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[Ham549]

How big of a gap between two rails is safe? I found a gap large enoufe for me to stick my hand in. Is that to big?

[PBenham]

It is close to being a reportable defect all right, but it would have to be checked by a qualified inspector and then that employee would decide what to do. Now, way back when the Lehigh Valley was still running, that joint would have been considered one of the good ones, since the joint bar I can see is intact. I'd slap a 15 MPH passenger, 10 MPH for freight restriction notice on that stretch and put it on my report.

[coborn35]

Nope. Track speed all the way. Not a bad joint, the wheels will clack, but thats about it.

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Ham549

How big of a gap between two rails is safe? I found a gap large enoufe for me to stick my hand in. Is that to big?

you see the angle bars that are holding the "gap" together... unless the bars get lose to the point where they fall off ..its fine... the gap will also grow near closed if not all the way when the rail warms up.... also... just for and FYI to you....its not exactly a good idea to be putting your hand between the gap.. should a freak thing happen in which you would get your hand pinned..you will find yourself in a world of hurt if a train came along...
csx engineer

[Ham549]

Most of the track is CWR but there are a few big gaps here and there (looks like they put new rail in parts of the track but diden't have a welder with them. The trains or at least Amtrak trains travel at a pretty good pace 45-50 m.p.h. maby. I have also found other things about the track. some playces seem to lack ballest and the tracks haves mounds of dry mud between the ties, the mud and tracks aren't very packed together also it looks lose hmmmm. Maby I will post more pictures.

[coborn35]

Its fine. BTW, arent you tresspassing to get these pics.......?

[Ham549]

....maby[:D]

[monkeyman2]

Ham, Can you work on your spelling and grammer a bit? It's rather annoying and hard to read some times.
You can always run your post's in microsoft word or some other spell checker before posting. [;)]

[trainboyH16-44]

QUOTE: Originally posted by monkeyman2

Ham, Can you work on your spelling and grammer a bit? It's rather annoying and hard to read some times.
You can always run your post's in microsoft word or some other spell checker before posting. [;)]

And you can watch that apostrophe [:p]

[Ham549]

I found another gap big enoufe to put a spike through. Is that a bad thing?

[coborn35]

NO. I wouldnt keep messing with this. Its gonna get you in trouble. I can just see you testing out a metal bar in CTC territory, laying it across the tracks and then the dispatcher sh**ing himself and spilling coffee allover the crew caller. LMAO jk of course

[Anonymous]

Hummmm, dont know much about this kind of stuff, i have to admit, however from a complete novices point of view, as a passenger on a train seeing this i would be very worried. Very interesting forum this though

[Ham549]

With trains going buy smashing the rail the crossbar thingy will ware out fast.

[trainboyH16-44]

Haven't you finished english yet?
You have to think about the forces in a rail joint. It's not like it's impacting the railhead at an angle on the other side, and think about the size of the wheels, you'd have to have a very large space in the rail for the flange to be able to slip out, even if it was on a curve.
NOW LET IT DIE

[Ham549]

It does ba***he rail head.