Rail joints

[steveiez]

How long would a piece of rail last if it is in service on a busy line? I have seen some with dates on them and they are pretty darn old.

[E.M. Bell]

I suppose it would depend on what kind of maintenance + tonnage it would see. With a good base under it, and proper grinding and profiling from time to time, rail can last a long while.  The only exception may be on heavy tonnage lines on curves. 

Before the big rebuilding project in the late 90's, we had 75, 85, and 90 pound rail on the LXOH  (old SR LL branch) that dated back into the early 1900's...and I even remember a few sticks that had 1895 on them!  That was all replaced with "new" 100 pound rail that NS had taken up from some obscure place...with dates from the 20's to the 50's mixed through out. 

[lwjabo]

When new rail is layed the old rail is picked up and goes to the FAB plant in Atlanta. It is checked xrayed for flaws and then rewelded and sent to another place. Rail on heavy mains goes to less tracks and finaly steps down to yard tracks.

[Ptrainman]

Neat to know they reuse it after taking it update.  That is new to me.

[steveiez]

They must get every inch out of rail. I visit scrap yards often and you see very little joints being scarped out.

[lwjabo]

There is a good bit of scrap at the FAB plant in Atlanta. Remember rail has two sides. One side is worn then when they lay it again they change it over to the better side. When old rail goes through the FAB plant ever inch is checked. A flaws are cut from the rail. I understand Southern started laying ribbon about 1954. So a lot has been relayed since then. Also rail in tight curves wears faster than on strait track. Seems like when I was working they were always replacing rail on Braswell and between Brice and Lindale. There might be some rail on a branch smaller than  100 lbs. All tracks had to be updated when they started using SD40 on locals. Big engines require large rail. Not any old Alco switchers or Gp30 out there any more.

[lwjabo]

When I first hired the old M line (Griffin to Columbus) had rail smaller than 85 lbs. Most was 85 lbs. The A&F (Williamson to Fort Valley) had 85 lbs and some bits larger. I was told the rule of thumb was to place a pencil under the flange and if you could still see the pencil it was time to replace it. Before NS closed the M line I was told many places the rail was worn past the normal rule of thumb. The H line between DeButts and Inman was all 132 lbs ribbon when I hired in 1971 except the sidings. Most of the sidings were at least 132 but jointed in places. The siding at Aragon had the last 100 lbs rail jointed I knew of.

[steveiez]

There is a steel company in Franklin Pa that takes old rail and re rolls them into different shapes for stuff like fence posts and bar stock.