CONTINUOUS RAIL WELDING

One of the most extensive examples of continuous rail welding yet laid was completed by the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad of the United States, between Joliet and Coynes, Illinois. The total length is 5-1/2 miles, and the longest individual rail is 3,503 ft. The principle interest in this installation lies in the fact that the rails were welded at a depot, then moved in continuous strings up to 1,750 ft. long, to the sites at which they were to be laid in. The rails were of the 131 lb. per yd. flat-bottom section, in 39-ft. lengths, and 1,156 tons were required for the work. Butt-welding by the oxy-acetylene process was the method used. The total cost of the continuous rail was about $1,150 a mile greater than that of the conventional type of track with 131 lb. rails 39 ft. long and bolted joints. A minimum saving in maintenance of $100 a mile should justify the investment. The absence of joints is expected to increase the life of rails, eleminate excessive wear of joint sleepers and the constant attention needed to packing at the joints.

• Corporate Authors:

  Temple Press Limited

  161-166 Fleet Street
  Longon EC4,   England 
• Publication Date: 1945-8-10

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 142-143
• Serial:
  • RAILWAY GAZETTE
  • Volume: 83

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction; Costs; Fabrication; Maintenance management; Railroad rails; Railroad tracks; Technology; Welded rail; Welding
• Uncontrolled Terms: Maintenance costs
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: Rail welding
• Subject Areas: Construction; Finance; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00037943
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 8 1994 12:00AM