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Tie Plate Hole Dimensions

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  • Member since
    January 2002
  • 4,612 posts
Posted by M636C on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 9:54 PM
Bongo,

I took your hint, and looked at this question. I'll check the drawings when I get a chance, but the thought that comes to mind is that the larger hole allows a spike to be driven right onto the rail to provide a bit more resistance to rail rollover in curves. But that's just a guess.

Peter
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Tie Plate Hole Dimensions
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, January 15, 2005 2:58 PM
Hey, somebody had to ask, right?

I've been looking more carefully at original drawings--not a real tie plates. I notice that in both 3-hole flanged and unflanged, and in the more modern 4-hole double-flanged tie plates, all of the holes are not the same size.

For example, the punching for PRR 3-hole plates shows one 7/8" sq hole on the field side, and on the track side it has one 7/8" and one 1" sq hole. This is the layout for the 100 lbs plate. Now get this...

For the 85 lbs plate--same drawing--it has the same two 7/8" sq holes, one on each side of the rail, but now the 3rd hole is spec'd to be punch as 15/16".

Likewise on even newer 4-hole tie plates, regardless of rail weight, I see at least one hole punch larger. What's up?

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