Method for manufacturing a rail and corresponding rail

A steel rail, made of a steel having a chemical composition comprising, by weight percent:

• 0.20%≤C≤0.60%,
• 1.0%≤Si≤2.0%,
• 0.60%≤Mn≤1.60%,
• and 1.97%≤Cr≤2.2%,
• and optionally one or more elements chosen among
• 0.01%≤Mo≤0.3%,
• 0.01%≤V≤0.30%;
• a remainder being Fe and unavoidable impurities resulting from smelting;
• the steel rail comprising a head having a microstructure consisting of, in area fraction:
• 49% to 67% of bainite,
• 14% to 25% of retained austenite, the retained austenite having an average carbon content comprised between 1.3% and 1.44%,
• 13% to 34% of tempered martensite,
• wherein the head of the rail has a tensile strength comprised between 1300 MPa and 1452 MPa, a yield strength of at least 1000 MPa, a total elongation of at least 13%, and a hardness in a rolling surface of the head of at least 420 HB.

An uncoated steel rail, made of a steel having a chemical composition comprising, by weight percent:

• 0.20%≤C≤0.60%,
• 1.0%≤Si≤2.0%,
• either 0.60%≤Mn<1.5% and 0.5%≤Cr≤2.2%,
• or 0.60%≤Mn≤1.60% and 1.97%≤Cr≤2.2%,
• and optionally one or more elements chosen among
• 0.01%≤Mo≤0.3%,
• 0.01%≤V≤0.30%;
• a remainder being Fe and unavoidable impurities resulting from smelting;
• the steel rail comprising a head having a microstructure consisting of, in area fraction:
• 49% to 67% of bainite,
• 14% to 25% of retained austenite, the retained austenite having an average carbon content comprised between 1.3% and 1.44%,
• 13% to 34% of tempered martensite,
• wherein the head of the rail has a tensile strength of at least 1300 MPa, a yield strength of at least 1000 MPa, a total elongation of at least 13%, and a hardness in a rolling surface of the head of at least 420 HB.