Rail weights
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Rail weights are an important criteria for railways, as they affect maximum axle loads and maximum speeds, or rail life, or a combination of the preceding.
Rails are expensive, primarily because they are made of high quality steel (or iron or even wood in earlier days); thus rails should not be heavier than necessary. Also, rails are only made in a limited number of sizes, including weight and shape, so you have to choose the nearest size, rather than the theoretical size.
Cascading[edit]
As axle loads increase, or locomotives replace horses, rails on main lines have to be replaced with heavier rails, and the older, lighter rails may be "cascaded" for use on sidings. Superseded rails may also have other uses such as telegraph poles, fence posts, or structural elements in bridges and buildings.
Theft[edit]
Since steel rails can have value as scrap that may be stolen by thieves for sale to scrap merchants, protective measures may be desirable.
Weights[edit]
Here are some rail weights in order of size.
Press up/down arrow to sort data under that heading.
| Year | Rail Weight |
Rail Length |
Type | Material | Link | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 113lb/yd (56kg/m) | FB | ST | Cae Pawb | diamond crossing NR SG rail or bar |
FB=Flat Bottom ST=Steel | |
| 2010 | 080lb/yd (40kg/m) | FB | Cae Pawb | diamond crossing | closure/transition rail | ||
| 2010 | 060lb/yd (30kg/m) | BH | ST | Cae Pawb | diamond crossing FR NG rail | BH=Bull Head ST=Steel | |
| 1923 | ST | Cambrian Crossing | No rail weights mentioned | ||||
| 1922 | 045lb/yd (23kg/m) | FB | ST | Croesor Tramway | relay rail | Complete | |
| 1901 | 075lb/yd (37kg/m) | ?? | ST | Harbour Station | relay rail | ||
| 1922 | 041lb/yd (20kg/m) | 060ft ? | TW | ST | Croesor Junction | A4085 level crossing | TW=Tramway Rail |
| 2008 | 075lb/yd (37kg/m) | 120ft ? | FB | ST | Pen-y-mount | down loop line | with baseplates |
| 2008 | 050lb/yd (25kg/m) | FB | ST | Pen-y-mount | up loop line replaced with 75lb rails |
on baseplates & Pandrol clips | |
| 1836 | 015lb/yd (08kg/m) | ?? | ?? | Festiniog Railway | original rail for horses | OO [1] | |
| 1865 | 030lb/yd (15kg/m) | ?? | ?? | Festiniog Railway | heavier rail for locomotives not heavy enough |
HH [2] | |
| 1866 | 048lb/yd (24kg/m) | ?? | ?? | Festiniog Railway | still heavier rail for locomotives | II [3] | |
| 1868 | 038lb/yd (19kg/m) | FB | Festiniog and Blaenau Railway | FB=Flat Bottom | |||
| 1901 | 041lb/yd (20kg/m) | FB | Croesor Junction | relay for locomotive haulage | RR | ||
| 1863 | 020lb/yd (10kg/m) | IR ? ST ? |
Croesor Tramway | horse haulage | IR=Iron ST=Steel | ||
| 3066 | 120lb/yd (60kg/m) | 240ft ? | Railways are still there. | ||||
| 1066 | No railways then. | ||||||
| 1832 | 003ft ? | FI | CI WI |
Rail Types | FI=Fishbelly CI=Cast Iron WI=Wrought Iron | ||
| 2010 | 050lb/yd (25kg/m) | 024ft | DH | Day Log/1896-08-28 | DH=Double head | ||
| 1964 | 050lb/yd (25kg/m) | 024ft 030ft |
BH | Penrhyn Quarry Rail | Relay. Some welded |
Note: Leading zeros required to make columns sort properly
Gallery[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "ECONOMIC RAILWAYS". Morning Post (Cairns, Qld. : 1897 - 1907). Cairns, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 7 April 1898. p. 2. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ "THE RAILWAYS OF THE FUTURE". Hamilton Spectator (Vic. : 1870 - 1873; 1914 - 1918). Vic.: National Library of Australia. 14 May 1870. p. 1 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
- ^ "THE RAILWAYS OF THE FUTURE". Hamilton Spectator (Vic. : 1870 - 1873; 1914 - 1918). Vic.: National Library of Australia. 14 May 1870. p. 1 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR. Retrieved 27 September 2015.