Team News Riveting
Raipur, September 23
The seventh rake with around 1000 Tonnes of R350 HT (heat-treated) rails in desired length was despatched to Indian Railways in current fiscal year 2024-25 from SAIL-Bhilai Steel Plant on 21st September 2024.
These include four rakes despatched in the present production campaign of R350 HT rails at the Plant’s Universal Rail Mill (URM). Three rakes of R350 HT rails had been despatched in the month of April 2024. In the current campaign, 130 metre prime R350 HT rails have been rolled for the first time and as a result a 260 metre panel of R350 HT rail will have one weld joint. It is worth mentioning that SAIL-Bhilai rolls out the world’s longest 130 metre rail in single piece at URM for supply to the Indian Railways.
Indian Railways that is modernizing itself & moving towards faster rail transportation with higher axle loads has been demanding both micro-alloyed rails and heat-treated rails from SAIL. Along with the regular production of micro-alloyed R260 grade rails, the Plant’s Universal Rail Mill had taken up the challenging task of rolling of heat-treated rails as per the demand of Indian Railways.
These special grade heat-treated rails are best suited for those stretches of rail transportation where axle load and speeds are higher and there is faster acceleration and deceleration of trains, thereby resulting in more friction between the wheels and rails.
Following successful trials, rigorous tests and clearance from Indian Railway’s research wing, RDSO, commercial production of R350 HT rails started at Universal Rail Mill in October 2023. The first lot of 1000 Tonnes of 260 metre long R350 HT rails was dispatched to Indian Railways on 31st October 2023. Overcoming many challenges from both process and equipment side, SAIL-Bhilai Steel Plant has in the current fiscal year progressively improved production capability, rolling parameters and prime acceptance of R350 HT rails.
