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

A summary of the performance of heat-treated rail at five installations is presented. Results of rolling-load tests for each installation was presented. The progress on shelly rail studies was presented. Rolling-load rests on heat-treated rail, three experimentally flame-hardened rails and commercially flame-hardened rails were performed. Rolling-load tests to develop detail fractures and stress relaxation tests were made. The tests of the experimentally flame-hardened rails did not compare favorably with tests of heat-treated or alloy rail. Progress in the studies of stress relaxation in rail steel and deformational behavior of rails is reported. Bending fatigue tests of rail steel specimens were run to investigate whether a subcritical thermal treatment might heal progressive fatigue damage. No beneficial effect was noted. The mechanisms involved in rolling-load failures were then studied by work with low-carbon steels sensitive to the Fry "strain-etch" technique and with silver chloride which has optical properties and metal-like mechanical behavior. More work will be done with these two materials.

• Corporate Authors:

  American Railway Engineering Association

  59 East Van Buren Street
  Chicago, IL  United States  60605
• Publication Date: 1953

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 14 p.
• Serial:
  • AREA BULLETIN
  • Volume: 54
  • Publisher: American Railway Engineering Association

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alloy steel; Flame hardening; Heat treated rail; Load tests; Railroad rails; Shelling (Metals)
• Old TRIS Terms: Rail shelling
• Subject Areas: Construction; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00052426
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Association of American Railroads
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 15 1976 12:00AM