Reference Rails Delivered to Swedish Transport Administration

We have successfully completed the delivery of a complete set of reference rails for automatic ultrasonic testing to Trafikverket (the Swedish Transport Administration). The rails were delivered at the end of 2025 and installed at the test station in Hasslarp, Sweden, in May 2026.

 About the project

The order included 20 rail units with a total length of 119,100 mm, manufactured according to the 60E2 profile from R260-grade steel, fully compliant with the SS-EN 13674-1:2011+A1:2017 standard. Each unit was precisely cut and equipped with a series of artificial reflectors in accordance with the SS-EN 16729-1:2016 standard, which defines the requirements for ultrasonic testing and evaluation of rails in the track.

 Artificial reflectors

The rails feature ten different reflector configurations—including flat-bottomed holes (FBH), side-drilled holes (SDH), bolt grooves, vertical longitudinal reflectors, and notches in the rail foot. Each reflector, manufactured using drilling, milling, waterjet cutting, and electrical discharge machining (EDM), meets strict tolerances: diameter within ±0.1 mm and angle within ±1.0°.

All reflectors were verified by Trafikverket prior to final delivery, with blind holes sealed using appropriate rail material to prevent deformation during welding, and other reflectors filled with synthetic material to prevent contamination by water and debris.

All reflectors were verified by Trafikverket prior to final delivery, with the blind holes sealed using appropriate rail material to prevent the ingress of water and debris during the ultrasonic test.

 Purpose

Reference rails are a key tool for verifying the detection capabilities of automated ultrasonic rail inspection systems. As part of Sweden’s railway safety infrastructure, these rails help ensure reliable defect detection on operational tracks, thereby directly contributing to the safety of the Swedish railway network.

 In the past, we have also supplied reference rails to the Railway Administration in the Czech Republic and to the Slovak Railways.