Insulated rail joint kit for in-track installation

1 Scope

This specification consists of requirements concerning the design, production and qualification of  insulated rail joint assembly kit for direct installation in track for use on the Bane NOR network.

An assembly kit will consist of the following components:

• fishplates
• bolts, nuts, and washers
• insulating components
• adhesive material if applicable

This specification applies to joint kits made for the following rail profiles (EN 13674-1):

• 49E1
• 54E3
• 60E1

This specification applies to insulated joint kits for two different applications:

1. Insulated joints for permanent use in a continous welded rail (CWR) track
2. Insulated joints for jointed track or for use as a temporary replacement for defective insulated rail joints.

2 Functional requirements

2.1 General requirements

• Insulated rail joints shall be capable of separating track circuits for signalling purposes and to create breaks between sections in the return path for traction current.
• The joints must form a connection between the rails which does not allow the passage of electric current.
• The insulation must be sufficiently effective to break the flow of traction and signal current in all possible weather conditions.

2.2 Rail temperature range

• The insulated rail joint shall be able to provide sufficient mechanical and electrical resistance in the rail temperature range from -40 °C to +55 °C.

2.3 Axle load and speed

The insulated joints shall be designed to accommodate the following combinations of axle loads and speed:

• Axleload = 18 tonnes at speed = 250 km/h
• Axleload = 20 tonnes at speed = 200 km/h
• Axleload = 25 tonnes at speed = 70 km/h
• Axleload = 32,5 tonnes at speed = 50 km/h

2.4 Compatibility with fastening systems

The insulated joint shall be designed to allow the joint and rail to be fully fastened in a concrete sleeper track with sleeper spacing 60 cm and the following fastening clips:

• Pandrol e 1877
• Pandrol Fastclip FC 1501
• Pandrol Fastclip FE 1404
• Vossloh sytem W30

3 Electrical requirements

3.1 Electrical requirements – dry conditions

When tested in accordance with EN 16843:2024 chapter 7.3.4, the following requirements apply:

• rail – rail resistance shall be ≥ 10 MΩ
• rail – fishplate resistance shall be ≥ 10 MΩ

3.2 Electrical requirements – wet conditions

When tested in accordance with EN 16843:2024 chapter 7.3.5, the following requirements apply:

The test specimen shall be submerged completely for minimum 12 hours in a 5 % NaCl solution.

• rail – rail resistance shall be ≥ 200 kΩ
• rail – fishplate resistance shall be ≥ 200 kΩ

3.3 Electrical requirements – after mechanical testing

After mechanical testing according to EN 16843:2024 chapter 7.2, the following requirements apply when tested in acoordance with EN 16843:2024 chapter 7.3.4:

• rail – rail resistance shall be ≥ 150 kΩ
• rail – fishplate resistance shall be ≥ 150 kΩ

4 Mechanical requirements

4.1 Joint clearance capacity

This requirement applies to insulated joints for use in a jointed track and for repair use.

The joint shall have the following joint clearance capacity calculated according to EN 16843:2024, chapter 5.1.2

• Joint clearance capacity J_c: 12 mm
• Minimum joint clearance J_min:  6 mm (end-post thickness)
• Maximum joint clearance Jmax: 18 mm

4.2 Tensile strength

This requirement applies to insulated joints for use in a CWR track.

The mechanical performance on tension is determined by performing the tensile strength test as described in EN 16843:2024, chapter 7.2.1.

The minimum tension strength, F_t,min shall be calculated according to EN 16843:2024, chapter 5.2.2.1 with the following parameters:

• Temperature difference ΔT₁ = 61 °C
• Safety factor γ_s = 1,5

4.3 Mechanical performance on bending

The mechanical performance on bending is determined by performing the repeated bending test as described in as described in EN 16843:2024, chapter 7.2.2.

The bending moment M_r which shall be used for the repeated bending test, is specified in Table 1.

Table 1: Minimum bending moment

5 Geometrical requirements

5.1 Dimensions

• Insulated joint kits for use in CWR track may be delivered with either 4 or 6 bore holes and bolts. The bore hole distances and dimensions are given in Table 2.
• Insulated joint kits for jointed track or repair use shall be delivered with 4 bore holes and bolts. The bore hole distances and dimensions are given in Table 2 (L_r3 is not applicable).

Forstørr bildet

Table 2: Bore hole pattern

6 Qualification of joint type

• For qualification of the insulated joint kit type for use in CWR track, the supplier must perform type approval stages in accordance with EN 16843:2024, chapter 6.3.
• For qualification of the insulated joint kit type for jointed track or repair use, the supplier must perform type approval stages in accordance with EN 16843:2024, chapter 6.4.

