RAIL FAILURES

A train, travelling at slow speed on the down line between Tweedmouth and Kelso in 1941, was derailed by a rail broken in 12 pieces. The rail, laid in 1890, was a 90-lb one, with an average yard weight at the time of the accident of 83 lb. It was situated inside a 19-ch. curve, provided with check rails and 3 in. of super-elevation. Slipping with a heavy load when accelerating from rest was the cause of the rail failure. The heat generated by the slipping was estimated to reach about 700 C. Slipping had occurred over a several week period, but was most pronounced within two days of the derailment. Sections of the rail were subjected to falling weight tests. One piece dropped with the head up broke at 7 feet. The other piece dropped head down, broke at 1 foot.

• Corporate Authors:

  Temple Press Limited

  161-166 Fleet Street
  Longon EC4,   England 
• Publication Date: 1944-2-4

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 110
• Serial:
  • RAILWAY GAZETTE
  • Volume: 80

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cracking; Defects; Derailments; Drop tests; Failure; Railroad rails; Stresses; Technology; Temperature; Tension; Wheel slip
• Uncontrolled Terms: Tensile stress
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Old TRIS Terms: Rail drop tests; Rail failure
• Subject Areas: Materials; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00037306
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 4 1994 12:00AM