Rail Welding

Welding Crane Rails

Cranes operate best when the rails on to which they run are welded into continuous lengths. However rails are difficult to weld as they:

- Have high carbon content to give them wear resistance
- Have a high carbon equivalent and must be welded using special techniques
- Are considered to have a large and awkward section for welding

Rail Welding Methods

Rail welding methods ideally allow:
- Rails to be cut square and not bevelled
- High preheat to cater for the steel composition
- High weld metal deposition rates
- Acceptable defect level for the fracture resistance of the steel

Puddle arc, Aluminothermic and Flash Butt Welding meet these criteria. Although Flash is not suitable for most large section European rails.

Puddle arc is widely used throughout the world for welding crane rails. Gantrail employ skilled technicians who can do this work or can train other operatives. In this method the two rail ends to be joined are cut square, placed about 15 mm apart, preheated and then welded using special stick electrodes.

Aluminothermic Welding uses a refractory mould around the two square cut rails ends. After preheating the rail ends the gap is filled from a crucible containing a chemically heated charge of molten steel.

Both methods require the careful following of procedures by skilled operatives.

Flash Butt Welding is commonly used for welding railway rail in steel mills before shipment. It is sometimes used for site welding crane rails. It requires thousands of amps current and hence heavy expensive equipment. The rail ends are heated by the current passing between them. When hot enough they are forged together.

Photo captions Installing a Stationery Flash Butt Rail Welder
Photo captions Aluminothermic welding on site

Services offered by Gantrail

Puddle arc rail welding
Aluminothermic rail welding
Training of puddle arc welding operatives
Supervision of welding
Inspection of rails and welds