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[quote user="erikem"]From Armstrong's book, The Railroad, what it is, what it does, the "secret" for CWR is laying it at near max temp so it is usually under tension.[/quote] If it were this easy. As the rail has to carry vertical loads and according bending stresses additionally to the temperature stresses track welding is a balancing act depending on load and climate. The temperature at which the rail gets welded is choosen so that tensile strength is not exceeded at the lowest expected temperature and compressive strength not at the highest expected temperature. That neutreal temperature can be different at different locations. As you said the Poisson ratio rules how much the cross section changes. The whole track structure (subroadbed, ballast, and ties) keep the rail from buckling. But sometimes the stresses get high and a rail breaks or develops a sun kink (buckles). Regards, Volker
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