William Jessop's (fishbellied) ' edge rails' were cast by the Butterley Company. His partner William Jessop preferred the use of ' edge rails' in 1789 where the wheels were flanged and, over time, it was realised that this combination worked better. which later became the Butterley Company in Ripley. An early proponent of this design was Benjamin Outram of B. 'L' shaped) and with the wagon wheels flat. These were superseded by cast iron rails that were flanged (i.e. However, the long-term expense involved in frequent maintenance outweighed any savings. Strap rails sometimes separated from the wooden base and speared into the floor of the carriages above, creating what was referred to as a 'snake head'. These rails were too fragile to carry heavy loads, but because the initial construction cost was less, this method was sometimes used to quickly build an inexpensive rail line. History Fishbelly edge rails laid on stone blocks on the Cromford and High Peak Railway Cross sections of early rails Stephenson-rail-patent half-lap jointed fishbelly rail patented in 1816Įarly rails were used on horse drawn wagonways, originally with wooden rails, but from the 1760s using strap-iron rails, which consisted of thin strips of cast iron fixed onto wooden rails. Worn, heavy rail from a mainline is often reclaimed and downgraded for re-use on a branch line, siding or yard. Only a small number of rail sizes are made by steelworks at one time, so a railway must choose the nearest suitable size. Rails represent a substantial fraction of the cost of a railway line. Minor flaws in the steel that may pose no problems in other applications can lead to broken rails and dangerous derailments when used on railway tracks.īy and large, the heavier the rails and the rest of the track work, the heavier and faster the trains these tracks can carry. It took many decades to improve the quality of the materials, including the change from iron to steel. Unlike some other uses of iron and steel, railway rails are subject to very high stresses and are made of very high quality steel. The head is profiled to resist wear and to give a good ride, and the foot profiled to suit the fixing system.

All modern rails are hot rolled steel with a cross section (profile) approximate to an I-beam, but asymmetric about a horizontal axis (however see grooved rail below). The rail profile is the cross sectional shape of a railway rail, perpendicular to its length.Įarly rails were made of wood, cast iron or wrought iron. Early rails in US Section of the Translohr guidance rail (during the Clermont-Ferrand installation in 2006) Cross-sections of flat-bottomed rail which can rest directly on the sleepers, and bullhead rails which sit in chairs (not shown). Rail from 1896 showing manufacturer's name and specification formed onto the web of rail during rolling. For the vertical alignment of a track, see Track geometry § Alignment.

E track rails bulk