Abstract: A process and apparatus for the continuous treatment of annealed and non-annealed hot strip of stainless steel. First, the hot strip is stretched, bent and straightened to break a scale which has grown on the hot strip. Then, a electrolytic pickling is performed in an electrolyte with multiple alternating anodically-connected and cathodically-connected strip polarization. Directly following thereafter, pickling once again takes place in the electrolyte with multiple anodically-connected electrodes arranged directly behind one another and corresponding cathodic strip polarization, followed by anodic strip polarization produced by means of a cathodically-connected electrode. To further remove any scale remaining on the surface of the hot strip, the hot strip is subject to high-pressure fluid spraying or brush aggregates. Renewed electrolytic pickling in performed with at least one electrolyte with multiple exclusively cathodically-connected electrodes and anodic strip polarization.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for thermal treatment of pearlitic rail steel. For increasing strength and wear resistance steels with the claimed composition are produced with a fine lamellar pearlite structure by heat treatment. During the first cycle the rail head portion is heated in a sufficient depth of up to 50 mm by means of a burner or an inductive system to an austenitization temperature of about 950.degree. to 1050.degree. C. Thereafter the heated head portion is cooled by means of compressed air in such a way that in a first step by blowing a large amount of air the temperature of the rail head portion is cooled within 10 to 20 s to 650.degree. to 600.degree. C. before the area of the pearlitic transformation. In a second step with throttled blowing compared to the first step in the area of the pearlitic transformation the rail head portion is cooled within 2 to 4 minutes to about 400.degree. C. until finishing the pearlitic transformation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for reducing internal stresses of roller straightened rails. After the straightening operation the rail web portion is heated for a short time to temperatures ranging between 200.degree.-700.degree. C., preferably between 350.degree.-500.degree. C., and after reaching the desired temperatures the rail is cooled by air to room temperature. For the purpose of heating the rail is continuously conveyed in front of the heating apparatus.The inventive process permits to reduce internal stresses in the rail head and base portions to a value of less than 50 N/mm.sup.2 thus ensuring increased rupture strength of the rail.

Abstract: A low-carbon rail steel having a tensile strength of at least 900 N/mm.sup.2 and a yield point of at least 650 N/mm.sup.2 conmprising:0.07 to 0.12% carbon0.20 to 0.50% silicon4.00 to 5.00% manganese0.04 to 0.12% niobium0.007 to 0.012% nitrogen0.005 to 0.025% metallic aluminum,The balance being iron with the usual low impurities; a steel rail having the composition of such steel and a method for producing the steel rail.