Today CSX was performing track work on a curve near here. Investigation revealed that work consisted of removing spikes from the inside curve rail, applying some kind of track jack that could pull or push tracks closer or further apart, Then spikes were driven into tie plates using previously unused spike locations and then old holes filled with wooden tie hole fillers.
The results although preliminary seems to have decreased wheel / rail noise significantly especially the high pitched squeal of many wheels on the rail.
Question is this technique often used or is this something new ? The rail jack consisted of some kind of bi diectional hydraulic jack connected by rods on each side that had a “U” shaped bracket on the ends that could either push or pull the loose rail ?
Maybe someone who has attended a wheel / rail symposium can enlighten ? PDN ?
Common - hardly new. Section crews have been spike lining and gauging for years. Usually standard equipment in most section trucks. Darned ties start wearing out in the curves faster these days. (Aldon catalog picture, worm gear threaded mechanical-not hydraulic)
Nice to see that you quit looking at those highly over-rated shiny things long enough to study what goes on underneath on the railroad.[;)][;)][;)]
Tighten the gage, cut down the angle of attack of the wheels,cut down truck hunting and the trucks behave and quiet down. Just don’t tighten the gage too much.
No - you still have to tamp and index the ties. 24 ties/rail length (19.5" centers)most places…occasionally 20-22 in some lightly used backtracks if a certain railroad allowed it.
High wear areas got oak hardwood ties (curves, turnouts, x-ing frogs etc) and tangent/ light wear was assigned to the softwood (fir/pine) ties…and the really tough stories got Azobe (if you had the tools, patience and the $$$$)
The stuff was harder than the wood around it. You could try, but it ain’t supposed to be used like that, doesn’t put enough friction on the cut spike. Because of the condition of the surviving wood, the filler + spike comes out of the tie looking like a push-up bomb-pop still attached to the tie plate.
I seem to recall (Getting harder all the time) in Tehachapi in the 90’s there was some sort of angle bar where the ties met teh rails in the curves. Was this to prevent the rail from rolling over?
Rail braces …The same as used on turnouts at the point of switch. Trying to slow down adverse rail cant under tonnage (age old problem with the physics of railroading)
Answer to the question is yes, and with the advent of pandrol clips and D-E/McKay clips, you don’t see them much anymore. (a pain to deal with during rail changes and transpositions)
ConRail industrial track specs used to be 20 ties/ 39’ rail length = 1.95’ = 23-3/8" tie spacing for tangents and curves up to 8 degrees; 24 / 39’ for curves over 8 deg. or where specified = 19-1/2" spacing.
Otherwise, pretty much “+1” to what MC said, esp. the wheel-rail screech dynamics.