Basics about Rails

By
(N.R. Kale )
AXEN/IRICEN
Different types of rails

 Double headed rails

 Bull headed rails

 Flat footed rails

Brand marks
Brand mark shall include:
• Rail section
• The Grade of steel
• Identification mark of manufacturer
• Month (using Roman numbers) and last
two digits of year of manufacture
• Process of making
(O –Basic oxygen or E- electric)
(Brand mark will be rolled at every 3.0m)
Grade of steel (As per T-12/09)
Grade of steel Mark on Rail
880 880
1080 HH 1080 HH
1080 Cr 1080 CR
880 Cu-Mo 880 CM
880 Ni Cr Cu 880 NC
880 Vanadium 880 VN
880 Niobium 880 NB
Standard length and Identification for new
Rails (As per T-12/09)
S.N. Length of Rail Colour code on each end
face on web
1 13m,26m,130m Yellow
and 260m
2 12m,25m,129m Blue
and 259m
3 11m & 24m White

4 10m Green
Rail Section of rails as per T-12/09
Sr.No. Rail Section Calculated
Weight (Kg/m)
1 IRS 52 kg/m 51.89

2 UIC 60 kg/m 60.34

3 ZU 1-60 PROFILE 73.00

4 136 RE (68 kg/m) 67.364

 Main Dimensions of Rails

Rail Wt/M Height Flange Head Web

Section (Kg) (mm) Width Width Thickness
(mm) (mm) (mm)

60Kg 60.34 172 150 74.3 16.5

52Kg 51.89 156 136 67 15.5

Service Life of Rails

Rail Section T-12 90 UTS Rail

MM Rail
60 Kg 550 GMT 800 GMT

52Kg 350 GMT 525 GMT

Quality of Rails (C.S.No-117)
 Prime Quality Rails: New Rail as per IRS-T-12/09( Its
latest version). These rails are further classified based on
tolerance in end straightness as under-
 Class ‘A’ Rails
 Class ‘B’ Rails
 ‘Industrial Use Rails’ : Rails with relaxation in sectional
tolerance as provided in Amendment to IRS – T-12/09 but
otherwise conforming to
T-12/09 in all other respects i.e. Chemical composition,
mechanical properties etc.
These rails can be used in Industrial siding with speed
restriction of 50 Kmph
Identification of different qualities of
Rails (As per T-12/09)
Class ‘A’ Rail Green paint on gauge/non gauge
face for a distance of 500mm at
each end
Class ‘B’ Rail No paint mark
‘IU’ Rail 1.Blue paint on both sides end
face of flange for a distance of 500
mm from each end.
2.The letter ‘IU’ shall be stamped
in 15mm size on end faces
Standard sections of Rails
(CS- 129 dated 28.06.12)
Track Renewal and doubling 60Kg
All gauge conversion and new line 60 Kg
construction except those indicated below
All gauge conversion and new line project 52 Kg
with dead end and having expected traffic
less than 5 GMT and not likely to have
CC+6+2t freight trains in foreseeable
future.
(Minimum UTS of above rails shall be – 90 UTS)
Contd. …..
Loop Lines 60 Kg S/H or 52 Kg S/H

New Rails may be used in loop lines on A, B & C

routes with prior approval of Board
Private & other sidings
Sr.No Category Rail Section

I Private and other siding taking off from 60 Kg

DFC or feeder route to DFC or 25t axle
load route.

II Siding other than I above with 52 Kg S/H or 52 Kg (IU)

permissible speed up to 50 Kmph

III Siding other than I above with 60 Kg

permissible speed more than 50 Kmph
Chemical Composition of 90 UTS
rails
Composition Content in %
Carbon 0.60 to 0.80
Manganese 0.80 to 1.30
Silicon 0.10 to 0.50
Sulfur 0.030 Maximum
Phosphorus 0.030 Maximum
Aluminum 0.015 Maximum
Permissible variation in sectional
weight

Quality of Rails Permissible variation Remark

Prime quality rail 0.5 % below and 1.5 % Piece of rails should not
above be less than 300 mm
Industrial Use Rails +/- 1.5 % ------do------
Permissible tolerance in dimensions
Dimension Prime quality Rails IU Rails Remarks
Overall height +0.8 mm + 2 mm
-0.4 mm -1.0 mm
Head Width +/- 0.5 mm +/- 2.0 mm To be measured 14
mm below the rail top
Web thickness +1.0 mm +2.0 mm To be measured at
- 0.5 mm - 1.0 mm point of minimum
thickness
Flange width + /- 1.0 mm +1.5 mm Concavity not
(For less than 60 kg) - 2.0 mm exceeding 0.40mm
+/- 1.2 mm
(for 60 kg & above)
Tolerance in length
Type of Rail Tolerance in length Remarks

Prime Quality Rail +20 mm - 10 mm 1. In case of 13 M rail

shorter length up to 10 M
will be accepted and up to
24 M in case of 26 M rails
will be accepted
I U grade + 30 mm - 30 mm 2. Shorter length will be in
multiple of 1.0 M
Permissible variation in Straightness
 The straightness of the whole rail shall be
judged by naked eye.
 In case of any doubt or dispute, the effected
portion shall be checked using straight edge of
1.5 M
 The maximum permissible deviation shall be
0.7 mm
 Kinky and twisted rails shall not be permitted.
Permissible tolerance in End straightness

