DETERMINATION OF PRINCIPLES TO BE APPLIED FOR THE FISHPLATES OF UIC-RAILS

The report first of all contains an analytical section summarizing the motives which led to the adoption of fishplates; motives which always remain valid, for, in spite of the desire of Engineers to promote to the utmost the use of long-welded rails, certain fields remain outside the scope of the latter. These motives obviously make it necessary to define the functions of fishplates in general, although these functions may well be contradictory. The following chapter specifically deals with the mechanical behaviour of the fish-joint, for which purpose the following items are examined: its behaviour under the passing of a wheel; the defects which become apparent during its ageing; the causes of these defects and the mistakes to be avoided; the importance of an isostatic joint and the possibility of applying this joint without committing the mistakes made in the initial tests; the importance of the diameter of fishbolt holes and of their position in relation to the end of the rail. The Rapporteurs next pay particular attention to showing that the opinions thus expressed are not simple unfounded views, but, for the greater part, are confirmed by experience and, in this respect, they quote fish-joint specimens more or less answering to these principles. Finally, they have especially drawn attention to the failures and drawbacks which might arise from the application of fish-plates anwereing to these new principles if the permanent way gangs are not instructed at the same time, lest these gangs should apply to the joint thus conceived the maintenance methods previously used for remedying the defects occurring in the older type of joint. In concluding, the Rapporteurs suggest the principles to be adopted for the fishplating of UIC rails, viz: long fish-plates; support on the upper and lower fishing surfaces of the rail, to be restricted to the working parts; horizontal cambering of each fish-plate so as to increase the degree of play take-up; application, as far as possible, of 3 bolts on either side of the joint; symmetrical profile; and vertical moment as high as possible, with small transverse moment.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Restrictions on the use of this document are contained in the explanatory material.
• Corporate Authors:

  International Union of Railways

  Office of Research and Experiments
  Utrecht,   Netherlands 
• Publication Date: 1959-10

Media Info

• Pagination: 43 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Design; Jointed track; Rail joints; Railroad rails; Structural design; Tie bars
• Uncontrolled Terms: Design criteria
• Old TRIS Terms: Question d32; Rail design
• Subject Areas: Design; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00052826
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: International Union of Railways
• Report/Paper Numbers: D32/RP 1/E Intrm Rpt.
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 8 1994 12:00AM