Deciphering the code:
10025—100 lb./yard, RE section, the 25 is the steel company's designation of an RE rail section. NOTE: There was a digit missing in the description so I guessed and added another zero as being most likely.
RE-the rail cross section; short for AREA (American Railway Engineering Association)
OH—steel made by open hearth process
Carnegie—Steel mill
USA-Country of origin
1989—Year rolled
IIIIIIIIII—Month rolled; if I counted correctly there are 10 lines, so 10th month (October)
So, used rail from somewhere, or being that it looks new, purchased for some project and never used. By 1989 very little 10025 rail was rolled, by any mill, and not for use by Class One railroads. Light rail use would be likely, and it would receive little wear, except possibly in a curve.
Kurt Hayek
Ain't new rail and I think you need to look at rascal again...the raised letter branding repeats itself every 6 feet going down the rail...
CARNEGIE quit rolling rail a long time ago (Became US Steel (USS) back about 1902)
OH = Open Hearth (that practice quit a long time ago....1939?)
Sure that isn't 1889 (Oct)?
1025 is not a common number(Never heard of 102 Lb Rail)
I took three photos with my phone, so I have enlarged and studied them for a considerable time today and I am as mystified as ever. The lettering is clearly as I described it. Like you gentlemen, I can't quite believe my eyes. I'm familiar with Carnegie Steel and I know the name was dropped about 1902. But there it is in capital letters (CARNEGIE U S A). Unmistakeable. The 1989 is clear as a bell, too. It's not 1939 or anything else. The 9's are identical and the 8 is clear. There are indeed 10 vertical marks (October).
I looked at Google to see if there's a Carnegie Works or Plant from about that time, but no. None of this makes sense to me, either.
I'd be glad to post these photos if I knew how, but you'd see just what I'm telling you.
mudchickenAin't new rail and I think you need to look at rascal again...the raised letter branding repeats itself every 6 feet going down the rail... CARNEGIE quit rolling rail a long time ago (Became US Steel (USS) back about 1902) OH = Open Hearth (that practice quit a long time ago....1939?) Sure that isn't 1889 (Oct)? 1025 is not a common number(Never heard of 102 Lb Rail)
Didn't US Steel have one of the mills known as 'The Carnegie Works'?
While I did live in Pittsburgh as a kid, I didn't memorize the names of all the steel mills that were operative in the early 1950's.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Some more information:
Although Illinois Steel, Carnegie Steel, and Tennessee Coal Iron & Railroad may have been merged into U. S. Steel that doesn't mean the identification ("brand" is the correct term) changed. I know from field checks that "Illinois" and "Tennessee" (and I assume "Carnegie" also) were used for many years afterwards.
For example, on a rail rolled in 1949: 11525 RE CC ILLINOIS 1949 (115 lb., AREA section, controlled cooled, USS Gary works, 1949, month not recorded)
By 1953 there was a slight change: 11525 RE CC USS ILLINOIS 1953 (finally added the manufacturer's initials)
Still same format in 1981: 11525 RE CC USS ILLINOIS 1981
I don't recall running across rail marked "Carnegie" but I grew up in Minneapolis, worked for the UP, CNW, and BN, and traveled and railfanned the midwestern and western US so I mostly saw rail rolled in the midwest and west.
Where was "Carnegie" rail rolled? A possible answer: I remember reading once that Andrew Carnegie was trying to get the PRR to buy rail from Carnegie. In talks with the president of the Pennsy he mentioned he was naming the large new steel mill he was building "The Edger Thompson Works" (guess who was PRR's president)?
It's also possible that the rolls used to make the rail under discussion had not been used in some time and only had minimal changes made on the brand lettering to save money.
The 10025 rail is a good section but never became very popular; when introduced railroads were starting to use heavier rail sections, and railroads still using 100 lb. rail preferred standardizing on the earlier-design 100 lb. sections that they had been using. For example, I ran across some 10020 (aka 100RA; American Railway Association design) rail on Kyle Railroad around Goodland, Kans. This rail had been rolled in the 1940s, over 25 years after the section had been superceded by 100RE rail.
sandiegoFor example, on a rail rolled in 1949: 11525 RE CC ILLINOIS 1949 (115 lb., AREA section, controlled cooled, USS Gary works, 1949, month not recorded)
NKP guyThe lettering is clearly as I described it.
Then no one can explain it.
Yes, yes, and yes.
I agree. Unexplainable.
