The International Union of Railway. UIC standard is one of the popular widely standards, many countries adopt this kind of standard to choose steel rails. UIC 54 and UIC60 are two common types.
| Standard: UIC860 | |||||||
| Size | Dimension(mm) | Weight (kg/m) |
Material | Length (m) | |||
| Head(mm) | Height(mm) | Bottom(mm) | Web(mm) | ||||
| UIC50 | 70 | 152 | 125 | 15 | 50.46 | 900A/1100 | 12-25 |
| UIC54 | 70 | 159 | 140 | 16 | 54.43 | 900A/1100 | 12-25 |
| UIC60 | 74.3 | 172 | 150 | 16.5 | 60.21 | 900A/1100 | 12-25 |
BS standard
BS standard is short of British standard. Obviously, BS standard is mainly used for British railway track. Ordinary types of BS standard steel rail include BS 70, 75, 80, 90, 100, etc.
| Standard: BS11: 1985 | |||||||
| Size | Dimension(mm) | Weight (kg/m) |
Material | Length (m) | |||
| Head(mm) | Height(mm) | Bottom(mm) | Web(mm) | ||||
| 50 O | 52.39 | 100.01 | 100.01 | 10.32 | 24.833 | 700 | 6-18 |
| 60 A | 57.15 | 114.3 | 109.54 | 11.11 | 30.618 | 900A | 6-18 |
| 75 A | 61.91 | 128.59 | 114.3 | 12.7 | 37.455 | 900A | 8-25 |
| 75 R | 61.91 | 128.59 | 122.24 | 13.1 | 37.041 | 900A | 8-25 |
| 80 A | 63.5 | 133.35 | 117.47 | 13.1 | 39.761 | 900A | 8-25 |
| 80 R | 63.5 | 133.35 | 127 | 13.49 | 39.674 | 900A | 8-25 |
| 90 A | 66.67 | 142.88 | 127 | 13.89 | 45.099 | 900A | 8-25 |
| 100 A | 69.85 | 152.4 | 133.35 | 15.08 | 50.182 | 900A | 8-25 |
| 113 A | 69.85 | 158.75 | 139.7 | 20 | 56.398 | 900A | 8-25 |
European standard
European standard is one of the most advanced and strict standard for steel rail in the world. prEN13674-1：2002(E)and prEN13674-2:2003(E) are two part of European standard, the latter mainly set rules for railway switch. Besides, European standard is designed for the high-speed railway.
| Standard: EN 13674-1-2003 | |||||||
| Size | Dimension(mm) | Weight (kg/m) |
Material | Length (m) | |||
| Head(mm) | Height(mm) | Bottom(mm) | Web(mm) | ||||
| 49 E1 | 67 | 149 | 125 | 14 | 49.39 | R260/R350HT | 12-25 |
| 49 E2 | 67 | 148 | 125 | 14 | 49.1 | R260/R350HT | 12-25 |
| 50 E1 | 65 | 153 | 134 | 15.5 | 50.37 | R260/R350HT | 12-25 |
| 50 E2 | 72 | 151 | 140 | 15 | 49.97 | R260/R350HT | 12-25 |
| 50 E4 | 70 | 152 | 125 | 15 | 50.46 | R260/R350HT | 12-25 |
| 50 E5 | 67 | 148 | 135 | 14 | 49.9 | R260/R350HT | 12-25 |
| 50 E6 | 65 | 153 | 140 | 15.5 | 50.9 | R260/R350HT | 12-25 |
| 54 E1 | 70 | 159 | 140 | 16 | 54.77 | R260/R350HT | 12-25 |
| 54 E2 | 67.01 | 161 | 125 | 16 | 53.82 | R260/R350HT | 12-25 |
| 54 E3 | 67 | 154 | 125 | 16 | 54.57 | R260/R350HT | 12-25 |
| 55 E1 | 62 | 155 | 134 | 19 | 56.03 | R260/R350HT | 12-25 |
| 60 E1 | 72 | 172 | 150 | 16.5 | 60.21 | R260/R350HT | 12-25 |
Classification by Weight & Type of Steel Rail
- By Weight: Rails are often specified by their weight per meter (e.g., 50kg/m, 60kg/m) or yard (e.g., 136lb/yd), with heavier rails for main lines and lighter ones for sidings or cranes.
- By Application: Heavy rails (above 43kg/m), light rails, and specialized crane rails (e.g., QU series).
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.
