8 Rail connections

8.1 General
Rail connections are rail joints or welds for producing a rail track from individual rail sections. If
possible, stagger the rail joints relative to the carrier joints and the concrete beam joints. This
also applies if the rails are continuously welded. Level out the rail joints vertically and laterally
in order to prevent jolting during travel. Provide an adequate lateral guide when using open
and bolted connections (fishplates or rail supports).

Rail connections
Connections can be open, bolted/with fishplate or welded, depending on whether the joint is
an end joint (square butt end joint), an inclined T-joint (mitre joint) or a step joint.

Open track joints must be prevented if possible, but you can not always avoid them e.g. in the
case of separable or mobile tracks.
Fish joints should only be used for systems that are utilised for a short time. Do not use tracks
with fishplate joints for continuous operation.
The step joint causes the highest costs due to its design. The travel smoothness characteris-
tics are not as good as with an inclined T-joint.

As the only joint that is permanently capable of bearing loads, POLYSIUS recommends the
welded rail joint in the form of a square butt end joint or, still better, in the form of an inclined
T-joint.

8.2 The butt joint (square butt end joint)

is the joint type with the least extent of work and expenditure. However, jolting during travel
cannot be avoided and the protruding edges become deformed and break away. Extension of
the joint gaps due to temperature influence has to be expected.

8.3 The inclined T-joint (mitre joint)

involves a greater extent of work and expenditure than the butt joint. The continuous transition
ensures better travelling properties. Due to weakening of the cross section the tips have a ten-
dency to break away. The rails can be slightly inclined in order to reduce the damage. The
possibilities for changing the rail position are limited. If greater longitudinal deviations have to
be absorbed, this requires special design measures.

8.4 Welded connections

are feasible and customary for all types of rails. The rail material and the welding system must
be carefully coordinated so that the rail joint can absorb high wheel loads without being dam-
aged. Local jolting must be avoided during the entire welding process. The technical require-
ments for welded crane rail joints are defined according to SEB 368 100. Liquid metal welding
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(thermit welding) and arc and manual welding are the preferred types of joint welding. The
Stahl- Eisen- Betriebblatt (SEB) contains comprehensive information about this manufacturing
process, further requirements, tests and safety instructions. Manual electric arc welding has
proved effective for repair welding. We recommend testing the welded joints by means of non-
destructive testing methods and such testing is essential in the case of highly stressed crane
rails. The rails must be accessible all-around for welding and testing purposes.

8.5 Assessment of the rail connections

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 9 Welding the rail joints

9.1 Preparation for manual electric arc welding

9.1.1 Flame cuts

The end faces of the individual lengths can be produced by saw cutting or flame cutting. If they
are flame cut, rails of steel grades R200 or R220 have to be preheated to 400 °C. Apply the
preheating uniformly over the entire profile and over a rail length of at least 100 mm on both
sides of the heat application point. Subsequently maintain the temperature level for a period of
approx. 5 minutes.

9.1.2 Square butt joint

If making a weld joint by the metal-arc welding process, join the individual lengths with a weld
reinforcement of approx. 3 mm in such a way that a square butt joint with a root-face spacing
of 15 to 20 mm is formed between the end faces of the rail ends.

9.1.3 Weld pool backups In the area of the rail chair

Place the rail feet to be welded on a
3...4 mm

1000 mm 15...20 mm
copper or ceramic base plate with a
groove to enable better through-
welding and to hold the slag. Manu-
facture these base plates to suit the
size of rail foot. Attach copper cheek
plates that fit the shape of the rail
profile to each side of the rails.
These copper cheek plates must
have spacers to create the neces-
sary interspace between the web
and the cheek plates to enable the Rail chair base plate
Heat insulation mat
slag to run off. Hold the cheek Elastic intermediate layer

plates in place with a wire clip or a

screw clamp. Protect the elastic inter-
mediate layer against
At a distance from the rail chair
excessive heat
3...4 mm

15...20 mm 1000 mm

Heat insulation mat

9.1.4 Preheating

Due to the carbon content of all steel

grades used for rails, preheating is
Elastic intermediate layer
always necessary before the welding.
As a rule, the preheating tempera-
Rail chair base plate tures are between 300 °C and 500
°C. You must perform the preheating
uniformly over a length of 100 to 200 mm on both sides. Maintain the preheating temperature
throughout the entire welding period and for about 5 minutes afterwards and suitably monitor
it, e.g. by means of thermo-chrome pins or a magnetic thermometer.

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9.2 Welding

9.2.1 General

Always weld a butt joint without interruption. Weld the entire rail joint without allowing the tem-
perature to fall below the preheat level. At first, consecutively weld the rail foot and the rail
web. Perform the preheating throughout this time. Preheat again if heat losses occur as a re-
sult of delays!
First fasten the weld pool backups underneath the rail foot.
After welding the foot, attach the copper cheek plates at both sides of the web and hold them
in place by means of a wire clip or a screw clamp.
Weld the rail head in several layers. At first, weld the joint gap up to a height of 2/3 of the rail
head with a rod electrode that is approved for the grade of rail steel concerned.
Weld the last third of the rail head with a surfacing electrode (a rod electrode is generally
used) that is suited to and approved for the hardness of the rail material.
If you use rod electrodes, be sure to redry and process them in accordance with the manufac-
turer's specifications. Comply with the electrode manufacturer's specifications when setting the
amperage and the polarity.
Ensure that the cooling takes place as slowly as possible, e.g. by covering the welded joint
with mineral wool.
Finally, dress the weld must by either manual or mechanical grinding, using a steel ruler to
check the permissible deviations in accordance with the provided tolerance table. If sagging of
the rail is detected as a result of shrinkage of the weld joint, compensate for the sag by creat-
ing a triangular preheated area in the area of the weld seam at the rail foot and the web. Cre-
ate the triangular preheated area simultaneously on the left and right by means of two burners.

9.2.2 Joint welding

Weld the rail foot and web using a basic

electrode Ø 3.2 mm (Ø 4.0 mm), oscillating
between the rail ends. Completely weld the
rail foot up to the transition between rail foot
and web before mounting the copper cheek
plates as weld pool backup for the web and
rail head and then proceeding with the weld-
ing up to 2/3 of the height of the rail head.

9.2.3 Rod electrodes for joint weld-

ing
- ISO 2560-A - E 46 4 B 32 H5 acc. to DIN EN ISO 2560
Basic coated rod electrodes with good welding characteristics that are weldable with direct
current at the positive pole. Usable in permanent way construction for railways and tramways
for the welding of rail joints and frogs and for all grades of rail steel.

9.2.4 Surface welding

Weld the last third of the rail head with a wear-resistant surfacing rod electrode that is suited to
and approved for the hardness of the rail material.

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9.2.5 Rod electrodes for surface welding
- Coated rod electrode EN 14700 E Fe1 (acc. to EN 14700)

These are thick-coated, basic coated rod electrodes with good welding characteristics that are
weldable with direct current at the positive pole. The melted-off weld metal has a hardness of
at least 300 HB and can be machined with high-speed tool steels.

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