7 Materials

7.1 Fishplates

The fishplates shall meet the following geometric tolerance requirements:

• Diameter of the holes: +/- 0,5 mm
• Position of the holes in any direction: max. 0,5 mm
• Height of the fishplate: 0,5 mm
• Inclination of the contact surface fishplate-rail: +/- 2 %
• Length of the fishplate: +/- 3 mm
• Transverse and vertical deflections:  According to EN 16843:2024, Annex A3

All chemical components in the insulating material shall comply with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).

7.2 Bolts

Steel bolts of durability category 10/9 shall be used.

7.3 Insulating material

The following requirements apply to the insulating material:

• Min. tensile strength = 150 N/mm².
• Min. compression strength = 100 N/mm².
• Max. water absorption = 0.1 %.
• Min. specific resistance = 10¹⁰ Ωcm/cm².
• The insulating material must be resistant to sunlight.
• The insulating material must not contain substances that form electrolytes when combined with water.
• The insulation material must not be inflammable.
• All chemical components in the insulating material shall comply with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).

7.4 Adhesive

If any adhesive is used in the joint kit assembly, the following requirements apply:

• Adhesives where aging can affect mechanical properties shall not be used.
• Adhesives which can accelerate corrosion shall not be used.
• The adhesive shall be documented as suitable for use without exposing workers to hazardous concentrations of chemical substances during normal application and curing.
• The adhesive shall not contain any isocyanates. 
• The adhesive shall have a VOC content not exceeding 100 g/L.
• The adhesive shall be classified as a low-emission product in accordance with EMICODE EC1 Plus, M1, or an equivalent third-party verified emission classification.
• All chemical components in the adhesive shall comply with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).
• An up-to-date Safety Data Sheet (SDS) in Norwegian shall be available for the adhesive

7.4.1 Curing times

The curing times shall not exceed the following limits in respect of the ambient temperature:

• +10 ⁰C    -    max. 600 min.
• + 20 ⁰C   -    max. 250 min.

After finished curing, the insulated rail joint must be able to carry loads in accordance with  chapter 2.3 Axle load and speed.

8 Labelling

The joint kit package and one of the fishplates for each rail joint kit shall be labelled with the following information:

• Name of manufacturer/supplier of the joint kit
• Manufacturer’s serial number
• Rail profile
• QR code with a hyperlink to the information listed above
• Any adhesive material shall be labelled with date of manufacture 

9 Documentation

9.1 Materials certificates

Certificates according EN 10204 for the traceability of steel quality of steel parts of the insulated joints must be supplied on customers request.

9.2 Test and quality records

All production and quality records are to be retained by the supplier for a period of minimum 5 years. Bane NOR shall have the right to access to view these records.

• After tensile strength test, a report according to EN 16843:2024 chapter 7.2.1.5 shall be produced.
• After repeated bending test, a report according to EN 16843:2024 chapter 7.2.2.5 shall be produced.
• After electrical insulation test, a report according to EN 16843:2024 chapter 7.3.6 shall be produced.

9.3 Drawings

• The supplier must prepare detailed drawings of the insulated joint parts  prior to manufacture.
• The supplier must prepare a detailed drawing of the fully assembled insulated joint prior to manufacture.
• All drawings must be supplied in both of the following electronic formats:
  • dwg (Autocad)
  • pdf
• The supplier has an obligation to supply files that are compatible with the version of Autocad currently used by Bane NOR.
• Bane NOR must be assigned all rights to the drawings.
• All drawings must be approved by Bane NOR before production commences.

9.4 Installation instruction

The manufacturer shall draw up a written work instruction describing the installation of the insulated joint in track, step by step. This instruction must as a minimum include:

• Temperature ranges for materials and adhesives to be mounted
• Description of necessary preparatory works of rails and fish-plates before assembly
• Procedure for applying any adhesive
• Procedure for installing and tightening of bolts
• Necessary curing times
• Procedure for applying any coating on the joints
• Procedure for testing before putting into service

10 Reference documents

• EN 16843:2024 Railway applications – Infrastructure – Mechanical requirements for joints in running rails
• EN 13674-1:2011 + A1:2017 Railway applications – Track – Rail – Part 1: Vignole railway rails 46 kg/m and above.
• Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH)

11 Compliance list

Download compliance list for completion.

12 Change log