Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (NSSMC) has announced that it has set up a system to manufacture and ship 150 meter long rails, the world longest rails for railroads, at its Yawata Works.
NSSMC's 150 meter rail will serve to help stabilize rail tracks, by reducing the number of welds and reducing rail maintenance of railway companies.
According to NSSMC, rails for railways, after going through the process of hot rolling, are ordinarily cut into 25 meter standard lengths (or 50 meters as the longest to date) for shipment to users. Joints between rails are one of causes of noise and vibration and affect the comfort of passengers, and are regarded as weak points in railway maintenance. To improve these problems, railway companies are welding rail joints to make continuous welded rails.