Rail joints, often referred to as fishplates or joint bars, are components that connect rails end-to-end. They are utilized in light rail, heavy rail, and crane rail applications. Holes in the middle of the fishplate allow for rail bolts to fasten securely. The design includes sloped areas at the top and bottom, aligning with the railhead and the bottom of the rail. This design ensures that the joint bars effectively secure the rails, minimizing any movement. Consequently, high-quality rail joints can significantly reduce the impact of passing wheels and enhance the overall smoothness of train operations.

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Even though welded rails have seen rapid advancements and increased usage, rail joints still hold advantages in terms of cost and labor efficiency due to their straightforward installation process. The operational condition and safety performance of rail joints directly influence the safety and performance of railway lines.

Types of Rail Joints

Rail joints can be categorized based on the materials used, including ductile iron, Q235 type, and Q255 rolling or forging types. Typically, medium to high carbon steels serve as raw materials. Based on their applications, rail joints are classified into bolted rail joints, compromise rail joints, and insulated rail joints.

• Bolted Rail Joints

Bolted rail joints are ideally suited for slow-speed, light transportation railroads.

• Compromise Rail Joints

Compromise rail joints connect two rails of differing sizes. Unlike standard linear rail joints, these bars exhibit irregular shapes.

• Insulated Rail Joints

Insulated rail joints represent a modern track material crafted from high-strength composite materials. As thermosetting materials, they cannot be reprocessed. These joints provide electrical isolation, sending signals when trains reach specific positions. They are extensively used in freight railroads to detect outages and manage traffic flow.

Features of Insulated Joints:

1. Reliable insulation properties.
2. Lightweight yet strong.
3. Effective across a wide temperature range (-55~85°C).
4. Excellent impact resistance and toughness.
5. Durability and long service life.
6. Resistant to water, corrosion, and good tolerance.
7. Easy to handle and install, ensuring efficiency.
8. Maintenance-free insulation enables quick troubleshooting.

Rail Joints for Sale

• Light rail joints: 8kg, 9kg, 12kg, 15kg, 18kg, 22kg, and 30kg.
• Heavy rail joints: 43kg, 50kg, and 60kg.
• Crane rail joints: QU70, QU80, QU100, and QU120.

Rail Joints of International Standards

AREMA

Type Length/Diameter Weight115RE4 hole-24; 17.04Kg 115RE6 hole-36; 25.56Kg 132-136RE4 hole-24; 17.75Kg 132-136RE6 hole-36; 26.63Kg

UIC864

Type Length/Diameter WeightUIC604 hole-630/Ø.07Kg UIC604 hole-600/Ø.47Kg UIC604 hole-630/Ø.1Kg UIC544 hole14.34Kg UIC546 hole-.94Kg

BS 47-1

Type Length/Diameter WeightBS75R4 hole6.56Kg BS60A4 hole5.61Kg BS80A4 hole6.5Kg BS90A685.8/Ø.23Kg BS90A792.9/Ø26.215.34Kg BS100A4 hole

AS

Type Length/Diameter Weight50kg4 hole14.3Kg 50kg6 hole19.5Kg

Additionally, other railway-related materials such as gauge rods, rail clips, rail clamps, and rail pads are also available.

Types of Rail Joints and Their Basic Requirements

What Are the Types of Rail Joints?

The joint formed between two rails, which is incidentally the weakest part of the track, is known as a rail joint. To minimize movement, various fastening techniques are used. Depending on the joint's position, rail joints are classified as follows:

Types of Rail Joints According to Position

Square Rail Joint:

A square rail joint occurs when a joint on one rail aligns directly opposite a joint on a parallel rail, commonly seen in straight rails. However, staggered joints are currently preferred.

Staggered Rail Joint:

In a staggered rail joint, a joint on one rail is positioned directly opposite the center of the parallel rail's length.

Advantages of Staggered Rail Joints:

• Centrifugal forces on curved tracks tend to push the track away from the straight line, and since the joint is the weakest point, this effect is most pronounced there.
• They help reduce the influence of centrifugal forces.
• Staggered rail joints provide smoother operations compared to square rail joints.

Types of Rail Joints According to Position of Sleepers

Suspended Rail Joint:

A suspended rail joint is located between two consecutive sleepers. The load is distributed evenly across both sleepers, and when the joint is depressed, both rail ends lower simultaneously, leading to a requirement for more maintenance.

Supported Rail Joint:

A supported rail joint occurs when a sleeper is directly under the rail joint. This type of joint is not commonly used, as it has been found that supported joints can sufficiently support heavy axle loads.

Bridge Rail Joint:

Similar to a suspended rail joint, the bridge rail joint uses a metal section to connect the rail ends, preventing bending stresses. However, experimental evidence shows that these joints are not practical and thus are not favored currently.

Types of Rail Joints According to Performance and Application

Ordinary Rail Joint:

The ordinary rail joint is known for being the weakest link in the track system. This joint is designed to provide a continuous surface for train movement and maintain the gauge distance. Essential aspects include preventing the rail ends from battering and ensuring proper expansion and contraction due to temperature changes.

Compromise Rail Joint:

This joint connects different types of steel rails, utilizing special-shaped splints and pads to align the tops of different rail types.

Conductive Rail Joint:

A conductive rail joint serves as a connector for conducting rail currents, particularly used in automatic blocking sections. It typically consists of galvanized iron wires inserted into rail holes or welded into steel sleeves.

Insulated Rail Joint:

Also known as glued insulated rail joints, these are employed at rail joints at the edges of enclosed block sections to prevent current passage between sections. They utilize nylon rail headers to provide insulation and prevent current flow.

Welded Rail Joint:

These joints are formed using welding techniques, including resistance welding and thermite welding, primarily for seamless lines.

Frozen Rail Joint:

This type utilizes increased frictional resistance. Special crescent washers can enhance the bolt holes of conventional rail joints. Commonly seen in southern China, these joints connect standard-length rails into continuous long rail lines.

Characteristics:

• Does not change the current joint structure.
• No adhesives are used.
• No additional mechanical parts required.
• High joint resistance.

Expansion Rail Joint:

This joint accommodates significant expansion at the ends of rails experiencing temperature variations beyond 100 meters. They are categorized into oblique, polyline, and curved types, based on structural plane configurations.

Good Rail Joint Requirements:

• The joint should be robust and maintain the strength of the original track section.
• It should be cost-effective and durable.
• The rails must provide a seamless and level surface for train movement.
• Maintaining the gauge distance is essential.
• The rail ends should not incur damage.
• It should keep the two rails aligned at the same level.
• There should be allowance for thermal expansion and contraction.
• Rail removal and replacement should be straightforward without disrupting the entire track.
• It should exhibit lateral and vertical elasticity.

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