A Japanese steel works has completed an upgrade of its facilities which will allow it to manufacture and ship 150-metre length rails.
Described by Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (NSSMC) as the longest in the world, the rails (not pictured) have been developed to deal with the evolution in passenger and freight traffic loads and speeds.
The company has just completed an upgrade of its Yawata Works, which has been manufacturing rails since it opened in 1901, to accommodate the longer rails.
Until now, NSSMC has produced standard 25-metre lengths up to a maximum of 50 metres. The new rails will require less welding and fewer joints, which reduces the possibility of failures and the ride quality for passengers.
