What are the uses of rails?

Steel Rails, also known as rail profiles, are the main components of railway tracks. Its function is to guide the wheels of locomotives and vehicles; withstand the enormous pressure of the wheels, and pass pressure force on to rail sleepers.

 

 

Function of Rails

 

Rails are similar to steel girders. These are provided to perform the following functions in a track.

 

(a) Rails provide a continuous and level surface for the movement of trains.

 

(b) Rails provide a pathway which is smooth and has very little friction. The friction between the steel wheel and the steel rail is about one-fifth of the friction between the pneumatic tyre and a metalled road.

 

 

(c) Rails serve as a lateral guide for the wheels.

 

(d) Rails bear the stresses developed due to vertical loads transmitted to them through axles and wheels of rolling stock as well as due to braking and thermal forces.

 

(e) Rails carry out the function of transmitting the load to a large area of the formation through sleepers and the ballast.

 

Steel Rail Types

 

The type of rail is classified by kilograms per meter of rail length. For example, steel rails used in China's railways are 75kg/m, 60kg/m, 50kg/m, 43kg/m and 38kg/m.

 

 

• Classified by Application: GNEE RAIL supplies crane rail( QU120,QU100,QU80,QU70), heavy rail( 38, 43, 50, 60, 75kg) and light rail( 9,12,15,22,30kg/m).

 

 

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

 

• Stee rail in foreign standards: British Standard: BS series (90A, 80A, 75A, 75R, 60A, etc.) German standard: DIN series crane rails. International Railway Union: UIC series. American Standard: ASCE series. Japanese standard: JIS series.

 

 

Standard	Sepc.	Material Typical Grade
UIC860	UIC54	700,900A,900B
	UIC60
EN13674.1	5.00E+02	R200,R350HT,R260Mn,R35LHT,R320Cr,R370CrHT
	5.40E+02
	6.00E+02
	6.00E+03
BS-11-1985	BS80A	700,900A,900B
	BS90A
	BS100A
AREMA	115RE	SS,HH,LA,IH
	136RE
	ASCE60	U71Mn
	ASCE85	U71Mn

 

What are the uses of rails?

 

Steel rails are primarily used as the durable, guiding surface for trains, trams, and metros, supporting their weight and directing movement, but also serve as tracks for heavy-duty industrial equipment like cranes, mining carts, and material handling systems in factories, mines, and ports. They are crucial for mass transit, freight logistics, and various heavy-haul transport applications, providing a smooth, strong pathway for wheeled vehicles.

 

• Railway Networks: Rails form the backbone of passenger and freight railways. They provide a smooth, continuous running surface for trains, guiding wheels along straight sections, curves, and switches while supporting heavy axle loads. Rails used in this context range from light rails for regional and urban lines (8–30 kg/m) to heavy-duty rails for mainlines and high-speed tracks (38–60 kg/m).

 

 

• Industrial and Crane Tracks: Rails are used in factories, warehouses, and ports to support overhead or gantry cranes. Profiles like QU70–QU120 and DIN 536 series withstand concentrated wheel loads and lateral forces, allowing cranes to transport heavy materials efficiently and safely.

 

 

• Mining Operations: Rails are deployed in mining tunnels and industrial sites where low-speed, heavy-load transportation is needed. Medium-carbon steels such as 50Mn provide durability under abrasive and impact-heavy conditions.

 

 

• Temporary or Light Tracks: Flat bar rails and specialty sections are used for temporary tracks, construction sites, or light industrial lines, offering cost-effective, flexible solutions for short-term or low-load applications.

 

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.

 

Get A Quote & Drawing