I just now noticed the metal bars connected to the outside edges of the rails. They are located about every fourth of fifth tie. I presume they are to help keep the rails in gauge because on a curve there are forces pushing the outside rail away, perhaps magnified because the track is on a steep (3%) grade. I wouldn’t think this could work where current on the rails was used to detect train occupancy. (This railroad line isn’t signaled.) How good are my guesses?
Mark
Gauge bars to keep the rails in gauge - looks like that’s downhill with a curve, there’s a lot of force on the outside rail.
–Randy
And, when needed, they are insulated from one rail to allow detection to work, just like the insulated rail joints between signaled track sections.
Sheldon
Especially needed/ helpful at the joints in the outer rail - the 1 or 2 ties there have an awful lot of restraining to do, and not much redundancy - 1 or 2 loose spikes there and the gage can widen quite a bit, quite quickly.
There’s also a ‘double-ended’ version, which has clamps for the inside base of the rail as well. That’s to keep the rail from turning over as well from the severe lateral forces on a curve - sometimes the restraint down at the base flange only just isn’t enough.
I have seen - and maintained - track where it seemed that the gage roads were about all that was holding the rails together at the proper gage, kind of like a ladder laying on the ground but with the rungs really far apart - the ties were in such poor condition that they were mainly just providing support for the vertical weight/ loads, not so much for the lateral loads on the rails - just enough to keep the rails on the ties, it seemed.
Here’s a link to a webpage with a good illustration of all of these:
http://www.harmersteel.com/catalog/track-tools-accessories/gage-rods/
And one with prices and for a variety of gages, too:
http://www.ez2rail.com/gage-rods.html