For continuously welded rail (CWR), according to the Romanian technical prescription in force (Railway Instruction no.341), the final stress-free temperature interval is set between 17⁰C and 27⁰C. Admitted temperatures in a rail that is part of a CWR are between -30⁰C and +60⁰C.
There is only one situation when the Romanian Railway Company deviated from the prescribed CWR stress-free temperature interval prescribed by the Railway Instruction No.341. Thus, for a project on a European Corridor located in a "hot" plain in the east of the country, where the prescribed stress-free temperature interval was defined between 20⁰C and 30⁰C. However, there is an increasing concern of the Regional Railway Maintenance Departments from all over the country that this interval should be adapted to their regions and their climate.
The aim of the work is to define prescribed stress-free temperature intervals according to the climatic regime, i.e. according to the maximum temperatures, but also the maximum temperature differences. The work also considers the influence of seasonal warm and cold winds, as well as other parameters that can influence the behavior of the CWR.

Continuously welded rail (CWR), rail temperature, stress-free temperature, ballasted railway track, climate change