Hello gentlemen,
I have some leftover lengths of ME code 70 flextrack that I'd like to cut into appropriate lengths to simulate prototype rail stock in a rail yard. Can you tell me what lengths I should cut please?
Regards,
Ron from down under.
I believe the standard length from the steel mills was/is 39 feet. I remember a construction article in MR by Merk Hobson, back in the '50s (December 1953, to be exact), where he wanted to build a rail and tie car. He wanted to use a standard HO flatcar kit, but there wasn't enough car length to add the wood beam rail stops to contain standard length rails. "After due deliberation, the other board members (ages 4-1/2 and 2-1/2 years) were persuaded by the chairman to install 38'-6" rail sections on (the railroad)." Hobson modeled the CB&Q, under his freelance road name, and had good photos of the prototype--and his own model. He was an excellent modeler and photographer and inspired me a lot. I was a teenager at the time, but I still admire his work.
Deano
Hello Ron
Deano has provided you with some good information. Allow me to offer some additional material of interest from a New York Central Plan and Data booklet that I have in my reference library.
NYC_Data_1942_0004 by Edmund, on Flickr
Here are a few interesting pages from said book, the drawings are mostly from the 1942 era.
NYC_Data_1942_0002 by Edmund, on Flickr
The color-coded ends might make an interesting detail. Other railroads may follow a different practice, of course.
NYC_Data_1942_0001 by Edmund, on Flickr
NYC_Data_1942_0003 by Edmund, on Flickr
New York Central primarily used three weights of rail 105 lb.; 112 lb. and 127 lb. The above being just one example.
NYC_Data_1942 by Edmund, on Flickr
This last is particularly interesting in my opinion. Calculate a main line railroad, perhaps two, three or four tracks wide by how many miles in length (track-miles) and you come up with lots of little spikes!
Note that for estimating purposes they estimate 89% use of full 39 foot rail and 11% of 32 footers (yet the chart on page 50 mentions 33' rail which was a common cut length used in the construction of six of the turnouts shown in the book).
I hope that gives you some interesting reading!
Cheers! Ed
Seems like I read somewhere that 39' lengths were used so that they would fit nicely inside a 40' gondola for transport.
Mike
Era dependent. 1800 era track, 33 ft lengths, 1900's track 39 ft lengths, 2000's some 78 ft lengths.
Some modern rail is rolded in roughly 1/12 miles lengths (480 ft), then 3 pieces are welded together to form 1/4 mile strings.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Thanks Deano, Ed and Dave for the extensive info, 39' will fit the bill nicely. Maybe a little colour coding to brighten up the rusty rails
Ron.
5280 / 12 = 440
3 x 440 = 1320
1320 = 15.16 feet in HO
(for those who are planning a proper rail-train)
(and, aren't we all??)
(you DO have 20' sidings, don't you?)
Ed
PS: 20' sidings are of great use. Not only can you fit a rail train, but you can fit almost all passenger trains. Complete. Like, say, Great Northern's Empire Builder.
For faster repair and replacement reasons, some railroads would keep "short" lengths of rails near sidings and crossings where for various reasons a shorter-than-standard length of rail had been used. They would paint one end a particular color, often green, so that the track crews would know it was not a "standard" length of rail that they could use anywhere.
Dave Nelson
I saw a rail train go by one day when I was in South Georgia.
.
The whining noise it made was extremely eerie. I guess the rail moved around a little on the special cars and made the noise. I have never heard anything like it.
If I was going to make a movie about Banshees, that is what I would use for the screaming sound effect.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
You can get joint bars Here.
I saw section track inside a gondola.
Would that used for turnout sections?
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
angelob6660I saw section track inside a gondola. Would that used for turnout sections?
Probably, or part of a switch / turn out. I see them laying along side of the track on the CN.
South Penn, those look like some interesting details. Thinking about those on my yard, spur, and industrial track.
I've also seen a switch, about 95% complete, standing up on "edge", on gondolas and flat cars, equiped with a rack that holds them. I watched one being replaced on a live railcam, on the CSX, in Fostoria, OH.
My You Tube
angelob6660 I saw section track inside a gondola. Would that used for turnout sections?
Prefabricated sectional track, called "panel track" in my area, can be used for quick replacement at derailments or new construction of industry or auxilary type tracks. The wreck trains the UP maintains at terminals no longer have big hooks or outfit cars. Now they have flat cars of panel rail and ballast hoppers.
Jeff
jeffhergertThe wreck trains the UP maintains at terminals no longer have big hooks or outfit cars. Now they have flat cars of panel rail and ballast hoppers.
You might want to mention that the absence of cranes and such is because of outsourcing the actual work to Hulcher et al. Only the emergency or replacement panel track needs to be provided for them to get a line open ASAP...