COMPARISON OF PERFORMANCE OF WOOD-TIE FASTENERS AT FAST

The results of experiments with wood-tie fasteners at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing are reported. Since the beginning of the use of 91-Mg (100-ton) freight cars, there has been an increasing problem with wood-tie fasteners. The resulting high axle loads have caused an increase in the deterioration of wood ties from spike killing and tie-plate cutting and have taxed the cut-spike fastener to the limit in preventing rail roll-over and wide gage. The objective of the wood-tie fastener tests at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing is to find an alternative to the cut spike that would alleviate some of the problems that have occurred in revenue service. Two test cycles have been completed, and a third is currently being run. In the first test, an excessive amount of rail wear, attributed to high flanging forces and a lack of effective lubrication, resulted in two rail transpositions. The rail was regaged each time, which eventually "spike killed" the ties. In the second test, in the elastic-clip segments, a large number of the hold-down fasteners failed, which resulted in wide gage. This led to a redesign for the current test to incorporate four hold-down fasteners, twice as many as in the second test. The results have not yet demonstrated that there is a wood-tie fastening system that will perform better than the cut spike. The results of the third test, however, may change this conclusion.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1980/744/744-007.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=COMPARISON+OF+PERFORMANCE+OF+WOOD-TIE+FASTENERS+AT+FAST&author=H.+MOODY&publication_year=1980
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Track Structure System Design. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • MOODY, HOWARD G
• Publication Date: 1980

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 40-46
• Monograph Title: Railroad track and facilities
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 744
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction scheduling; Gage (Rails); High capacity cars; Overturning; Rail (Railroads); Rail fasteners; Railroad tracks; Spikes; Wood ties
• Old TRIS Terms: Fast track; Gauge widening; Rail overturning; Track structures; Wooden cross ties
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00319309
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309030528
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 11 1980 12:00AM