Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) awarded British Steel a contract to supply 86,000 tonnes of rail, which includes 68,000 tonnes standard grade rail and 18,000 tonnes premium heat-treated SF350 rails. All rails to be delivered have 108 metres each.
The premium SF heat treated rails are designed for use in curved or heavy haul tracks where wear and fatigue are significant issues. “Products like this reduce the need for costly and lengthy maintenance and replacement programmes thereby maximising track availability and allowing trains to run for longer – major benefits for operators and their customers,” Richard Bell, British Steel’s Commercial Director Rail said.
The steel for the SF heat treated rails is manufactured at the company’s headquarters in Scunthorpe, England, before being transported to British Steel’s state-of-the art rail rolling facility in Hayange, France. Once there it’s rolled into rails and further strengthened using British Steel’s special heat treatment process.
The unique manufacturing process uses inductive heating followed by compressed air cooling in one continuous movement. This process is so tightly controlled that unlike competitors, no roller-straightening is required afterwards, resulting in a more durable ‘stress-free’ rail.
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