Distinguish of Light Rails, Heavy Rails and Crane Rails

Rail plays a very important role in the world’s railway transport.

The weight of a rail per length is an important factor in determining rails strength and hence axleloads and speeds. Weights are measured in pounds per yard or kilograms per metre; the pounds-per-yard figure is almost exactly double the kilograms-per-metre figure. Rails in Canada, the United Kingdom and United States are described using imperial units. In Australia, metric units are used as in mainland Europe. Commonly, in rail terminology Pound is a contraction of the expression pounds per yard and hence a 132–pound rail means a rail of 132 pounds per yard.

Rail has heavy rail, light rail, crane rail. The difference between heavy rail and light rail are different weight per unit length of the rail. Weight is greater than 24kg per meter rail called heavy rail; weight less than 24kg per meter rail is called light rail. Heavy rail, according to different uses can be divided into general heavy rail and crane rail. Heavy rail generally is mainly used in the railway track, crane rails are mainly used as the guide rails of crane. From a cross-section of the rail , the two kinds have a slightly different shape, compared with the general heavy rails, the crane rail is a bit shorter, and has a wide width and a thick waist.