Gantrex carried out an in-depth analysis on the causes of pad failures on large STS ground tracks and overhead applications and we found out that rail rocking, and increased dynamic loadsing and the ingress of dirt and water under the pad was were tearing the pad apart. It took us a couple of years of extensive R&D to produce a solution and introduce the patented Gantrex RailLok™ pad to the Market! That is why our Gantrex RailLok™ Pads were improved, patented and introduced to the market.

To allow for a better dynamic load distribution within the pad our in-house R&D department developed a new and patented shape for our RailLok™ Pads. By being the RailLok™ pad shape is thinner in the middle and thicker on the edges the new Gantrex RailLok™ Padallowing for better distribution ofes dynamic loads caused by rail rocking.

This shape also allows a better material movement within the pad to avoiding load concentrations in the middle of the pad, eliminatingpad which eliminates pad failure by splitting in the middle.

Pad migration and failure can also be caused by the ingress of dirt and water under dynamic applications but it won’t be the case anymore thanks to the newly designed Edge Seal of our Gantrex RailLok™ Pads.To minimize the ingress of dirt and water our R&D team improved the edge seals of the pad and modeled them after window seals, the improved edge seals ensure there is constant contact between the rail, edges of the pad and the steel plate even during rail rocking. This constant seal prevents the ingress of dirt and water and keeps the pad in place.

On top of that, those new Edges improve the sealing of the Rail Pad under dynamic loads such as rail rocking and ensure a constant contact between the rail and steel plate helping the rail pad to stay in place.

Those improvements have led to significantly extend the lifetime of the rail fastening solution installed.The improved pad shape and edge seals have significantly improved the reliability and the life cycle of the rail fastening system as a whole!