What steel is used for rail tracks?
Jan 21, 2026
Steel rail is a high-strength structural steel component with a head, web, and base, designed to bear wheel loads, maintain alignment, and transfer forces to sleepers and foundations. It is the primary load-bearing element of railway and industrial track systems, produced with precise dimensional tolerances and metallurgical control to ensure long-term durability. GNEE RAIL supplies a wide range of steel rails, including heavy rails for mainline railways, light rails for branch lines, crane rails for industrial operations, and flat bar rails for trolleys and warehouses, along with a complete selection of rail fasteners, base plates, and installation guidance to meet diverse global requirements.
What steel is used for rail tracks?
Rails are made from specially formulated steels designed to resist wear, fatigue, and deformation under repeated dynamic loading. Common rail steels include high-carbon, low-alloy steels such as U71Mn, U75V, and 50Mn, which provide tensile strengths between 880 MPa and 1100 MPa and rail head hardness ranging from 240 HB to over 300 HB depending on heat treatment. Other steels such as R260, R350HT, and 55Q are used for specific international standards and high-stress applications.
| Steel Grade | Standard | Typical Rail Types | Mechanical Properties | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U71Mn | GB/T 8162 | Heavy Rail, QU Crane Rail | Tensile 880–900 MPa, Hardness 250–270 HB | Mainline railways, heavy industrial cranes |
| U75V | GB/T 8162 | High-speed Rail | Tensile 950–1000 MPa, Hardness 260–280 HB | High-speed passenger and freight lines |
| 50Mn | DIN536 | DIN536 Crane Rail | Tensile 1000–1100 MPa, Hardness 270–300 HB | Gantry cranes, steel mills, ports |
| R260 | EN 13674 | Light Rail | Tensile 880 MPa, Hardness 240–260 HB | Urban transit, factory tracks |
| R350HT | EN 13674 | High-strength Heavy Rail | Tensile 1100 MPa, Hardness 300+ HB | Heavy-haul freight and industrial tracks |
| 55Q | GB/T 8162 | Light & Medium Rail | Tensile 900 MPa, Hardness 240–260 HB | Regional railways, branch lines |
| 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 |
The choice of steel grade is determined by expected axle loads, operating speed, climate, and track type. GNEE RAIL ensures all steel rails meet international standards, including GB, UIC, EN, AREMA, DIN536, and JIS, and provides customization options to match client-specific operational requirements.
| 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 | |
| GB 2585-2007 | 50kg/m | U71Mn |
| 60kg/m | U75V | |
| 75kg/m | ||
| TB/T2344-2012 | 50kg/m | U71Mn,U75V,U77MnCr |
| 60kg/m | U78CrV | |
| 75kg/m | ||
| GB 11264-1989 | 8kg/m | Q235 |
| 12kg/m | Q235 | |
| 15kg/m | 55Q, Q235 | |
| 18kg/m | 55Q, Q235 | |
| 22kg/m | 55Q, Q235 | |
| 24kg/m | 55Q, Q235 | |
| 30kg/m | 55Q, Q235 | |
| 38kg/m | 50Mn, U71Mn | |
| 43kg/m | 50Mn, U71Mn | |
| GB Crane rails | QU70 | U71Mn |
| QU80 | U71Mn | |
| QU100 | U71Mn | |
| QU120 | U71Mn |
Why Does Steel Selection Matter for Rails?
The durability, safety, and performance of a rail system depend critically on steel selection. High-strength alloy steels ensure resistance to wear, rolling contact fatigue, and head deformation, which are essential for both train operation and industrial crane systems.
Rails from GNEE RAIL are manufactured under strict metallurgical control to provide uniform mechanical properties along the rail length, reducing maintenance frequency and operational risks. Heat treatment and alloy composition are optimized to suit different environmental conditions, such as high temperature, cold climates, or high-humidity coastal regions.
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.
