The Technical Aspects of the Rail

Manufacturing Process

22nd February / Andrew J Wilson

Manufacturing Process

The Technical Aspects of the Rail Manufacturing

Process

• Tata Steel in the European Rail Market

• The Medium Section Mill – Scunthorpe

• Rail manufacturing

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• Rail in track

• New product development

Tata Steel Rail Business

Tata Steel Scunthorpe

• Medium Section Mill

• Steel-plant

MSM ~ 250k Tonnes Rail

~ 400k Tonnes Sections

Hayange ~ 300k Tonnes Rail

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Tata Steel Hayange

• Hayange Rail Mill

Medium Section Mill

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152 x 127mm Colliery Joists

60E2 Rail

Medium Section Mill

Configuration:

1 WBF capable of 160tph

2 reversing breakdown mill stands

7 stand continuous universal finishing mill

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Medium Section Mill

Rolling

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Medium Section Mill

Finishing

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Medium Section Mill

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Rail Manufacturing

Roller Straightening

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Rail in TrackRolling Rails

HISTORY OF RAIL ROLLING

101

Rail in Track

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Rail in Track

Key Rail Developments over last 100 years

• Cleaner Steel for fewer rail breakages (defects)

• Longer ‘as rolled’ lengths for fewer welds/joints

• Higher carbon, higher hardness for greater wear resistance

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Rail in Track

Rolling Contact Fatigue

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‘Head Checks’

Rail in Track

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Hatfield Rail Crash 17th October 2000

Train speed, 115mph - rail fractured due to gross RCF

4 fatalities, 70 people injured

New Product Developments

Tata Steel ‘High Performance’ HP Rail

Metallurgically Engineered Pearlitic Rail Steel

• Increased volume fraction of pearlitic cementite

• Increased strength of pearlitic ferrite

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Tata Steel in the Rail Industry

Strong Commercial Position in the European Rail Market

World Class Manufacturing facilities

Excellent R&D

World leaders in new rail steel development

Thank you, Any Questions?

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Thank you, Any Questions?

Acknowledgements:

Damian Shipton, Tata Steel Roll Design

Dr. Jay Jaiswal, Tata Steel Rail Technologies

Brian Whitney, Network Rail