What is a wing rail?
Sep 18, 2025| Wing rails are located on either side of the heart rail, "embracing" the heart rail's starting and ending points like wings. Their primary function is to guide the wheel flanges smoothly into and out of the heart rail's working surface. When the train passes straight ahead, the wheels stick closely to the inside of one wing rail and the tip of the heart rail. When the train passes sideways, the wheels roll from the inside of the other wing rail onto the back of the heart rail, achieving a change of direction.
What is wing rail torsional fracture?
Wing rails are components that connect the guide rails to the center rails in high-speed turnouts. Their front ends are twisted to create a certain slope, while their rear ends are bent to provide space for the center rails. During processing, wing rails undergo twisting and bending processes. Improper handling or adverse environmental conditions can easily lead to cracks or even breakage. These fractures typically manifest as brittle cracks in the rail head, rail web, or rail base, and in severe cases, can even result in comminuted fractures.
Processing Quality Issues
Milling of wing rails leaves knife marks and edges on their surface. These defects can form brittle structures (such as a "white layer"), which can become the source of cracks. In contrast, ordinary, unmilled rails are extremely unlikely to break when twisted.
Influence of Ambient Temperature
Winter's low temperatures exacerbate the brittleness of steel, making wing rails more susceptible to brittle fracture when twisted or bent. Data shows that the frequency of fractures in winter is significantly higher than in other seasons.
Side Effects of Quenching
While quenching increases rail hardness, it can also cause microcracks, which can propagate during subsequent processing or use, leading to fracture.
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