This site uses cookies to maintain login information on FarmallCub.Com. Click the X in the banner upper right corner to close this notice. For more information on our privacy policy, visit this link:
Privacy Policy

NEW REGISTERED MEMBERS: Be sure to check your SPAM/JUNK folders for the activation email.

Replacing RR Rails

Anything that might not belong on the other message boards!
User avatar
Bill V in Md
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 1111
Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2003 6:51 pm
Zip Code: 21228
Tractors Owned: 1948 Farmall Cub
LT1045 Cub Cadet
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: MD, Catonsville
Contact:

Replacing RR Rails

Postby Bill V in Md » Tue Mar 12, 2013 1:00 pm

Was walking the dog today and noticed they are getting ready to replace the rails on a track nearby. Each new rail is about a half mile long and is one continuous piece. Upon closer inspection, it appears there is a weld seam about every 80', but it was difficult to spot, even on an unpainted rail. I did a google search on the equipment they use to replace the rails and ties. It is pretty amazing. I would love to watch the process when it happens.
RR Track Replacement2.JPG
RR Track Replacement2.JPG (132.13 KiB) Viewed 593 times
Bill VanHooser
Cub 54 Blade, Cub 193 Moldboard Plow, Cub 28A Disc Harrow
Circle of Safety

SPONSOR AD

Sponsor



Sponsor
 

danovercash
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 3369
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2003 8:48 pm
Zip Code: 28081
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: NC, Kannapolis

Re: Replacing RR Rails

Postby danovercash » Tue Mar 12, 2013 1:35 pm

Welded rails, no more "clickety-clack".
"I'd rather be a mechanic in the shop"- Henry Ford

252646 & 221525. 195897 (Gone, but not forgotten)

User avatar
farmallcub49
Cub Pro
Cub Pro
Posts: 876
Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2003 5:05 pm
Zip Code: 56374
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: MN, St. Joseph

Re: Replacing RR Rails

Postby farmallcub49 » Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:46 pm

I believe it is called thermite or thermatite welding. My uncle did this for nearly 40 years throughout the state of Minnesota for BNSF. When he worked close to our house, he'd call and we would go and watch them work and at lunch time we kids could crawl on the equipment, it was large and powerful. He worked a lot on the tracks that loaded ore onto the boats in Duluth. He is a big muscular man and all his fences at home are built with railroad ties, many a time I seen him give them a bear hug and set them in the hole. As he got older though, he would bring the truck home and set them that way, older equals wiser.
'49 Cub, '58 LoBoy,'61 LoBoy, '61 Modified LoBoy, '61 Customized LoBoy, way to many attachments, '22 Centerdoor Sedan, '24 Ford T Roadster, '25 Ford TT, '24 C Cab, '13 Touring, '24 Model T Snowmobile,

danovercash
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 3369
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2003 8:48 pm
Zip Code: 28081
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: NC, Kannapolis

Re: Replacing RR Rails

Postby danovercash » Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:46 pm

With those curves, must not be a main line, but since rails are being changed they must carry heavy loads or a lot of traffic.
"I'd rather be a mechanic in the shop"- Henry Ford

252646 & 221525. 195897 (Gone, but not forgotten)

User avatar
Boss Hog
Cub Pro
Cub Pro
Posts: 10290
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:35 pm
Zip Code: 23962
eBay ID: dmb2613
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: VA. Randolph

Re: Replacing RR Rails

Postby Boss Hog » Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:11 pm

I think it is called ribbon rail
IN GOD WE TRUST
All others pay cash
Boss Hog
Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely byJohn Emerich Edward Dalberg

User avatar
Bill V in Md
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 1111
Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2003 6:51 pm
Zip Code: 21228
Tractors Owned: 1948 Farmall Cub
LT1045 Cub Cadet
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: MD, Catonsville
Contact:

Re: Replacing RR Rails

Postby Bill V in Md » Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:15 pm

danovercash wrote:With those curves, must not be a main line, but since rails are being changed they must carry heavy loads or a lot of traffic.

I see a lot of coal cars on those tracks, so yes they are heavy. But there was a derailment there about a year ago, and I guess they are just getting around to the replacing everything in that area.
farmallcub49 wrote:I believe it is called thermite or thermatite welding.

Never heard of that, but the quality is very good.
Bill VanHooser
Cub 54 Blade, Cub 193 Moldboard Plow, Cub 28A Disc Harrow
Circle of Safety

User avatar
beaconlight
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 7703
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2004 2:31 pm
Zip Code: 10314
Location: NY Staten Island & Franklin

Re: Replacing RR Rails

Postby beaconlight » Wed Mar 13, 2013 6:30 pm

I had wondered if there was a oil refinery at the end of the line preparing for train delivery of stranded mid-continent oil.
Bill

"Life's tough.It's even tougher if you're stupid."
- John Wayne

" We hang petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."
- Aesop

User avatar
Bus Driver
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 2917
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2006 5:26 pm
Location: NC

Re: Replacing RR Rails

Postby Bus Driver » Wed Mar 13, 2013 9:12 pm

The heat is generated chemically-- very intense. Will not work on cast iron engine blocks- I know a man who tried it. Thermite grenades were used in WWII and perhaps at other times- no explosion, just the intense heat. 3 paratroopers at the D-Day invasion found 5 German artillery guns and the soldiers supposed to be manning them were having a party nearby, schnapps and all. They ruined the mechanisms for aiming three of the guns with the 3 thermite grenades they had, soon found other GIs with thermite and went back to disable the other two. I love those who have individual initiative.
Luck favors those who are prepared

User avatar
bob in CT
Team Cub Mentor
Team Cub Mentor
Posts: 6018
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2007 9:34 am
Zip Code: 06040
Tractors Owned: 77 Cub (red); 74 Cub; 52 Cub; 50 Cub ( post-demo)
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: CT, Manchester

Re: Replacing RR Rails

Postby bob in CT » Thu Mar 14, 2013 4:40 am

I made some thermite when I was a kid- iron oxide and aluminum with a starter. Once it starts burning it is extremely hot and it releases pure iron. Pretty cool that they still use it but it would hard to generate the kind of heat they need any other way. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=034_1342023057

User avatar
beaconlight
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 7703
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2004 2:31 pm
Zip Code: 10314
Location: NY Staten Island & Franklin

Re: Replacing RR Rails

Postby beaconlight » Thu Mar 14, 2013 9:12 am

cool!
Bill

"Life's tough.It's even tougher if you're stupid."
- John Wayne

" We hang petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."
- Aesop


Return to “Off Topic”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests