What are train rails made of?
Jan 21, 2026
Steel rail is the core structural element of any rail-based transport or handling system, responsible for guiding wheels, carrying vertical and lateral loads, and maintaining long-term track geometry. With its optimized head–web–base cross-section, the rail transfers wheel forces into sleepers, ballast, or steel beams while resisting bending fatigue and surface wear.
In real projects, train rails are not made from a single universal material. Instead, different steel grades are selected to suit different rail standards and rail models such as UIC60, 60E1, 75kg, 132RE, CR100, and BS113A. This material–profile pairing is what determines service life, maintenance intervals, and compatibility with fastening systems.
What are train rails made of?
Train rails are primarily made from medium- to high-carbon steels with manganese or vanadium alloying to improve strength and wear resistance. Different grades are used for different traffic intensity levels.
| Steel Grade | Typical Rail Standards & Models | Duty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Q235B | 18kg, 22kg, 30kg (GB mining rails) | Light transport, temporary tracks |
| 55Q | 30kg, ASCE40 | Medium industrial traffic |
| U71Mn | 50kg, 60kg, QU70–QU120 | Heavy industrial & port railways |
| U75V / U75VG | 60kg, 75kg (GB heavy rail) | Heavy-haul railway sections |
| R260 | UIC54, UIC60, 54E1, 60E1 | Standard mainline railway |
| R350HT | UIC60, 60E1 (heat-treated) | High-speed & heavy freight |
| 900A / 1100 | 115RE, 132RE (AREMA) | North American heavy freight |
Chemical Composition of Common Rail Steel Grades Worldwide:
| Grade | Standard / Region | Typical Composition (wt%) |
| R260 | EN 13674-1 (Europe) | C: 0.67–0.80, Mn: 0.90–1.20, Si: ≤0.50 |
| R350HT | EN 13674-1 (Europe) | C: 0.75–0.85, Mn: 0.80–1.20, Cr: 0.20–0.50 |
| Grade 260 | AREMA (North America) | C: ~0.77, Mn: ~1.0–1.2, Si: ~0.2 |
| Grade 350 | AREMA + Mill Specs (USA/Canada) | C: 0.78–0.83, Mn: 0.90–1.20, Cr: 0.2–0.6, + V/Nb (microalloyed) |
| BH Rail (Bainitic) | JIS E 1101 (Japan), adopted in EU/India | C: 0.65–0.80, Mn: 1.0–1.4, Cr/Mo/Ni (optional, mill-specific) |
| U71Mn | GB/T 2585 (China) | C: 0.65–0.77, Mn: 1.10–1.40, Si: 0.15–0.35 |
| U75V | GB/T 2585 (China) | C: 0.67–0.77, Mn: 0.70–1.00, V: 0.04–0.12 |
| Q235B | Mechanical property | Chemical composition(%) | |||||||||
| Yield strength | Tensile strength | Elongation | Hardness | C | Si | Mn | S | P | |||
| MPa | kg/mm² | MPa | kg/mm² | min | HB | ≤ | ≤ | ≤ | |||
| ≥ | ≥ | ||||||||||
| 235 | 24 | 375-460 | 38-47 | 26% | 0.12-0.22 | 0.35 | 0.30-0.70 | 0.045 | 0.045 | ||
| 55Q | Mechanical property | Chemical composition(%) | |||||||||
| Yield strength | Tensile strength | Elongation | Hardness | C | Si | Mn | S | P | |||
| MPa | kg/mm² | MPa | kg/mm² | min | HBW | ≤ | ≤ | ||||
| ≥ | ≥ | ≥ | ≥ | ≥ | |||||||
| 685 | 69 | 197 | 0.50-0.60 | 0.15-0.35 | 0.60-0.90 | 0.04 | 0.04 | ||||
Choose the right type of steel rail
GNEE RAIL is a professional steel rail supplier with more than 18 years of history. Through those years of development, GNEE RAIL's products are widely used in railway construction, port construction, crane equipment, and the mining industry all over the world.
Chinese 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 | |
DIN536 Crane Rail
| Type of Rail | Standard | Dimensions mm | Steel Grade | Mass M | |||
| A | F | C | t | kg/m | |||
| A45 | DIN 536 P1:1991 | 55,00 | 125,00 | 45,00 | 24,00 | 50Mn | 22,10 |
| A55 | DIN 536 P1:1991 | 65,00 | 150,00 | 55,00 | 31,00 | 50Mn | 31,80 |
| A65 | DIN 536 P1:1991 | 75,00 | 175,00 | 65,00 | 38,00 | 50Mn | 43,10 |
| A75 | DIN 536 P1:1991 | 85,00 | 200,00 | 75,00 | 45,00 | U71Mn | 56,20 |
| A100 | DIN 536 P1:1991 | 95,00 | 200,00 | 100,00 | 60,00 | U71Mn | 74,30 |
| A120 | DIN 536 P1:1991 | 105,00 | 220,00 | 120,00 | 72,00 | U71Mn | 100,00 |
| A150 | DIN 536 P1:1991 | 150,00 | 220,00 | 150,00 | 80,00 | U71Mn | 150,30 |
DIN 5901 light rail
| Type of | Standard | Dimensions mm | Steel Grade | Mass M | |||
| Rail | A | F | C | t | kg/m | ||
| S10 | DIN5901 | 70 | 58 | 32 | 6 | Q235B/55Q | 10 |
| S14 | DIN5901 | 80 | 70 | 38 | 9 | Q235B/55Q | 14 |
