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

This report is presented in two appendices. Appendix 8-a covers the inspection of service tests of fully heat-treated and alloy rail installations. There are five tests of fully heat-treated rail, three of high-silicon rail, one of chrome-vanadium, and one of columbium-treated rail. The heat treatment in some locations has shown considerable value in extending rail life under shelly conditions and in resisting head flow on the low side of curves. The high silicon and low-alloy rails show a resistance to wear and shelling. The chrome-vanadium rail shows excellent performance. Appendix 8-b covers 1) rolling-load tests to produce shelling in high-silicon chrome-vanadium rail, columbium-treated rails, basic-oxygen standard carbon rails and flame-hardened rails; and 2) end-quench hardenability curves determining the quenching characteristics of some of the low-alloy rail steels. High-silicon chrome-vanadium rails rated high in rolling-load tests. End-quench hardenability curves are given for four rail steels to furnish information on the quenching characteristics of low-alloy rail steels.

• Corporate Authors:

  American Railway Engineering Association

  59 East Van Buren Street
  Chicago, IL  United States  60605
• Publication Date: 1962-2

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 532-552
• Serial:
  • AREA BULLETIN
  • Volume: 63 N
  • Issue Number: 570
  • Publisher: American Railway Engineering Association

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alloy steel; Flame hardening; Load tests; Rail steel; Railroad rails; Shelling (Metals); Wear
• Uncontrolled Terms: Quenching
• Old TRIS Terms: Head checks; Rail metallurgy; Rail shelling
• Subject Areas: Construction; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00052326
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Association of American Railroads
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 15 1976 12:00AM