Between 1895 and 1928, as the United States became involved in the construction of several railways in China and Chinese railway authorities purchased large quantities of American steel products, substantial numbers of American-made rails were laid across the country. They were used on lines including the Chinese Eastern Railway, the Peking–Kalgan and Peking–Suiyuan Railways, the Peking–Mukden Railway, the Kiaochow–Tsinan Railway, the Peking–Hankow Railway, and the South Manchuria Railway, reflecting the close connection between the American steel industry and the development of modern railways in China.

These rails were manufactured by major American steel companies such as Maryland Steel, Carnegie Steel, Bethlehem Steel, Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad, Illinois Steel, and Lackawanna Steel. Rolled markings on the rail web commonly recorded the manufacturer, year and month of production, rail weight, section standard, and the name or abbreviation of the purchasing railway, such as I.P.K.R., KTR, KI-HAN RLY, and S.M.R. These markings provide important evidence for identifying the origin and service history of individual rails. After track renewals, some rails were later reused on other railways, industrial sidings, as bridge guard rails, or even as structural members in buildings. As a result, many surviving examples today are found far from the railway on which they were originally laid.