| S18 | DIN5901 | 93 | 82 | 43 | 10 | Q235B/55Q | 18.3 |
| S20 | DIN5901 | 100 | 82 | 44 | 10 | Q235B/55Q | 19.8 |
| S24 | DIN5901 | 115 | 90 | 53 | 10 | Q235B/55Q | 24.4 |
| S30 | DIN5901 | 108 | 108 | 60.3 | 12.3 | Q235B/55Q | 30.03 |
EN13674 Rail
| Type of | Standard | Dimensions mm | Steel Grade | Mass M | |||
| Rail | A | F | C | t | kg/m | ||
| 39E1(BS80A) | EN13674–4 | 133.4 | 117.5 | 63.5 | 13.1 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 39.77 |
| 45E1(BS90A) | EN13674–4 | 142.88 | 127 | 66.67 | 13.89 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 45.11 |
| 45E3(RN45) | EN13674–4 | 142 | 130 | 66 | 15 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 44.79 |
| 46E2(U33) | EN13674–4 | 145 | 134 | 62 | 15 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 46.27 |
| 49E1(S49) | EN13674–4 | 149 | 125 | 67 | 14 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 49.39 |
| 49E2 | EN13674–4 | 148 | 125 | 67 | 14 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 49.1 |
| 49E5 | EN13674–4 | 149 | 125 | 67 | 14 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 49.13 |
| 50E1 | EN13674–4 | 153 | 134 | 65 | 15.5 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 50.37 |
| 50E2(50EB-T) | EN13674–4 | 151 | 140 | 72 | 15 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 49.97 |
| 50E4 | EN13674–4 | 152 | 125 | 70 | 15 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 50.46 |
| 50E5 | EN13674–4 | 148 | 135 | 67 | 14 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 49.9 |
| 50E6(U50) | EN13674–4 | 153 | 140 | 65 | 15.5 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 50.9 |
| 54E1(UIC54) | EN13674–4 | 159 | 140 | 70 | 16 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 54.77 |
| 54E2(UIC54E) | EN13674–4 | 161 | 125 | 67 | 16 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 53.82 |
| 54E3(DINS54) | EN13674–4 | 154 | 125 | 67 | 16 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 54.57 |
| 54E4 | EN13674–4 | 154 | 125 | 67 | 16 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 54.31 |
| 54E5(54E1AHC) | EN13674–4 | 159 | 140 | 70.2 | 16 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 54.42 |
| 55E1 | EN13674–4 | 155 | 134 | 62 | 19 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 56.03 |
| 56E1(BS113Lb) | EN13674–4 | 158.75 | 140 | 69.85 | 20 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 56.3 |
| 60E1(UIC60) | EN13674–4 | 172 | 150 | 72 | 16.5 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 60.21 |
| 60E2 | EN13674–4 | 172 | 150 | 72 | 16.5 | R200/R260/R260Mn/R300HT | 60.03 |
ASTM A1 Rail
| Size | Rail height(mm) | Bottom Width(mm) | Head Width(mm) | Web Thickness(mm) | Steel Grade | Weight(kg/m) |
| A | F | C | t | |||
| ASCE25 | 69.85 | 69.85 | 38.1 | 7.54 | 55Q | 12.2 |
| ASCE30 | 79.37 | 79.37 | 42.86 | 8.33 | 55Q | 15.2 |
| ASCE40 | 88.9 | 88.9 | 47.6 | 9.9 | 55Q | 19.84 |
| ASCE50 | 98.43 | 98.43 | 54 | 11.11 | 55Q | 24.855 |
| ASCE60 | 107.95 | 107.95 | 60.33 | 12.3 | 55Q | 30.1 |
| ASCE70 | 117.48 | 117.48 | 61.91 | 13.1 | 55Q | 34.5 |
| ASCE80 | 127 | 127 | 63.5 | 13.89 | U71Mn | 39.82 |
| ASCE85 | 131.76 | 131.76 | 65.09 | 14.29 | U71Mn | 42.3 |
JIS E 1101 Rail
| Type of Rail | Rail height(mm) | Bottom Width(mm) | Head Width(mm) | Web Thickness(mm) | Steel Grade | Weight(kg/m) |
| A | F | C | t | |||
| 9kg | 63.5 | 63.5 | 32.1 | 5.9 | 55Q/5OMn | 8.94 |
| 10kg | 66.67 | 66.67 | 34.13 | 6.35 | 55Q/5OMn | 10.1 |
| 12kg | 69.85 | 69.85 | 38.1 | 7.54 | 55Q/5OMn | 12.2 |
| 15kg | 79.37 | 79.37 | 42.86 | 8.33 | 55Q/5OMn | 15.2 |
| 22kg | 93.66 | 93.66 | 50.8 | 10.72 | 55Q/5OMn | 22.3 |
| 30kg(30A) | 107.95 | 107.95 | 60.33 | 12.3 | 55Q/5OMn | 30.1 |
| 37kg(37A) | 122.24 | 122.24 | 62.71 | 13.49 | 55Q/5OMn | 37.2 |
| 40kgN(40N) | 140 | 122 | 64 | 14 | 55Q/5OMn | 40.9 |
| 50kg (50PS) | 144.46 | 127 | 67.87 | 14.29 | 55Q/5OMn | 50.4 |
| 50kgN(50N) | 153 | 127 | 65 | 15 | 55Q/5OMn | 50.4 |
| 60kg | 174 | 145 | 65 | 16.5 | 55Q/5OMn | 60.8 |
JIS E 1103 Crane Rail
| Type of Rail | Rail height(mm) | Bottom Width(mm) | Head Width(mm) | Web Thickness(mm) | Steel Grade | Weight(kg/m) |
| A | F | C | t | |||
| CR73 | 135 | 140 | 100 | 32 | U71Mn | 73.3 |
| CR100 | 150 | 155 | 120 | 39 | U71Mn | 100.2 |
