British Steel has developed a new rail profile in collaboration with Infrabel, Belgium’s railway infrastructure operator, the company announced in a press release.
Engineers at British Steel’s Scunthorpe Rail and Section Mill worked with Infrabel to create the 50E2 rail profile, which is exclusive to the Belgian railway network. While most countries use one or two distinct rail profiles tailored to their specific traffic demands and environmental conditions, this new development provides a blueprint for British Steel to supply 50kg rail profiles globally, subject to minimum order quantities.
The 50 in the profile name refers to the rail’s weight per unit length, a key factor in determining its strength, axle load capacity, and speed limits. Like all British Steel rail profiles, it is measured in kilograms per metre, meaning each metre of the rail weighs 50kg.
