Rail Marking Question

[mudchicken]

Only the current track chart knows for sure, and it's a couple steps behind.

[Midsouth fan]

I enjoy walking down my tracks and finding rail that we STILL run on the mainline that was forged in 1897! The northern extension of our line (LNW RR) was built in 1898.

[tree68]

Midsouth fan

I enjoy walking down my tracks and finding rail that we STILL run on the mainline that was forged in 1897! The northern extension of our line (LNW RR) was built in 1898.

We've got some ~1920 rail on the mainline.  What we don't know is whether it was laid new, or is relay from someplace else on the NYC.

[BaltACD]

tree68

Midsouth fan

I enjoy walking down my tracks and finding rail that we STILL run on the mainline that was forged in 1897! The northern extension of our line (LNW RR) was built in 1898.

We've got some ~1920 rail on the mainline.  What we don't know is whether it was laid new, or is relay from someplace else on the NYC.

 

Rail on low density branch lines, lines that are being used today, lines that have been spun off as Short Lines and lines that have been abandoned were most likely serviced with relay rail - if the density on the line was expected to be marginal when the line was built, it may have been built 'new' with relay rail.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

tree68

We've got some ~1920 rail on the mainline.  What we don't know is whether it was laid new, or is relay from someplace else on the NYC.

What 'section' is it - weight and specific design details ?  If it's 100 or 105 lb., it may have been laid there as new.  If the rail is heavier than that - 127 lb. ? - then likely it was relaid from someplace else.  Is it worn on the outside of the head at all, as it would be from a curve ?  How much is the total vertical headwear ?  If that's 1/4" or more, it's likely relay.  Also, if it's not Control Cooled - "CC" - it may be relay, re-installed there to get it out of the mainline, but to still find a place to get more use (gross ton-miles of traffic over it) out of its remaining service life.      

- Paul North.     

[mogul264]

Could these rails be from the steel of what was to be the USS Illinois, BB-65? It was in construction at the end of WWII, but the contract ended in 1945. It was never completed, and was finally broken up in 1958.

[beaulieu]

mogul264

Could these rails be from the steel of what was to be the USS Illinois, BB-65? It was in construction at the end of WWII, but the contract ended in 1945. It was never completed, and was finally broken up in 1958.

Not too likely, most of the metal in rail is virgin from ore as the specification is stringent.