Italian plantmaker Danieli has announced that US-based rail producer Rocky Mountain Steel Mills, part of Orion Steel, has started hot commissioning activities at its new Danieli universal rail mill in Pueblo, Colorado. The facility will enable the producer to manufacture long-length, premium-quality rails for demanding railway applications, strengthening rail supply capabilities in North America.
According to Danieli, the newly installed universal rail mill at Rocky Mountain Steel Mills’ Pueblo site has been designed to achieve an annual production capacity of around 600,000 mt of high-quality rails. The mill will produce both flat-bottom and thick-web rail profiles, with unit weights of up to 88 kg per meter.
The technology allows for the rolling of rails in lengths of up to 100 meters, supporting modern railway infrastructure requirements that aim to reduce joints, improve track stability, and lower lifecycle maintenance costs.
AREMA-compliant rails for demanding rail applications
Danieli stated that the rails produced at the Pueblo facility will comply with AREMA specifications, making them suitable for both heavy-haul freight operations and high-speed railway networks.
The mill is designed to produce rails with hardness levels reaching 425 BHN, providing enhanced wear resistance and extended service life under high-load and high-speed conditions.
