Hello I was on my way to the lhs on saterday and stop to watch a train go by. It had 10 cars with rail . It look like racks 6 layers 8 rail per layer. But what was strange the rail look like it was as long as the 10 cars? I did not see a split in any of the rail. The train was 1 loco 1 boxcar 10-12 flat cars with racking and rail and 1 gon they were orange.If the rail was split I could see it makeing curvs but if not how?And why would the rail be so long?I did get 3 pic with my phone but ther not that good.Is ther a good site I might find some pics of a train like this?Or find cars like them? thanks Frank
That is a welded rail train, quite common on the big railroads today. All the welding can be done in a shop, loaded on the cars and then brought to the site where the rail will be replaced. Long sections reduce the joints and labor involved in laying track.
You saw a continuous welded rail train, possibly going to a track replacement site. Some welded rail is made in sections up to 1/2 mile in length, carried by these special trains.
Is the rail really that flexible that it will bend at curves? Is there special routing required to avoid sharp curves and switches?
The rail is not statically secured to the cars. It is allowed to float as the cars take curves. In other words the cars can pivot beneath the rail.
Yes the rail was not secured.How big of a curve would need on a layout to run a train like that? Tanks for the help Frank[:)]
Hello I found some photos at cencalrail.railfan.net/mow html Thanks for the help Frank
Over the last week or so I’ve seen one of those sitting in a siding every day while driving to and from work. CN is doing some track work on the Belleville Sub somewhere around where I live. Yesterday I got a rare glimpse of a CN caboose sitting on the tail end of it.
If you think about it, the cars are riding on the same stuff. So if it’s bent that way on the ground why not on the cars?
Hi there, can you verify the web address for the photos you mention?
Nothing comes up when I goes to the address you supplied
Thanks
It takes a large machine to bend rail like that on the ground. It is not bending like that on the cars.
I see welded rail trains go through Sykesville, Maryland on the CSX Old Main Line about once or twice a month.
I hope a real railroader who sees this discussion chimes in with some accurate information. I have some videos of rail trains going around some pretty sharp bends in the track and to me it seems that the rail on the train is having to bend with it. I also have a video showing a machine that removed wooden crossties and inserts cement crossties in their place. This machine picks the rail up and spreads it outward on both sides while the crossties are removed and replaced, and then puts it back into place. Welded rail appears to be quite flexible, even though it does take a machine to maneuver it. The videos are from Pentrex and Charles Smiley Videos. The one from Pentrex shows the tie replacement train and is entitled, “Working on the Railroad.” The one from Charles Smiley is a video about the SP.
In reality, it is bending to the same radius on the cars as the rail the cars are riding on. That rail is more flexible then it looks. If it didn’t bend the same, guess where the ends would be when going through a curve or what would happen to the cars it rides on. Take a look at a prototype switch. One man bends two (2) rails at once by hand. Ever see that same rail laying on ground after it’s been pulled off those cars? Ken
I stand corrected… my apologies[D)]
Over the years driving along the Conrail tracks a couple times a day, I saw a number of these rail trains…and the the rail being put down. I often questioned how they would manage a curve with those…but now that you mention it, I do remember seeing the long removed sections sagging quite a bit where they were left laying across ties or ground contour.
Take a piece of model rail about three feet long and flex it. Then take a piece about two inches long and try to bend that. Much harder right? Mainline rail is similar. a long piece acts like a wire and the short piece acts like, well ,an anvil.
CWR or Continuous Welded Rail is very flexable, it is removed from the cars either by a threader or feeder car which pulls the rail out and lays it on the ground close to the existing rail, or by anchoring or fastening the rail end to the ties and using a locomotive to pull the train and thereby dragging the rail off the cars and onto the ground. CWR is somewhat like an undercooked spaghetti noodle, no quite as limber but close.
By the way when it is traveling in a rail train the rail is anchored on the middle car to keep it from shifting forward or backward but still allowing it to move freely in curves.
I have seen lengths of welded rail awaiting installation alongside the present track and I have seen where the M of W crew would dig a trench at a grade crossing, lay the new rail in it and fill the trench back in with asphalt so the crossing could still be used until the new rail was finally installed. I have seen where the new rail would lay up to six months or more awaiting the final installation…
ED
Hello I am sorry I forgot an s I dont how to make it clikeable but it is cencalrails.railfan.net/mow.html I looked up welded rail train photos. It was under maintence of way.I think I might look for some in ho or try to make some.But not sure if will make my curves ? My big boy just makes it. Has any one tryed this yet? Frank