Customized Surface Forged Rail Tie Plate QT500-7 Cast Rail Base Plate

Customized Surface Forged Rail Tie Plate QT500-7 Cast Rail Base Plate

Cast / Forged Railway Baseplate

A tie plate, baseplate or sole plate is a steel plate used on rail tracks between flanged T rail 

and the crossties. The tie plate increases bearing area and holds the rail to correct gauge. 

They are fastened to wooden ties by means of spikes or bolts through holes in the plate.

The part of the plate under the rail base is tapered, setting the cant of the rail, an inward 

rotation from the vertical. The usual slope is one in forty ( 1.4 degrees ). The top surface of 

the plate has one or two shoulders that fit against the edges of the base of the rail. The 

double-shoulder type is currently used. Older single-shoulder types were adaptable for 

various rail widths, with the single shoulder positioned on the outside (field side) of the 

rails. Most plates are slightly wider on the field side, without which the plates tend to cut 

more into the outsides of the tie, reducing cant angle.

Cast iron can be the welded or fabricated type, depending upon the customers requirements. 

Technical Specification

Double / Single Shoulder Tie Plate

The use of single or double shoulder tie plates makes a more stable track and greatly lengthens

the life of wood ties and better load distribution to the ties. They hold the rail to gage, providing

more uniform wear to ties. Tie plate are designed with a long end or field end to be located outside

the rails. In the case of single shoulder tie plates, the shoulder is placed on the field end of the plate.

The gage end or short end of the plate is located inside of the rails.

When ordering, indentification of the rail section or width of the rail base should be specified. Top

quality relay tie plates (hand-sorted and palletized) are readily available and offer a substantial

savings when compared to the cost of new tie plates. Tie plates come in a variety of sizes and

punching patterns. These patterns may include both "line holes" and "hold-down holes". The plates

shown above have four line holes punched to line up with the edge of the rail base. Many tie plates

also feature hold-down (or anchor) holes that are between the line holes and the edges of the tie plate.

Photos