140-LB. RAILS TO FINE GRAIN STEEL (ALUMINUM ADDED TO THE INGOT)

The purpose of this test was to determine if inherently fine-grain steel will resist shelling better than rails of ordinary steel. Frequent inspections of the test installation were made, and it was observed that the fine-grain and ordinary rails performed nearly alike. In 18 months' time the flaking and head checks were much in evidence, and after two years of service, head checking and flaking were well advanced. A derailment in November 1956 damaged three of the fine-grain rails. A previous laboratory examination of the rails had revealed that the fine grain steel had practically the same mechanical properties as the coarse grain steel as measured by tensile tests and Brinnel hardness. It was concluded that fine grain steel produced by addition of aluminum to the ingot as used in this test, offers no advantage for use in rails.

• Corporate Authors:

  Penn Central Transportation Company

  Transportation Center, 6 Penn Center Plaza
  Philadelphia, PA  United States  19104
• Authors:
  • Code, C J
• Publication Date: 1959-12-11

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: 9 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Defects; Hardness; Inspection; Railroad rails; Shelling (Metals); Stresses; Technology; Tension
• Uncontrolled Terms: Tensile stress
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: Flaking; Flaking (Rails); Rail inspection; Shelling; Shelling (Rails)
• Subject Areas: Materials; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00040277
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Test No. 588 Test Rpt
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 8 1994 12:00AM