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RAILROAD WELDED RAIL TRACK EXPANSION
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O.K., this is a question that I have wondered about for some time, but I have yet to get a REALLY GOOD explanation. Perhaps one of you fellows out there who KNOW whats going on might be able to provide the explanation. I remember, when I ran steam locomotives and early generation diesels, that we used stick track (34 foot sections of rail) and some railroads still do, and we, quite often got heat kinks on those really hot days of Summer. Then, along came welded rail and we got fewer heat kinks or problems with the rails. What I would like to know is - howcome? I know that the rails are held in place by special clamps at each tie, but what happens to the rail expansion - I think the scientific guys call it the coefficient of metal expansion - or something like that. One fellow told me that it's because these clamps, plus the fact that the rail expands in all the planes (Up, down, sideways, left and right - all around the rail) keeps the rails in place and prevents them from expanding and twisting out of shape. But I find that this is not really a good explanation - I mean, the quarter mile sections of rail are then welded together, once in place, so that, in total, this makes a pretty long piece of welded rail. When the temperatures get into the 100 degrees F. or more, how is it that the rails stay in place and don't kink? <br />[:)] Can anyone give me a good explantion or where I can go to get a good explanation? Thanks. <br />Norman - Engineman 1
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