British Steel has released an enhanced range of its Zinoco rail protection system originally released in 2016, a product capable of withstanding some of the harshest corrosive environments in the world, such as coastal line, level crossings and wet tunnels. Rail in these areas, claims the company, can become contaminated with salt, water, minerals and biological matter and need a tough, durable solution.
Now British Steel has come up with an enhanced range and is offering ground-breaking longer length rails with even greater protection.
British Steel’s commercial director rail, Craig Harvey, commented: “Building on Zinoco ’s success in track, and a seven-figure investment in new equipment, we’re delighted to launch the world’s first ultra-long corrosion-protected rail in a single 108m piece – or 216m with a single weld.
“The new and improved Zinoco is also the world’s first rail with a super-hydrophobic finish that repels water and dirt. Available in any length from 9m to 216m, the new finish enhances the protection Zinoco offers, further reducing the frequency of rail replacement programmes, which impact on network operators and passengers.”
The new long-length Zinoco, developed at British Steel’s Scunthorpe headquarters, has all the benefits of its shorter counterparts, claims the company, offering exceptional corrosion protection with a typical life extension of 5 to 10 times.
According to British Steel, it achieves the highest levels of durability through excellent impact and abrasion resistance, and provides sacrificial cathodic protection – an electro-chemical reaction which occurs when the anode sacrifices itself in favour of the cathode. The resulting flow of electrons prevents a corrosive chemical reaction.
With Zinoco coated rail, the zinc rich (anode) coating corrodes in preference to the steel (cathode), therefore preventing the steel from corroding. The zinc oxide creates a strong barrier to further corrosion – guaranteeing the protection of the metal even when the zinc layer is damaged.
Long-length Zinoco means fewer welds which makes installation quicker and gives the rails greater integrity. Suitable for any track environment, including third (live current) and fourth (negative) rail areas, Zinoco is available on any grade or profile. It is the only rail corrosion protection system approved for use across all Network Rail infrastructure.
“British Steel is committed to delivering cost-effective and innovative solutions to help our customers overcome the challenges they face and Zinoco is a great example of this and the world-class products we manufacture,” said Harvey.
