What is Pandrol clip in railway?
Jan 28, 2026
A rail clip is an elastic mechanical retainer that locks the rail into the fastening assembly by applying sustained spring force, ensuring that track geometry remains stable even under repeated cyclic loading. This allows rails to perform safely over extended service life. GNEE RAIL offers all mainstream clip categories including E-Type, SKL, Nabla, Pandrol(PR), KPO, Deenik, Fast Clip, Crane Rail Clip, and Russian Rail Clip types, matched with different sleeper and baseplate structures.
What is Pandrol clip in railway?
A Pandrol clip (or PR clip) is a type of elastic, self-tensioning, and threadless rail fastener used to secure railway rails to sleepers, preventing rail rollover and maintaining track gauge. Made of steel, these clips are vital for modern track systems, providing high-performance, vibration-reducing fastening, with common examples including the e-Clip, Fastclip, and SKL systems.
| Item | E Clip Fasteners | |||
| Chemical Composition | 60Si2MnA | 60Si2CrA | 55Si2Mn | 38Si7 |
| C:0.56-0.64, Mn:060-0.90, Si:1.50-2.00, Cr:≤0.35, P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.56-0.64, Mn:0.40-0.70, Si:1.40-1.80, Cr:0.70-1.00 P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 |
C:0.52-0.60, Mn:0.60-0.90, Si:1.50-2.00, Cr:≤0.35 P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 |
C:0.35-0.42, Mn:0.50-0.80, Si:1.50-1.80, P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | |
| Hardness | 44-48 HRC | |||
| Fatigue Life | 3-5 million cycles without breaking | |||
| Surface | Plain Oiled, Oxygen Black, Zinc Plated, Hot Dip Galvanized, Dacro coating, Color Painting | |||
| Standard | UIC, AREMA, BS, RDSO, DIN, JIS, ISCR, VALEC, GOSTR- EASC, GB/T or other upon requirements | |||
| Package | Moven Bag, Pallet | |||
| Delivery | Depends on order | |||
| Name | SKL tension clamp |
| Material | 60Si2MnA 60Si2CrA 55Si2Mn 38Si7 |
| Hardness | 42-47HRC |
| Fatigue Life | for Dia.18 is 3 millions cycles without breaking |
| for Dia.20 is 5 millions cycles without breaking | |
| Surface | plain (oiled), Oxide black, color painting or according to customer requirement |
| Standard | DIN17221, BS970, GB/T1222 |
| FC 1500 | FC 1600 | |
| Nominal Buckle Pressure | 1000 kgf | 1250 kgf |
| Buckle Pressure | > 16 kN | > 20 kN |
| Rail Resistance to Climbing | >7kN | > 9 kN |
| Insulation Resistance | >5 kO | >5 kO |
Key Usage Examples of Pandrol Clips:
- Concrete & Wooden Sleepers: Used to anchor rails directly into cast-in-place shoulders or onto baseplates on timber sleepers.
- High-Speed & Heavy-Haul Lines: Employed for their ability to withstand extreme stress and maintain track geometry at high speeds.
- Metro & Urban Transit: Used in noise-sensitive and high-frequency, non-ballasted/slab tracks.
- Turnouts & Special Track: Applied to specialized track components to manage structural, thermal, and dynamic loads.
What are the characteristics of Pandrol rail elastic clip?
Pandrol rail elastic clips (e-Clips, PR clips, Fastclip) are high-strength spring steel fasteners used to secure rails to sleepers, preventing longitudinal movement (rail creep) and maintaining track gauge. They are self-tensioning, durable, and reduce maintenance needs while providing high-performance fastening in ballast and slab tracks.
Key Characteristics of Pandrol Rail Elastic Clips
- Material and Durability: Manufactured from high-strength spring steel (e.g., 60Si2MnA), designed for long life, with high resistance to fatigue, often lasting through 3-5 million cycles without breaking.
| 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 |
- Self-Tensioning & High Toe Load: They function as a "fit and forget" system that maintains a consistent, high toe load (e.g., 710 kg for a 20.6 mm diameter clip), ensuring no relative movement occurs between the rail and sleeper.
- Vibration Absorption: Due to their elastic nature, these clips absorb shocks and vibrations from passing trains, improving track stability.
- Easy Installation/Maintenance: They can be installed and removed using standard tools (like a 4-pound hammer) or specialized machines (e.g., Pandrol CD100/CD200), requiring minimal maintenance.
- Versatility: Suitable for varied railway environments, including wood, steel, and concrete 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.
