New technology adds zing to Indian Railways; zinc-coated rails to be used

According to a source close to the development, the railway requirement will be about 1,000 track kilometre or approximately 120,000 tonnes of zinc every year

In a bid to strengthen safety and performance, mainly in the corrosion-prone coastal regions, the Railway Board has given the go-ahead for using zinc-coated rails.

According to a source close to the development, the requirement will be for about 1,000 track kilometres or approximately 120,000 tonnes of zinc every year.

The ideal life of rails is about 12 years but because of corrosion issues, rails need to be replaced every two years, said officials. 

The railway research arm — Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) — has issued specification for zinc aluminum metalisation coating.

These specifications were prepared after consulting the International Zinc Association