An innovative insulated rail joint for heavy haul applications

Insulated Rail Joints (IRJs) are a weak point in the rails wherever track circuits are used. Contin-uous battering due to the square cut at the end post region damages rails, sleepers and ballast. Moreover, the presence of electric cables makes tamping nearly impossible. A new patented IRJ (named Absolutely Better Joint - ABJ) is introduced. The ABJ, based on a very inclined cut (around 3°) that completely avoid shocks, was designed making use of thick web shallow-depth switch rail forged transitions that allowed to insert a thick baseplate under the joint resulting in a joint with unique stiffness and strength in bending. The design of the baseplate allows to install the joint over a sleeper, i.e. the ABJ is a "supported" type of joint. The development, homologation and application to the heavy haul sector are discussed.