Transport Rails – American profiles

Transport Rails

AMERICAN PROFILES

Transport Rails are the most familiar rails produced. They are used by freight, passenger and public-transit railways to move goods and people long distances.

The installation of Transport Rails is usually on tie-and-ballast foundations. This has encouraged rail shapes with tall profiles to better transfer wheel loads from tie-to-tie. Transport rails are all relatively heavy sections, greater than 90 lbs/ yard (44.64 kg/m).

Transport Rails are connected to one another by welding and/or by jointed connections. Rails can be supplied with either drilled or non-drilled (blank) ends as required.

Basic Dimensions

ProfilesWeightHead widthHeight Base width Web
kg/mlb/ydmminmminmminmmin
90ARA-A (TR45) 44.6790.0565.092 9/16142.885 5/8130.185 1/814.299/16
100ARA-A 49.88100.5669.852 3/4152.406139.705 1/214.299/16
100ARA-B (100-8) 49.87100.5367.472 21/32143.275 41/64130.575 9/6414.299/16
100RE (TR50) 50.35101.5068.262 11/16152.406136.535 3/814.299/16
115RE (TR57) 56.80114.5069.062 23/32168.286 5/8139.705 1/215.885/8
115RE R10 (TR57) 56.90114.7069.062 23/32168.286 5/8139.75 1/215.885/8
119RE 58.86118.6767.472 21/32173.046 13/16139.705 1/215.885/8
132RE 65.33131.7076.203180.987 1/8152.40616.6721/32
133RE 66.10133.2576.203179.397 1/16152.40617.4611/16
136RE (TR68) 67.42135.9174.612 15/16185.747 5/16152.40617.4611/16
136RE R10 (TR68) 67.50136.0574.612 15/16185.747 5/16152.4617.4611/16
141RE 69.80140.7077.793 1/16188.917 7/16152.40617.4611/16
136TW 87.83177.0574.612 15/16185.747 5/16152.40642.861 11/16

Mechanical properties

SpecsSteel Grade
(grade shown on web)
Hardness
HB
Tensile Strength
ksi
Yield Strength
ksi
Elongation
%
AREMAStandard Strength (SS)≥ 310≥ 142.5≥ 74.0≥ 10
(with Carbon Steel chemistry)
Intermediate Strength (IS)≥ 350≥ 155.0≥ 105.0≥ 10
High Strength / Head Hardened (HH)≥ 370≥ 171.0≥ 120.0≥ 10
AREMAStandard Strength (LA)≥ 310≥ 142.5≥ 74.0≥ 10
(with Low Alloy Steel chemistry)
Intermediate Strength (IH)≥ 325≥ 147.0≥ 80.0≥ 8
High Strength / Head Harderned (LH)≥ 370≥ 171.0≥ 120.0≥ 10

Chemical composition
AREMA provides two possible steel chemistries: Carbon Steel or Low Alloy Steel

AREMA 2019C
%
Mn
%
P
%
S
%
Si
%
Ni
%
Cr
%
Mb
%
V
%
Al
%
Carbon Steel0.74 - 0.860.75 - 1.25≤ 0.020≤ 0.0200.10 - 0.60≤ 0.25≤ 0.30≤ 0.060≤ 0.010≤ 0.010
Low Alloy Steel (for Std Strength)0.72 - 0.820.80 - 1.10≤ 0.020≤ 0.0200.10 - 0.50≤ 0.150.25 - 0.40≤ 0.050≤ 0.010≤ 0.005
Low Alloy Steel (for Int. & High Strength)0.72 - 0.820.70 - 1.25≤ 0.020≤ 0.0200.10 - 1.00≤ 0.150.40 - 0.70≤ 0.050≤ 0.010≤ 0.005

Drilling

Rail profileSpacingHole diameterElevation
ABCDE
mminmminmminmminmmin
90ARA-A (TR45)68.262 11/16139.705 1/2n/an/a28.581 1/865.482 37/64
100ARA-A68.262 11/16139.705 1/2n/an/a30.161 3/1669.852 3/4
100ARA-B (100-8)67.472 21/32184.157 1/4139.705 1/228.581 1/863.702 65/128
100RE (TR50)68.262 11/16139.705 1/2n/an/a28.581 1/868.662 45/64
115RE (TR57)88.903 1/2152.406152.40628.581 1/873.032 7/8
119RE88.903 1/2152.406152.40628.581 1/873.032 7/8
132RE88.903 1/2152.406152.40631.751 1/478.583 3/32
133RE88.903 1/2152.406152.40628.581 1/876.203
136RE (TR68)88.903 1/2152.406152.40631.751 1/478.583 3/32
Drilling - Transport Rails

Description

Many American organizations have contributed to the design of Transport rails. Not all of these organizations still exist but their names live on in the rails which they developed.

These organizations include:

  • ASTM ‒ American Society for Testing and Materials
  • AREMA ‒ American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association
  • AREA ‒ American Railway Engineering Association (now part of AREMA)
  • ARA ‒ American Railway Association (now part of AREMA)
    °  ARA-A ‒ higher grade rail for high speeds applications
    °  ARA-B ‒ lower grade rail for heavy loads at low speeds

For railway and industrial applications, rail sections weighing in the range 60 lbs/yard (29.76 kg/m) to 114 lbs/yard (56.55 kg/m) are typically governed by the ASTM A1 specification. Transport rails weighing more than 114 lbs/yard (56.55 kg/m) follow AREMA specifications. Wirth Rail offers American Transport rail profiles in a number of different grades to suit different applications. There are many grades available, but those defined by AREMA and ASTM are the most common. In general, relative to other rail types, American Transport Rails tend to be very hard to reduce in-service wear.

Various lengths are available, with the most common being 39, 40 and 80 feet and 12, 18 and 24 metres.