It is about correct practices of handling and stacking of rails. It widely cover guidelines and best practices in prevalence in India.

2. The Rails, being the most vital component of track, require
careful handling to achieve desired service life.
Any carelessness in loading, unloading, handling and
laying will not only contribute towards bad running but
may cause bending, indentation or damage to the surface
,rendering the rails unserviceable and/or leading to
premature failures of rails.

3. The use of higher UTS rails has been necessitated to
meet the requirement of traffic.
Earlier 72 UTS rails were being used in track which
were having less hardness and more ductility.
Due to less carbon content (0.45 to 0.60%), the
hardness and UTS of 72 UTS rails was less and
these were less prone to fracture.

4. But with the introduction of BOXN wagons with
cast wheels of higher hardness ,the 72 UTS rails
were having alarming wear especially on curves.
To overcome this problem use of 90 UTS and 110
UTS rails started progressively. (carbon content in
90 UTS rails is 0.60 to 0.80%)

5. 90 UTS rails are less prone to wear due to more
hardness but at the same time more susceptible to
fracture.
90 UTS rails, being brittle in nature, are
particularly susceptible to sudden fracture from
locations of even minor dents /deformity. Hence
lot of care has to be exercised in handling of rails
at all stages.

6. Barely visible straightness variations renders a rail
unacceptable and require careful handling and
stacking. Therefore,
Avoid
 Heavy static loading
 sudden impact
 Single point slinging
 Excessive end drop and flange overlap while lifting
or moving

7. DOs
Two point slinging for rails up to 13m length. Increase
slinging point at the rate of 1 per 6.5m
Keep rails horizontal and straight while
lifting/carrying/stacking
Rails to be kept in upright [head up] in straight
alignment.
Provide suitable spacer/dunnage to protect rails
against point contact.

8. The single point slinging increases risk of excessive
bending and surface damage to the rails.
“The overhang beyond outer lifting point should not
be greater than one half the distance between lifting
points.”
 Single point slinging to be avoided.
 Use two point slinging for rail up to 13 m.

9. RAIL
LENGTH
(M)
NO. OF
LIFTING
POINTS
DISTANCE
BETWEEN
LIFTING
MAX. RAIL
END
OVERHANG
(M)
12-13 2 6-6.5 3-3.25
26 4 6.5 3.25
39 6 6.5 3.25
130 20 6.5 3.25
260 40 6.5 3.25
Recommended locations of handling points for
various rail lengths

10. Materials, whether new or old, lying along side the
track is always a potential source of danger and efforts
should be made to handle it as per best practices and
laid down guidelines.
 Instruction regarding unloading and stacking of P.
Way materials on Cess have been laid down in Para
310 of IRPWM.
Arrangement for Placement of Rails along the track ,as
per Drawing No. RDSO/T-8413

11.  After unloading the rails care should be taken to ensure
that there is no infringement and the rails are placed on
firm base to eliminate the possibility of their sliding down
due to vibrations and infringing the moving dimensions.
 Same care should be taken for rails released from the
works of rail.
 For panel of larger length (say beyond 250 m), special care
shall be taken to ensure that the panels do not
buckle/distort and infringe the moving dimensions as a
result of bad handling and stacking.

15. Surface notches of even less than 0.75 mm in depth are
liable to cause rail fracture in service. Therefore,
Avoid
 Impact or abrasion of rails against separators in wagons.
 Round link chain slings for securing the rails.
 Crossing or flange overlap while stacking or making rail
bundles. Suitable spacers to be used while making rail
bundles.
 Any rail support, handling or clamping device and rail
pinch rollers which apply localized or point contact to
the rail.

16. Dos
 Where conventional slings are employed, use of fabric,
e.g. polypropylene slings/sleeves is recommended. As an
alternative, if flat link chains are used, these should be
fitted with fabric sleeves.
 Ideally, lift the rails by using electro-magnetic lifting
devices

17. Rails are thermally very sensitive and are likely to develop
metallurgical defects, if exposed to localized heating,
which produces very hard, brittle metallurgical structures
which may lead to sudden failure.
Avoid
 Heating, flame cutting, on or adjacent to rails.
 Contact with electric arcs and molten metal splashes ,i.e.
from adjacent welding operations .
 Early removal of mould , inadequate preheating in welding
operations.

18. Rails withstand normal degree of rusting but
localised corrosion pitting may cause subsequent
rail fracture.
Avoid
 Contact with injurious substances which cause high
corrosion of steel , i.e. such as acids, alkalis, salts,
fertilizers etc.
DOs
 Stack rails on well drained platform preferably of
concrete base as per Drg. No. RDSO/T-6219

19. Avoid
 Overlapping of rail flanges
 Crossing of layers when dunnage is used
 Leaning stack by placing rail ends (rails of the same
length) in vertical alignment.
 Localised point or line contact loading in stacking
 Criss-cross stacking of rails of alternative layers as at
right angle as far as possible

20. DOs
Stack rails of same length [as far as possible] on firm
level base of well drained platform providing uniform
support, as per Drawing No. RDSO/T-6219.
 Each stack of the rail should of the same section and class.
 Successive layers may be of the same or decreasing width
for stacking of unequal length of rails.

21. Subsequent layers should be separated with
uniformly placed suitable spacers or dunnage in
vertical alignment with base supports.
Place rails of shorter length in upper layers.
Use of suitable rail handling equipment, such as
electromagnetic lifting devices, rail grips etc.

23. CE Circular No.-246 & 181
Para 254,255 & 310 of IRPWM
Revised FBW Manual-2012
Technical Diary-2014
CT-35:RDSO Guidelines for Handling and Stacking of
Rails

24. Thank You