4

Part 1

Design of Rail1

— 2019 —

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section/Article Description Page

1.1 Recommended Rail Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1-1

LIST OF FIGURES 1
Figure Description Page

4-1-1 115 RE Rail Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1-2

4-1-2 119 RE Rail Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1-3
4-1-3 132 RE Rail Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1-4
4-1-4 133 RE Rail Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1-5 3
4-1-5 136 RE Rail Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1-6
4-1-6 141 RE Rail Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1-7
4-1-7 Generic Rail Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1-8

SECTION 1.1 RECOMMENDED RAIL SECTIONS

Except for specific purposes, such as repair rail, insulated joint replacement, and special trackwork, AREMA recommends that
the purchase of new rail be limited to the 115, 136 and 141 pound sections shown in Figure 4-1-1, Figure 4-1-5, and Figure 4-
1-6.

Figure 4-1-2, Figure 4-1-3 and Figure 4-1-4 are shown for informational purposes.

1
References, Vol. 16, 1915, pp. 397, 1117; Vol. 49, 1948, pp. 375, 614; Vol. 54, 1953, pp. 1177, 1413, Vol. 63, 1962, pp. 498, 768; Vol. 92, 1991, p. 49;
Vol. 96, p. 28.

© 2019, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association 4-1-1

Rail

1. Rail Area (square inch)

Head 3.8861
Web 3.0362
Base 4.2947
Whole Rail 11.2171
2. Rail Weight (lb/yd) (based on specific gravity of rail steel = 7.84) 114.3757
3. Moment of Inertia about the neutral axis 65.5
4. Section modulus of the head 18.0
Section modulus of the base 21.9
5. Height of neutral axis above base 2.99
6. Lateral moment of inertia 10.7
7. Lateral section modulus of the head 7.88
Lateral section modulus of the base 3.89

Figure 4-1-1. 115 RE Rail Section1

1
References, Vol 16, 1915, pp. 399, 1117; Vol. 35, 1934, pp. 875, 1144; Vol 38, 1937, pp. 251, 635; Vol 48, 1947, pp. 660, 908; Vol. 54, 1953, pp. 1177;
Vol. 63, 1962, pp. 498, 768; Vol. 92, 1991, p. 49.

© 2019, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association

4-1-2 AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering

 Design of Rail

1. Rail Area (square inch) 3

Head 4.3068
Web 3.0363
Base 4.2946
Whole Rail 11.6378
2. Rail Weight (lb/yd) (based on specific gravity of rail steel = 7.84) 118.6657
3. Moment of Inertia about the neutral axis 71.4 4
4. Section modulus of the head 19.4
Section modulus of the base 22.8
5. Height of neutral axis above base 3.13
6. Lateral moment of inertia 10.8
7. Lateral section modulus of the head 8.16
Lateral section modulus of the base 3.94
8. Height of shear center above base 1.51
9. Torsional rigidity is ‘KG’ where G is the modulus of rigidity and 5.11
K = (error for K greater than 10%)

Figure 4-1-2. 119 RE Rail Section1

1
References Vol. 72, 1971, p. 160; Vol. 92, 1991, p. 49

© 2019, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association

AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering 4-1-3

Rail

1. Rail Area (square inch)

Head 4.3480
Web 3.6151
Base 4.8701
Whole Rail 12.8332
2. Rail Weight (lb/yd) (based on specific gravity of rail steel = 7.84) 130.7972
3. Moment of Inertia about the neutral axis 86.8
4. Section modulus of the head 22.0
Section modulus of the base 27.3
5. Height of neutral axis above base 3.182
6. Lateral moment of inertia 14.2
7. Lateral section modulus of the head 9.50
Lateral section modulus of the base 4.75

