Pangang's seamless rail welding test succeeded
The fourth-generation rail (PG4) welding test, conducted by the Ministry of Railways, the Institute of Metallurgical Research, the Panzhihua Iron and Steel Products Application Research Center, and the Zhengzhou Railway Bureau, has now entered the critical phase of welding and track laying. The Luoyang Works Section is currently under construction, with plans to complete the first seamless line test section—featuring the highest strength rail in China—in just one month. This marks a significant milestone in China's railway modernization efforts.
A seamless rail line, also known as a long rail line, is created by welding multiple standard-length rails into continuous sections ranging from 250m to 500m. These long rails are then transported to the site for further welding, forming either interval or super-interval seamless tracks. Compared to traditional rail lines, seamless tracks eliminate the impact of wheels on rail joints, resulting in smoother and faster train operations. They also reduce wear on both the track infrastructure and rolling stock, lower noise levels, and decrease maintenance requirements. Seamless lines are essential for high-speed and heavy-haul railways and represent the future direction of modern railway development.
Industry experts note that railway rails are continuously evolving, with traditional pearlite and bainite structures being gradually replaced. Among the widely used pearlite rails, Panzhihua Iron and Steel’s PG4 online heat-treated rail has achieved a strength grade of 1300MPa, the highest in the world. To fully leverage the performance of these high-strength rails in heavy-duty and curved seamless lines, Panzhihua and the railway authorities launched a base flash welding test in August this year, focusing on the welding characteristics of PG4 rails. The long rails prepared for on-site track laying closely mimic real-world aluminum thermite welding conditions, and the results have been promising. This successful trial lays a solid foundation for upcoming on-site welding and paving tests, bringing China one step closer to advanced rail technology.
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