Does anyone know why the BNSF decided to weld the rail together on the Brainerd Subdivision? It gets about 7-10 trains a day of 150-170 car coal trains coming off the Staples Subdivision. What they did was basically cut off some rail at the joint, put a lrger piece of rail, and then weld them both together. Couldnt they just replace it all?
Cost of running a flash-butt welder in certain applications is cheaper than relaying the rail. Sounds like the rail was good, but the joint batter was excessive. Currently the price of new rail is out the roof (supply and demand gone nuts)…
That makes sense.
Remindes me of the day i spent photographing a bnsf crew making the thermite welds at a street intersection man did the sparks fly it was like the 4th of july[}:)][8D][4:-)]>>>>glennbob