Double Headed Rail

Double Headed Rail

Double headed rails are railway rail sections in which the head and the foot have nearly identical cross-sectional shapes. This symmetrical design originally allowed the rail to be inverted and reused once the upper running surface became worn.

In practice, the rail foot often deformed due to its seating in cast iron chairs, which limited the effectiveness of turning the rail over. Despite this, double headed rails were widely used in early railway construction, particularly in the United Kingdom.

Characteristics

• Symmetrical head and foot design
• Traditionally supported by cast iron chairs
• Designed for early railway track systems
• Strong structural section for rail transport

Double headed rails represent an important stage in the historical development of railway infrastructure and rail profile engineering.