BUTT WELD FAILURES

A record of failures in various types of butt-welded rail is presented and briefly analyzed. On the basis of failures per 100 weld years, the failure rates for the oxyacetylene pressure butt welds and electric flash pressure butt welds are low, and about the same, for new rail. It should be noted, however, that the average service period of the oxyacetylene pressure butt welds is 68 percent longer than that of the electric-flash pressure butt welds. For relay rail, the performance of the oxyacetylene pressure weld is somewhat better than that of the electric-flash pressure weld. The failure rate in thermite welds is substantially higher than that for either of the two pressure processes.

• Corporate Authors:

  American Railway Engineering Association

  59 East Van Buren Street
  Chicago, IL  United States  60605
• Publication Date: 1967-2

Media Info

• Features: Tables;
• Pagination: p. 397
• Serial:
  • AREA BULLETIN
  • Volume: 68
  • Publisher: American Railway Engineering Association

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Failure; Rail (Railroads); Rail joints; Surveys; Technology; Welded rail
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: Rail failure
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00040427
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Bulletin 605
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 22 1976 12:00AM