The main functions of rails in a railway track are as under:
- Rails provide a continuous and level surface for the movement of the trains with minimum friction with steel wheels of the rolling stock.
- Rails provide strength, durability and lateral guidance to the track.
- Rails transmit the axle load to sleepers, which transfer the same load to the underlying ballast and formation.
- Rails bear the stresses developed due to heavy vertical loads, breaking forces and temperature variance.