Figure 4-1-3. 132 RE Rail Section

© 2019, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association

4-1-4 AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering

 Design of Rail

1. Rail Area (square inch) 3

Head 4.7279
Web 3.4645
Base 4.8757
Whole Rail 13.0681
2. Rail Weight (lb/yd) (based on specific gravity of rail steel = 7.84) 133.2498
3. Moment of Inertia about the neutral axis 86.2 4
4. Section modulus of the head 22.3
Section modulus of the base 26.9
5. Height of neutral axis above base 3.20
6. Lateral moment of inertia 14.4
7. Lateral section modulus of the head 9.62
Lateral section modulus of the base 4.81
8. Height of shear center above base 1.57
9. Torsional rigidity is ‘KG’ where G is the modulus of rigidity and 5.69
K = (error for K greater than 10%)

Figure 4-1-4. 133 RE Rail Section1

1
References, Vol. 90, 1989, p. 48; Vol. 92, 1991, p. 49.

© 2019, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association

AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering 4-1-5

Rail

136RE

1. Rail Area (square inch)

Head 4.8186
Web 3.6380
Base 4.8696
Whole Rail 13.3262
2. Rail Weight (lb/yd) (based on specific gravity of rail steel = 7.84) 135.8826
3. Moment of Inertia about the neutral axis 94.2148
4. Section modulus of the head 23.7310
Section modulus of the base 28.1878
5. Height of neutral axis above base 3.4239
6. Lateral moment of inertia 14.4556
7. Lateral section modulus of the head 9.8421
Lateral section modulus of the base 4.82

Figure 4-1-5. 136 RE Rail Section1

1
References, Vol. 63, 1962, pp. 498, 768; Vol. 92, 1991, p. 49; Vol. 96, p. 28.

© 2019, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association

4-1-6 AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering

 Design of Rail

1. Rail Area (square inch.) 5. Height of neutral axis above base 3.3436 4
Head 4.8186
Web 7.6712
Base 4.8693
Whole Rail 17.3594
2. Rail Weight (lb/yd) 177.0063 6. Lateral moment of inertia 16.2256
3. Moment of Inertia about the neutral axis 100.6808 7. Lateral section modulus of the head 11.0472
Lateral section modulus of the base 5.4058
4. Section modulus of the head 25.3674
Section modulus of the base 30.1115
136 TW - Thick Web Rail Section

Figure 4-1-6. 141 RE Rail Section

1
References, Vol. 55, 1954, pp. 775, 1098; Vol. 63, 1962, pp. 500, 768; Vol. 92, 1991, p. 49.

© 2019, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association

AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering 4-1-7

Rail

W2
W3 R2 W2
R1 R3
S1
R4

H5

XXXRE R5
S1
H3 (Ex. 1:40)

S2
R6
R5
DETAIL A
H4 SCALE 10 : 1
R7
R8

CL OF R8 & R9
W4

H1

NEUTRAL AXIS

R9
CL
R10
NA

S3 R11

H2

R12
W1

NOTES:
1. ALL DIMENSIONS ARE IN INCHES UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED.
2. ALL RADII ARE ASSUMED TANGENT TO ADJACENT FEATURES
3. WHOLE NUMBER AND FRACTIONAL DIMENSIONS ARE ONLY USED FOR EXACT DIMENSIONS
4. DECIMAL DIMENSIONS SHOWN TO LESS THAN THREE DECIMAL PLACES ARE ASSUMED TO BE EXACT
5. H4 MEASURES TO THE END POINT OF A LINE ORIGINATING FROM THE CENTER OF R8, PASSING
THROUGH THE INTERSECTION OF R7 AND R8, AND TERMINATING AT THE RAIL CENTER LINE.
6. MAXIMUM HEAD WIDTH (W2)IS MEASURED BETWEEN VERTICAL LINES TANGENT TO R5.
7. H5 DEFINES THE POINT OF TANGENCY BETWEEN THE SLOPE (S1) AND THE ADJACENT GAGE CORNER
RADIUS (R4 OR R3). PROFILES WHERE R4 IS OMITTED SHOULD LIST H5 AS A REFERENCE DIMENSION.

Figure 4-1-7. Generic Rail Template

© 2019, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association

4-1-8 AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering