Railends
Railends is a term used in railway engineering to denote the terminal portions of rail sections where successive lengths connect. The concept includes the ends of rails and the hardware that joins them, such as joint bars, bolts, insulating joints, and end-fastening assemblies. In traditional jointed track, railends are connected by fishplates or joint bars, while modern networks may use continuous welded rail with expansion zones that still require accessible railends for maintenance.
Function and design: Railends must preserve track gauge, alignment, and load transfer between segments while withstanding
Maintenance and standards: Railends are inspected during routine track maintenance using visual checks and, when needed,
Impact and applications: Railends are relevant to both traditional jointed track and modern continuous welded rail.