Sr. Straightness Tolerance

No. Class ‘A’ rails Class ‘B’ rails IU grade rails

1 Horizontal Deviation of 0.5 Deviation of 0.7 Deviation of 1.5

mm measured mm measured mm measured
with 2.00 M with 1.5 M with 1.5 M
straight edge straight edge straight edge
2 Vertical Deviation of 0.4 Deviation of 0.5 Deviation of 1.5
a) Up sweep mm measured mm measured mm measured
with 2.00 M with 1.5 M with 1.5 M
straight edge straight edge straight edge
b) Down sweep NIL NIL NIL
Rail Closure (Para-256)
 A rail piece of less than the standard length,
used in the track for closing a rail gap, is called
rail closure. The shortest length of rail closure to
be used in the track as a permanent measure is
5.50 m.
 On following locations and 500m approaches on
both side, minimum length of closure is 11m.
Tunnel, Deep cutting, Major & Important bridges
and high embankment
Causes of Rail Deterioration
(Para- 249)
1) Corrosion and rusting (Generally noticed on
web & foot of rail)
Locations Prone to corrosion :
i) Platform lines.
ii) Sidings where corrosive goods are dealt.
iii) Tunnels and damp cuttings.
iv) Coastal area.
v) Industrial belts.
Contd. …

2.Wear on Rail Table :

 Normally of very small order.
 Amount of wear increases with heavy
traffic density as in suburban section.
3. Flattening of rail table:
 Mostly occurs on the inner rail of a curve.
 Indication of over loading
Contd. …

4. Wear on Gauge Face:

Noticed on outer rail of a curve.
Due to heavy pressure from the wheels
which results in the running edge
becoming worn or ‘side-cut’.
Specially in suburban sections where
multiple unit coaches are provided.
Contd. …

5. Hogging of Rail Ends:

 A hogged rail is one with its end or ends
bent in vertical direction.
 Due to bad maintenance of joints.
 Due to unserviceable sleepers on joints.
Contd. …

6. Battering of Rail Ends:

 Occurs where the gap on fish plated joints
are excessive.
 Caused by impact of wheels on end of a
rail particularly if the fishplates do not fit
snugly.
Contd. …
7.Wheel burns:
 Wheel slipping occurs usually on adverse
gradient or while starting on raising
gradient.
 Heat is generated and depression is
caused on rail table known as wheel
burns.
 Also occur due to sudden application of
brakes.
Contd. …

8.Corrugation:
o Rail table develops hollows and ridges.
o Also known as “Roaring rails”.
o Excessive vibrations are caused.
o Fastening and packing tends to get loose.
o Track needs frequent attention.
Permissible Wear on Rails
(Para-302)
 Vertical Wear

Rail Section Vertical Wear

(mm)
60 Kg 13.00

52 Kg 8.00

90 R 5.00
Contd. ….

 Lateral Wear

Section Route Lateral Wear

Curves A & B Route 8.00 mm

C & D Route 10.00 mm

Straight A & B Route 6.00 mm

C & D Route 8.00 mm
Various Types of Fish plates and
Their usage
a) Ordinary fishplate : Used in normal
cases.
b) 1 m long fishplate : Used for repairs to
rail fracture, Laying of LWR etc.
c) Joggled fish plate : Used to protect
defective / fractured weld.
d) Combination fishplate : Used to join
different section of rails
Contd. …
e) Collarless F/plate : Used under lock bar
on stock rail joint. Top collar of inside fish
plate is trimmed. However, trimming of top
collar is not required in case of 60 Kg rails.
f) Skimmed fish plate : Used in insulated
block joints.
g) Slotted fish plate : Used in case of rail
failure.
Drilling of holes in rails
 The position of hole in rail is at a specified
distance from the base of the rail and not
in the centre of the web.
 the proper drilling of a hole should be
ensured by making use of template.
 Punch should be used for making the hole
centres on the web.
 The permissible tolerance is only 0.8mm
Drilling of holes in rails

Rail Section Distance of hole centre

from bottom of rail
60 Kg 76.25 mm

52 Kg 66.50 mm

90 R 60.00 mm

75 R 54.00 mm
Chamfering of bolt holes

 For hardening of periphery of holes and

thereby delays the formation of star
cracks.
 Existing bolt holes in fracture prone zone
should be chamfered.
 Elongated holes should not be chamfered
to avoid uneven hardening.
Drilling of holes in rails
S.No location Dia of hole
.
1 Ordinary rail hole at F.P.Joint 32 mm
2 Adjoining rail of CMS 26.5 mm
Crossing
3 Glued joints 30 mm
4 Check rail hole 27/28 mm
5 Holes in Tongue rail for fixing 18/20 mm
stretcher bar
6 Stock rail hole for slide chairs 28 mm
THANKS
Different types of Rails
D/headed Bull headed Flat footed
Measurement of Hogged Joint
Measurement of Battered Joint
Combination fishplates
Chamfering tool
 EVOLUTION OF IRS T12
SPECIFICATIONS
 FIRST ISSUE IRS T12/36 IN 1936
 REVISIONS
IRS T12/39 IRS T12/50
IRS T12/53 IRS T12/55
IRS T12/60 IRS T12/64
IRS T12/88 IRS T12/96
IRS T12/09