What is the purpose of the J- or fishhook-shaped clips that are put on the bottom of the web of continuous welded rail? They’re U-shaped in crosssection and the hook is on the inside of the rail web, usually next to ties with the straight part under the rail.
I thought they were some sort of anchor, but it looks like the rail could slide through them and there’s no vertical anchoring.
Thanks.
They are clipped to the rail to force expansion from heat in the vertical direction instead of length. They are very tight on the rail and cannot move. They also help to keep everything in alignment.
D-E Clips work as fasteners and anchors just as pandrols do. The friction on the base is quite effective.
Refresh my (and maybe others’) memory that the Pandrol clips grip enough to make anchors unnecessary (or less necessary anyway). (Too lazy to go out and look around…much easier to sit in easy chair and surf the web.)
Pandrols do quite nicely as fasteners and anchors. The problem is when they get old and worn (like anchors and my knees)
Rarely see anchors and pandrols together, except at certain switches with running rail issues which should have been destressed IMHO.
Let’s hope your knees don’t shatter like some of the Pandrol clips I’ve seen, MC!
MC, you’re not going to believe this, but while I was up last night, 'way past my bedtime, waiting for the Heritage units to fly by, I saw a combination of anchors (every other tie, both sides) and Pandrol clips on the track nearest the platform. Straight track, no nearby switches (ped walkway crossing was right there, though).
…We have a section of NS track that has that combination as it enters the curve past our {now Trail Head}, ex C&O Depot…{parallel tracks}. Even one more item…If I remember correctly, the tie plates have some bolts down into the ties too. At least the tops of them are hex {or square}, in shape. It’s on the Newcastle Div. track as it enters Muncie from the north. No switch, just a gentle curve and then a 4-lane street crossing.
Bolts are probably second generation CamCar screws, set with a star bit on an impact wrench.
Q: Road crossings treated the same as switches (places where rail should not be allowed to run)
Think about it, Quentin–if they use Pandrol clips instead of spikes, they need a way of attaching the tie plates to the rails. Spikes hold down both the rails and the plates; the Pandrol clips only hold the rails to the plates.
I guess the anchors would be plausible for the ped crossing, too, since it’s basically a low-density grade crossing. And there are probably enough creepy goings-on around that platform anyway. About how far away from the crossings should the anchors go, MC?
…Yes, Carl, M C…Understand {and hadn’t thought of it}, the tie plates need some form of hold down with the Pandrol clips in position, hence as you mentioned, the bolts / screws. I suppose it’s more expensive to use the screws, but I’d think they would have the ability to stay tight down into the tie compared to spikes that I’d think would get pulled up with any “pumping” at all happening.
The 4 lane highway crossing here in Muncie I’m referring to was just rebuilt a few months ago and new rail installed also. This is that section of track that I’ve mentioned the Triple Crown stringlining…I believe you railroaders call it in the last few years. Anyway, a derailment.