This document specifies standards for joining, repair, maintenance, inspection of rail welds, and related rail components. Classification of rails is based on the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA) specifications governing the manufacture of rails.

Related rail components include rail crossings and turnouts which further include switch points, stock rails, switch point guards, plates, frogs, and frog components.

The use of track components reconditioned by welding is a decision of the rail owner outside the scope of this document. This document does not include road bed maintenance except where it affects the expected life of the repair.

Welding processes addressed in this document include shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), flux cored arc welding (FCAW), flash welding (FW), thermite welding (TW), and rail bonds. See Annex A and the Welding Handbook, Volumes 2 and 3, Ninth Edition for details on these processes.

Welding symbols shall be those shown in the latest edition of AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive Examination.