Development of Rail Billet Production Technology

A technology has been developed and implemented for producing continuously cast billets with cross-sections of 250 × 300 mm and 300 × 400 mm, melted in electric furnaces for the production of differentially thermally strengthened rails for high-speed and very high-speed passenger traffic. The necessary technological operations, modes, and materials have been identified to meet the specified requirements for the quality of macro- and microstructure, as well as the content of non-metallic inclusions. The influence of secondary cooling modes of the billet, parameters of electromagnetic stirring coil operation, and the “soft” compression technology on the formation and development of central porosity and subsidence liquation has been demonstrated.