A rail fastening system is a means of fixing rails to railroad ties or sleepers. The terms rail anchors, tie plates, chairs and track fasteners are used to refer to parts or all of a rail fastening system. The components of a rail fastening system may also be known collectively as other track material, or OTM for short. Various types of fastening have been used over the years.
Elements of a baseplate-based rail fastening system Screw for fixing plate to sleeper Elastomeric pad supporting rail Tension washer Rail clamp Tensioning bolt (nut not shown) Baseplate
Unimog pushing a "Spindle Precision Wrenching Unit" used for automatic and synchronous tightening and loosening of rail fastenings
Mabbett Railway Chair Manufacturing Company share certificate (1867)
Assembled example
The rail profile is the cross sectional shape of a railway rail, perpendicular to its length.
Rail from 1896 showing manufacturer's name and specification formed onto the web of rail during rolling.
Early rails in US
Section of the Translohr guidance rail (during the Clermont-Ferrand installation in 2006)
Fishbelly edge rails laid on stone blocks on the Cromford and High Peak Railway