Ukrainian railway operator launches production of rail pads

JSC Ukrzaliznytsia has started its own production of R-65 rail pads – metal plates that are used to connect and fix two rails at joints – which will partially satisfy the existing demand for this key element.

“Ukrzaliznytsia” has launched R-65 rail pads at its facilities. Previously, they were produced by the Azovstal metallurgical plant. However, after the destruction of the plant by the enemy and the occupation of Mariupol, the railway industry faced a serious shortage of this product,” Ukrzaliznytsia reported on its website on Friday.

For the past three years, railroad workers have been forced to rely on existing stockpiles and parts left over from decommissioned sections of the railroad, but these resources are now exhausted.

“If we had not organized production and found a way to manufacture these parts, the railway’s operation in some areas could have ceased,” the company’s press service quotes Yevgeny Shramko, a member of the board of Ukrzaliznytsia.

According to Shramko, the first batch of overlays produced at Ukrzaliznytsia facilities will weigh 45 tons. In 2025, the company intends to produce the first 300 tons, while the total deficit accumulated over the past three years exceeds 1,000 tons. To fully meet this demand, a production schedule is being developed, which will require an additional 700 tons.

Ukrzaliznytsia's annual demand for these components alone is expected to be 464 tons. The company is also exploring export opportunities, especially to the Baltic countries.