Here are some actual "Illinois" rail branding examples:
7009 ILLINOIS STEEL CO. SOUTH WORKS 1899 (70 lb., unknown section)
9002 ILLINOIS STEEL CO. SOUTH WORKS 1904 (old no. for 90 lb. American Society of Civil Engineers (ACSE) section)
8506 ILLINOIS STEEL CO. SOUTH WORKS 1908 (old no. for 85 lb. CB&Q section)
10030 ILLINOIS STEEL CO. SOUTH WORKS 1909 (100 lb. American Railway Association type B section; there was also an ARA-A section)
9030 ILLINOIS STEEL CO. SOUTH WORKS 1912 (90 lb. ARA-B section)
Here is the change from South Works to Gary; sometime in 1912 or 1913.
9035 I. S. CO. GARY 1913 (90 lb. CNW section)
9010 I. S. CO. GARY 1914 I (old no. for 90 lb. Great Northern section; rolled January 1914; new number for this section was 9034)
8520 I. S. CO. GARY 1914 IIIIIII (85 lb. Soo Line section; rolled July 1914)
8520 ILLINOIS G 1914 IIII (85 lb. Soo Line section; rolled April 1914)
Note old brand still used after introduction of new brand—on same rail section no less; perhaps had two sets of rolls.
In 1914 many of the rail section numbers were changed, but many others continued using same numbers; most changes were in the ASCE sections, and many of the railroad-designed sections.
timzSo it does say 1025, not 10025? And it does say Carnegie, and it does say 1989?
Dep't of Corrections:
I'm glad mudchicken mentioned the rail stampings are every six feet, because I looked at a number of them this morning while in the park (I must have looked like a terrorist or crazy person to the few other people I saw there, what with my face practically next to the rail).
It turns out it does say 11025 R E O H CARNEGIE USA 1939.
So I was wrong about the number and date. But if Carnegie went out of business in 1902, is this newly-installed and welded-together rail really over 120 years old? That seems preposterous.
NKP guy timz So it does say 1025, not 10025? And it does say Carnegie, and it does say 1989? Dep't of Corrections: I'm glad mudchicken mentioned the rail stampings are every six feet, because I looked at a number of them this morning while in the park (I must have looked like a terrorist or crazy person to the few other people I saw there, what with my face practically next to the rail). It turns out it does say 11025 R E O H CARNEGIE USA 1939. So I was wrong about the number and date. But if Carnegie went out of business in 1902, is this newly-installed and welded-together rail really over 120 years old? That seems preposterous.
timz So it does say 1025, not 10025? And it does say Carnegie, and it does say 1989?
Well. maybe not 120 years but 85 years is still a bit old.
CSSHEGEWISCHWell. maybe not 120 years but 85 years is still a bit old.
We have some Dudley that's at least that old. I'll take a look Friday while I'm on the railroad.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Rail on the ex-Erie Northern Branch between Englewood and Tenafly (observed in the mid-Seventies) was Carnegie 1918.
Refer to my previous post about "Illinois" rail brands; it appears that Carnegie followed the same practice in using the old name for mill identification after the formation of U. S. Steel.
The 11025 is 110 lb. A(RE)A section rail. By 1939 this section had been superceded by 112 RE for a number of years (110 RE wasn't a very good design; hence the change to 112 RE). Surprised they were rolling any 110 RE in 1939.
Being 1939 rail I would say it had been cropped to 37' lengths for the W&LE relay (no bolt holes, remember).
This morning, while riding on the bike path that is located on the former westbound roadbed of the Erie RR, I took a good look at the jointed rail of the eastbound track, currently the Akron, Barberton Cluster Ry. At one place it reads:
13225 RE CC U S S CARNEGIE U S A 1952 lllllllll
and at another place it's the same except it's dated 1948, which makes it as old as I am(!). I confess to being astonished at the age of these rails, including the 1939 ones discussed here previously. These have been outside for all those years; why have they not rusted away?
By the way, what did one 39' rail cost in 1939? or 1952? And what does CC stand for?
Back in the late 60's when I would pick up my pay check from the B&O Agent at Kent, OH - one day when I got to the station off of Summit Street and wandered around the 'yard tracks' that were TT West of Summit Street - looking at the rail markings - there was 100, 90 and 85 pound rail with rolling dates in the late 1800's. Those tracks no longer exist.
CC = Controlled Cooling (air quenching mill process)
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