CAUSES OF SHELLY SPOTS AND HEAD CHECKS IN RAIL-METHODS FOR THEIR PREVENTION

Causes of shelly spots and head checks in rail are explored and methods for their prevention are presented. Heat-treated-rail and alloy rail service test installations are inspected on curves with shelly histories, and laboratory investigations of shelly rail involving rolling-load and slow-bend tests are also made. Service test installations on the Great Northern Railway of rails rolled from continuously cast blooms, fully heat-treated rails, Columbium-treated rail, and Curve-master rail, were inspected, and contour tracings of the rail inspected were made. Service test installations on curves are designed to study both resistance to wear and flow and resistance to shelling. Two methods presently employed in improving these properties are the addition of alloying elements and heat treating. The addition of certain alloying elements improves resistance to wear and flow but does not necessarily improve resistance to shelling. The use of other alloying elements may improve both of these properties. It is shown that rail if properly heat treated, will be improved in both of these properties. If improperly heat treated, the results are detrimental rather than beneficial.

• Corporate Authors:

  American Railway Engineering Association

  59 East Van Buren Street
  Chicago, IL  United States  60605
• Publication Date: 1966-2

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 493-508
• Serial:
  • AREA BULLETIN
  • Volume: 67 N
  • Issue Number: 598
  • Publisher: American Railway Engineering Association

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alloy steel; Heat treated rail; Railroad rails; Shelling (Metals); Wear
• Old TRIS Terms: Head checks; Rail shelling
• Subject Areas: Materials; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00052287
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Association of American Railroads
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 15 1976 12:00AM