Centre De Recherches Metallurgiques-centrum Voor Research in De

Metallurgique & Miniere De Rodange-athus, Sa.

Metallurgique Et Miniere De Rodange-athus S.a.

Rene Conti

Nicole Lambert

Pierre Simon

Marios Economopoulos

At the exit from the hot rolling mill the rail temperature is reduced to a value not less than that at which the pearlite transformation begins in the rail head. From this temperature the continuously advancing rail is subjected to rapid cooling in a rapid cooling line. Subsequently the rail is cooled to ambient temperature. For a given rail head temperature at the extreme to the rapid cooling line, the length of the line, the speed of advance of the rail, and the average thermal flux density applied to the head, flange, and web of the rail are controlled so that the final mechanical properties of the rail head are obtained, although less then 60% of the cross-section of the head has undergone the austenite-pearlite transformation upon leaving the rapid cooling line, and differences in elongation between the head and the web and between the head and the flange are minimized.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing rails

At the outlet of a hot rolling mill the temperature of a hot rolled rail is reduced to a value not lower than that at which the pearlitic transformation begins in the rail head. The continuously moving rail is then rapidly cooled to below 650.degree. C. so that at least 80% of the austenite-pearlite transformation has occurred at the end of rapid cooling. The rail is then cooled to ambient temperature.

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Athus, Belgium

Rene Conti